Automated sample processing apparatus and a method of automated treating of samples and use of such apparatus

• US 20040266015A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dako Denmark A/S (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dakocytomation California Incorporated
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Ole F., Winther, Lars, Key, Marc, Favuzzi, John, Lathrop, Bob
• Application Number:
  US10/741,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266015A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/30 Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/31 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00306 Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00376 Conductive heating, e.g. heated plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00435 Refrigerated reagent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00891 Displaying information to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/009 alarms, e.g. audible
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00712 Automatic status testing, e.g. at start-up or periodic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 : Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 : Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 : with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 : with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 : with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An automated staining apparatus and a method for treating samples arranged on a carrier is disclosed, in which portions of two or more selected reagents from a first station containing the reagents are collected individually by a robot arm handling a probe and dispensed in a mixing station of the apparatus. After mixing the reagents in the mixing station, e.g. by shaking or rotating the mixing cup containing the reagents, the reagent mixture is applied to selected samples by the robot arm and a probe.

Claims

1. A sample processing apparatus for treating samples arranged on a carrier comprising:

a vial station for containing at least two reagent vials,

a carrier station arranged for intermediate storage of a plurality of carriers,

a probe drive adapted to move a probe,

wherein the probe drive is arranged to aspirate a portion of reagent from a selected reagent vial of the vial station with a probe and to apply reagent to a selected carrier of the carrier station,

a reagent mixer having a mixing cup adapted to receive two or more reagents and mix element adapted to mix the reagents in the mixing cup, wherein said reagent mixer is adapted to dispense the reagent mixture from the mixing cup to a selected carrier of the carrier station.

2. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the probe drive is arranged to apply the reagent mixture from the mixing cup to selected carrier of the carrier station.

3. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the probe drive is arranged to aspirate portions of reagents from at least two selected reagent vials of the vial station and dispense said portions of reagents into the mixing cup.

4. A sample processing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reagent mixer further comprises cup drive arranged for cyclic movement of the mixing cup so as to mix reagents contained in the mixing cup.

5. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cyclic movement is a rotation of the mixing cup and wherein the rotation is an intermittent rotation in a clockwise and in an anticlockwise direction.

6. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the rotation takes place about a substantially vertical axis.

7. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the movement is a combination of rotations with variable speed, various speeds, stops and change of direction, wherein the rotations is controlled by control element according to the sample processing protocol for the sample(s) processed in the apparatus.

8. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the mixing cup has inner walls extending upwardly and outwardly from a bottom part of the mixing cup, and the cup drive is capable of rotating the mixing cup at an angular speed sufficient to fling reagents contained therein out of the mixing cup.

9. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the reagent mixer comprises a waste reagent collecting chamber having a sidewall part laterally surrounding the mixing cup, and wherein waste reagent collecting chamber is arranged to collect reagents flung out of the mixing cup by rotation of the cup.

10. A sample processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the reagent mixer further comprises a mixing cup holder adapted to receive and support the mixing cup in a releasable manner.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the steps of dispense portions of the first and the second reagents comprises the steps of:

moving a probe to a first, selected reagent vial with the probe drive,

aspirating a portion of the first reagent from the first reagent vial with the probe,

moving the probe to the mixing cup with the probe drive,

dispensing the portion of the first reagent to the mixing cup,

moving a probe to a second, selected reagent vial with the probe drive,

aspirating a portion of the second reagent from the second reagent vial with the probe,

moving the probe to the mixing cup with the probe drive, and

dispensing the portion of the second reagent to the mixing cup.

11. A method of fully automated treating of samples arranged on a carrier of a sample processing apparatus controlled by control element, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

arranging a plurality of carriers intermediately in a carrier station, each carrier having a sample arranged thereon,

dispensing a portion of a first reagent selected from a plurality of reagents to a mixing cup,

dispensing a portion of a second reagent selected from a plurality of reagents to the mixing cup,

mixing the reagents in the mixing cup,

moving the probe to the mixing cup with a probe drive,

aspirating a portion of the mixed reagents from the mixing cup with the probe,

moving the probe to a selected one of said carriers, and

dispensing the mixed reagents to the selected carrier,

so as to perform a treatment of the sample arranged on the selected carrier.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising the step of controlling the rotation pattern according to the sample processing protocol thereby optimising the quality the mixing in the mixer cup in respect to the reagents present in the mixer cup.

14. A method according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising the step of adding a protective gas covering the reagent mixture in the mixer cup.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the protective gas is selected from the the group consisting of noble gasses, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.