System for analyzing compounds contained liquid samples

• US 5,757,666 A
• Filed: 10/10/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schreiber, Joerg, Schmid, Wilfried, Kuhr, Hans-Jurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wachsman, Hal D.
• Application Number:
  US08/728,189
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 364/509, 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/496-499, 364/413.08, 364/413.09, 364/413.11, 364/479.01, 364/479.12, 364/479.14, 422/68.1, 422/56-58, 422/102, 422/63-65, 422/104, 422/82.05, 436/46, 436/47, 436/49, 435/805, 435/808, 435/809, 73/863, 73/863.01, 73/863.81, 73/863.91, 73/864, 73/864.21, 73/864.31, 73/864.34, 73/864.81-864.84, 73/864.91, 206/204, 206/205, 206/569, 215/227, 215/228, 382/128, 382/133, 221/135, 221/79, 221/149, 221/186, 221/197, 221/198, 221/289
• US Class Current: 702/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/805 Test papers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/809 Incubators or racks or holders for culture plates or containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack

Abstract

A system for analyzing sample liquids using dry reagents is configured for the determination of clinical parameters. The system including an analysis instrument containing the test elements to carry out the test. Form and design of the test elements are adjusted for use in the analysis system. The system is utilized for analyses where available test elements which are in contact with their environment exhibit a low storage stability.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing a plurality of liquid samples, said system comprising:

a system base;

a plurality of test elements arranged in a linear array, with each test element having a test field which produces a detectable change when contacted by a liquid sample containing a material to be detected;

a storage container containing the plurality of test elements therein, said storage container being removably received in the system base, said storage container having an opening for said test elements to be removed therefrom;

a measuring device attached to said system base for detecting the detectable change produced in a test element of said plurality of test elements;

sealing means attached to said system base, said sealing means comprising a plurality of individual pressing means which seals individual test elements of the plurality of test elements by applying pressure thereto, said pressing means fittingly entering a corresponding recess in corresponding test elements of said plurality of test elements.

2. System of claim 1, wherein the test elements are unattached to one another.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said individual pressing means has a semi-spherical shape.

4. System of claim 1, wherein the system includes a measurement position of a test element wherein a liquid sample can be applied to the test element, and the detectable change in the test element can be measured by the measuring device.

5. System of claim 1, wherein the system includes a data reading device.

6. System of claim 1, wherein the storage container is elongated and a pushing device moves the test elements along the storage container until an end test element of the test element array reaches a measurement site wherein the test element is in a measuring location to be measured by the measuring device.

7. A method of analyzing a liquid sample by means of the system of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

a) transporting a first test element by means of a pushing device from the storage container to a measurement site;

b) applying the liquid sample to the test field of the first test element at the measurement site;

c) detecting a sample induced change of the test field of the first test element at the measurement site;

d) calculating the result of the measurement based on the detected change;

e) displaying the said result on a display; and

f) ejecting the first test element from the system with an arm or a lever.

8. Method of claim 7, including the additional step of detecting data concerning the test elements contained in the storage container, and using such data in the calculating step.

9. Method of claim 8, wherein before step the storage container is inserted into the system base, and the data concerning the test elements is read at the time of storage container insertion.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one other test element is transported within the storage container at the same time that the first test element is transported out of the storage container.

11. A method of analyzing a liquid sample comprising the steps of:

providing a system having a system base with a plurality of test elements arranged in a linear array, with each test element having a test field which produces a detectable change when contacted by a liquid sample containing a material to be detected;

providing a storage container containing the plurality of test elements therein, said storage container being removably received in the system base, said storage container having an opening for the test elements to be removed therefrom;

providing a measuring device attached to the system base for detecting the detectable change produced in a test element of the plurality of test elements;

providing a releasable sealing means attached to the system base, with the releasable sealing means sealing the opening by pressingly engaging the storage container wherein the storage container can be pressed between the sealing means and the system base to seal the opening;

removing pressure from the releasable sealing means to open the opening of the storage container;

transporting the first test element of the test element linear array from the storage container to a measurement site;

closing the opening with the sealing means;

applying liquid sample to a test field of the first test element at the measurement site, the test field producing the detectable change when contacted by a material in the liquid sample;

detecting a sample-induced change of the test field;

calculating a measurement based on the detected change;

displaying the measurement on a display; and

removing the used first test element from the test element array.

12. Method of claim 11, including the additional step of detecting data concerning the test elements contained in the storage container, and using such data in the calculating step.

13. Method of claim 12, wherein the storage container is inserted into the system base, and the data concerning the test elements is read at this time of storage container insertion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one other test element is transported within the storage container at the same time that the first test element is transported out of the storage container.

15. A system for analyzing a plurality of liquid samples, said system comprising:

a system base;

a plurality of test elements arranged in a linear array, with each test element having a test field which produces a detectable change when contacted by a liquid sample containing a material to be detected;

a storage container containing the plurality of test elements therein, said storage container being removably received in the system base, said storage container having an opening for said test elements to be removed therefrom;

a measuring device attached to said system base for detecting the detectable change produced in a test element of said plurality of test elements;

releasable sealing means attached to the system base, said releasable sealing means sealing said opening by pressingly engaging the storage container, wherein the storage container is pressed between the sealing means and the system base to seal the opening.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein said plurality of test elements is configured such that a test element is pressed between opposing sides of the storage container when the sealing means pressingly engages the storage container, whereby the opening is sealed by pressing engagement of the sealing means, the storage container, the test element, and the system base.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein the test elements are removably attached to each other in the linear array.

18. System of claim 15, wherein said releasable sealing means is movable from a closed position wherein the opening in the storage container is sealed to an open position wherein the opening is not sealed.

19. System of claim 18, wherein said releasable sealing means seals the opening in the closed position at an end of the storage container adjacent the opening.

20. System of claim 15, wherein said storage container and said opening are configured for said test elements to be sequentially removed from said opening.

21. System of claim 15, wherein the storage container is elongated and a pushing device moves the test elements along the storage container until and end test element of the test element array reaches a measurement site wherein the test element is in a measuring location to be measured by the measuring device.

22. System of claim 15, wherein the releasable sealing means engages the storage container to press against two opposing sides of the test element to prevent moisture from accessing the test field of a test element.

23. System of claim 15, wherein the test elements are in a mechanically linked arrangement.

24. System of claim 23, wherein the array of test elements is an integral array provided with predetermined breaking points to enable an individual test element located at an end of the array to be separated from the remaining test elements of the array.

25. System of claim 23, wherein the test elements are hooked together.

26. System of claim 15, wherein the system includes a measurement position of a test element wherein a liquid sample can be applied to the test element, and the detectable change in the test element can be measured by the measuring device.

27. System of claim 15, wherein the system includes a data reading device.