A selective or sequential access analyzer for clinico-chemical analyses and for immunological tests

Claim 1

A clinical analyzer (1) for opening performing clinico-chemistry analyses and immunological tests on patient samples, said analyzer including: a mechanical frame support (32)= a rotatable stage assembly(64) mounted on the support (32) having means for holding patient samples in sample cups (18) and means (19) for holding test tubes (20) thereon= a test preparation station (62) disposed adjacent the rotatable stage assembly (64) including a reagent supply (16) and a sample probe assembly (13) for delivering measured quantities of at least one reagent and a patient sample to a test tube (20) to form a reaction mixture= and a testing station (62) adjacent the rotatable stage assembly (64) including a photometer assembly (25) having a cuvette (43) and an aspirator probe assembly (21 for transferring the reaction mixture from the test tube (20) to the cuvette (43) for photometric measurement= and the improvement comprising: said test preparation station (60) and said testing station (62) beng located adjacent the rotatable stage assembly (64) on diametrically opposed sides thereof- said rotatable stage assembly (64) including an inner rotatable sample-bearing plate (17) and a second outer concentric independently-rotatable test tube-bearing plate (66)= a first test-tube (20) in a test tube holder (19) on said test tube-bearing plate (66) being dedicated as a wash test tube (20)= means (7) for delivery wash solution to said wash test tube (20)= programmable driver means (36) for combatting rotation of the sample bearing plate (17)= programmable drive means (35) for controlling rotation of the test tube-bearing plate (66) and central processor control means (68) for coordinating the actions of each said programmable driver means (35, 36)= whereby, independent movements of the sample-bearing plate (17) and said test tube-bearing plate (66) into and out of said test preparation station (60) and said testing station (62) permit testing to be performed sequentially with the same test being performed on a number of patient samples and permit testing to be performed randomly with a number of different tests being performed per patient sample in any order for at least one patient sample.

Claim 9

A method for chemically analyzing at least one patient sample on automated equipment comprising (a) providing a moveable sample prove assembly (13) capable of drawing and dispensing measured amounts of fluid through a sample probe (12)= (b) providing a wash water supply (8), a reagent supply (16), patient sample supply (18) and a supply of test tubes (20) within the reach of said moveable sample probe assembly (13)= (c) dispensing wash solution through said probe (12) into a wash test tube to rinse the inside of the probe= (d) removing the wash solution from the wash test tube= (e) again dispensing wash solution through said probe into the wash test tube= (f) drawing a measured amount of reagent from said reagent supply into said sample probe= (g) rinsing said probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (h) drawing a measured amount of patient sample into the sample probe= (i) rinsing said sample probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (j) dispensing the measured reagent and sample from the sample probe into another test tube to form a reaction mixture= (k) rinsing the sample probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (l) permitting the reaction mixture to react until the reaction is substantially complete= (m) subjecting the reaction mixture to photometric analysis to obtain information regarding the chemical composition of the patient sample= and repeating steps (c)-(m) as necessary until all analyses for that patient same are complete or until the same analysis has been performed on a total number of patient samples.

Claim 10

A method for chemically analyzing at least one patient sample on automated equipment comprising (a) providing a moveable sample prove assembly (13) capable of drawing and dispensing measured amounts of fluid through a sample probe (12)= (b) providing a wash water supply (8), a reagent supply (16), patient sample supply (18) and a supply of test tubes (20) within the reach of said moveable sample probe assembly (13)= (c) dispensing wash solution through said probe (12) into a wash test tube to rinse the inside of the probe= (d) removing the wash solution from the wash test tube= (e) again dispensing wash solution through said probe into the wash test tube= (f) drawing a measured amount of reagent from said reagent supply into said sample probe= (g) rinsing said probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (h) drawing a measured amount of patient sample into the sample probe= (i) rinsing said sample probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (j) dispensing the measured reagent and sample from the sample probe into another test tube to form a reaction mixture= (k) rinsing the sample probe by immersing it in said wash test tube= (l) permitting the reaction mixture to react until the reaction is substantially complete= (m) subjecting the reaction mixture to photometric analysis to obtain information regarding the chemical composition of the patient sample= and repeating steps (c)-(m) as necessary until all analyses for that patient same are complete or until the same analysis has been performed on a total number of patient samples.