Liquid transfer apparatus for automatic analyzers

A liquid transfer apparatus for use in an automatic analyzer comprising:

• vessel conveying means for successively conveying a plurality of liquid containing vessels for routine analysis to a liquid pick up station of a liquid distributor in a predetermined sequence;
• a liquid distributor having said liquid pick up station positioned to sequentially receive said liquid containing vessels conveyed by said vessel conveying means, a sample taking probe having one end insertable into that one of said liquid containing vessels being conveyed by said vessel conveying means which is located at said liquid pick up station for removing a sample of liquid from said one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels;
• supplemental vessel conveying means supported in superimposed position by said vessel conveying means for conveying a vessel having an emergency or standard sample therein to said sample taking probe, said supplemental vessel conveying means having one position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means at said liquid pick up station so that the predetermined sequence of conveying said liquid containing vessels by said vessel conveying means is interrupted so that said one end of said sample taking probe is insertable into said vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means instead of into said one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said conveying means, and at least one other position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means away from said liquid pick up station;
• means for moving said supplemental vessel conveying means between said one position and said at least one other position;
• said one end of said probe being in essentially the same horizontal location when removing a sample from a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means as when removing a sample from a liquid containing vessel conveyed by said vessel conveying means;
• said supplemental means comprising a member for holding said sample holding vessel and a sprocket ring, said member being operatively mounted in an eccentric manner with respect to said sprocket ring so as to be rotatable between a first position wherein said member is at said liquid pick up station and a second position wherein said member is kept away from the pick up station.

A liquid transfer apparatus for use in an automatic analyzer comprising:

• vessel conveying means for successively conveying a plurality of liquid containing vessels for routine analysis to a liquid pick up station of a liquid distributor in a predetermined sequence;
• a liquid distributor having said liquid pick up station positioned to sequentially receive said liquid containing vessels conveyed by said vessel conveying means, a sample taking probe having one end insertable into that one of said liquid containing vessels being conveyed by said vessel conveying means which is located at said liquid pick up station for removing a sample of liquid from said one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels;
• supplemental vessel conveying means supported in superimposed position by said vessel conveying means for conveying a vessel having an emergency or standard sample therein to said sample taking probe, said supplemental vessel conveying means having one position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means at said liquid pick up station so that the predetermined sequence of conveying said liquid containing vessels by said vessel conveying means is interrupted so that said one end of said sample taking probe is insertable into said vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means instead of into said one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said conveying means, and at least one other position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means away from said liquid pick up station;
• means for moving said supplemental vessel conveying means between said one position and said at least one other position;
• said one end of said probe being in essentially the same horizontal location when removing a sample from a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means as when removing a sample from a liquid containing vessel conveyed by said vessel conveying means;
• said supplemental means comprising a sprocket ring and means for holding said sample holding vessel which is rotatably and coaxially mounted with said sprocket ring and further including a through-hole and a holding portion for holding the sample holding vessel, said through-hole and said holding portion each being controllably and selectively movable into alignment with said liquid pick up station upon rotation of said holding means. PG,39

A liquid transfer apparatus for use in an automatic analyzer comprising:

• vessel conveying means for successively conveying a plurality of liquid containing vessels for routine analysis to a liquid pick up station of a liquid distributor in a predetermined sequence;
• a liquid distributor having said liquid pick up station positioned to sequentially receive a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said vessel conveying means, a sample taking probe having one end insertable into that one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels being conveyed by said vessel conveying means which is located at said liquid pick up station for removing a sample of liquid from that one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels;
• supplemental vessel conveying means supported in superimposed position by said vessel conveying means for conveying a vessel having an emergency or standard sample therein to said sample taking probe, said supplemental vessel conveying means having one position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means at said liquid pick up station so that the predetermined sequence of conveying a plurality of liquid containing vessels by said vessel conveying means is interrupted so that said one end of said sample taking probe is insertable into a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means instead of into one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said conveying means, and at least one other position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means away from said liquid pick up station;
• means for moving said supplemental vessel conveying means between said one position and said at least one other position in response to a control signal;
• means for generating said control signal;
• said one end of said probe being in essentially the same horizontal location when removing a sample from a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means as when removing a sample from a liquid containing vesel conveyed by said vessel conveying means;
• said supplemental vessel conveying means including a mechanism for indexing and holding said sample holding vessel at said liquid pick up station for a period which permits said probe to remove said sample of liquid therefrom, said mechanism being disposed adjacent said liquid distributor and being responsive to said control signal which is activated whenever an emergency analysis is required.

A liquid transfer apparatus for use in an automatic analyzer comprising:

• vessel conveying means for successively conveying a plurality of liquid containing vessels for routine analysis to a liquid pick up station of a liquid distributor in a predetermined sequence;
• a liquid distributor having said liquid pick up station positioned to sequentially receive a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said vessel conveying means, a sample taking probe having one end insertable into that one of the plurality of liquid containing vessels being conveyed by said vessel conveying means which is located at said liquid pick up station for removing a sample of liquid from that one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels;
• supplemental vessel conveying means supported in superimposed position by said vessel conveying means for conveying a vessel having an emergency or standard sample therein to said sample taking probe, said supplemental vessel conveying means having one position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means at said liquid pick up station so that the predetermined sequence of conveying said liquid containing vessels by said vessel conveying means is interrupted so that said one end of said sample taking probe is insertable into a vessel conveyed by said supplemental conveying means instead of into that one of a plurality of liquid containing vessels conveyed by said conveying means which is located at said liquid pick up station, and at least one other position for holding a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means away from said liquid pick up station;
• means for moving said supplemental vessel conveying means between said one position and said at least one other position in response to an operator initiated control signal;
• means for generating said operator initiated control signal;
• said one end of said probe being in essentially the same horizontal location when removing a sample from a vessel conveyed by said supplemental vessel conveying means as when removing a sample from a liquid containing vessel conveyed by said vessel conveying means.