Method for introducing a fluid into a reaction receptacle contained within a temperature-controlled environment
First Claim
1. A computer-controlled method for providing a fluid to a reaction receptacle contained within a temperature-controlled environment, said method comprising the automated steps of:
- (a) placing at least one reaction receptacle on a receptacle carrier within a temperature-controlled incubator having a housing defining an enclosure;
(b) moving the receptacle carrier to position said reaction receptacle beneath a hole formed in said housing;
(c) moving a pipette located outside said enclosure into alignment with said hole and extending at least a portion of said pipette into said hole;
(d) providing, with said pipette, a fluid to said reaction receptacle through said hole while maintaining a substantially uniform temperature within said enclosure; and
(e) after performing step (d), agitating said reaction receptacle within said enclosure to thereby agitate the contents of said reaction receptacle by moving the reaction receptacle on the receptacle carrier in a generally horizontal, reciprocating path.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated analyzer for performing multiple diagnostic assays simultaneously includes multiple stations, or modules, in which discrete aspects of the assay are performed on fluid samples contained in reaction receptacles. The analyzer includes stations for automatically preparing a specimen sample, incubating the sample at prescribed temperatures for prescribed periods, performing an analyte isolation procedure, and ascertaining the presence of a target analyte. An automated receptacle transporting system moves the reaction receptacles from one station to the next. The analyzer further includes devices for carrying a plurality of specimen tubes and disposable pipette tips in a machine-accessible manner, a device for agitating containers of target capture reagents comprising suspensions of solid support material and for presenting the containers for machine access thereto, and a device for holding containers of reagents in a temperature controlled environment and presenting the containers for machine access thereto. A method for performing an automated diagnostic assay includes an automated process for isolating and amplifying a target analyte. The process is performed by automatically moving each of a plurality of reaction receptacles containing a solid support material and a fluid sample between stations for incubating the contents of the reaction receptacle and for separating the target analyte bound to the solid support from the fluid sample. An amplification reagent is added to the separated analyte after the analyte separation step and before a final incubation step.
387 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-controlled method for providing a fluid to a reaction receptacle contained within a temperature-controlled environment, said method comprising the automated steps of:
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(a) placing at least one reaction receptacle on a receptacle carrier within a temperature-controlled incubator having a housing defining an enclosure; (b) moving the receptacle carrier to position said reaction receptacle beneath a hole formed in said housing; (c) moving a pipette located outside said enclosure into alignment with said hole and extending at least a portion of said pipette into said hole; (d) providing, with said pipette, a fluid to said reaction receptacle through said hole while maintaining a substantially uniform temperature within said enclosure; and (e) after performing step (d), agitating said reaction receptacle within said enclosure to thereby agitate the contents of said reaction receptacle by moving the reaction receptacle on the receptacle carrier in a generally horizontal, reciprocating path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-controlled method for providing a fluid to each of a plurality of reaction receptacles contained within a temperature-controlled environment, said method comprising the automated steps of:
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(a) placing reaction receptacles on a receptacle carrier within a temperature-controlled incubator having a housing defining an enclosure; (b) moving the receptacle carrier to position a reaction receptacle beneath each of a plurality of holes formed in said housing; (c) moving a pipette located outside said enclosure into alignment with one of said holes and extending at least a portion of said pipette into said hole; (d) providing, with said pipette, a fluid to the reaction receptacle positioned beneath the hole while maintaining a substantially uniform temperature within said enclosure; and (e) sequentially repeating steps (c) and (d) for each hole until a fluid has been provided to all the reaction receptacles positioned beneath the plurality of holes; and (f) after performing step (e), agitating the reaction receptacles to which fluid is provided in steps (c) through (e) to thereby agitate the contents of said reaction receptacles by moving the reaction receptacle on the receptacle carrier in a generally horizontal, reciprocating path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification