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CARTRIDGE-BASED ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT WITH OPTICAL DETECTOR

  • US 20010051377A1
  • Filed: 02/11/1999
  • Published: 12/13/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An analytical instrument for analyzing fluids, said instrument comprising:

  • A) a cartridge carousel assembly which receives analytical cartridges, wherein each of said cartridges comprises a top side, bottom side, an analytical system which requires centrifugal force to operate and a test element which comprises an optical element which is optically accessible from only one side of said cartridge and wherein said optical element provides an optically detectable analytical property of said fluid, said cartridge carousel assembly comprising;

    a) a cartridge rotor plate which comprises a center and a plurality of cartridge ports which are located in spaced relation radially outward from said center; and

    b) a rotary drive mechanism which rotates said cartridge rotor plate about the center thereof, wherein rotation of said cartridge rotor plate provides the centrifugal force required to operate the analytical system of said cartridge;

    B) an optical detector which measures said detectable analytical property of said fluid sample which is provided by the optical element of said cartridge, said optical detector comprising;

    a) a radiation source located relative to said cartridge rotor to provide an incident beam of radiation which contacts said optical element and wherein a return beam of radiation is emitted by said optical element in response to contact by said incident beam of radiation; and

    b) a return beam detector which measures said return beam of radiation wherein said radiation source and return beam detector are both located on the same side of said cartridge when it is located within said cartridge rotor plate; and

    C) a tracking and control unit which tracks and controls said rotary drive mechanism and said detector to provide coordinated operation so that said optical detector can make measurements of said optical element while said cartridge rotor is stationary or rotating, said tracking and control unit comprising a user input interface for receiving data input from a user of the instrument, a central processing unit, a real time processor and a data output interface which provides output of results of the measurements made by said optical detector.

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