Media carrier for an assay device

• US 6,074,616 A
• Filed: 01/05/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quidel Cardiovascular, Inc. (Quidel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Biosite Diagnostics Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Buechler, Kenneth F., McPherson, Paul H., Anderberg, Joseph M
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Application Number:
  US09/003,066
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 422/67, 422/99, 422/104, 235/486, 235/475, 439/76.1
• US Class Current: 422/560
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00772 mechanical or optical code other than bar code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers

Abstract

A fluorometer for sensing the fluorescence of a sample utilizes an optical energy source for exciting a sample to be tested and an optical energy detector for detecting the emitted energy from the excited sample. Drive electronics are used for positioning the sample with respect to the optical components allowing a plurality of sample regions to be tested. A processor is utilized to control the operation of the test in accordance with test instructions and for processing the emitted energy detected from the sample to determine test results. A ROM chip socket accepts a plurality of ROM chips, wherein each ROM chip stores test data sets for one or more test types to be performed. ROM chips can be swapped to allow the fluorometer to be configured and reconfigured to perform a plurality of different tests. A communications interface facilitates the sharing of test information between the fluorometer and external entities.

Claims

1. A ROM chip carrier for use within a socket of an assay device, the carrier comprising:

a body portion having a first end and a second end;

first and second lateral members defining sides of said body portion and further forming boundaries of an open area within said body portion;

a leading edge extending across said second end of said body portion;

a chip cavity defined by said lateral members, said leading edge and a cross member extending across said body portion;

a plurality of teeth disposed on said leading edge, said teeth including angled leading edges adapted to facilitate guidance of said chip carrier into said socket of said assay devices.

2. The ROM chip carrier of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board disposed in said chip cavity, said printed circuit board comprising a substrate and a plurality of contacts disposed on said substrate.

3. The ROM chip carrier of claim 2, wherein said lateral members each include a recess and said printed circuit board comprises a pair of tabs which align with said recesses to facilitate placement of said circuit board within said chip cavity.

4. The ROM chip carrier of claim 2, further comprising means on said body portion for holding said circuit board in place within said cavity.

5. The ROM chip carrier of claim 2, further comprising means on an underside of said body portion for holding said circuit board in place within said cavity on the underside of said body portion.

6. The ROM chip carrier of claim 2, wherein said contacts are gold.

7. The ROM chip carrier of claim 1, wherein said leading edge and said lateral members are beveled.

8. The ROM chip carrier of claim 1, wherein said chip carrier is made of one of the group of a molded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer, a polyoxymethylene polymer, a styrene polymer or a styrene copolymer.

9. The ROM chip carrier of claim 1, further including an upwardly protruding rear tab that extends from said first end above said body portion.

10. The ROM chip carrier of claim 1, wherein said leading edge includes a width and one dimension of said teeth is defined by the width of said leading edge.

11. A ROM chip carrier for use within a socket of an assay device, the carrier comprising:

a body portion having a first end and a second end;

first and second lateral members defining sides of said body portion and further forming boundaries of an open area within said body portion, said lateral members each including a recess;

a leading edge extending across said second end of said body portion;

a chip cavity defined by said lateral members, said leading edge and a cross member extending across said body portion; and

a printed circuit board disposed in said chip cavity, said printed circuit board comprising a substrate, a plurality of contacts disposed on said substrate and a pair of tabs which align with said recesses to facilitate placement of said circuit board within said chip cavity.

12. A ROM chip carrier for use within a socket of an assay device, the carrier comprising:

a body portion having a first end, a second end, an upper side and an underside;

first and second lateral members defining sides of said body portion and further forming boundaries of an open area within said body portion;

a leading edge extending across said second end of said body portion;

a chip cavity on the underside of said body portion defined by said lateral members, said leading edge and a cross member extending across said body portion;

a printed circuit board disposed in said chip cavity, said printed circuit board comprising a substrate and a plurality of contacts disposed on said substrate; and

means on the underside of said body portion for holding said circuit board in place within said cavity.

13. A ROM chip carrier for use within a socket of an assay device, the carrier comprising:

a body portion having a first end and a second end;

a rear tab protruding upwardly from said first end of said body portion, above said body portion;

first and second lateral members defining sides of said body portion and further forming boundaries of an open area within said body portion;

a leading edge extending across said second end of said body portion;

a chip cavity defined by said lateral members, said leading edge and a cross member extending across said body portion; and

a printed circuit board disposed in said chip cavity, said printed circuit board comprising a substrate and a plurality of contacts disposed on said substrate.