Heat and air flow control for assay carrier
AssigneeAbbott Laboratories
InventorsJames T. Tyranski, Chadwick M. Dunn, Cass J. Grandone, Kris T. Ludington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carousel for carrying and positioning a plurality of assays and a plurality of reagent packs in an immunoassay testing apparatus is designed to direct warmed or heated air in a predetermined and controlled manner for maintaining the assays and reagent packs within a specified, controlled temperature range.
Claims18
An immunoassay apparatus including a carrier for receiving and indexing a plurality of reaction cells and a plurality of reagents, and means associated with said apparatus for directing a flow of heated air into said carrier, said carrier further comprising:
- a. a circular carousel having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter and a center hub and wherein said reaction cells being disposed between said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter and said reagents being disposed between said hub and said inner perimeter;
- b. drive means for indexing said carousel for accurately positioning said reaction cells and said reagents;
- c. a plenum having an upstanding circular wall concentric with and mounted on said carousel and an interior for receiving said heated air;
- d. a drive plate mounted on said wall for engaging said drive means;
- e. deflector means associated with said plenum for selectively directing said heated air into both areas of the carrier occupied by said reaction cells and said reagents for maintaining the environment surrounding said reaction cells and said reagents with a controlled, predetermined temperature range, thereby maintaining both said reaction cells and said reagents with said predetermined temperature range.
An apparatus including a circular carousel having an outer perimeter and a center hub, a plurality of removal reaction cells disposed adjacent the outer perimeter and a plurality of reagents disposed adjacent the hub, said apparatus further including a driver in engagement with said carousel for indexing said carousel for accurately positioning said reaction cells and said reagents, said apparatus further including a flow control apparatus for directing a flow of heated air toward said carousel, said flow control apparatus comprising:
- a. a plenum for receiving said heated air, said plenum comprising an upstanding circular wall concentric with and mounted on said carousel and defining an interior chamber for receiving said heated air, and a drive plate mounted on said wall for engaging said driver;
- and
- b. a ring secured to and concentric with said center hub for deflecting air flowing through plenum toward said outer perimeter of said carousel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.