Method of performing a process for determining an item of interest in a sample

• US 5,795,784 A
• Filed: 09/19/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Inventors: Mitchell, James E., Gardner, Gregory E., Fritchie, Patrick P., Murray, David W., Dunn, Chadwick M., Gray, Robert C., Ramsey, Jack F., Arnquist, David C., Holen, James T., Grandone, Cass J., Barnes, Grady III, Murray, Adrian John, McCoy, Jimmy D., Sleszynski, Neal T., East, Richard C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Application Number:
  US08/716,079
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 436/43, 436/47, 436/48, 436/49, 436/50, 436/174, 436/180, 422/63, 422/64, 422/65, 422/67, 422/68.1, 422/100, 422/104
• US Class Current: 436/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00534 Mixing by a special element, e.g. stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 Loading or unloading the conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0467 Switching points ("aiguillages")
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• 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 436/115831 Condition or time responsive

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide methods of performing a process for determining an item of interest in a sample. In one embodiment, a container for holding the sample is accepted in a process lane where a process step is selectively automatically performed on the sample in the container. The process step is selectively automatically performed on the sample in the container. An effective length of the process lane is maintained constant while a physical length of the process lane is selectively varied.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a process lane for determining an item of interest in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) accepting a container containing said sample in a process lane having a first physical length where a plurality of process steps for determining an item of interest in said sample are selectively automatically performed on said sample;

(b) selectively automatically performing said process steps on the sample in the container on said process lane having said first physical length;

(c) selectively varying a physical length of said process lane to form a second physical length which differs from said first physical length;

(d) accepting said container containing said sample in said process lane having said second physical length;

(e) selectively automatically performing said process steps on said sample in said container on said process lane having said second physical length; and

(f) maintaining an effective length of said process lane on both first and second physical lengths constant wherein said effective length representing a total traveled distance of said container on said process lane,

wherein said process steps performed on said sample on said first physical length and second physical length being substantially the same by maintaining said effective length of said process lane constant.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(d) moving the container along the first physical length of the process lane at least once.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(d) moving the container along the second physical length of the process lane at least twice.