Patent EP0192957A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0192957A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Liquid handling
Assignee: Cessione iniziative Marittime 1991 Srl
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Filing: 1986-01-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-01-22
Abstract
Abstract An analysis system has a first region (14) in which sample materials are stored at an appropriate storage temperature and an analysis region (12) which is maintained at a controlled and stabilized temperature higher than the temperature of the first region. Transfer mechanism (70) for transferring a quantity of sample material from the first region for loading into an analysis cuvette (24) in the analysis region includes a liquid handling probe (72, 74) that is mounted on a probe transport carriage (100), and a drive (110) for moving the transport carriage between the first and second regions. The transport carriage includes a storage chamber (170, 172) connected to the liquid handling probe (72, 74), thermal energy supplying means (130) in heat exchange relation with the storage chamber, and thermal sensor means (144) carried by the transport carriage. Means responsive (268) to the thermal sensor (144) supplies thermal energy to the transport carriage to maintain the storage chamber at substantially the same temperature as the analysis region.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry A. Nelson
- 👤 William A. Mace
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 04:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/02; G01N2035/00346; G01N2035/00425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An analysis system characterized by: a first region (14) in which sample materials are adapted to be stored at an appropriate storage temperature; a second region (12) in which an analysis cuvette (20) is adapted to be disposed at an appropriate analysis temperature, transfer mechanism (70) for transferring a quantity of sample material from said first region for loading into said analysis cuvette in said second region, said transfer mechanism (70) including a liquid handling probe (72), a probe transport carriage (100) on which liquid handling probe (72) is mounted, a drive (104) for moving said transport carriage between said first and second regions, said transport carriage including a storage chamber (170) connected to said liquid handling probe, thermal energy supplying means (130) in heat exchange relation with said storage chamber, and thermal sensor means (144) carried by said transport carriage, means responsive (152) to said thermal sensor (144) for supplying thermal energy to said thermal energy supplying means, liquid metering means (82) connected to said transport carriage, and control means (86) for operating said drive and metering means to draw a predetermined quantity of sample material for analysis into said probe and said storage chamber and to deliver said predetermined quantity to said analysis cuvette in ssaid second region in temperature equilibrated condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
An analysis system characterized by: a first region (14) in which sample materials are adapted to be stored at an appropriate storage temperature; a second region (12) in which an analysis cuvette (20) is adapted to be disposed at an appropriate analysis temperature, transfer mechanism (70) for transferring a quantity of sample material from said first region for loading into said analysis cuvette in said second region, said transfer mechanism (70) including a liquid handling probe (72), a probe transport carriage (100) on which liquid handling probe (72) is mounted, a drive (104) for moving said transport carriage between said first and second regions, said transport carriage including a storage chamber (170) connected to said liquid handling probe, thermal energy supplying means (130) in heat exchange relation with said storage chamber, and thermal sensor means (144) carried by said transport carriage, means responsive (152) to said thermal sensor (144) for supplying thermal energy to said thermal energy supplying means, liquid metering means (82) connected to said transport carriage, and control means (86) for operating said drive and metering means to draw a predetermined quantity of sample material for analysis into said probe and said storage chamber and to deliver said predetermined quantity to said analysis cuvette in ssaid second region in temperature equilibrated condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said transport carriage includes cantilever arm structure (100) with a body of thermally conductive material, said storage chamber (170) structure being embedded in said body and said liquid handling probe (72) fixedly mounted at one end of said cantilever arm structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said temperature sensor (144) is embedded in said body and said thermal energy supplying means includes heating means (130) distributed along the length of said cantilever arm (100) in intimate thermal engagement with said body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
The system of claim 1 and further including means for storing reagent materials (52) in said first region (14), and a second liquid handling probe (74) mounted on said carriage, and wherein said transport carriage including a second storage chamber (172) connected to said second liquid handling probe (74), and said control means (86, 88) operates said drive and metering means (82, 84) to draw predetermined quantities of sample and reagent materials through said probes and into said storage chambers (170, 172) and deliver said predetermined quantities of sample and reagent materials to said analysis cuvette (20) in said second region (12) in temperature equilibrated condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 4 and further including means (164) for supporting the tips of said probes in spaced alignment to permit concurrent drawing of said predetermined quantities of sample and reagent materials into said storage chambers (170, 172) through said probes (72, 74).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 5 wherein each said liquid handling probe (72, 74) is an elongated metal tube, and further including a probe support portion (164) on said cantilever arm (100) at said one end thereof, said support portion having two through channels for receiving said metal tubes and cooperating tube clamping means (166) that permits the axial position of each said elongated metal tube in said support portion to be axially adjusted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
The system of claim 6 wherein each said through channel includes a threaded portion and a tapered shoulder (206) at one end of said threaded portion, and each said clamping means includes a clamping member (166) with a threaded body (210), a passage (216) axially extending through said threaded body, axially extending slots (212) in said threaded body, and a tapered surface (215) at one end of said threaded body, said tapered surface engaging said tapered shoulder (206) when said threaded body is in said threaded portion of said through channel and camming said slotted body portions (214) inwardly to clamp said metal tube (72, 74) in said support member (164).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said transport carriage includes cantilever arm structure (100) with a body of thermally conductive material, said storage chamber structures (170, 172) are embedded in said body and said liquid handling probes (72, 74) are fixedly mounted at one end of said cantilever arm structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said temperature sensor (144) is embedded in said body and said thermal energy supplying means includes heating means (130) distributed along the length of said cantilever arm (100) in intimate thermal engagement with said body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 9 wherein each said storage chamber (170, 172) is an elongated tubular conduit that is disposed within said body and is connected between said metering means (82, 84) and said liquid handling probe (72, 74).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 10 wherein each said tubular storage chamber (170, 172) in said body is in planar coil form, and the planar coils of said storage chambers are disposed in parallel spaced relation, and said heating means (130) is secured to the bottom surface of said cantilever arm body (100).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 4 and further including plurality of analysis cuvettes (24) in said second region (12), an analysis station (34), and a transport mechanism (46) in said second region for transporting analysis cuvettes sequentially from said load station (30) where a cuvette (24) is loaded with sample and reagent materials to said analysis station for analysis of the mixture of sample and reagent materials.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 1 and further including liquid sensor (160) means carried by said transport carriage (100) for sensing the presence of liquia in the region between the tip of said probe (72) and said storage chamber (170).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said liquid sensor includes a tubular member of dielectric material (236) that is connected in the flow path between said probe (72) and said storage chamber (170),
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
electrically conductive capacitor plate elements (240, 242) on opposite sides of said tube (236) to form an electrical capacitor (232) whose capacitance value varies as a function of the fluid in said tube, and means (270) for monitoring the capacitance value of said sensor to provide an indication of the nature of the fluid in said probe and storage chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
electrically conductive capacitor plate elements (240, 242) on opposite sides of said tube (236) to form an electrical capacitor (232) whose capacitance value varies as a function of the fluid in said tube, and means (270) for monitoring the capacitance value of said sensor to provide an indication of the nature of the fluid in said probe and storage chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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