Identification system for test sample cards in an analytical instrument
    7.
    发明授权
    Identification system for test sample cards in an analytical instrument 失效
    分析仪器中测试样本卡的识别系统

    公开(公告)号:US5869006A

    公开(公告)日:1999-02-09

    申请号:US6313

    申请日:1998-01-13

    摘要: An automatic sample testing machine for testing samples stored in test cards. The machine has a test sample positioning system for moving a tray containing a plurality of test sample cards and fluid receptacles among various stations in the machine. The machine has a diluting station for adding a predetermined quantity of diluent to the receptacles as needed. A pipetting station transfers fluid from one receptacle to another. A vacuum station is provided having a vacuum chamber moveable relative to the tray between upper and lower positions. The chamber cooperates with the tray to make a sealing engagement with the top surface of the tray when it is lowered to the lower position. A vacuum generator supplies vacuum to the chamber. When the vacuum is released from the chamber, the fluid samples are loaded into the cards from the receptacles. The test sample positioning system moves the tray to a cutting and sealing station and then to an incubation station and loads the cards one at a time into a carousel within the incubation station. A test card transport station transports the test cards from the incubation station to an optical reading station, where optical measurements (e.g., transmittance and/or fluorescence optical testing) is conducted on the wells of the card. When the card has been read, it is either moved back to the incubation station for additional incubation and reading or transferred to a card disposal system when the reading is complete.

    摘要翻译: 用于测试存储在测试卡中的样品的自动样品测试机。 该机器具有测试样品定位系统,用于在机器中的各个站之间移动包含多个测试样品卡和流体容器的托盘。 该机器具有用于根据需要向容器添加预定量的稀释剂的稀释站。 移液站将流体从一个容器传送到另一个容器。 设置真空站,其具有可在上位置和下​​位置之间相对于托盘移动的真空室。 当室下降到较低位置时,室与托盘配合以与托盘的顶表面进行密封接合。 真空发生器为腔室提供真空。 当从室释放真空时,将流体样品从容器装载到卡中。 测试样品定位系统将托盘移动到切割和密封站,然后移动到孵化站,并将卡一次装载到孵育站内的转盘中。 测试卡传输站将测试卡从孵化站运送到光学读取站,其中在卡的孔上进行光学测量(例如,透射率和/或荧光光学测试)。 读卡完成后,将其移回孵化站进行额外的孵化和阅读,或者将其转移到卡片处理系统。

    Optical reader and sample card transport stations for biological sample
testing machine
    8.
    发明授权
    Optical reader and sample card transport stations for biological sample testing machine 失效
    光学读卡器和样品卡运输站用于生物样品测试机

    公开(公告)号:US5888455A

    公开(公告)日:1999-03-30

    申请号:US886090

    申请日:1997-07-02

    摘要: A sample card transport station moves a test sample card from an incubation station for the card to a transmittance and fluorescence optical station in a sample testing machine. The sample card transport station has a drive belt and an associated stepper motor. The belt supports the card from one side of the card. A ledge having a card slot is disposed above the belt. The card is snugly received within the card slot, and supported from below by the drive belt and rollers for the belt. When the motor turns the belt, the belt grips the card and slides the card along the slot to the optical stations, without any slippage between the belt and the card. This construction provides for precise control over the movement of the card.The fluorescence station has a linear flash lamp that illuminates a column of the wells of the cards simultaneously. A reference detector and dichromatic beam splitter design is used to insure that the fluorescence measurements are independent of lamp output changes over time. A solid reference is mounted to an optical shuttle and moved into the optical path to calibrate the fluorescence photodiode detectors.

    摘要翻译: 样本卡运送站将测试样本卡从卡的孵化站移动到样品测试机中的透射率和荧光光学站。 样品卡传送站具有传动带和相关的步进电机。 皮带从卡的一侧支持卡。 具有卡槽的凸缘设置在带上方。 卡片紧贴在卡槽内,并由传动带和传送带的滚筒从下方支撑。 当电机转动皮带时,皮带夹住卡片,将卡片沿着插槽滑动到光学工作站,皮带和卡片之间没有任何滑动。 这种结构提供了对卡的移动的精确控制。 荧光站具有线性闪光灯,同时照亮卡的孔的列。 使用参考检测器和二色分束器设计来确保荧光测量与时间上的灯输出变化无关。 将固体参考安装到光梭上并移动到光路中以校准荧光光电二极管检测器。

    Vacuum loading of test sample cards in an analytical instrument
    9.
    发明授权
    Vacuum loading of test sample cards in an analytical instrument 失效
    测试样品卡在分析仪器中的真空加载

    公开(公告)号:US5965090A

    公开(公告)日:1999-10-12

    申请号:US6623

    申请日:1998-01-13

    摘要: An automatic sample testing machine for testing samples stored in test cards. The machine has a test sample positioning system for moving a tray containing a plurality of test sample cards and fluid receptacles among various stations in the machine. The machine has a diluting station for adding a predetermined quantity of diluent to the receptacles as needed. A pipetting station transfers fluid from one receptacle to another. A vacuum station is provided having a vacuum chamber moveable relative to the tray between upper and lower positions. The chamber cooperates with the tray to make a sealing engagement with the top surface of the tray when it is lowered to the lower position. A vacuum generator supplies vacuum to the chamber. When the vacuum is released from the chamber, the fluid samples are loaded into the cards from the receptacles. The test sample positioning system moves the tray to a cutting and sealing station and then to an incubation station and loads the cards one at a time into a carousel within the incubation station. A test card transport station transports the test cards from the incubation station to an optical reading station, where optical measurements (e.g., transmittance and/or fluorescence optical testing) is conducted on the wells of the card. When the card has been read, it is either moved back to the incubation station for additional incubation and reading or transferred to a card disposal system when the reading is complete.

    摘要翻译: 用于测试存储在测试卡中的样品的自动样品测试机。 该机器具有测试样品定位系统,用于在机器中的各个站之间移动包含多个测试样品卡和流体容器的托盘。 该机器具有用于根据需要向容器添加预定量的稀释剂的稀释站。 移液站将流体从一个容器传送到另一个容器。 设置真空站,其具有可在上位置和下​​位置之间相对于托盘移动的真空室。 当室下降到较低位置时,室与托盘配合以与托盘的顶表面进行密封接合。 真空发生器为腔室提供真空。 当从室释放真空时,将流体样品从容器装载到卡中。 测试样品定位系统将托盘移动到切割和密封站,然后移动到孵化站,并将卡一次装载到孵育站内的转盘中。 测试卡传输站将测试卡从孵化站运送到光学读取站,其中在卡的孔上进行光学测量(例如,透射率和/或荧光光学测试)。 读卡完成后,将其移回孵化站进行额外的孵化和阅读,或者将其转移到卡片处理系统。