Detector means for an automatic chemical testing apparatus

Claim 2

In automatic chemical testing apparatus in which a specimen to be tested and a reagent are mixed in a reaction vessel and placed in a reaction chamber formed in part in a reaction block, the improvement comprising: a source of radiant energy; first and second radiant energy paths from said source through said reaction chamber; first radiant energy detection means for providing a signal manifesting the amount of a specific wavelength of radiant energy applied thereto; second radiant energy detection means for providing a signal indicating the presence of said reaction vessel in said chamber whenever the amount of radiant energy applied to said second radiant energy detection means is less than a specific amount; and holding means, affixed to said block to complete the formation of said chamber, for holding said first and second detection means in alignment with said respective first and second paths.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first radiant energy detection means provides a signal manifesting the amount of a selected substance in said specimen, said substance being selected by the particular reagent used and the specific wavelength of light applied to said first radiant energy detection means.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said holder means includes a member having first and second cavities therein, each of which has a hole therethrough, and a circuit board having components, including said first and second radiant energy detection means affixed thereto, said circuit board being affixable to said member, said first and second radiant energy detection means being positioned on said circuit board so that they are each in alignment with one of the holes through the cavities when said circuit board is affixed to said member.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 wherein said holes in said cavities are positioned to be aligned with said respective radiant energy paths when said detector holder means is affixed to said block.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 4 wherein at least some of the components other affixed to said circuit board are positioned thereon to be in a cavity when said circuit board is affixed to said member.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 5 wherein a radiant energy filter for said specific wavelength is included in said cavity for which said first radiant energy detection means is positioned on said circuit board.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said filter is held in position by an O-ring member and a spacer washer, said first radiant energy detection means being positioned on said circuit board to extend into the holes of said O-ring member and spacer washer.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first detector means is a P-I-N diode and said second detector means is a photo transistor.

Claim 10

In automatic chemical testing apparatus capable of performing a plurality of chemicAl tests on a specimen to determine the amount of different selected substances therein, each test being performed by mixing, in a separate reaction container, a predetermined amount of said specimen with at least one reagent selected for that test, by thereafter inserting each container in a chamber of said apparatus for that test, and, at a given time thereafter, by measuring the radiant energy at a wavelength specified for that test which is transmitted through that mixture, the improvement comprising: a source of radiant energy; radiant energy source housing means for containing said source at a position interior to the perimeter thereof, said perimeter having a plurality of cutaway portions selected ones of which are used to perform said tests, each cutaway portion forming in part a chamber for holding a container, said housing means including a pair of energy transmission paths for each of said selected cutaway portions for transmitting radiant energy from said source to each of said selected cutaway portions; and detection means for and affixed to each of said selected cutaway portions to form a test chamber, each detection means having a first and a second radiant energy detector positioned therein in alignment with a different one of said energy paths when said detection means is affixed to said source housing means, one of said detectors providing a signal manifesting the presence of a container in said formed chamber and the other of said detectors providing a signal manifesting the transmittance thereto of radiant energy of a specific wavelength transmitted through said formed chamber, said specific wavelength being the wavelength specified for the test being performed in that formed chamber.

Claim 11

In automatic chemical testing apparatus capable of performing a plurality of chemicAl tests on a specimen to determine the amount of different selected substances therein, each test being performed by mixing, in a separate reaction container, a predetermined amount of said specimen with at least one reagent selected for that test, by thereafter inserting each container in a chamber of said apparatus for that test, and, at a given time thereafter, by measuring the radiant energy at a wavelength specified for that test which is transmitted through that mixture, the improvement comprising: a source of radiant energy; radiant energy source housing means for containing said source at a position interior to the perimeter thereof, said perimeter having a plurality of cutaway portions selected ones of which are used to perform said tests, each cutaway portion forming in part a chamber for holding a container, said housing means including a pair of energy transmission paths for each of said selected cutaway portions for transmitting radiant energy from said source to each of said selected cutaway portions; and detection means for and affixed to each of said selected cutaway portions to form a test chamber, each detection means having a first and a second radiant energy detector positioned therein in alignment with a different one of said energy paths when said detection means is affixed to said source housing means, one of said detectors providing a signal manifesting the presence of a container in said formed chamber and the other of said detectors providing a signal manifesting the transmittance thereto of radiant energy of a specific wavelength transmitted through said formed chamber, said specific wavelength being the wavelength specified for the test being performed in that formed chamber.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 wherein each of said detection means includes a detector housing and a circuit board affixed thereto having said first and second detectors affixed thereto, said housing including a pair of holes therein, said first and second detectors being positioned on said board to be aligned with said holes, said detectors housing being affixed to a cutaway portion of said source housing so that said holes in said detector housing are aligned with said pair of paths for that cutaway portion.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 10 wherein said detector housing has at least one indention therein on the side thereof remote from said source housing into which said first and second detectors extend.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 10 wherein said detector housing has a pair of cylindrical indentions therein, each having a hole therethrough, each of said detectors being positioned on said circuit board to extend into one of said indentions in alignment with the hole in that indention, said circuit board further having other components affixed thereto which extend into at least one of said indentions.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said other components extend into the indention having said first detector extending therein and said second detector extends into said other indention, said second indention further having a radiant energy filter positioned therein.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 10: wherein said source housing is a cylindrical polygon with at least portions of selected sides thereof having said cutaway portions therein; and wherein a detector housing is affixed to each of said selected polygon sides of said source housing.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 14 wherein said chambers formed by each cutaway portion of said source and the detector housing affixed to the sides thereof is an open top parallelepiped.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said detector housing is a singular member having on one side thereof an extended portion which fits into a cutaway portion, said extended portion completing the formation of said chamber, said singular member having on the opposite side thereof a pair of cylindrical indentions each of which has a hole through the bottoM thereof to the extended portion, said holes being positioned in said indentions so that when said detector housing is affixed to said source housing, each hole is aligned with one of said paths.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 16 wherein said opposite side of said singular member includes a lip extending therefrom for positioning said circuit board for affixation thereto.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 16 wherein said first and second detectors are affixedly positioned on said circuit board so that they extend into different ones of said cylindrical indentions in alignment with the respective holes through the bottom of said indentions when said circuit board is affixed to said singular member.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 18 wherein other components are further affixed to said circuit board to extend into at least one of said indentions when said board is affixed to said singular member.

Claim 22

The invention according to claim 19 wherein said other components and said first detector extend into one of said indentions and said second detector extends into said other indention, said other indention further having a radiant energy filter of a specific wavelength held therein.

Claim 23

The invention according to claim 20 wherein said first detector is a phototransistor and said second detector is a P-I-N diode.

Claim 24

The invention according to claim 20 wherein said filter is held by an O-ring and said second detector extends into the center of said O-ring.