Centrifugal analyzer rotor unit and insert elements

• US 4,456,581 A
• Filed: 11/20/1981
• Issued: 06/26/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Haar, Hans-Peter, Pasch, Manfred, Klose, Sigmar, Mann, Karlheinz, Edelmann, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Michael S.
• Application Number:
  US06/323,343
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 422/64, 422/72, 422/102, 422/104, 422/100, 356/246, 233/26
• US Class Current: 422/72
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4321 the subflows consisting of at least two flat layers which are recombined, e.g. using means having restriction or expansion zones
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45 Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads B01F25/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45231 the sieves, screens or meshes being cylinders or cones which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube, the flow changing from axial in radial and again in axial
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71725 using centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/0407 for liquids contained in receptacles B04B5/0442 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/07 Centrifugal type cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence

Abstract

A rotor unit for a centrifugal analyzer comprises a rotatably driven circular rotor base; and a rotor head comprising a plurality of insert elements each having at least one chamber sample for the reception of a sample liquid, at least one measuring chamber radially outwardly from the associated sample chamber for the measurement of characteristic parameters for the detection of components of the sample, at least one liquid channel connecting the sample chamber with the measuring chamber and each insert element is releasably mounted on the rotor base at any one of a plurality of different selectable angular positions wherein the insert element is positionally stable when the rotor base is rotating.

Claims

1. In a centrifugal analyzer having a rotatably driven circular rotor base, the improvement comprising:

a rotor head comprising at least one sample analysis insert element including a housing having a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion, first means forming at least one sample chamber at the inner portion of the housing, second means forming at least one measuring chamber at the outer portion of the housing, third means forming a fluid channel between the sample and measuring chambers along a radial path and at least one storage stable reagent disposed in the liquid channel;

at least one sample obtaining insert element including a housing having a radially inner end and a radially outer end, means forming a cylinder within the housing and extending from the inner end to the outer end, a piston slidably movable in the cylinder, injection needle connection means disposed on the inner end in communication with the cylinder, an aperture at said outer end for receiving a piston rod and piston rod connecting means on said piston; and

means releasably mounting each insert element on the rotor base at any one of a plurality of different selectable angular positions wherein the insert elements are positionally stable when the rotor base is rotating.

2. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the insert elements include multiple analysis elements each having a plurality of first, second and third means for the analytical determination of at least one component of at least one sample.

3. The analyzer according to claim 2, wherein the spatial dimensions of the insert elements having multiple analysis elements is an integer multiple of the spatial dimensions of an insert element having a single analysis element.

4. The analyzer according to claim 3, wherein the mounting means for each insert element includes means disposed in a single annular region on the rotor base and spaced periodically in that region, wherein the periodic spacing corresponding to the spatial dimensions of the single analysis element to divide the circular surface of the rotor base into whole number of segments each capable of receiving a single analysis element.

5. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the second means forming measuring chambers are disposed in a first single annular region at the periphery of the rotor head when the inserts are disposed on the rotor base.

6. The analyzer according to claim 5, wherein the mounting means comprises cooperating form-locking holding parts on the rotor base and on the insert elements in the annular region of the measuring chambers.

7. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the first means has means forming an inlet to the sample chamber at a second single annular region when the insert elements are on the rotor base and wherein the sampling element has a sampling point in the same annular region as the inlet of the sample chamber.

8. The analyzer according to claim 7, further comprising sample transfer means disposed above the rotor base at said second annular region and movable solely vertically towards and away from the sample chamber, inlet and sampling point.

9. The analyzer according to claim 1 wherein the insert element housings have a substantially circular sector configuration in plan view with relatively narrow inner and relatively wide outer end portions.