ANALYSIS UNIT INTENDED TO BE USED IN ANALYSIS APPARATUS

• US 20100034700A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immunodiagnostic Systems France (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biocode Hycel France SA (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lerat, Olivier, Rousseau, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 8,926,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/61
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 71/50 comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers

Abstract

This analysis package comprises: a cartridge (3) for reactive products comprising several recipients (4) for reactive products arranged one above the other, wherein each recipient comprises a neck (6), wherein the neck of each recipient is provided with a closing device (7) and a plate (13) for receiving the cartridge (3), wherein the plate comprises a receptacle (22) which is open to the top for receiving the bases of the recipients (4) for reactive products which bases form the cartridge; and means for keeping the recipients for reactive products in position situated in distance from the receptacle, wherein the position keeping means are organized such that they cooperate with the necks of the recipients for reactive products when the bases of said recipients are received in the receptacle (22).

Claims

1. An analysis unit intended to be used in an analysis apparatus, characterized in that it comprises:

a cartridge for reagents comprising several reagent receptacles assembled together, each receptacle comprising a neck, the neck of each receptacle being equipped with a closing device, and

a carrier intended to receive the cartridge, the carrier comprising a seat which is open upwards and intended to receive the base of the reagent receptacles forming the cartridge, and means for keeping the reagent receptacles in position, situated at a distance from the seat, the position keeping means being arranged so as to cooperate with the necks of the reagent receptacles when the bases of the latter are received in the seat.

2. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the position keeping means comprise several notches which are provided on the carrier and each intended to cooperate with the neck of a reagent receptacle when its base is received in the seat.

3. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the axes of two adjacent necks is a multiple of the distance between two adjacent notches.

4. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the carrier comprises a substantially vertical end wall, the upper longitudinal edge of which comprises a substantially perpendicular folded flange in which the notches are provided.

5. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the folded flange comprises a succession of notches which are uniformly distributed along its length.

6. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the bottom longitudinal edge of the end wall has a substantially perpendicular folded flange comprising a rim substantially parallel to the end wall, the rim and the end wall forming together with the folded flange the seat intended to receive the base of the reagent receptacles.

7. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the carrier has a stirring system comprising a tubular support with a vertical axis mounted in a rotationally movable manner on the carrier and having on its outer surface rotational driving means.

8. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the rotational driving means comprise a toothed wheel intended to be rotationally driven by a driving mechanism of an analysis apparatus.

9. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each receptacle is made of plastic and as one piece, the neck of each receptacle being blow-molded integrally with the body of the respective receptacle.

10. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each receptacle comprises two substantially parallel longitudinal sides intended to cooperate with the carrier and two transverse sides with a matching shape, the transverse sides of two adjacent receptacles directed towards each other resting against each other.

11. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cartridge has receptacles with different volumes.

12. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receptacles are fixed to each other by means of a self-adhesive strip surrounding the latter.

13. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the self-adhesive strip forms a label containing on its outer side information about the cartridge, in particular a description of the reagents used and the analysis to be performed, the information being provided for example in the form of a bar code.

14. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the closing device of each receptacle is formed by a cap, the skirt of which has, on its inner side, means for fixing by means of screwing or snap-engagement onto the neck of the receptacle and the bottom of which, which is at least partially open, is equipped with a piercable membrane.

15. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a tubular container mounted in the tubular support, the axis of the tubular container being offset with respect to the axis of the tubular support.

16. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the inner wall of the container has longitudinal fins.

17. The analysis unit as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the outer wall of the container has a longitudinal groove intended to cooperate with a matching rib provided on the inner wall of the tubular support in order to ensure fixing of the container in the support.