Reagent cartridge mixing tube

Inventors

Vincent, Kathleen • Talmer, Mark • Schroeder, Gerhardt P.

Assignees

Biokit SA

Abstract

A clinical instrument analyzer system for automated analysis of patient samples with a system for suspending particles or methods for the separation of particles, such as magnetic particles, is described herein. The system for suspending particles comprises a reagent cartridge comprising a reagent holder for holding a plurality of tubes. The plurality of tubes comprise a mixing tube for holding particles, rotatably mounted in the holder and a motor operatively connectable to a slot longitudinally positioned on the lower section of the mixing tube. The particles in the mixing tube are suspended when the mixing tube rotates in accordance with the embodiments of the invention. The analyzer can be used to analyze bodily fluid samples, such as blood, plasma, serum, urine or cerebrospinal fluid.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a clinical analyzer system for suspending particles using a disposable reagent cartridge. A reagent cartridge includes a reagent holder for holding a plurality of tubes, including a mixing tube that holds particles and is rotatably mounted in the holder. The mixing tube has a top end and a lower section positioned on an end opposite to the top end, with an interior surface and an exterior surface, and includes at least a first agitating member.

The mixing tube further includes at least one slot longitudinally positioned on the lower section with one end of the slot positioned and open on the lower section. A motor is operatively connectable to the slot and includes a linear actuator for engaging the slot and rotating the mixing tube. Rotation of the mixing tube actuates the agitating member to suspend the particles.

The mixing tube is defined to have a volumetric capacity in the range of about 1 milliliter to about 100 milliliters. In disclosed embodiments, the mixing tube can be sealed and can have different geometries such as a cylindrical mixing tube or a frustoconical mixing tube, including examples of sealed or detachable arrangements and extrusion molded configurations.

The interior of the mixing tube can include molded grooves and blades that form agitating members with triangular, semicircular, rectangular, or blade geometries. Additional structural engagement features include slots and an engagement interface on a lower section with a longitudinally positioned cylindrical member, where actuator pins interact with the slot(s). The mixing tube is integrated into a cartridge workflow for immunochemical assay processing in a magnetic washing and luminometer environment for detecting target biomolecules in bodily fluids.

Claims Coverage

The claim coverage presents 2 inventive features.

The disclosed claim coverage centers on a particle-suspension system in which a motor-driven linear actuator engages a longitudinally positioned slot on a rotatably mounted mixing tube to rotate the tube and actuate an interior agitating member for suspending particles.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found