System for Conducting the Identification of Bacteria in Biological Samples

• US 20110093207A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Inventors: Holley, Dave, Ingber, Gal, Talbert, Sherwood, Tallarico, John, Atterbury, William G., Klausing, Thomas A., Schaefer, Jason A., Laudo, John S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,288,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 9/14 Balancing rotary bowls balancing per se G01M; Schrappers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0382 Frustoconical, tapered cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00445 Other cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00504 combined with carousels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0434 in the form of a syringe or pipette tip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0458 Multiple concentric rows of wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0491 Position sensing, encoding; closed-loop control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0303 Optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment G01N21/031 - G01N21/15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a cooling, heating and fan arrangement for maintaining a predetermined optimum temperature of the samples during testing; a visual, circumferential and axial alignment system for aligning the samples within the carousel; a transfer system for transferring the samples from the carousel to the centrifuge; a balancing system of minimizing the rotational vibrations of the centrifuge; a safety system and anti-tipping design for the sample containing system; liquid dispensing arms for dispensing the buffered saline solution; and discharge ports for discharging and disposing of the liquid removed from the samples to a location external of the system.

Claims

1. A system for cooling and controlling the temperature of samples in a plurality of optics cups in an optical analysis, comprising:

a carousel for supporting a plurality of disposable cartridges, each cartridge supporting a disposable optics cup containing a sample to be optically analyzed by an optical analyzer;

the carousel having a plurality of inlet openings and outlet openings, each associated with one of the disposable cartridges;

a turntable having a plurality of inlet openings and outlet openings, each associated with one of the inlet openings and outlet openings in the carousel; and

an insulation plate located below the turntable, said insulation plate including at least one thermal electrical cooler for cooling the air circulated through the inlet openings and outlet openings from the carousel through the turntable for controlling the temperature of the samples.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the turntable includes a top plate and a bottom plate separated by a spacer and wherein the optics cups and the disposable cartridges are plastic, and wherein convective cooling through the turntable and the plastic of the disposable cartridges and the optics cups occurs for the rapid cooling of the specimens in the optics cups.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for cooling and controlling the temperature of samples is located in an optical analyzer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for cooling and controlling the temperature of samples in the optical analyzer is adapted to cool the samples to a desired temperature and to substantially maintain the temperature of the samples at the desired temperature until the processing of the samples in the optical analyzer is completed.

5. A system for preventing contamination of samples held within a magazine, said system comprising a magazine for supporting a plurality of disposable cartridges, each cartridge configured for supporting a container including a sample to be analyzed;

a cover configured for cooperating with the magazine for sealing a top portion of the magazine; and

at least one locking member for holding the cover in place.

6. The system of claim 5, including a handle removably attached to the cover.

7. An alignment system for aligning samples within a magazine, said alignment system comprising at least one notch extending inwardly with respect to an outer edge surface of the magazine, a quality control cartridge located adjacent the at least one notch and a sensor for detecting the location of the notch and the quality control cartridge.

8. The alignment system of claim 7, wherein the notch and quality control cartridge provide a fixed location at which to initialize testing and functions as an initialization point for the cartridges contained within the magazine.

9. The alignment system of claim 7, including a quality control opening within the magazine, said quality control opening being configured for receiving the quality control cartridge.

10. The alignment system of claim 7, including radial alignment indicia located on a top surface of a base plate of the magazine to provide a visual reference with respect to cartridge placement within magazine openings.

11. The alignment system of claim 7, wherein the quality control cartridge provides a testing reference to ensure properly functioning testing equipment.

12. A method for circumferentially aligning samples within a magazine to optimize a reflected signal of the samples, said magazine including a carousel base assembly, said method comprising applying light to a sample, providing a member to measure the light reflectance from the sample, and rotating the carousel base assembly back and forth along an approximate 9°

arc until the light reflectance signal is maximized.

13. An anti-tipping system for a rack assembly holding a plurality of storage drawers for use within a sample processor, said rack assembly comprising a plurality of vertical and horizontal rails configured for holding the storage drawers and a base rail, said anti-tipping system comprising at least one extendable/retractable leg configured for extending from the base rail.

14. The system of claim 13, including a locking mechanism for preventing more than one storage drawer from being pulled out at one time and a locking mechanism for preventing the drawers from opening until said at least one leg is extended from the base rail.

15. A method for preventing crystallization of samples within a sample processor comprising providing a heating device for heating a processing fluid to be added to the samples as needed when located within the magazine and maintaining the samples at a desired temperature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the samples are maintained at approximately 37°

C.

17. A fan/filter arrangement for use in a processor unit for conducting testing of biological samples, the arrangement comprising:

(a) a fan for passing air into and through the processor unit, said air having a predetermined temperature for maintaining said predetermined temperature within said unit;

(b) a filter for filtering the air as it passes therethrough and out of the processor unit; and

(c) a feedback control loop for adjusting a speed of the fan to maintain the air at the predetermined temperature within the processor unit.

18. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein the fan is a HEPA fan located adjacent to the filter.

19. The arrangement of claim 17, including a pressure sensor located adjacent to the filter to measure a pressure drop exiting through the filter to indicate a need for filter replacement.

20. A processor unit for use with a biological testing system, said processor unit comprising a heating system for heating the samples to a predetermined temperature;

a fan/filter arrangement for maintaining the samples at the predetermined temperatures; and

a transfer arm arrangement for transferring a tube from a magazine to a centrifuge.

21. The processor unit of claim 20, wherein the transfer arm arrangement comprises a 6-bar linkage.

22. The processor unit of claim 21, wherein the 6-bar linkage comprises a pair of arms adapted for being positioned at opposite sides of the magazine and wherein each arm includes a pair of grippers configured for moving two tubes at one time, allowing for the total movement of four tubes from the magazine to the centrifuge at one time.

23. The processor unit of claim 22, wherein each arm includes an optical sensor to locate the position of the tubes.

24. The processor unit of claim 22, wherein the grippers are configured for axial adjustment according to spacing differences of the tube locations as held within the magazine and the positioning openings in the centrifuge.

25. A method for reducing vibration of a partially filled centrifuge comprising providing at least one balance tube and strategically positioning the at least one balance tube within the centrifuge to balance and distribute the weight of the centrifuge to reduce vibration thereof during rotation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one balance tube has a weighted bottom portion such that the overall weight of the tube is substantially equal to the weight of a tube containing a sample.

27. The method of claim 25, including providing a computer controlled system to determine the optimum placement locations for the sample containing tubes and the at least one balance tube.

28. A liquid dispensing arm for use with a processor unit in a biological testing system, said liquid dispensing arm including a first end associated with a processing fluid, a second end associated with a tube, and a pump for pumping said processing fluid into said tube.

29. The dispensing arm of claim 28, wherein the pump is adapted for applying a suctioning force to remove the processing fluid from the tube.

30. The dispensing arm of claim 29, including at least one discharge port for discharging the withdrawn processing fluid and disposing the fluid at a location external to the processor unit.

31. The dispensing arm of claim 30, wherein the arm and discharge port can pivot with respect to the tube to allow for removal of the tube.

32. The dispensing arm of claim 28, including a heater for heating the processing fluid to a predetermined temperature prior to dispensing the fluid into the tube.