OPTICAL CLEANING CARTRIDGE
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for cleaning an optical component in an analysis unit that is configured to analyze, using the optical component, samples that are located in a removable cartridge during analysis, the apparatus comprising:
- a cleaning cartridge frame that is configured to be receivable by and supported by a cartridge receiver of the analysis unit that is configured to receive and support the removable cartridge; and
one or more optical cleaning assemblies, each optical cleaning assembly including;
an absorbent cleaning pad, anda compliant support structure that is proud of a surface of the cleaning cartridge frame and interposed between the cleaning cartridge frame and at least a portion of the cleaning pad.
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Abstract
An optical cleaning cartridge for automated cleaning of optical components of analysis instruments is disclosed.
0 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cleaning an optical component in an analysis unit that is configured to analyze, using the optical component, samples that are located in a removable cartridge during analysis, the apparatus comprising:
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a cleaning cartridge frame that is configured to be receivable by and supported by a cartridge receiver of the analysis unit that is configured to receive and support the removable cartridge; and one or more optical cleaning assemblies, each optical cleaning assembly including; an absorbent cleaning pad, and a compliant support structure that is proud of a surface of the cleaning cartridge frame and interposed between the cleaning cartridge frame and at least a portion of the cleaning pad. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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a) obtaining an apparatus that includes; a cleaning cartridge frame; and one or more optical cleaning assemblies, each optical cleaning assembly including; an absorbent cleaning pad, and a compliant support structure that is proud of a surface of the cleaning cartridge frame and interposed between the cleaning cartridge frame and at least a portion of the cleaning pad; b) applying a liquid cleaning agent to the absorbent cleaning pad of a first optical cleaning assembly of the one of the one or more optical cleaning assemblies; c) installing the apparatus into a cartridge receiver of an analysis unit; d) controlling the analysis unit to cause relative vertical translation between the cartridge receiver and an optical component of the analysis unit such that the optical component of the analysis unit and the absorbent cleaning pad of the first optical cleaning assembly come into contact with one another and such that the absorbent cleaning pad of the first optical cleaning assembly and the compliant support structure of the first optical cleaning assembly are compressed by a first amount; and e) controlling the analysis unit to cause relative horizontal translation between the cartridge receiver and the optical component so as to cause the absorbent cleaning pad of the first optical cleaning assembly to clean the optical component. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An analysis unit comprising:
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an optical sensor head including an optical component; a cartridge receiver configured to receive and support a removable cartridge; and a controller including one or more processors and a memory, wherein; the one or more processors are communicatively connected with the memory, and the memory stores instructions for controlling the one or more processors to; a) determine that an apparatus has been installed in the cartridge receiver, the apparatus including; a cleaning cartridge frame; and one or more optical cleaning assemblies, each optical cleaning assembly including;
an absorbent cleaning pad, and
a compliant support structure that is proud of a surface of the cleaning cartridge frame and interposed between the cleaning cartridge frame and at least a portion of the cleaning pad;b) cause relative vertical translation between the cartridge receiver and the optical component such that the optical component and the absorbent cleaning pad of a first optical cleaning assembly of the one or more optical cleaning assemblies of the apparatus come into contact with one another and such that the absorbent cleaning pad of the first optical cleaning assembly and the compliant support structure of the first optical cleaning assembly are compressed by a first amount; and c) cause relative horizontal translation between the cartridge receiver and the optical component so as to cause the absorbent cleaning pad of the first optical cleaning assembly to clean the optical component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification