Magazine for inventorying reaction cuvettes in an automatic analyzer

• US 20050013747A1
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Evers, Timothy Patrick, Devlin, William Jackson Sr., Huynh-Ba, Thai, Eichinger, Daniel Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,402,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/104
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0427 nestable or stockable
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

A magazine for releasably inventorying a plurality of reaction cuvettes to be used in an automatic clinical analyzer, the magazine comprising a generally rectangular storage cell having curved front and back surfaces, and a number of storage chutes therein, each chute sized to hold reaction cuvettes stacked one atop another therein.

Claims

1. A magazine for releasably inventorying a plurality of reaction cuvettes to be used in an automatic clinical analyzer, the magazine comprising a generally rectangular storage cell having curved front and back surfaces between a top and a bottom, and a number of storage chutes therein, each chute sized to hold reaction cuvettes stacked one atop another therein, the storage chutes being defined by the front and back surfaces and a pair of opposing chute walls, each chute wall having two opposing pairs of ribs protruding therefrom and into the interior of each storage chute.

2. The magazine of claim 1 wherein the front and back curved surfaces do not extend to the bottom of the magazine so that a number of cuvette ejection openings are formed at the front surface of the magazine between the chute walls.

3. The magazine of claim 1 wherein a flat pad smaller than the storage chutes is formed at the lower extremity of each interior chute wall protruding into the interior space of the storage chutes.

4. The magazine of claim 1 wherein a flat ledge smaller than the storage chutes is formed at the lower extremity of each exterior chute wall protruding therefrom and into the interior space of the storage chute.

5. The magazine of claim 1 further comprising an alignment and locking band having two pairs of rails and two locking tabs formed on the exterior, lower portion thereof.

6. The magazine of claim 1 further comprising a hinged gate proximate the bottom of the magazine, the gate spring-loaded by a hinge-spring on the curved front surface, the gate adapted to swing outwards from a closed position preventing reaction cuvettes from sliding out of the magazine to an opened position allowing reaction cuvettes to be ejected from the magazine.