Method for automatic in vitro diagnosis
Inventors
KIM, Byeongchul • MUN, Bongseok • LEE, Yeonghang • CHOI, Gwangwon
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9880136-B2
Publication Date
2018-01-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed is an automatic in-vitro diagnosis method for increasing diagnostic reliability and a diagnosis speed by automatically mixing a specimen taken from the body of a person with a reagent in volumes needed to diagnose the state of the person using the specimen, absorbing the mixture solution of the reagent and the specimen with an analysis strip for a predetermined time, and making a diagnosis by analysis.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an automatic in-vitro diagnosis method for automatically performing a diagnosis by analyzing a specimen taken from a human body. The method provides a storage body to a housing, in which the specimen, a reagent to be mixed with the specimen, an analysis strip, and a suction tip are contained, and a user manipulates a display unit connected to a controller to manipulate a diagnosis operation.
A suction unit applies suction pressure to a suction tip mounted on the storage body. The storage body is moved to a transfer unit according to a control signal of the controller upon the manipulation, and the mounted suction tip is moved to a position of the specimen to suck the specimen, then moved to a position of the reagent, and mixing the specimen with the reagent is performed through successive suction and discharge.
The mixture solution of the specimen and the reagent is dropped onto the analysis strip contained in the storage body, and the suction tip is removed to the outside by being caught in the transfer unit while the suction tip is moved up and down after the mixture solution is dropped. The analysis strip carrying the mixture solution is moved to an analytic diagnosis unit for optically making an analytic diagnosis, and diagnosing is performed. After the diagnosis, the storage body is discharged to the outside by operating the transfer unit.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim defines an automatic in-vitro diagnosis workflow using a storage body, suction tip, suction unit, transfer unit, and analytic diagnosis unit, with user manipulation via a display unit connected to a controller. The claims further specify use modes, suction unit movement, vacuum-state reagent handling and puncturing, printed output, and optical sensing modalities.
User manipulation of a diagnosis operation with a controller
A storage body is provided to a housing, and a user manipulates a display unit connected to a controller to manipulate a diagnosis operation.
Suction-tip specimen suction and transfer-unit movement
A suction tip is mounted to a suction unit for applying suction pressure, the storage body is moved to a transfer unit according to a control signal of the controller, and the mounted suction tip is moved to a position of the specimen to suck the specimen.
Successive suction and discharge mixing and dispensing to an analysis strip
The suction tip is moved to a position of the reagent, the specimen is mixed with the reagent through successive suction and discharge, the mixture solution is dropped onto the analysis strip contained in the storage body, and the suction tip is removed to the outside by being caught in the transfer unit while the suction tip is moved up and down after the mixture solution is dropped.
Optical analytic diagnosis with an analytic diagnosis unit
The analysis strip on which the mixture solution is dropped is moved to an analytic diagnosis unit for optically making an analytic diagnosis, and diagnosing is performed.
Discharging the storage body after diagnosis
After the diagnosis, the storage body is discharged to the outside by operating the transfer unit.
Selected use mode driving an automatic diagnosis operation
A user-selected use mode is shown on a manipulated display unit, with a corresponding process signal sent to a controller so that the diagnosis operation is automatically performed.
Up-and-down movement with suction pressure during dispensing
A suction unit moves up and down to apply suction pressure, and the suction pressure is applied during up-and-down movement when the resulting mixture solution is dispensed onto an analysis strip.
Vacuum-state reagent handling with puncturing-based reagent release
When sucking the specimen, the suction tip is positioned into reagent stored in a storage body under vacuum using a transfer unit, and the reagent is released from the vacuum state by puncturing before the specimen is sucked.
Printing a diagnosis result
The analytic diagnosis unit’s result is printed onto a sheet of paper using a printer on the housing.
Fluorescence/chemical luminescence or absorbance measurement via chromatography analysis
Diagnosing is performed by measuring fluorescence and chemical luminescence or absorbance using chromatography analysis with an analytic diagnosis unit.
Overall, the claims cover an automatic in-vitro diagnosis apparatus workflow in which a user-selected diagnosis operation controls a suction-tip system that sucks a specimen, mixes it with a reagent through successive suction and discharge, dispenses the mixture onto an analysis strip, performs optically based analytic diagnosis in an analytic diagnosis unit, and then discharges the storage body after diagnosis. The claims further specify use-mode-driven control, suction-unit up-and-down behavior during dispensing, vacuum-state reagent release by puncturing, printing of results, and fluorescence/chemical luminescence or absorbance measurement via chromatography analysis.
Stated Advantages
Improves diagnostic reliability and speed by automatically performing diagnosis with accurate mixing volumes and automated analysis strip handling.
Enables automatic optical analytic diagnosis using fluorescence/chemical luminescence or absorbance measurements via chromatography analysis.
Outputs diagnosis results for user use, including printing diagnosis results onto a sheet of paper.
Documented Applications
Automatic in-vitro diagnosis by analyzing a specimen taken from a human body.
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