System and method for analyzing biological fluid in multiple cuvettes
Inventors
Kim, Byeong Chul • MOON, Bong Suk • LEE, Younghaeng • BANG, Ju Hyoung • Ha, Nam Chul • AN, Jae Un
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10871474-B2
Publication Date
2020-12-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed is a station, for testing an analyte in a sample, enabling accurate and quick reaction and analysis of the sample and a reagent in one apparatus. To this end, the present disclosure provides a station, which is for testing a sample by means of inserting a cuvette, having a standby chamber on which a collecting member is placed, a sample chamber, a reagent chamber and a detection unit. The station comprises: a housing which has an input/output part into which a cuvette is inserted; a driving unit which is provided inside the housing, horizontally moves the cuvette, vertically moves a collecting member, reacts a sample in a sample chamber and a reagent in a reagent chamber, and injects a reaction result thereof into a detection unit; and an optical reader which is provided on the horizontal movement path of the cuvette and is for analyzing the reaction result.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of analyzing biological sample fluid in an analyzer using a plurality of cuvettes placed side by side. Each cuvette has an elongated body with multiple wells arranged along a longitudinal direction and includes a chromatography inlet arranged along the same longitudinal direction. The multiple wells include a sample well for loading sample fluid for analysis and at least one reaction well containing a reaction composition to form a reaction mixture.
Each cuvette further includes a chromatographic strip arranged behind the multiple wells in the longitudinal direction, with one end portion in fluid communication with the chromatography inlet so that fluid received through the chromatography inlet is loaded at the end portion of the chromatographic strip. In the method, a first sample fluid in the sample well of a first cuvette is processed using at least one reaction composition in the reaction well of the first cuvette to obtain a first reaction mixture, and chromatography of the first reaction mixture is performed in the first chromatographic strip.
After optical detection of a first chemical entity connected to a first biomarker in the first chromatographic strip, a second sample fluid in the sample well of a second cuvette is processed using at least one reaction composition in the reaction well of the second cuvette to obtain a second reaction mixture, followed by chromatography and optical detection of a second chemical entity connected to a second biomarker in the second chromatographic strip. A sequencing relationship is used to coordinate the timing of activities across cuvettes based on relative sample processing time periods and chromatography time periods.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is clm-00001. It covers 3 inventive features: a longitudinal cuvette structure with a chromatography inlet and chromatographic strip, sequential processing/chromatography/optical detection for a cuvette, and coordinated cross-cuvette timing based on relative time periods.
Longitudinal cuvette structure with chromatography inlet and chromatographic strip
An elongated cuvette body arranged along a longitudinal direction that includes multiple wells comprising a sample well and at least one reaction well, and a chromatography inlet with a chromatographic strip arranged behind the multiple wells in the longitudinal direction, the strip having an end portion in fluid communication with the chromatography inlet to load fluid at the end portion.
Sequential processing, chromatography, and optical detection for a cuvette
Processing a first sample fluid in a first cuvette sample well using reaction composition from the reaction well to obtain a first reaction mixture within a first sample processing time period, performing chromatography of the first reaction mixture in a first chromatographic strip for a first chromatography time period, and performing optical detection of a chemical entity connected to a biomarker in the first chromatographic strip.
Coordinated cross-cuvette timing based on relative time periods
Processing a second sample fluid in a second cuvette within a second sample processing time period, performing chromatography of the second reaction mixture for a second chromatography time period, and performing optical detection of a chemical entity connected to a biomarker; wherein when the first chromatography time period is longer than the second sample processing time period, processing the second sample fluid is performed before the optical detection for the first cuvette, and when the first chromatography time period is shorter than the second sample processing time period, processing the second sample fluid is performed after the optical detection for the first cuvette.
The independent claim defines the cuvette structure and a method where each cuvette undergoes sample processing, chromatography, and optical detection. It further specifies coordinating processing of a second cuvette relative to optical detection of the first cuvette based on which time period is longer or shorter.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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