Rapid and automatic fluorescence immunoassay analyzer for multiple micro-samples
First Claim
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1. A fluorescence measuring apparatus for identifying a substance including:
- excitation means for producing light energy;
carrier means for holding a plurality of samples which include said substance during excitation scanning of said samples;
front-end fluorescent optics for directing said excitation light energy on a path orthogonal to the surface of said substance and for receiving fluorescent emission spectra back along substantially the same path from said substance;
means for scanning said front-end fluorescent optics from sample to sample of said plurality of said samples which include said substance; and
spectra emission analyzing means for receiving fluorescent emission spectra from said excited samples which include said substance through said front-end fluorescent optics, said emission analyzing means having means for detecting light intensity at the measured wavelength of said fluorescent emission spectra.
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Abstract
An apparatus uses a rapid and efficient method for conducting fluorescence measurements, such as immuno assay, of a plurality of samples of a substance using pulsed or continuous light energy, front-end fluorescent optics, a mechanism which allows for lateral and tranverse scanning of rows and columns of wells, and spectra emission analysis of the spectra from the excited samples.
303 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A fluorescence measuring apparatus for identifying a substance including:
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excitation means for producing light energy; carrier means for holding a plurality of samples which include said substance during excitation scanning of said samples; front-end fluorescent optics for directing said excitation light energy on a path orthogonal to the surface of said substance and for receiving fluorescent emission spectra back along substantially the same path from said substance; means for scanning said front-end fluorescent optics from sample to sample of said plurality of said samples which include said substance; and spectra emission analyzing means for receiving fluorescent emission spectra from said excited samples which include said substance through said front-end fluorescent optics, said emission analyzing means having means for detecting light intensity at the measured wavelength of said fluorescent emission spectra. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A fluorescence measuring apparatus for identifying a substance including:
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excitation means for producing light energy; carrier means for holding a plurality of samples which include said substance during excitation scanning of said samples; front-end fluorescent optics for directing said excitation light energy on a path orthogonal to the surface of said substance and for receiving fluorescent emission spectra back along substantially the same path from said substance; means for scanning said front-end fluorescent optics from sample to sample of said plurality of said samples which include said substance; and fluorescence and phosphorescence life time measuring means for receiving fluorescent emissions from said excited samples which include said substance through said front-end fluorescent optics to determine the life time of said fluorescent phenomena.
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22. Apparatus for fluorometric analysis of samples containing a substance comprising:
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means for emitting a tunable, substantially monochromatic beam of radiation; first fiber optic means for conducting said beam to a container of a sample to be analyzed; lens means on one end of said fiber optics means for focusing said beam on the surface of said sample in said container; second fiber optics means for detecting fluorescent radiation emitted by said substance; said second fiber optics means being aligned with said first fiber optics means such that the radiation incident on said sample is substantially parallel to the emitted radiation detected by said second fiber optic means; and means optically connected to said second fiber optic means for measuring the intensity of particular wavelength components of the emitted fluorescent radiation.
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Specification