APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING CHEMICAL MATERIALS HELD IN CONTAINER STRUCTURES

• US 3,775,595 A
• Filed: 06/15/1972
• Issued: 11/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher Scientific Co. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: David E. Blackmer, Jerrold Zindler, Thomas A. Rosse, Thomas F. Kelley
• Inventors: Rosse, Thomas A., Blackmer, David E., Zindler, Jerrold, Kelley, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sloyan, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US05/263,285
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39,246,244,205,83,180 250/16SC 235/151.35,61.6R,61.6A,61.6B,61.6H 73/423A,53 23/23B,259 219/521,432 236/3,46R
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00594 Quality control, including calibration or testing of components of the analyser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00693 Calibration

Abstract

Incubation apparatus for use with a cuvette having a projecting processing control member and a plurality of chambers, at least one of which contains a stored chemical material includes a cuvette receptacle with adjacent heaters for incubating material in the cuvette, sensor circuitry responsive to the control member of the cuvette in the container receiving structure for producing an output signal as a function of the data provided by the control portion, and a timer responsive to the sensor circuitry for providing a control signal as an indication of the incubation of the cuvette. The receptacle also includes an interlock slot for receiving the projecting control member.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with container structure having a processing control portion having one or more segments and a plurality of chambers, said process control portion having one or more data providing segments and at least one of said chambers containing a stored chemical material comprising:

structure for receiving said container structure, said container receiving structure including interlock structure for cooperation with said processing control portion, said interlock structure preventing insertion into said container receiving structure of container structures having processing control portions improperly coordinated with said interlock structure, processor apparatus adjacent said container receiving structure for processing material in a container structure in said container receiving structure, sensor circuitry responsive to said processing control portion of the container structure when said container structure is in said container receiving structure for producing an output signal as a function of data provided by said processing control portion, said output signal responsive meanS including indicator means responsive to said sensor circuitry output signal for providing a control signal as an indication of the processing of the container structure in said container receiving structure by said processor apparatus.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said output signal responsive means includes timer means.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processor apparatus comprises heater means adjacent said container receiving structure for subjecting a container structure in said container receiving structure to an incubation cycle.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensor circuitry includes a light source and a plurality of light sensors, said light source and said light sensors being arranged to respond to said processing control portion and said container receiving structure includes decoding logic for producing said control signal as a function of the output signals of said light sensors.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said sensor circuitry includes a plurality of first light transmitting channels disposed between said light source and a corresponding plurality of second light transmitting channels, each said second light transmitting channel being disposed between a corresponding aligned first channel and a corresponding light sensor, and said first and second channels being spaced apart so that said processing control portion may be interposed therebetween to control transmission of light from said source to said sensors.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processing control portion is a projecting control member and said interlock structure includes an interlock slot for receiving said projecting control member.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes two container receiving structures, each said container receiving structure having cooperating processor apparatus, sensor circuitry and indicator means, and the interlock structure of one of said container receiving structures being different from the interlock structure of the other container receiving structure so that the same container structure cannot be inserted into both container receiving structures.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said processing control portion is a projecting control member and each said interlock structure includes an interlock slot for receiving said projecting control member.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said processor apparatus comprises heater means adjacent said container receiving means for subjecting a container structure in said container receiving means to an incubation cycle.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein each said sensory circuitry includes a light source and a plurality of light sensors, said light source and said light sensors being arranged to respond to said processing control portion and said container receiving means includes decoding logic for producing said control signal as a function of the output signals of said light sensors, and said output signal responsive means includes timer means for producing an incubation cycle duration indication.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said processing control portion is a projecting control member and each said interlock structure includes an interlock slot for receiving said projecting control member.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sensory circuitry includes a plurality of first light transmitting channels disposed between said light source and a corresponding plurality of second light transmitting channels, each said second light transmitting channel being disposed between a corresponding aligned first channel and a corresponding light sensor, and said first and second channels being spaced apart so that said projecting control member may be interposed therebetween to control transmission of light from said source to said sensors to define the duration of said incubation cycle.