Chemical luminescence-detecting apparatus with multiple sensors

A chemical luminescence-detecting apparatus in which an intensity of chemical luminescence generated can be measured, comprising:

• means for movably supporting test tubes;
• means for introducing a sample into a test tube, including a pipette tip for contacting the sample and withdrawing a portion of the sample in the pipette tip and subsequently discharging the sample into the test tube;
• means for causing an immuno reaction to be carried out with the sample in the test tube;
• a photometric cell;
• means for introducing the immuno reacting sample into the photometric cell;
• means for causing a luminescent reaction to be carried out that is representative of the immuno reaction in the photometric cell;
• a cell holder having an integrated spherical shape with a central cavity for supporting the photometric cell;
• means for automatically discharging the used pipette tip and test tube from the apparatus;
• a pair of interference filters;
• at least a pair of optical detectors operatively positioned to directly receive the light from the luminescent reaction after passing through the interference filters, one optical detector having a relatively low sensitivity to luminescence, and the other having a higher sensitivity, the effective ranges of the respective detectors overlapping, and the higher sensitivity detector range having a saturation level before the lower sensitivity detector, the higher sensitivity optical detector and the low sensitivity optical detector are arranged on opposite sides of the central cavity;
• means for determining when the higher sensitivity detector becomes saturated;
• means for processing output signals from the detectors to provide an indication of the intensity of luminescence, and
• means for switching the output signal being processed from the higher sensitivity detector to the low sensitivity detector when the means for determining indicates saturation of the higher sensitivity detector.

A chemical luminescence-detecting apparatus in which an intensity of chemical luminescence generated can be measured, comprising;

• means for movably supporting an antibody containing test tubes;
• means for introducing a sample into an antibody containing test;
• means for causing an immuno reaction to be carried out with the sample in the test tube;
• a photometric cell;
• means for causing a luminescent reaction to be carried out that is representative of the immuno reaction in the photometric cell;
• a spherical-shaped holder having a central cavity for supporting the photometric cell;
• at least a pair of optical detectors operatively positioned adjacent the holder supporting the photometric cell with the luminescent reaction;
• a first interference filter positioned between the holder and one optical detector having a relatively low sensitivity to luminescence;
• a second interference filter positioned between the holder and the other optical detector having a higher sensitivity to luminescence;
• the effective ranges of the respective detectors overlapping, and the higher sensitivity detector range having a saturation level before the lower sensitivity detector, the first interference filter and one optical detector are positioned on one side of the central cavity and the second interference filter and the other optical detector are positioned on the opposite side of the central cavity;
• means for determining when the higher sensitivity detector becomes saturated;
• means for processing output signals from the detectors to provide an indication of the intensity of luminescence, and
• means for switching the output signal being processed from the higher sensitivity detector to the low sensitivity detector when the means for determining indicates saturation of the higher sensitivity detector.