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EP0455125A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for generating and detecting an agglomeration reaction in a liquid sample

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-04-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-04-24
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Abstract

Abstract A mixture is prepared by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing the object substance. The mixture is irradiated by light having an intensity gradient to concentrate the carriers at and near the irradiated positions by the optical pressure of the light. The efficiency of an agglomeration reaction e.g. antigen-antibody reaction of the carriers is thereby increased. A qualitative or quantitative measurement of the object substance is performed by detecting optically a state of agglomeration of the carriers within the mixture.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yuuji Itoh
  • 👤 Yoshiyuki Touge
  • 👤 Atsushi Saitou
  • 👤 Tatsuya Yamazaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 21:08
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/50; G01N33/53; G01N21/00; G01N21/75; G01N21/77; G01N21/82; G01N33/543; G01N33/54313; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/808; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/805

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim 60 words
A sample processing method comprising: preparing a mixture by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; and irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto said mixture to concentrate said carriers at positions irradiated by the light, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction of said carriers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to Claim 1, further comprising the step of relatively changing the position irradiated by the light in said mixture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein said light comprises a laser light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein said carriers comprise insoluble fine particles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to Claim 4, wherein said insoluble fine particles comprise latex particles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein said substance adhered to the carriers comprises a monoclonal antibody specifically coupled to an object antigen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein said sample comprises a blood sample.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 68 words
A sample processing apparatus comprising: a measuring cell for receiving a mixture prepared by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; and light irradiating means for irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto predetermined positions within said measuring cell to concentrate said carriers at the irradiated positions, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to Claim 8, further comprising means for relatively changing the position irradiated by the light in said mixture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said light irradiating means comprises a laser light source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 79 words
A sample measuring method comprising: preparing a mixture by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto said mixture to concentrate said carriers at positions irradiated by the light, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction of said carriers; and detecting a state of agglomeration of the carriers within said mixture to perform a measurement of the object substance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein the detection of said state of agglomeration comprises optical detection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein said light comprises a laser light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein said carriers comprise latex particles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein said substance adhered to the carriers comprises a monoclonal antibody specifically coupled to an object antigen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 101 words
A sample measuring apparatus comprising: a measuring cell for receiving a mixture prepared by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; light irradiating means for irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto predetermined positions within said measuring cell to concentrate said carriers at the irradiated positions, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction; detection means for detecting a state of agglomeration of the carriers within said measuring cell; and arithmetic means for performing a measurement of the object substance according to detection values of said detection means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said detection means comprises optical detection means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said light irradiating means comprises a laser light source.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 91 words
A sample measuring method comprising: preparing a mixture by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto said mixture to concentrate said carriers at positions irradiated by the light, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction of said carriers; and detecting a state of agglomeration of the carriers within said mixture, wherein the agglomeration reaction has been completed, as image information to perform image analysis, and thereby measure the object substance.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to Claim 19, wherein the detection of said image information comprises detecting an image of the sample by a photosensor array.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to Claim 19, wherein the detection of said image information comprises detecting an image by performing substantially two-dimensional optical scanning of the sample.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to Claim 19, wherein the analysis of said image information uses an image obtained by binary-coding a detected image with a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to Claim 19, whrein the analysis of said image information comprises calculating the degree of said agglomeration by calculating an autocorrelation of a detected image.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to Claim 19, wherein the analysis of said image information comprises calculating a degree of said agglomeration by extracting contours of a detected image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to Claim 19, further comprising the step of changing the positions irradiated by the light in said mixture.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 19, wherein said light comprises a laser light.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 109 words
A sample measuring apparatus comprising: a measuring cell for receiving a mixture prepared by mixing carriers to which a substance specifically reacting on an object substance adheres with a sample containing said object substance; light irradiating means for irradiating light having an intensity gradient onto predetermined positions within said measuring cell to concentrate said carriers at the irradiated positions, thereby increasing the efficiency of an agglomeration reaction; detection means for detecting a state of agglomeration of the carriers within the mixture, wherein said agglomeration reaction has been completed, as image information; and analyzing means for analyzing the image information obtained by said detection means to measure the object substance.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 23 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said detection means comprises storage means for storing the detected image information in a digital form.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said storage means comprises a digital memory.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said storage means comprises a video device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said detection means comprises a photosensor array.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said detection means comprises means for optically scanning the sample with a light beam spot.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said analyzing means comprises means for binary-coding a detected image with a predetermined threshold value.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 27 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said analyzing means comprises means for calculating the degree of said agglomeration by calculating an autocorrelation of a detected image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said analyzing means comprises means for calculating the degree of said agglomeration by extracting contours of a detected image.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 20 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, further comprising means for changing the positions irradiated by the light in said mixture.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 16 words
An apparatus according to Claim 27, wherein said light irradiating means comprises a laser light source.

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