Container with article positioning element for dispensing reagent coated slides to an automated analyzer

• US 4,187,077 A
• Filed: 06/05/1978
• Issued: 02/05/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clinical Diagnostic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Covington, Roger G., Miller, Stephen H., Tucker, Archie J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Serwin, R. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/912,665
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 23/259, 23/253 R, 221/279, 221/220, 221/226, 221/229, 221/230, 221/231, 221/198, 221/238, 422/57, 422/63, 422/102, 422/104
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence

Abstract

A container is disclosed for receiving a stack of articles to be sequentially removed from a dispensing station of the container. A stack positioning element in the container has an anti-backup member including a pair of pawls resiliently urged into engagement with cooperating ratchet teeth on opposed inner wall surfaces of the container to inhibit movement of received articles away from the container'"'"'s dispensing station. A plunger may enter the container through an opening in a wall opposed to the dispensing station to provide the required force to sequentially move the stack positioning element and article stack toward the dispensing station as articles are removed therefrom.

Claims

1. An article container for dispensing reagent articles to apparatus having an extendable plunger and being adapted to use the articles to carry out quantitative chemical analysis of fluid samples;

said container comprising;

wall structure forming a chamber having a dispensing station, said chamber being adapted to receive a stack of articles for movement toward, and sequential removal from, said dispensing station for delivery to the apparatus, said wall structure having an opening through which the plunger may extend into said chamber; and

a stack positioning element separate from the plunger and captured in said chamber between a received article stack and said opening, said element being engageable and movable by the plunger extending through said opening, toward said dispensing station to urge a received article stack toward said dispensing station, whereby the articles are sequentially indexed into said dispensing station as preceding articles in the stack are removed from said container.

2. The container as set forth in claim 1 further comprising anti-backup means on said stack positioning element cooperable with said wall structure for inhibiting movement of the stack positioning element away from the dispensing station.

3. The container as set forth in claim 2 wherein said anti-backup member includes:

a movable arm attached at one of its ends to the stack positioning element; and

a pawl on said arm and spaced from said end for engagement with said wall structure.

4. The container as set forth in claim 3 wherein said wall structure comprises a plurality of ratchet teeth cooperable with the pawl for inhibiting movement of said stack positioning element away from said dispensing station.

5. A container for dispensing reagent articles to apparatus having a plunger and being adapted to use the articles to carry out quantitative chemical analysis of fluid samples, said container comprising:

a plurality of walls forming a chamber for receiving a stack of articles and having an article dispensing station, one of said walls having an opening for receiving the plunger to move the articles toward the dispensing station;

a plurality of ratchet teeth along at least one of the walls; and

an element captured in the container between a received stack of articles and the plunger opening, said element including;

(1), pawl means engageable with said ratchet teeth for inhibiting movement of said element away from the dispensing station to prevent movement of the articles away from the dispensing station, and

(2) means for urging said pawl means into engagement with said teeth with a predetermined force.