Probe washing cups and methods

• US 20050279387A1
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Blackwell, Gregory A., Rajagopal, Ganesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/22.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices

Abstract

The invention provides probe washing cups and methods. A probe washing cup has a washing well and a waste cup. A drying section is disposed between an open end of the probe washing cup and an inlet plane of the washing well. The drying section has a channel that is aligned with the washing well. The channel has an opening for receiving the probe therethrough.

Claims

1. A probe washing cup comprising:

a washing well;

a waste cup; and

a drying section disposed between an open end of the probe washing cup and an inlet plane of the washing well, the drying section comprising a first channel that is aligned with the washing well, the channel having an opening for receiving the probe therethrough.

2. The probe washing cup of claim 1, wherein the drying section is communicatively coupled between the waste cup and washing well.

3. The probe washing cup of claim 1, wherein the drying section and washing well are coaxial with the waste cup.

4. The probe washing cup of claim 1, further comprising at least one second channel extending from the first channel to an exterior of the probe washing cup.

5. The probe washing cup of claim 4, wherein the at least one second channel is connectable to a vacuum system.

6. The probe washing cup of claim 1, wherein at least one of the waste cup and the washing well is selectively drainable.

7. The probe washing cup of claim 1, further comprising a manifold that is selectively connected to the drying section, the waste cup, and the washing well.

8. The probe washing cup of claim 7, wherein the manifold is connectable to a vacuum system.

9. The probe washing cup of claim 1, further comprising an overflow section recessed into the open end of the probe washing cup.

10. The probe washing cup of claim 9, wherein the waste cup and drying section open into the overflow section.

11. The probe washing cup of claim 1, further comprising a manifold that is selectively connected to the drying section through a first valve of the probe washing cup, selectively connected to the waste cup through a second valve of the probe washing cup, and selectively connected to the washing well through a third valve of the probe washing cup, the manifold having an opening that is open to an exterior of the wash cup.

12. The probe washing cup of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third valves are electrically actuatable.

13. A probe washing cup comprising:

a washing well;

a waste cup coaxial with the washing well;

a drying section disposed between an open end of the probe washing cup and an inlet plane of the washing well, the drying section comprising;

a first channel coaxial with the waste cup and aligned with the washing well;

a second channel disposed between the first channel and the waste cup, the second channel coaxial with the first channel and the waste cup and in communication with the waste cup;

a gap disposed between an exit plane of the first channel and the inlet plane of the washing well, the gap communicatively coupling the first channel and the washing well to second channel and thereby to the waste cup; and

at least one third channel extending radially from the first channel to an exterior of the probe washing cup.

14. The probe washing cup of claim 13, further comprising at least one of a first drain coupled to the waste cup and a second drain coupled to the washing well.

15. The probe washing cup of claim 13, wherein the at least one third channel is connectable to a vacuum system.

16. A medical analyzer, comprising:

a hollow probe for transporting substances within the medical analyzer;

a wash cup for washing the probe, the wash cup comprising;

a washing well;

a waste cup; and

a drying section disposed between an open end of the wash cup and an inlet plane of the washing well, the drying section comprising a first channel that is aligned with the washing well, the channel having an opening for receiving the probe therethrough; and

a controller for controlling operation of the medical analyzer.

17. The medical analyzer of claim 16, wherein at least one of the drying section, the waste cup, and the washing well is connected to a vacuum system of the medical analyzer.

18. The medical analyzer of claim 16, further comprising:

a second channel disposed between the first channel and the waste cup, the second channel in communication with the waste cup;

a gap disposed between an exit plane of the first channel and the inlet plane of the washing well, the gap communicatively coupling the first channel and the washing well to second channel and thereby to the waste cup; and

at least one third channel extending radially from the first channel to an exterior of the wash cup.

19. The medical analyzer of claim 16, further comprising:

a manifold that is selectively connected to the drying section through a first valve of the probe washing cup, selectively connected to the waste cup through a second valve of the probe washing cup, and selectively connected to the washing well through a third valve of the probe washing cup, the manifold having an opening that is open to an exterior of the wash cup.

20. The medical analyzer of claim 19, wherein the manifold is connected to a vacuum system of the medical analyzer.

21. The medical analyzer of claim 19, wherein the controller is adapted to activate the first, second, and third valves.

22. A method of cleaning a hollow probe, comprising:

inserting a length of the probe into a washing well of a probe washing cup containing a cleaner;

drawing the cleaner from the washing well into the probe;

forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well;

extracting the probe from the washing well;

directing a forced airflow over an exterior of the probe while extracting the probe from the washing well, where the forced airflow acts to dry the exterior of the probe.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising drawing air into the probe before inserting the probe into the washing well.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising draining a portion of the cleaner from the washing well while forcing the additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising filling the washing well using the additional cleaner.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising forcing cleaner through the probe before inserting the probe into the washing well.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein a rate of inserting the probe into the washing well exceeds a rate of extracting the probe from the washing well.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising filling the probe with cleaner before inserting the probe into the washing well.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well further comprises forcing a volume of the additional cleaner through the probe and into the washing well that exceeds the volume of the washing well.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well expels the cleaner drawn from the washing well into the probe.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising expelling at least a portion of the cleaner drawn from the washing well into the probe from the probe into the washing well before forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising continuing to force the additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well while extracting the probe.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising oscillating the probe within the washing well before forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising exciting the cleaning liquid contained in the washing well with the probe inserted therein before forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

35. A method of cleaning a hollow probe, comprising:

aligning the probe with a waste cup of a probe washing cup;

flowing cleaner through the probe into the waste cup to expel a substance within the probe into the waste cup;

stopping the flow of cleaner through the probe, wherein the probe is filled with the cleaner when the flow is stopped;

inserting a length of the probe into the washing well containing a cleaner;

drawing the cleaner from the washing well into the probe;

flowing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well;

extracting the probe from the washing well;

directing a forced airflow over an exterior of the probe in a drying section while extracting the probe from the washing well, where the forced airflow acts to dry the exterior of the probe.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein aligning the probe with the waste cup further comprises positioning a tip of the probe at a level above the waste cup that is between an inlet plane of the drying section and the open end of the probe washing cup.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein moving the probe from the waste cup to the position above the drying section of the probe washing cup, comprises keeping the tip of the probe at a fixed distance from the open end of the probe washing cup while moving the probe from the waste cup to the position above a drying section.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising drawing air into the probe while moving the probe, filled with cleaner, from the waste cup to the position above the drying section.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising draining the cleaner from the washing well while flowing the additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising filling the washing well using the additional cleaner while extracting the probe from the washing well.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein directing a forced airflow over an exterior of the probe in the drying section is accomplished by applying a vacuum to the drying section.

42. The method of claim 35, further comprising drawing cleaner from the washing well into the drying section and out of the wash cup while extracting the probe from the washing well.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein drawing the cleaner from the washing well into the probe further comprises drawing the cleaner from the washing well into the probe at a rate that is about the same rate as the substance is drawn into the probe when the probe is in use.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well expels the cleaner drawn from the washing well into the probe.

45. The method of claim 35, further comprising expelling at least a portion of the cleaner drawn from the washing well into the probe from the probe into the washing well before forcing additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well.

46. The method of claim 35, further comprising continuing to force the additional cleaner through the probe into the washing well while extracting the probe.