Method for removing consumable analytic products from a storage container

• US 7,211,437 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schabbach, Michael, Klemm, Thomas, Miltner, Karl, Baumann, Rolf, Dilger, Meinrad
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nagpaul; Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US10/262,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-101, 436/180, 436/43, 221/31
• US Class Current: 436/43
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48757 Test elements dispensed from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/112499 with sample on test slide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114165 with step of insertion or removal from test line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A method and a device for removing an analytic consumable product, in particular a test element, from a storage container having chambers which are sealed by foils from which the consumable product is pushed out by means of a plunger (7) can be optimized in that the magnitude of the thrusting force exercised by the plunger (7) during its forward motion can be controlled in dependence on the plunger (7) position.

Claims

1. Method for removing an analytic consumable product, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a storage container having one or more chambers containing consumable products, wherein the chambers each have a removal opening for removal of one consumable product and an insertion opening disposed opposite to the removal opening, the removal opening and the insertion opening being sealed with a foil for storing the consumable product, and

displacing a plunger via a rotating control element through the insertion opening and into the chamber for removal of the consumable product through the removal opening of the storage container, wherein the control element is positioned in a stationary position relative to the storage container and formed to rotate about a longitudinal axis and wherein a thrusting force of the plunger in the chamber is dependent on the position of the plunger relative to the control element.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the control element is rotated about the longitudinal axis with a drive unit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the drive unit includes a drive motor and further comprising the step of operating the drive motor with substantially constant drive power.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the drive unit includes a drive motor and further comprising the step of operating the drive motor with a substantially constant rate of revolution.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the thrusting force is increased during at least one of the following operational conditions:

when the plunger penetrates through the foil covering the insertion opening, when the consumable product penetrates through the foil covering the removal opening, when positioning the removed consumable product into a predetermined working position, or when expelling a used consumable product out of a predetermined working position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a thrusting speed of the plunger is reduced in regions of increased thrusting force and is increased in regions of reduced thrusting force.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of electronically regulating the drive unit to control the thrusting motion of the plunger.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the drive unit includes a drive motor and a rate of revolution of the drive unit motor is substantially constant during forward displacement of the plunger.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displacing the plunger includes passing the plunger through the control element in an axial direction.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the drive unit is operated independent of power lines.