Transport system for fluid analysis instrument
AssigneeOrtho Diagnostic Systems Inc.
InventorsMartin Kuster, Marco Forster
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transport system for instruments utilized in the analysis of fluids and, more particularly, a transport system which is adapted to be employed in the automated analysis of blood samples. The transport system including cassette transporting and filling structure is provided to extend over and operatively interconnect various stations of a blood analysis apparatus consisting of a blood sample and reagent supply holder, a storage unit for empty cassettes, a carousel or rotor containing an incubator chamber and a chamber at room-temperature for the receipt and filling with blood samples of cassettes, a centrifuge and an automated optical readout rotor.
Claims14
A transport system for analysis of fluids contained in at least one cassette having at least one fluid-receiving well, said transport system being functional in orthogonal directions of movement for transporting said at least one cassette between a plurality of work stations and for supplying fluids to be analyzed to said well of said cassette;
- said transport system comprising:
- (a) transporting means extending between said plurality of work stations;
- (b) gripping means movably mounted on said transporting means for selectively clampingly engaging a cassette at a first said work station;
- (c) gripper transporting means for transporting said gripping means and cassette to a second said work station, said gripping means depositing said cassette at said second work station;
- (d) a pipettor operatively mounted on said first-mentioned transporting means, said pipettor being displaceable along said transporting means for successively aspirating specified fluids from a supply source of said fluids, said pipettor being transportable to said second work station to sequentially fill said fluids into said well of said cassette, said pipettor being displaced from said second work station by said transporting means subsequent to filling said well with said fluids;
- (e) said gripper transporting means reconveying said gripping means to said second work station for clampingly engaging said fluid-containing cassette and transporting said cassette to a third said work station;
- (f) said gripping means releasing said cassette at said third work station for treatment of the fluid contained in said cassette;
- (g) said gripping means reengaging said cassette upon completion of a treatment of the fluid contained therein, and said gripper transporting means conveying said gripper means and cassette to a fourth work station and depositing said cassette at said fourth work station to facilitate analysis of the fluid contained in the well of said cassette, wherein said first-mentioned transporting means comprises a first horizontal beam member extending between said work stations;
- a second horizontal beam member extending normally to said first beam member and having one end attached thereto so as to be movable along the axial length of said first beam member, said gripping means being mounted on said second beam member for axial displacement therealong, and said gripping means is mounted for vertical displacement relative to said second beam member;
- and a third horizontal beam member extending normally to said first beam member has one end attached thereto so as to be movable along the axial length of said first beam member, said pipettor being mounted on said third beam member for axial displacement therealong, and said pipettor is mounted for vertical displacement relative to said third beam member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.