Diluent Preparation Modules and Units
AssigneeBeckman Coulter, Inc.
InventorCraig R. Veiner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Certain types of automated medical analysis equipment are used to analyze blood or other fluids. The equipment may thus use various diluents or reagents that allow the blood or other fluids to be run through the analysis equipment for analysis and data collection. Disclosed is a diluent preparation module that combines purified water and reagent concentrate for use by this equipment. Also disclosed is a diluent preparation unit that combines more than one diluent preparation modules for redundancy and back-up purposes. Also disclosed are systems for supplying the Diluent prepared by the diluent preparation module or diluent preparation unit to one or more analytic instruments.
Claims32
A Diluent Preparation Module comprising:
- a system for combining liquids from two separate sources into a combiner feature to provide a mixed liquid, wherein there is no air access between the separate sources or the combiner feature;
- a system for moving the mixed liquid into a single reservoir, and
- a system for moving the mixed liquid from the single reservoir into one or more analytic instruments.
A Diluent Preparation Module comprising:
- a combiner feature for combining liquids without allowing air access to the liquids during mixing;
- a first conduit and a first pump for delivering purified water from a source of purified water to the combiner feature;
- a second conduit and a second pump for delivering reagent concentrate from a reagent concentrate container to the combiner feature;
- wherein the combiner feature mixes the purified water and the reagent concentrate to provide a Diluent;
- a third conduit comprising a mixing pipe for delivering the Diluent to a reservoir, the reservoir comprising a debubbler chamber;
- and
- a system for delivering the Diluent from the reservoir to one or more analytic instruments requiring the Diluent.
A method for supplying a flow of Diluent to one or more analytic instruments through a Diluent Preparation Unit (DPU), wherein the DPU comprises a first Diluent Preparation Module (DPM1) and a second Diluent Preparation Module (DPM2), the method comprising
- when DPM1 is close to being depleted of reagent concentrate, automatically taking DPM1 off-line,
- directing Diluent from DPM2 to the one or more analytic instruments,
- giving a notification to laboratory personnel to substitute a full container of reagent concentrate for the depleted container of reagent concentrate of DPM1;
- and
- wherein when DPM2 is close to being depleted of reagent concentrate, automatically taking DPM2 off-line,
- directing Diluent from DPM1 to the one or more analytic instruments,
- giving a notification to laboratory personnel to substitute a full container of reagent concentrate for the depleted container of reagent concentrate in the DPM2.
A method for supplying a flow of Diluent to one or more analytic instruments through a Diluent Preparation Unit (DPU), wherein the DPU comprises a first Diluent Preparation Module (DPM1) and a second Diluent Preparation Module (DPM2), the method comprising:
- if DPM1 detects failure to produce adequate quality or quantity of diluent, automatically taking DPM1 off-line,
- directing Diluent from DPM2 to the one or more analytic instruments, and
- giving a notification to laboratory personnel about the DPM1 failure;
- and
- if DPM2 detects failure to produce adequate quality or quantity of diluent, automatically taking DPM2 off-line,
- directing Diluent from DPM1 to the one or more analytic instruments, and
- giving a notification to laboratory personnel about the DPM2 failure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.