Reagent storage and delivery system

• US 5,031,797 A
• Filed: 06/04/1990
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Price, Robert M., Meyer, Richard C., Boris, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISS, STEVEN
• Application Number:
  US07/534,324
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 222/23, 222/52, 222/129, 222/482, 222/81, 222/541, 221/87, 221/88, 73/864.82, 73/864.84, 73/864.85, 73/864.86, 422/65, 422/102, 235/459, 235/488, 209/554
• US Class Current: 222/23
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00772 mechanical or optical code other than bar code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 with means for piercing stoppers or septums
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48

Abstract

A reagent storage and delivery apparatus comprises a reagent cartridge having a plurality of fluidic chambers and includes a flange means for receiving a label to define a code indicating information concerning the contents of the cartridge. Preferably, a binary code is defined through use of windows formed in an extending portion of the cartridge which cooperate with a formed portion of the label applied to the cartridge. The binary code is optically read and translated to a digital information signal for instructional use with an analytical instrument.

Claims

1. A reagent storage and delivery apparatus for an analytical instrument performing chemical analysis, comprising:

a reagent cartridge comprising a plurality of chambers for containing fluidic reagent, each chamber having an entry port and resealable seal means for receiving a probe to withdraw reagent from the cartridge, and further comprising a flange member extending outwardly from said cartridge and including a plurality of openings formed therethrough to define windows through which an optical signal may be transmitted;

label means for cooperating with said flange member, said label means comprising an end portion selectively formed to cover selective ones of the windows of said flange member to determine a grouping of open and closed windows which may be used to define a binary code;

receiving means for receiving said reagent cartridge for operation with an analytical instrument, said receiving means defining a receiving space closely fitting the shape of said cartridge to precisely guide the cartridge for insertion into said receiving means to permit probes held by said receiving means to transfix said seal means of said cartridge to enter said entry ports for withdrawal of reagent from said cartridge; and

means for reading said code defined by said cartridge and said label means, to provide information contained by said code to the analytical instrument for facilitating chemical analysis.

2. The reagent cartridge of claim 1 further comprising vent means for venting each chamber of the cartridge during withdrawal of fluid from said cartridge.

3. The reagent cartridge of claim 2 when said vent means comprises openings formed through a cap covering the top of each chamber and includes a removable tape for sealing said vent means for storage of said cartridge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving means further comprises means for ejecting a cartridge inserted therein.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reading means comprises an optical array having a light source and a light detector responsive to each of said windows formed through said flange member on said cartridge, said optical array providing a signal indicating an open or a closed window for each of said windows formed through said flange member to determine a binary code from which a digital signal may be generated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said reading means further comprises a programmable computer for generating and processing digital signals including software program means which instructs the computer to compare said digital signal generated from the binary code defined by the reagent cartridge and label means in combination, with program means information to instruct an analytical instrument to perform a select analysis.

5. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said ejection means comprises lever means residing within a lower portion of said receiving space and pivotal about a pivot to engage said cartridge and force said cartridge from said receiving means.

8. A reagent storage and delivery apparatus for an analytical instrument performing chemical analysis comprising:

a reagent cartridge having an extensional portion extending outwardly from one end of said cartridge, said extensional portion having a fixed, aligned series of openings formed through said extensional portion of said cartridge to provide windows for transmission of optical signals, said windows providing an element for defining an informational code, said openings being located toward the periphery of the extensional portion;

label means initially separate from the reagent cartridge for cooperating with said extensional portion of said cartridge to define said informational code, said label means comprising a formed portion having a selected shape alignable with said extensional portion of said cartridge providing a complemental element for defining said code, said label means being attached to said cartridge with said formed portion of said label positioned to cooperate with said extensional portion of said cartridge to selectively expose or obscure said windows to define said code wherein said formed portion of said label means comprises an end portion of said label means wherein no, one or more notches are formed which cooperate with said openings formed in said cartridge extensional portion to define said code when said label means is aligned with said extensional portion.

9. A method of manufacturing a reagent storage and delivery apparatus for an analytical instrument performing chemical analysis, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a reagent cartridge having an extensional portion extending outwardly from one end of said cartridge, said extensional portion having a fixed, aligned series of openings formed through said extensional portion, said openings providing an element for defining an information code, said openings being located toward the periphery of said extensional portion;

forming separate label means for cooperating with said extensional portion of said cartridge to define said informational code, said label means comprising a formed portion having a selected shape alignable with said extensional portion of said cartridge providing a complemental element for defining said code, wherein said formed portion of said label means comprises an end portion of said label means wherein no, one or more notches are formed; and

applying said label means to said extensional portion wherein said no, one or more notches cooperate with said openings formed in said cartridge extensional portion to define said code when said label means is applied to said extensional portion.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein the step of forming the obscuring means includes forming a portion of a label alignable with said extensional portion.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the reagent cartridge comprises a plurality of chambers for containing fluid reagent.