Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods

• US 9,400,285 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ochranek, Brian L., Arnquist, David C., Oonuma, Takehiko, Tahara, Hirotoshi, Sato, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US14/213,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 436/54, 436/43, 422/64, 422/63, 422/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0444 for cuvettes or reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0455 Coaxial carousels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/02 using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure

Abstract

Example automated diagnostic analyzers and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. An example apparatus described herein includes a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base and having a first axis of rotation. The example apparatus includes a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel. In the example apparatus, the second carousel has a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels. The example apparatus also includes a pipetting mechanism offset from the second axis of rotation. The example pipetting mechanism is to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base, the first carousel having a first axis of rotation;

a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel, the second carousel having a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels; and

a first pipetting mechanism rotatable about a third axis of rotation, the third axis of rotation offset from the second axis of rotation, the third axis of rotation disposed within a first circumference of the first carousel and a second circumference of the second carousel, the first pipetting mechanism to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel to and offset from each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first carousel has a first diameter and the second carousel has a second diameter less than the first diameter.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second pipetting mechanism to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first carousel comprises an outer annular array of containers and an inner annular array of containers concentric with the outer annular array and the first pipetting mechanism is to access at least one of the inner annular array of containers or the vessels, and the second pipetting mechanism to access at least one of the outer annular array of containers or the vessels.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first pipetting mechanism comprises a first pipette arm rotatable along a first path of travel over a first inner container of the inner annular array of containers and a first vessel of the plurality of vessels, and the second pipetting mechanism comprises a second pipette arm rotatable along a second path of travel over a second outer container of the outer annular array of containers and a second vessel of the plurality of vessels.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second pipetting mechanism is rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation, the fourth axis of rotation offset from the first axis of rotation.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a third pipetting mechanism to access the second carousel and not access the first carousel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third pipetting mechanism comprises a third pipette arm rotatable along a third path of travel over a container outside of a first circumference of the first carousel and a second circumference of the second carousel and over a third vessel of the plurality of vessels.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plate coupled to the base disposed between the first carousel and the second carousel, the second carousel being rotatably coupled to the plate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first pipetting mechanism is coupled to the plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first carousel comprises an outer annular array of containers, an inner annular array of containers concentric with the outer annular array and a middle annular array of containers spaced radially between the outer annular array of containers and the inner annular array of containers.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second carousel is to rotate in a plurality of intervals, each interval comprising an advancement and a stop.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second carousel is operable to rotate approximately 90°

during the advancement of one of the intervals.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second carousel is stationary during the stop of one of the intervals, a duration of the stop being greater than a duration of the advancement of the interval.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first carousel is to rotate in a plurality of intervals, each interval comprising an advancement and a stop.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first carousel is operable to rotate approximately 180°

during the advancement of one of the intervals, a duration of the advancement being about one second of the interval.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first carousel comprises an outer annular array of containers that contain a first type of reagent and an inner annular array of containers concentric with the outer annular array that contain a second type of reagent different than the first type of reagent.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first carousel includes a plurality of reagent containers, and wherein the vessels of the second carousel are reaction vessels.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second pipetting mechanism rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation, the fourth axis of rotation disposed within the first circumference and outside of the second circumference; and

a third pipetting mechanism rotatable about a fifth axis of rotation, the fifth axis of rotation disposed outside of the first circumference and outside of the second circumference.

41. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pipetting mechanism comprises a probe arm having a vertically descending portion.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a reagent carousel rotatably coupled to a base about a first axis of rotation;

a reaction carousel rotatably coupled to the base about a second axis of rotation, the reaction carousel disposed above the reagent carousel, the reaction carousel defining an annular rack having a bore; and

a first pipette rotatable about a third axis of rotation defined by a base assembly, the base assembly of the first pipette extending through the bore of the reaction carousel, the first pipette movable to a first position to be in fluid communication with a reagent container disposed on the reagent carousel and to a second position to be in fluid communication with a reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel to and offset from each other.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reagent container has a reagent, the first pipette to aspirate at least a portion of the reagent from the reagent container, move upward vertically, then dispense the portion of the reagent into the reaction vessel.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a second pipette to aspirate a sample from a sample container apart from the reagent carousel and the reaction carousel and dispense the sample into the reaction vessel.

25. A method comprising:

rotating a first carousel relative to a base about a first axis of rotation, the first carousel having an outer annular array of containers and an inner annular array of containers concentric with the outer annular array;

rotating a second carousel relative to the base about a second axis of rotation, the second carousel having a plurality of vessels and being vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel;

rotating a first pipetting mechanism about a third axis of rotation, the third axis of rotation offset from the second axis of rotation, the third axis of rotation disposed within a circumference of the first carousel; and

aspirating a first fluid from the first carousel via the first pipetting mechanism.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel to and offset from each other.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first carousel has a first diameter and the second carousel has a second diameter less than the first diameter.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising aspirating a second fluid from the first carousel via a second pipetting mechanism.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

accessing at least one of the inner annular array of containers or the vessels with the first pipetting mechanism; and

accessing at least one of the outer annular array of containers or the vessels with the second pipetting mechanism.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

rotating a first pipette arm of the first pipetting mechanism along a first path of travel over a first inner container of the inner annular array of containers and a first vessel; and

rotating a second pipette arm of the second pipetting mechanism along a second path of travel over a first outer container of the outer annular array of containers and a second vessel.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the second pipetting mechanism is rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation, the fourth axis of rotation offset from the first axis of rotation.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising aspirating a third fluid via a third pipetting mechanism.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising rotating a third pipette arm of the third pipetting mechanism along a third path of travel over a container outside of a first circumference of the first carousel and a second circumference of the second carousel and over a third vessel of the plurality of vessels.

34. The method of claim 25 further comprising rotating the second carousel in a plurality of intervals, each interval comprising an advancement and a stop.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising rotating the second carousel approximately 90°

during the advancement of one of the intervals.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising idling the second carousel during the stop of one of the intervals, a duration of the stop being greater than a duration of an advancement of the interval.

37. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

accessing a first vessel on the second carousel with the first pipetting mechanism;

rotating the second carousel in a plurality of intervals; and

rotating the second carousel for two or more intervals for the first pipetting mechanism to access a second vessel, the second vessel being physically adjacent to the first vessel.

38. The method of claim 25 further comprising rotating the first carousel in a plurality of intervals, each interval comprising an advancement and a stop.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising rotating the first carousel approximately 180°

during the advancement of one of the intervals, a duration of the advancement being about one second of the interval.

40. The method of claim 25 further comprising activating a servo motor to rotate one or more of the first carousel or the second carousel.