Apparatus and method for optically analyzing biological fluids
First Claim
1. A centrifugal rotor comprising a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, a collection chamber spaced radially inward from the cuvettes, a means for introducing a fluid into the chamber, and a plurality of generally radially inlet channels connecting each cuvette to the chamber, wherein each inlet channel comprises means for defining two contiguous flow paths, each flow path being separately defined and distinct, whereby the fluid enters the cuvette through a first flow path and gas exits the cuvette through a second flow path.
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Abstract
A centrifugal rotor comprising a plurality of peripheral cuvettes and a collection chamber spaced radially inward from the cuvettes is disclosed. The rotor includes a means for introducing fluid into the collection chamber and plurality of generally radial inlet channels connecting each cuvette to the chamber. Each inlet channel has a discrete flow path for fluid to enter the cuvette and another discrete flow path for gas to exit the cuvette as the cuvette is filled. Positioned radially inward from each cuvette is a reflective surface capable of deflecting a light beam from a generally vertical direction to a generally horizontal direction or vice versa. As the rotor is spun, fluid enters the cuvettes from collection chamber through the inlet channels, which also allow gas in the cuvettes to escape, thus avoiding the creation of bubbles in the cuvette after the cuvettes are filled. The contents are then optically analyzed by passing a light beam horizontally through the cuvette.
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Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A centrifugal rotor comprising a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, a collection chamber spaced radially inward from the cuvettes, a means for introducing a fluid into the chamber, and a plurality of generally radially inlet channels connecting each cuvette to the chamber, wherein each inlet channel comprises means for defining two contiguous flow paths, each flow path being separately defined and distinct, whereby the fluid enters the cuvette through a first flow path and gas exits the cuvette through a second flow path.
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11. A centrifugal rotor comprising a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, a collection chamber spaced radially inward from the cuvettes and disposed below a separation chamber having a cell trap, an axial drainage port between the collection chamber and the separation chamber for introducing a biological fluid into the collection chamber, and a plurality of generally radial inlet channels connecting each cuvette to the collection chamber, wherein each inlet channel has a first discrete flow path for flow of the fluid into the cuvette as the rotor is spun and a second discrete flow path for flow of gas out of the cuvette as the rotor is spun.
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12. A method for filling a peripheral cuvette in a centrifugal rotor with a fluid, the method comprising:
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introducing the fluid into a collection chamber disposed radially inward of the cuvette; spinning the rotor to effect the radially outward flow of the fluid through an inlet channel into the cuvette, wherein the inlet channel comprises means for defining two contiguous flow paths, each flow path being separately defined and distinct, whereby the fluid enters the cuvette through a first flow path and gas exits the cuvette through a second flow path. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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- 14. A centrifugal rotor comprising a vertical axis, a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, and a plurality of reflective surfaces positioned radially inward from the cuvettes, wherein each reflective surface is oriented with respect to the vertical axis such that an incident light beam oriented generally parallel to the vertical axis is deflected to be oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical axis and an incident light beam oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical axis is deflected to be orientated generally parallel to the vertical axis.
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20. The rotor of clam 19, wherein the biochemical analysis produces an optical effect when exposed to the light beam.
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22. A method of optically analyzing a biological fluid in a centrifugal rotor having a vertical axis and a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, the method comprising:
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(a) placing the fluid in a collection chamber in the rotor; (b) spinning the rotor such that the fluid enters the cuvettes; (c) detecting a light beam after it has been reflected by a reflective surface oriented at about a 45 degree angle to the vertical axis. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A centrifugal rotor comprising a vertical axis, a plurality of peripheral cuvettes, a plurality of reflective surfaces oriented at about a 45 degree angle to the vertical axis and positioned radially inward from the cuvettes, a collection chamber spaced radially inward from the reflective surfaces, and a plurality of generally radially inlet channels connecting each cuvette to the chamber, wherein each inlet channel comprises means for defining two contiguous flow paths, each flow path being separately defined and distinct, whereby a fluid enters the cuvette through a first flow path and gas exits the cuvette through a second flow path.
Specification