Automated sample-reagent loader

Claim 1

An automatic loader for loading a photometer analyzer rotor provided with a plurality of cavities, comprising a rotor table for holding said rotor at the center thereof during a loading operation; an inner ring provided with a plurality of holes for receiving and holding a plurality of respective reagent cups, said ring adapted to be positioned on said table and encompassing said rotor; an outer ring provided with a plurality of holes for receiving and holding a plurality of respective sample cups, said outer ring adapted to be positioned on said table encompassing said inner ring such that respective pairs of said reagent cups and sample cups are in radial alignment with corresponding cavities in said rotor; a base plate; a pair of horizontal slide rods mounted on said plate; a rotor table support mechanism slidably mounted on said slide rods; a first pipette support member affixed to said base plate; a second pipette support member slidably supported by said first support member to provide slight relative motion therebetween; an off-center spring mounted between said second pipette support and said support mechanism to effect said slight motion when said support mechanism is moved from one limit position to another limit position; four vertical slide rods mounted on said support mechanism, each of said vertical slide rods being spaced apart each from the other at a given distance; respective slide members encompassing respective ones of said vertical rods; a respective horizontal bracket member extending between and affixed to respective pairs of said slide members; an L-shaped bracket having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion and being affixed to one of said bracket members; a vertical motion synchronous motor affixed to the vertical portion of said L-shaped bracket, the horizontal portion of said L-shaped bracket supporting said rotor table on the top thereof, a first crank arm coupled between said vertical motion motor and said support mechanism; a first pair of limit switches mounted on said support mechanism for sensing the limits of vertical travel of said L-shaped bracket and rotor table; a synchronous table motor mounted beneath the horizontal portion of said L-shaped bracket and supported thereby and being coupled to said rotor table; a horizontal motion synchronous motor mounted on said base plate; a second crank arm coupled between said horizontal motion motor and said slidable support mechanism; a second pair of limit switches mounted on said first pipette support member for sensing the limits of horizontal travel of said table support mechanism; a plurality of indexing notches provided in the underside of said rotOr table; an indexing switch for sequentially engaging each of said notches during said loading operation; a pair of automatic pipettes provided with respective tips and coupled to respective ones of said pipette supports; electrical control means mounted on said base plate connected to and controlling said vertical motion motor, said synchronous table motor, said horizontal motion motor, and said automatic pipettes; said control means being provided with a RUN/RESET switch and a START switch, whereby said control means under control of said switches is adapted to effect the bringing of the table and one of said sample cups and one of said reagent cups underneath the pipette tips, effect the bringing of said cups to said tips by upward table movement, effect the drawing of liquids from said cups by said automatic pipettes, effect the bringing of said cups and table down, effect the movement of the table horizontally over to bring the rotor cavities under said tips followed by an upward movement of said table to bring said cavities to said tips, and effect the dispensing of said drawn liquids into said cavities by said automatic pipettes after which said table is brought down, effect the rotating of said table to its next indexed position and sequentially effecting a repetition of the above procedure until all of the rotor cavities are filled.