Magazine for inventorying reaction cuvettes in an automatic analyzer

• US 7,402,281 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Eichinger, Daniel Bernard, Evers, Timothy Patrick, Devlin, William Jackson Sr., Huynh-Ba, Thai
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEVKOVICH, NATALIA A
• Application Number:
  US10/622,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20050013747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/99, 422/102, 422/64, 422/104, 206/503, 206/504, 206/509, 436/45, 221/68, 221/92, 221/83, 221/85, 221/151, 221/154
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0427 nestable or stockable
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

A magazine for releasably inventorying a plurality of reaction cuvettes to be used in an automatic clinical analyzer, the magazine comprising a generally rectangular storage cell having curved front and back surfaces, and a number of storage chutes therein, each chute sized to hold reaction cuvettes stacked one atop another therein.

Claims

1. A magazine for releasably inventorying a plurality of reaction cuvettes to be used in an automatic clinical analyzer, the magazine comprising a generally rectangular storage cell having curved front and back surfaces between a top and a bottom, and a plurality of storage chutes therein, each chute sized to accommodate generally rectangular reaction cuvettes stacked one atop another therein, the storage chutes being defined by the front and back surfaces and a pair of opposing interior chute walls, each interior chute wall having two opposing pairs of ribs protruding therefrom and into the interior of each storage chute, wherein the front and back curved surfaces do not extend to the bottom of the magazine so that a number of cuvette ejection openings are formed at the front curved surface, and corresponding openings are formed on the back curved surface of the magazine between the chute walls.

2. The magazine of claim 1 wherein a flat pad is formed at the lower extremity of each interior chute wall protruding into the interior space of the storage chutes.

3. The magazine of claim 1 further comprising an alignment and locking band having two pairs of rails and two locking tabs formed on the exterior, upper portion thereof.

4. A magazine for releasably inventorying a plurality of reaction cuvettes to be used in an automatic clinical analyzer, the magazine comprising a generally rectangular storage cell having curved front and back surfaces between a top and a bottom, and a plurality of storage chutes therein, each chute sized to accommodate generally rectangular reaction cuvettes stacked one atop another therein, the storage chutes being defined by the front and back surfaces and a pair of opposing interior chute walls, each interior chute wall having two opposing pairs of ribs protruding therefrom and into the interior of each storage chute, the magazine further comprising a hinged gate proximate the bottom of the magazine, the gate spring-loaded by a hinge-spring on the curved front surface, the gate adapted to swing outwards from a closed position preventing reaction cuvettes from sliding out of the magazine to an opened position allowing reaction cuvettes to be ejected from the magazine.