Reaction vessel moving member for moving reaction vessels from a processing track to a rotating device in a diagnostic analyzer

Inventors

Luoma, Robert

Assignees

Abbott Laboratories

Abstract

A diagnostic analyzer includes a rotating device, a first optical reader, and a second optical reader. The rotating device includes a first darkened compartment, a second darkened compartment, and an optical path along which the first darkened compartment and the second darkened compartment travel. The first optical reader is operable to read the first darkened compartment and the second optical reader is operable to read the second darkened compartment.

Core Innovation

Discloses a diagnostic analyzer in which reaction vessels carried by a processing track are transferred into a rotating turret that has a first compartment and a second compartment on a shared optical path. The turret is rotatable between a first position in which the first compartment receives a first reaction vessel from the processing track and the second compartment receives a second reaction vessel from the processing track, and a second position in which the first compartment with the first reaction vessel is aligned with a first optical reader and the second compartment with the second reaction vessel is aligned with a second optical reader.

A detection device is provided with a first optical reader and a second optical reader, and the rotating turret aligns respective reaction vessels with the corresponding optical readers to perform optical reading for the vessels positioned in the darkened optical reading compartments. The analyzer includes a reaction vessel moving member that moves reaction vessels from the processing track into aligned darkened compartments positioned against a reaction vessel holding member, including ledge/holding features to support positioning of the reaction vessels for reading.

After optical reading, reaction vessels are aspirated and moved out from the darkened compartments to disposal locations by push-out members while the turret rotates to sequential positions. The disclosed system-level integration includes processing tracks and a detection device, and it further includes handling elements such as washing and pipetting associated with reaction vessel processing, transfer, reading, aspiration, and disposal.

Claims Coverage

The disclosed diagnostic analyzer has one independent claim. It covers a detection device with first and second optical readers and a rotatable turret having first and second compartments that respectively receive reaction vessels from a processing track and align the reaction vessels with the optical readers in a second turret position.

Across the independent claim, the core coverage is the combination of a processing track for reaction vessels, a detection device with two optical readers, and a rotatable turret with two compartments that receive different reaction vessels and align them with respective optical readers in a second position.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found