Biological assay sample analyzer
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorsJeffrey R. Jasperse, Normand P. Desmarais
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sample analyzer has an illuminator for illuminating an assay sample to cause luminescence, and a support for a sample vessel containing the assay sample. The support is adapted to position the assay sample proximate the illuminator. A detector is positioned along an optical axis extending from the illuminator, through the positioned assay sample, to the detector, so as to detect the luminescence from the assay sample. A reflector is removably disposed between the illuminator and the assay sample so as to reflect a portion of the luminescence back through the positioned assay sample toward the detector.
Claims22
A sample analyzer, comprising:
- an illuminator;
- a support positioned to support a sample vessel containing an assay sample proximate the illuminator;
- a detector positioned along an optical axis extending from the illuminator, through the assay sample, to the detector, so as to detect luminescence of the assay sample;
- a shuttle disposed between the illuminator and the assay sample, the shuttle being moveable perpendicular with the optical axis;
- and
- a reflector disposed on the shuttle,
- wherein the apparatus is configured with an illumination mode and a measurement mode,
- wherein during the illumination mode the shuttle positions the reflector off the optical axis,
- and the illuminator is operated to illuminate the assay sample,
- wherein during the measurement mode the illuminator is operated to discontinue illuminating the sample,
- further wherein during the measurement mode the shuttle positions the reflector onto the optical axis such that residual light traveling along the optical axis from the discontinued illuminator is shut off from the assay sample and luminescence from the assay sample is reflected off the reflector back through the assay sample towards the detector along the optical axis.
A method of analyzing an assay sample, comprising:
- obtaining a sample analyzer comprising:
- an illuminator;
- a support positioned to support a sample vessel containing an assay sample proximate the illuminator;
- a detector positioned along an optical axis extending from the illuminator, through the assay sample, to the detector so as to detect luminescence of the assay sample;
- a shuttle disposed between the illuminator and the assay sample, the shuttle being moveable perpendicular to the optical axis;
- and
- a reflector disposed on the shuttle;
- supporting the sample vessel containing the assay sample proximate to the illuminator;
- illuminating the assay sample to cause luminescence of the assay sample during an illumination mode of the sample analyzer;
- and
- measuring the luminescence of the assay
- sample during a measurement mode of the sample analyzer,
- wherein during the illumination mode the shuttle positions the reflector off the optical axis
- and the illuminator is operated to illuminate the assay sample,
- wherein during the measurement mode the illuminator is operated to discontinue illuminating the sample,
- further wherein during the measurement mode the shuttle positions the reflector onto the optical axis such that residual light traveling along the optical axis from the discontinued illuminator is shut off from the assay sample and luminescence from the assay sample is reflected off the reflector back through the assay sample towards the detector along the optical axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.