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Method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer

Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH
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Filing: 1993-02-19
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Granted: 1994-09-27
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Expires: 2013-02-19
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Abstract

Abstract The invention provides a cleaning solution and a method of using the cleaning solution for cleaning diagnostic analyzers. The solution contains a rapidly wetting surfactant and an inorganic or organic acid. The invention provides rapid and effective cleaning of proteins from all types of materials used for components of automatic analyzers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Judith Pinsl-Ober
  • 👤 Roland Schenk

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 12:17
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D1/00; C11D1/004; C11D1/02; C11D1/12; C11D1/123; C11D1/14; C11D1/143; C11D3/00; C11D3/16; C11D3/20; C11D3/2075; C11D3/2082; C11D3/2086; G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/10; G01N35/1004; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S516/00; Y10S516/01; Y10S516/03; Y10S516/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
A method for cleaning an immunological or clinical chemistry diagnostic analyzer of proteins or other biological materials comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample and requiring cleaning; and ii) contacting said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant and an inorganic or organic acid, for a time sufficient that, when the aqueous cleaning solution is removed, the proteins or biological materials are also removed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 80 words
A method for cleaning an immunological or clinical chemistry diagnostic analyzer of proteins or other biological materials comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample and requiring cleaning; and ii) contacting said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant and an inorganic or organic acid, for a time sufficient that, when the aqueous cleaning solution is removed, the proteins or biological materials are also removed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method of claim 1 wherein the time of contacting is 20 seconds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying said receptacle and subsequently re-filling said receptacle with another aliquot of said aqueous cleaning solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying said receptacle and subsequently rinsing said receptacle with distilled water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic analyzer is adapted for serial analysis of a plurality of samples, and said receptacle is cleaned between analysis of a first and a second sample.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant of said aqueous cleaning solution is selected from the group consisting of sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (DHSS), sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and tetraethylammonium perfluoro-octane sulfonate (TAPS).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the acid of said aqueous cleaning solution is an organic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the acid is chosen from the group of the mono-, di-, tricarboxylic acids and hydroxycarboxylic acids.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and succinic acid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the acid is present in an amount from 0.001 mol/l to 0.5 mol/l cleaning solution.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the acid is present in an amount from 0.01 to 0.1 mol/l cleaning solution.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 129 words
A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filing said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant chosen from the group consisting of sulfosuccinic acid ester, fluorosurfactants and secondary alkanesulfonates, said surfactant having a wetting time (according to the Draves Test) of less than 20 seconds at a concentration of 0.3% by weight at 25° C., said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight of said cleaning solution and an amount of an inorganic or organic acid with a pk s value of more than 2.5 which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 129 words
A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filing said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant chosen from the group consisting of sulfosuccinic acid ester, fluorosurfactants and secondary alkanesulfonates, said surfactant having a wetting time (according to the Draves Test) of less than 20 seconds at a concentration of 0.3% by weight at 25° C., said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight of said cleaning solution and an amount of an inorganic or organic acid with a pk s value of more than 2.5 which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the surfactant of said aqueous cleaning solution is present in an amount from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 152 words
A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filling said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (DHSS), sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TAPS), said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight in relation to the cleaning solution, and an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and succinic acid, said acid being present in an amount of from the minimum amount which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution up to 0.5 mol/l of cleaning solution; iii) allowing said aqueous cleaning solution to contact surfaces of said receptacle for a sufficient amount of time to allow cleaning of said receptacle.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 152 words
A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filling said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (DHSS), sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TAPS), said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight in relation to the cleaning solution, and an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and succinic acid, said acid being present in an amount of from the minimum amount which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution up to 0.5 mol/l of cleaning solution; iii) allowing said aqueous cleaning solution to contact surfaces of said receptacle for a sufficient amount of time to allow cleaning of said receptacle.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3973998A Cited
US4104190A Cited
US4444598A Cited
US5077008A Cited
US5178830A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-09-26 1998-03-28 1998-09-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-09-26 2002-03-28 2002-09-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-09-26 2006-03-28 2006-09-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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