Automated sampling device for medical diagnostic instrument

• US 5,372,782 A
• Filed: 05/29/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: CIBA Vision Corporation (Novartis Ag)
• Inventors: Schulkind, Richard L., Dussault, Richard A., Karkantis, Peter N., Parker, Norman K., Degen, Beat R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I.
• Application Number:
  US07/891,553
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/64, 422/100, 604/122, 604/192, 604/206, 436/48, 436/49
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/185 specially adapted to seal the inlet
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/24 Automatic injection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A novel fluid sampling device has been developed. This device provides for sample entry to be handled automatically by the instrument, thus allowing the operator to be involved in other activities while the sampling process is underway. It also assures reproduceable sample size, automatically cleans the sampling device between samples, and reduces the risk of user injury. Furthermore, the sampling system allows for the use of any forseeable collection mechanism.

Claims

1. A device for sampling material comprising

a. a means for detecting the presence and diameter of a container of the material,

b. a means for withdrawing a sample of the material, wherein said withdrawing is controlled in response to the presence and diameter of the container, and

c. a means for cleaning those parts of the device exposed to the material between the withdrawal of subsequent samples, in which said means for cleaning comprises

a means to generate reproducible air/liquid microsegments composed of two or more pump tubes, at least 1 of which carries surfactant or a surfactant solution and at least 1 of which carries air, the diameters of said tubes being determined by the relative volume ratio of the components in the final mixture,

a second means for allowing the components carried by the tubes to form an air/liquid reproducible mixture, and

a third means for allowing the air/liquid mixture to form a foam due to the increased surface area of said third means.