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US 2016/0245835 A1Published application
Compact high volume analytical instrument architecture
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorsTimothy P. Evers, Gregory D. Ariff, Edward A. Nuzzaci, Edward F. Farina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An analytical instrument architecture provides high analytical test throughput in a compact footprint. A dilution section creates dilutions of a sample, a reaction processing section contains containers for assay reaction and measurement, and a reagent storage section supports reagent storage and supply. Transfer probes move the dilution and reagents to reaction containers. The dilution processing section includes concentric, independently driven rings of dilution containers; the reaction processing section includes concentric rings of reaction containers driven by the same mechanism for parallel processing of assays.
Claims32
A compact high volume automated clinical analyzer, comprising:
- an access position for access of samples;
- a diluting turntable comprising a plurality of diluting containers arranged in a plurality of diluting rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a diluting probe for transferring sample from the access position and creating a dilution in one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on any of the plurality of diluting rings;
- a reaction turntable comprising a plurality of reaction containers arranged in a plurality of reaction rings concentric and operating in parallel with respect to one another;
- a plurality of sample transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reaction rings for transferring the dilution from the one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on any of the plurality of diluting rings to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on the respective one of the plurality of reaction rings, the plurality of sample transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a reagent storage section comprising a plurality of reagent storage areas, each of the plurality of reagent storage areas dedicated to storage and supply of a respective reagent, each reagent storage area comprising a plurality of reagent containers arranged in a plurality of reagent rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another, wherein each of the plurality of reagent rings is dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reaction rings;
- a plurality of reagent transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reagent rings for transferring a reagent from one or more of the plurality of reagent containers on the respective one of the plurality of reagent rings to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on a corresponding one of the plurality of reaction rings, the plurality of reagent transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- and
- a controller for controlling operation of the diluting probe, the diluting turntable, the reaction turntable, the plurality of sample transfer probes, the reagent storage section, and the plurality of reagent transfer probes.
6 more elements
A compact high volume automated clinical analyzer, comprising:
- an access position for access of samples;
- a diluting turntable comprising a plurality of diluting containers arranged in two diluting rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a diluting probe for transferring sample from the access position and creating a dilution in one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on either of the diluting rings;
- a reaction turntable comprising a plurality of reaction containers arranged in two reaction rings concentric and operating in parallel with respect to one another;
- two sample transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the reaction rings for transferring the dilution from the one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on either of the diluting rings to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on the respective one of the reaction rings, the sample transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a reagent storage section comprising two reagent storage areas, each of the reagent storage areas dedicated to storage and supply of a respective reagent, each reagent storage area comprising a plurality of reagent containers arranged in two reagent rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another, wherein each of the reagent rings in a given reagent storage area is dedicated to a respective one of the reaction rings;
- four reagent transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the reagent rings for transferring a reagent from one or more of the plurality of reagent containers on the respective reagent ring to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on a corresponding one of the reaction rings, the reagent transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- and
- a controller for controlling operation of the diluting probe, the diluting turntable, the reaction turntable, the plurality of sample transfer probes, the reagent storage section, and the plurality of reagent transfer probes.
6 more elements
A compact high volume automated clinical analyzer, comprising:
- an access position for access of samples;
- a diluting turntable comprising a plurality of diluting containers arranged in a plurality of diluting rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a diluting probe for transferring sample from the access position and creating a dilution in one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on any of the plurality of diluting rings;
- a reaction turntable comprising a plurality of reaction containers arranged in a plurality of reaction rings concentric and operating in parallel with respect to one another;
- a plurality of sample transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reaction rings for transferring the dilution from the one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on any of the plurality of diluting rings to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on the respective one of the plurality of reaction rings, the plurality of sample transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- a reagent storage section comprising a plurality of reagent storage areas, each of the plurality of reagent storage areas dedicated to storage and supply of a respective reagent, each reagent storage area comprising a plurality of reagent containers arranged in a plurality of reagent rings concentric and independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another, wherein each of the plurality of reagent rings is dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reaction rings;
- a plurality of reagent transfer probes, each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of reagent rings for transferring a reagent from one or more of the plurality of reagent containers on the respective one of the plurality of reagent rings to one or more of the plurality of reaction containers on a corresponding one of the plurality of reaction rings, the plurality of reagent transfer probes independently-driven and controllable with respect to one another;
- and
- a controller for controlling operation of the diluting probe, the diluting turntable, the reaction turntable, the plurality of sample transfer probes, the reagent storage section, and the plurality of reagent transfer probes;
- wherein the diluting turntable is configured to run in synchronous and asynchronous operations;
- wherein during synchronous operation, each diluting ring has a dedicated one of the plurality of sample transfer probes;
- and wherein during asynchronous operation, any of the plurality of sample transfer probes accesses one or more of the plurality of diluting containers on any of the plurality of diluting rings.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.