Telescoping closed-tube sampling assembly

• US 8,758,702 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Instrumentation Lab Co (Instrumentation Lab)
• Original Assignee: Instrumentation Lab Co (Instrumentation Lab)
• Inventors: Blouin, Matthew, Murphy, Gregory, Mackenzie, Diana, Weeks, Alan, Kobrenski, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasaki, Shogo
• Application Number:
  US11/417,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20060263250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,973 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 422/63, 422/67, 422/500, 422/501, 422509-513, 422515-519, 422521-527, 422/534, 422/535, 422/106, 422/107, 436/49
• US Class Current: 422/501
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1006 Rinsing only the inside of the tip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1004 Cleaning sample transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1011 Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 with means for piercing stoppers or septums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A clinical diagnostic sample analyzer for analyzing a sample of a patient is disclosed. The analyzer includes a telescoping closed-tube sampling assembly with a sample probe concentrically housed within a piercing probe and a venting mechanism. The closed-tube sampling assembly is used for aspirating a sample from a sample tube for analysis by a clinical diagnostic sample analyzer.

Claims

1. A clinical diagnostic analyzer comprising:

(i) a sample collecting device for sampling fluid in a container, said device comprising a sampling assembly comprising,

(a) a first tube reciprocally movable in a vertical axis from a first position to a second position, comprising a lumen, a pointed tip, and a proximal end, said proximal end in communication with a tubing, and an upper detent and a lower detent proximal to said pointed tip and positioned on an exterior of said first tube;

(b) a locking mechanism comprising a solenoid and a lock for reversibly engaging with at least one of said upper and lower detent for fixing the position of said first tube relative to a second tube between the first and the second position,

(c) said second tube comprising a lumen and a free end, wherein said first tube is axially movable from the first position, wherein said second tube is enclosed within the lumen of said first tube while said upper detent of said first tube is engaged with said lock, to the second position whereby said free end of said second tube transitions from an enclosed position within the lumen of said first tube to a deployed position beyond said pointed tip of said first tube while said upper detent of said first tube is disengaged from said lock and said lower detent of said first tube is engaged with said lock;

(d) a system for moving said first tube and said second tube in the vertical axis while positioning the second tube for sampling fluid in said container, said system comprising,

a z-rack joined to said sampling assembly,

one or more motion sensors for detecting motion parallel to the length of at least one of the first tube or the second tube, and a foot assembly for contacting said container, wherein said one or more sensors operably engaged by the foot assembly for contacting said container determines when said container is in position for piercing by said first tube and sampling by said second tube,

a motor operatively connected to said z-rack for driving said z-rack vertically, thereby moving the sampling assembly vertically to position the first tube above said container,

a computer configured to send and receive input from said one or more sensors, and an information processing unit, said information processing unit in communication with said solenoid operatively joined to said lock and configured to coordinate movement of said locking mechanism with said upper and lower detents positioned on said first tube, and configured to coordinate downward vertical movement of said sampling assembly via said motor connected to said z-rack to pierce a seal on said container with the pointed tip of said first tube while said upper detent of said first tube is engaged with said lock and said pointed tip of said second tube is within the lumen of said first tube, followed by an upward movement of said first tube while said lower detent of said first tube is engaged with said lock exposing the pointed tip of the second tube while said first tube remains stationary, and sampling fluid in said container by the pointed tip of said second tube;

(ii) at least one pump, wherein the second tube is in fluid communication within said at least one pump; and

(iii) an analysis station in communication with said second tube for analyzing said fluid sample sampled in said container by said second tube.

2. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 wherein said pointed tip comprises an elliptical cross section.

3. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a triggering mechanism for triggering the sampling assembly to pierce the seal of and sample from the container, said triggering mechanism comprising a sensor from said one or more sensors and said foot assembly which triggers the sampling device while the foot assembly contacts the container.

4. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a first carriage assembly, a second carriage assembly joined to the first carriage assembly to permit movement of said sampling assembly in a first horizontal axis of said clinical diagnostic analyzer, and an arm, said second carriage assembly moves said sampling assembly in a second horizontal axis of said clinical diagnostic analyzer via said arm.

5. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a pressurized gas source in communication with the lumen of said first tube via said tubing.

6. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising another pump and a pressurized source of gas, said another pump operatively joined to said source of pressurized gas, wherein said another pump passes a fluid through the lumen of said first tube via said tubing.

7. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising a gas source and an air purge system comprising a tube with an orifice positioned adjacent the pointed tip of said first tube, said air purge system operatively joined to the gas source.

8. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 3, wherein said foot assembly strips said container from said first tube.

9. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1, further comprising:

a positive pressure gas source for generating positive gas pressure; and

a valve having an open position and a closed position, said positive pressure gas source being in fluid communication via said valve with said tubing,

wherein said positive gas pressure generated by said positive pressure gas source purges said lumen of said first tube when said valve is in said open position.

10. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 further comprising an expansible spring operably joined to said first tube wherein said spring expands to move the first tube vertically upward thereby exposing the free end of the second tube.

11. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the pointed tip of the first tube comprises a bevel.

12. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the pointed tip of the first tube comprises a chamfer.

13. The clinical diagnostic analyzer of claim 1 wherein the free end of the second tube comprises an opening for fluid communication between the lumen of the second tube and an exterior of the second tube.