Luminometer for an automated analyzer

• US 5,653,940 A
• Filed: 06/01/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Chiron Corporation (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Whitesel, Mary Beth, Klingshirn, Frank C., Lewis, Scott C., Carey, Glen A., Woyansky, George J., Pabst, Stefan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Application Number:
  US08/457,899
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/52, 422/63, 422/64, 422/67, 422/104, 422/82.05, 436/43, 436/47, 436/48, 436/49, 436/164, 436/172, 436/807, 436/165, 356/36, 356/218, 356/440
• US Class Current: 422/52
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0854 Double walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00386 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00396 where the fluid is a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0441 for samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0443 for reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 Loading or unloading the conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0484 Belt or chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0486 Gearing, cams
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/021 having a flexible chain, e.g. "cartridge belt", conveyor for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/01 Fins
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/03 : Medical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 : Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• 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 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An analyzer for performing automated assay testing. The analyzer includes a storage and conveyor system for conveying cuvettes to an incubation or processing conveyor, a storage and selection system for test sample containers, a storage and selection system for reagent containers, sample and reagent aspirating and dispensing probes, a separation system for separating bound from unbound tracer or labeled reagent, a detection system and date collection/processing system. All of the subunits of the machine are controlled by a central processing unit to coordinate the activity of all of the subunits of the analyzer. The analyzer is specifically suited for performing heterogeneous binding assay protocols, particularly immunoassays.

Claims

1. In an automated analyzer to assay an analyte in a test sample in a cuvette in which a product of a test reaction includes a chemiluminescent labeled reagent and the product being suspended in an acid solution, said cuvette having a bottom wall, side wall and an open top, a luminometer comprising:

(a) a cuvette transport for conveying said cuvette as one of a plurality of simultaneously conveyed cuvettes in a horizontal plane from an entrance point for cuvettes each containing a test sample to a base solution dispense point and to an exit point for cuvettes in each of which an analyte has been assayed, wherein said cuvette transport further comprises;

(1) a fixed housing having a circular chamber in which is disposed said entrance and exit points and through which said instrument is disposed,

(2) a carousel rotatably mounted within said housing for simultaneous rotation of said plurality of cuvettes about a vertical axis, and

(3) drive means for rotating said carousel about said vertical axis in periodic increments such that a first cuvette may enter said fixed housing at said entrance point while a second cuvette may simultaneously exit said fixed housing at said exit point,

(b) dispense means at said base solution dispense point for dispensing a base solution into said cuvette to cause a chemiluminescent flash,

(c) an instrument at said base solution dispense point for measuring the intensity of said flash and for producing a sample test output signal when exposed to said flash,

(d) a luminescent reference source which is located at said base solution dispense point for directing a beam of light toward said instrument at predetermined test flash intervals to cause said instrument to produce a reference test output signal, and

(e) control means including a central processing unit for coordinating said simultaneously conveyed cuvettes within said cuvette transport, said dispense means, said instrument and said reference source.

2. In an analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said fixed housing further comprises a top wall, a bottom wall which has an entrance opening at said entrance point for receiving a cuvette in an upright position and an exit opening at said exit point for dispensing said cuvette once a flash has been read by said instrument, and a side wall which has a circular inner surface and an opening in said side wall which is aligned with said instrument,

said carousel having an outer circular side wall, a hub, and a plurality of vertical spokes between the side wall and the hub which forms with the housing a plurality of light tight compartments for conveyance of a cuvette except when a compartment is positioned over said entrance opening and said exit opening, and

said drive means for rotating said carousel about said vertical axis in periodic increments of one compartment distance so that a cuvette is received into a compartment at said entrance opening and is advanced one compartment distance at a time to said base solution dispense point for receiving a volume of base solution for causing a chemiluminescent flash which is read by said instrument and advanced to said exit opening for dispensing.

3. In an analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said instrument is a photo multiplier tube.

4. In an analyzer as recited in claim 1, wherein said control means compares said reference test output signal from said instrument for consistency.

5. In an analyzer as recited in claim 4, wherein said luminometer comprises an electronic module which is operatively connected to said luminescent reference source for maintaining the intensity of the beam of light from said reference source at a constant value.

6. In an analyzer as recited in claim 4, wherein said instrument is a photo multiplier robe and said luminescent reference source is a light emitting diode.

7. In an analyzer as recited in claim 6, wherein said luminometer further comprises light filtering means between said diode and said photo multiplier tube for altering the light which reaches said robe from said diode.

8. In an analyzer as recited in claim 5, wherein said electronic module comprises:

(a) a constant, reference voltage source grounded through a reference resistance to produce a constant, reference current source,

(b) a current driven light source having a target output value,

(c) a photodiode to which the light source is coupled, and

(d) a differential amplifying means connected to the constant, reference current source and the photodiode and configured to present its output to the light source so as to reduce the current through the light source when the light source output is above the target value and to increase the current when the light source output is below the target value.

9. In an automated analyzer to assay an analyte in a test sample in each of a plurality of cuvettes in which a product of a test reaction includes a chemiluminescent labeled reagent and the product being suspended in an acid solution, each of said cuvettes having a bottom wall, side wall and an open top, a luminometer comprising:

(a) a cuvette transport for conveying said cuvettes in a horizontal plane from an entrance point to a base solution dispense point and to an exit point, said entrance point spaced from said exit point, said cuvette transport comprising;

(1) a fixed housing which has a circular chamber, a top wall, a bottom wall which has an entrance opening at said entrance point for receiving a first cuvette in an upright position and an exit opening at said exit point for dispensing a second cuvette and a side wall which has a circular inner surface and an opening in said side wall,

(2) a carousel which is rotatably mounted within the chamber of said housing for rotation about a vertical axis, said carousel having an outer circular side wall, a hub, and a plurality of vertical spokes between the side wall and the hub which forms with the housing a plurality of light tight compartments except when a compartment is positioned over said entrance opening and said exit opening, and

(3) drive means for rotating said carousel about said vertical axis in periodic increments of one compartment distance so that each cuvette is received into a compartment at said entrance opening and is advanced one compartment distance at a time to said base solution dispense point and then to said exit point,

(b) dispense means at said base solution dispense point for dispensing a base solution into each cuvette when said cuvette is at said dispense point to cause a chemiluminescent flash,

(c) an instrument at said base solution dispense point which is aligned with the opening in said side wall of said housing for measuring an intensity of said flash, and

(d) control means including a central processing unit for coordinating said cuvette transport, said dispense means and said instrument.

10. In an analyzer as recited in claim 9, wherein said instrument is a photo multiplier tube.

11. In an analyzer as recited in claim 9, wherein said instrument produces a sample test output signal when exposed to said flash, and wherein said luminometer comprises a luminescent reference source which is located at said base solution dispense point for directing a beam of light toward said instrument at predetermined test flash intervals to produce a reference test output signal, wherein said control means compares said reference test output signals to insure that output signals from said instrument are consistent.

12. In an analyzer as recited in claim 11, wherein said luminometer comprises an electronic module which is operatively connected to said luminescent reference source for maintaining the intensity of the beam of light from said reference source at a constant value.

13. In an analyzer as recited in claim 11, wherein said instrument is a photo multiplier tube and said luminescent reference source is a light emitting diode.

14. In an analyzer as recited in claim 13, wherein said luminometer further comprises light filtering means between said diode and said photo multiplier tube for altering the light which reaches said tube from said diode.

15. In an analyzer as recited in claim 12, wherein said electronic module comprises:

(a) a constant, reference voltage source grounded through a reference resistance to produce a constant, reference current source,

(b) a current driven light source having a target output value,

(c) a photodiode to which the light source is coupled, and

(d) a differential amplifying means connected to the constant, reference current source and the photodiode and configured to present its output to the light source so as to reduce the current through the light source when the light source output is above the target value and to increase the current when the light source output is below the target value.