System for conducting the identification of bacteria in urine

• US 8,808,649 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Inventors: Atterbury, William G., Barnes, Russell H., Boyd, Douglas E., Dennis, Joseph D., Holley, Dave, Huckaby, Steven E., Klausing, Thomas A., Laudo, John S., Sadeski, Kevin, Schaefer, Jason A., Scott, K. Bryan, Stillman, Carol, Talbert, Sherwood, Tallarico, John, Ingber, Gal, Gurfinkel, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAVARES, JULIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/682,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20110008825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/554
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/04 Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor C12Q1/6897 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0444 for cuvettes or reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0448 composed of interchangeable ring elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0458 Multiple concentric rows of wells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0303 Optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment G01N21/031 - G01N21/15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0415 Carrusel, sequential
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/493 urine
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

A system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in urine samples which includes: 1) several disposable cartridges for holding four disposable components including a centrifuge tube, a pipette tip having a 1 ml volume, a second pipette tip having a 0.5 ml volume, and an optical cup or cuvette; 2) a sample processor for receiving the disposable cartridges and processing the urine samples including transferring the processed urine sample to the optical cups; and 3) an optical analyzer for receiving the disposable cartridges and configured to analyze the type and quantity of micro-organisms in the urine sample. The disposable cartridges with their components including the optical cups or cuvettes are used in the sample processor, and the optical cups or cuvettes containing the processed urine samples are used in the optical analyzer for identifying and quantifying the type of micro-organism existing in the processed urine samples.

Claims

1. A disposable cartridge for use in the identification and quantification of micro-organisms in a fluid sample, comprising:

a cartridge body;

a plurality of disposable components received by the cartridge body, said plurality of disposable components including;

a tube for an unprocessed fluid sample; and

an optical cup or cuvette containing a processed fluid sample for use in an optical analysis; and

the optical cup or cuvette into which a light travels for the optical analysis of the processed fluid sample and a reflective surface for enhancing the optical analysis, said optical cup or cuvette having sidewalls that are continuously tapered along their length to a truncated conical end and

wherein during optical analysis, the light is directed downwardly through an open portion of the optical cup or cuvette and into the fluid sample, wherein the tapered surface is configured to assist with the optical analysis and the reflective surface of the optical cup or cuvette reflects fluorescent emissions back in an upwardly direction out of the fluid sample and through the open portion of the optical cup or cuvette to an optical collection unit for optical analysis.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the fluid sample is urine.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the light comprises ultra violet (UV) light.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge body is bar coded.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge body is configured for being received within a sample processor for processing the sample and then being received within an optical analyzer to analyze the processed sample.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the plurality of disposable components includes at least one pipette tip.

7. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the at least one pipette tip has a volume of 1.0 ml.

8. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the at least one pipette tip is secured within the disposable cartridge.

9. A system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms in fluid samples, comprising:

a plurality of disposable cartridges for holding a plurality of disposable components including a tube for an unprocessed fluid sample; and

an optical sample cup or cuvette;

a sample processor for receiving the plurality of disposable cartridges and configured to prepare the fluid samples and to transfer the fluid samples into the respective optical sample cup or cuvette of each of the disposable cartridges; and

an optical analyzer for receiving the plurality of the disposable cartridges and for analyzing the type and quantity of micro-organisms contained in the fluid samples the optical analyzer including an excitation unit and an optical collection unit positioned above the optical cup or cuvette

wherein the optical cup or cuvette comprises a container into which a light travels from the excitation unit for the optical analysis of the fluid sample and a reflective surface for enhancing the optical analysis, said container having sidewalls that are continuously tapered along their length to a truncated conical end, wherein during optical analysis, the light is directed downwardly through an open portion of the container and into the fluid sample, wherein the tapered sidewalls are configured to assist with the optical analysis of the fluid sample and the reflective surface of the container reflects fluorescent emissions back in an upwardly direction out of the fluid sample and through the open portion of the container to the optical collection unit for optical analysis.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid sample is urine.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the disposable cartridge further comprises a cartridge body.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the cartridge body is bar coded.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the light comprises ultra violet (UV) light.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the container is made of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, glass and aluminum and wherein the reflective surface is selected from the group consisting of a coating or a layer of material.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the reflective surface is an inner reflective surface of the container.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the container is made of a disposable material.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of disposable components includes at least one pipette tip.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one pipette tip has a volume of 1.0 ml.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one pipette tip is secured within the disposable cartridge.