US 2022/0011328 A1Published application

Point-of-care medical diagnostic analyzer and devices, systems, and methods for medical diagnostic analysis of samples

AssigneeIDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

InventorsJonathan W. Lawrence, David L. Connolly, Mark R. Dumont, Dragan Vidacic, Jason J. Aguiar, Anne M. Leavitt, John H. McGibbon, Bailey R. Auspland, Nicholas P. Prince, David L. White, Brady D. Jacques, Samuel F. Clift, Jared O. Ruehr, Richard Andrews

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Abstract

An analyzer having an inner chassis surrounded by a housing includes sample and dilution probes, a mixing housing including first and second mixing chambers, a flow cytometer including a flow cell, and sample and sheath pumps configured to perform first and second pluralities of tasks, respectively. The first plurality of tasks includes: aspirating sample into the sample probe, dispensing sample from the sample probe into the first and second mixing chambers, delivering first sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell, and delivering second sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell. The second plurality of tasks includes: dispensing sheath to the flow cell in cooperation with the delivery of the first sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell, and dispensing sheath to the flow cell in cooperation with the delivery of the second sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An analyzer, comprising:

an inner chassis;
a housing surrounding the inner chassis;
a sample probe operably coupled to the inner chassis within the housing and movable relative thereto;
a dilution probe operably coupled to the inner chassis within the housing and movable relative thereto;
a mixing housing supported on the inner chassis within the housing, the mixing housing defining a first mixing chamber and a second mixing chamber, each of the first and second mixing chambers configured to receive dilution fluid;
a flow cytometer supported on the inner chassis within the housing, the flow cytometer including a flow cell;
a sample pump disposed within the housing and configured to perform a first plurality of tasks including:
aspirating sample into the sample probe, dispensing sample from the sample probe into the first mixing chamber, dispensing sample from the sample probe into the second mixing chamber, delivering first sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell, and delivering second sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell;
and
a sheath pump disposed within the housing and configured to perform a second plurality of tasks including:
dispensing sheath to the flow cell in cooperation with the delivery of the first sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell, and dispensing sheath to the flow cell in cooperation with the delivery of the second sample-dilution fluid mixture to the flow cell.

8 more elements

An analyzer, comprising:

an inner chassis;
a housing surrounding the inner chassis;
a drawer including a sample tube receptacle configured to retain a sample tube therein, the drawer disposed within the housing and at least partially removable therefrom;
a shucker assembly disposed within the housing and including a shucker body defining a cam surface and having a sample tube retainer, the shucker body pivotably coupled to the inner chassis and pivotable relative thereto between a retracted position and a use position;
and
a robot assembly mounted on the inner chassis, the robot assembly including:
a fixed frame;
a y-axis body operably coupled to the fixed frame and movable relative thereto in a y-direction, the y-axis body including a leg extending therefrom, the leg defining a foot at a free end of the leg;
and
a carrier operably coupled to the y-axis body, the carrier movable with the y-axis body in the y-direction and movable relative to the y-axis body along the leg thereof in a z-direction,
wherein movement of the y-axis body in the y-direction towards vertical registration with a sample tube retained within the sample receptacle urges the foot into contact with the cam surface to thereby pivot the shucker body from the retracted position to the use position wherein the sample tube retainer clamps and centers the sample tube relative thereto.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/371,852Filed 9 Jul 2021
Priority: 10 Jul 2020
Published: 13 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01N 35/0099
Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor:…
G01N 35/1095
Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices: for supplying…
G01N 15/1404
Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry: handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
G01N 15/1459
Without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals: the analysis being performed on a…