Reagent handling system and reagent pack for use therein

• US 5,788,928 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Chiron Diagnostics Corp (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Weber, David P., Carey, Glen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Application Number:
  US08/742,014
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/65, 422/100, 422/102, 422/103, 422/104, 436/43, 436/45, 436/49, 436/54, 436/174, 436/180, 436/807, 436/809, 366/210, 366/211, 366/216, 366/208, 366/209, 366/81.5, 366/235-239, 366/228, 366/336, 366/338, 220/669, 206/219
• US Class Current: 422/559
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/50 Movable or transportable mixing devices or plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/50 Mixing receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00514 Stationary mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00524 Mixing by agitating sample carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00 Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• 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 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A reagent pack for keeping fluids with or without suspensions mixed or suspended upon rocking. The reagent pack has at least one chamber divided into separate sub-chambers with a throat region between them defined by baffles for agitation of suspended reagent during rocking of the reagent pack. A continuous lid sealable to the pack has membrane sealed apertures in the lid for allowing access to the underlying chambers and sub-chambers by withdrawal needles. A tray is configured to hold multiple side-by-side reagent packs on respective slides that slide in and out for insertion and withdrawal of the packs. During operation, the tray and associated packs are rocked such as by being periodically inclined with respect to horizontal, providing reagent agitation. Optical annunciators proximate the tray indicate respective reagent pack activity under control of a computer which stores information on the contents of each pack at each tray location and correlates it to scheduled reagent use in a medical testing system. The tray is provided with a thermally conductive hinge. The tray with packs is located in an enclosure.

Claims

1. A reagent handling system comprising plural reagent packs, each reagent pack comprising:

plural chambers formed by opposing and parallel end walls, opposing and parallel side walls substantially orthogonal to said end walls, a floor surface attached to said end and side walls proximate a lower edge thereof, and at least one intermediate wall substantially parallel to said end walls and disposed between said side walls, wherein said end, side and intermediate walls define a pack upper edge; and

mixing baffles disposed within at least one of said chambers operative to cause mixing of said fluids within said at least one chamber as fluid i s passed by said baffles, a first one of said baffles disposed opposing and proximate a second one of said baffles such that a throat region having a pair of converging then diverging walls is defined between said first one and said second one of said baffles.

2. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, wherein each of said mixing baffles is disposed on a respective one of said side walls from said floor surface to said pack upper edge.

3. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, wherein one of said mixing baffles is disposed more proximate said first end than another of said mixing baffles.

4. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, wherein said mixing baffles divide one of said plural chambers into two sub-chambers having substantially equal volume, said sub-chambers interconnected by the throat region formed between said baffles.

5. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, wherein each of said mixing baffles extends over halfway across said reagent pack between said side walls.

6. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, wherein said floor surface has a plurality of depressed regions, each of said depressed regions associated with a respective one of said plural chambers.

7. The reagent handling system according to claim 6, wherein said reagent pack further comprises a lid having plural penetrable regions, said lid disposable on said pack upper edge for completely covering said plural chambers.

8. The reagent handling system according to claim 7, wherein said plural penetrable regions are each aligned above a respective one of said plural chambers.

9. The reagent handling system according to claim 7, wherein said plural penetrable regions are each formed from at least one penetrable film.

10. The reagent handling system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reagent pack slides, each of said slides for slidably transporting a respective reagent pack disposed thereon within said reagent handling system.

11. The reagent handling system according to claim 10, further comprising a tray for slidably retaining said plurality of reagent pack slides in a side by side configuration along a first axis.

12. The reagent handling system according to claim 11, further comprising an inclination drive and hinge mechanically connected to said tray for selectably inclining said tray about said first axis passing through said hinge.

13. The reagent handling system according to claim 12, further comprising at least one reagent probe carrier having at least one reagent probe, said at least one probe carrier translatable along said first axis proximate said tray for selectably disposing said at least one reagent probe into a selected one of said reagent packs.

14. The reagent handling system according to claim 13, said inclination drive further comprising an aspirate position defined by said tray inclined with respect to horizontal, wherein a low point of said floor surface is substantially vertically aligned with said at least one reagent probe.

15. The reagent handling system according to claim 13, said least one reagent probe carrier further comprising drive means for translating said at least one reagent probe along an axis orthogonal to said first axis and substantially parallel to said reagent pack side walls for selectably disposing said at least one reagent probe into a selected one of said chambers.

16. The reagent handling system according to claim 12, further comprising a cooling means in communication with said tray through said hinge to implement a tray cold plate for cooling reagent packs disposed thereon.

17. A reagent handling system comprising plural reagent packs, each reagent pack comprising:

first and second ends defined by substantially vertical first and second end walls, respectively, and substantially vertical first and second side walls disposed there between, said end walls and said side walls having an upper edge and a lower edge;

a floor surface sealably attached to said first and second end walls and said first and second side walls, said floor surface disposed proximate said lower edge;

at least one intermediate wall disposed transverse said reagent pack from said first side wall to said second side wall, said intermediate wall intermediate said end walls and extending from said floor surface to said upper edge; and

first and second mixing baffles each disposed on a respective one of said side walls and extending toward another of said side walls, both of said baffles disposed on a like side of said at least one intermediate wall, wherein one of said baffles is more proximate said first end then another of said baffles and wherein said baffles are disposed proximate one another such that a throat region having a pair of converging then diverging walls is defined between said baffles.

18. The reagent handling system according to claim 17, wherein said end walls, said side walls, said at least one intermediate wall, and said floor surface define a plurality of chambers open at said upper edge.

19. The reagent handling system according to claim 18, wherein said floor surface has a plurality of depressed regions, each of said depressed regions associated with a respective one of said chambers.

20. The reagent handling system according to claim 19, wherein said floor surface within each of said chambers slopes toward said respective depressed region.

21. The reagent handling system according to claim 17, wherein each of said baffles extends from said floor surface to said side wall upper edge.

22. The reagent handling system according to claim 21, wherein said baffles divide one of said plurality of chambers into two sub-chambers having substantially equal volume, said sub-chambers interconnected by the throat region formed between said baffles.

23. The reagent handling system according to claim 17, wherein each of said baffles extends over half the distance between said side walls.

24. The reagent handling system according to claim 20, wherein said reagent pack further comprises a lid having plural penetrable regions, said lid disposable on said upper edge for completely covering said plurality of chambers.

25. The reagent handling system according to claim 24, wherein said plural penetrable regions are each vertically aligned above a respective chamber.

26. The reagent handling system according to claim 24, wherein said plural penetrable regions are each substantially aligned above a respective depressed region.

27. The reagent handling system according to claim 24, wherein said plural penetrable regions are each formed from at least one penetrable film.

28. The reagent handling system according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of reagent pack slides, each of said slides for transporting a respective reagent pack disposed thereon within said reagent handling system.

29. The reagent handling system according to claim 28, further comprising a tray for slidably retaining said plurality of reagent pack slides in a side by side configuration along a first axis.

30. The reagent handling system according to claim 29, further comprising an inclination drive and hinge mechanically connected to said tray for selectably inclining said tray about said first axis and said hinge.

31. The reagent handling system according to claim 30, further comprising at least one reagent probe carrier having at least one reagent probe, said at least one probe carrier translatable along said first axis proximate said tray for selectably disposing said at least one reagent probe into a selected one of said reagent packs.

32. The reagent handling system according to claim 31, said inclination drive further comprising an aspirate position defined by said tray inclined with respect to horizontal, wherein a low point of said floor surface is substantially vertically aligned with said at least one reagent probe.

33. The reagent handling system according to claim 31, wherein said at least one reagent probe carrier further comprises drive means for translating said at least one reagent probe along an axis orthogonal to said first axis and substantially parallel to said reagent pack side walls.

34. The reagent handling system according to claim 30, further comprising a cooling means in communication with said tray through said hinge to implement a tray cold plate for cooling reagent packs disposed thereon.

35. A reagent pack for providing fluent material, comprising:

an elongate enclosure having sides, ends and a bottom, said sides and ends having an upper edge and defining a chamber wit said bottom, said chamber for retaining said fluent material; and

a plurality of baffles disposed within said chamber, said baffles operative to cause turbulence in said fluent material when said pack is rocked about a horizontal axis orthogonal to said sides, a first one of said baffles disposed opposing and proximate a second one of said baffles such that a throat region having a pair of converging then diverging side walls is defined between said first and second baffles.

36. The reagent pack according to claim 35, further comprising at least one intermediate wall disposed across said sides and defining, with said sides, ends and bottom, plural sub-chambers for retaining said fluent material.

37. The reagent pack according to claim 35, wherein said bottom further comprises a depression disposed within said chamber.

38. The reagent pack according to claim 35, wherein said baffles divide said chamber into portions connected by the throat region defined by said baffles.

39. The reagent pack according to claim 38, wherein one of said baffles is more proximate a first end than another of said baffles.

40. The reagent pack according to claim 35, further comprising a lid disposable on said upper edge.

41. The reagent pack according to claim 40, said lid further comprising a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures simultaneously disposable over a respective one of said chambers.