System for conducting the identification of bacteria in biological samples

• US 9,506,866 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.
• Inventors: Ingber, Gal, Atterbury, William G., Holley, Dave, Laudo, John S., Schaefer, Jason A., Talbert, Sherwood, Tallarico, John, Klausing, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TANINGCO, MARCUS H
• Application Number:
  US13/960,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20140170691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 250/458.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/168 Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/36 of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0382 Frustoconical, tapered cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6419 Excitation at two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6421 Measuring at two or more wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00346 Heating or cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0429 Sample carriers adapted for special purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0449 using centrifugal transport of liquid
• 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 21/0332 : with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 : Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0633 : Directed, collimated illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 : having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a disposable cartridge and an optical cup or cuvette having a tapered surface; an optics system including an optical reader and a thermal controller; an optical analyzer; a cooling system; and an improved spectrometer. The system may utilize the disposable cartridge in the sample processor and the optical cup or cuvette in the optical analyzer.

Claims

1. An optics cup for holding a biological sample for use in an optical analysis comprising:

a rectangular-shaped container for containing the biological sample, said container including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a floor;

said container having a rectangular opening for receiving the biological sample and a lower tapered area extending from said first end wall and inwardly and downwardly relative to the rectangular opening and toward said floor and wherein the first end wall has a depth that is less than a depth of said sidewalls and said second end wall, and wherein the lower tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through the opening and to reflect the beam through the biological sample.

2. An optics cup for holding a biological sample for use in an optical analysis comprising:

a rectangular-shaped container for containing the biological sample, said container including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a floor;

said container having a rectangular opening for receiving the biological sample and a lower tapered area extending from said first end wall and inwardly and downwardly relative to the rectangular opening and toward said floor and wherein the first end wall has a depth that is less than a depth of said sidewalls and said second end wall, and wherein the tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through the opening and to reflect the beam through the biological sample, and wherein and an inner surface at least along the tapered area is coated with a layer of reflective material.

3. An optics cup according to claim 2, wherein the layer of reflective material is aluminum and is coated to the inner surface of the container through a process selected from the group consisting of a vacuum metallization process and an electroplating process.

4. An optics cup according to claim 2, wherein the layer of reflective material extends partially along the inner surface of the container including the lower tapered area.

5. An optics cup according to claim 2, wherein the layer of reflective material extends substantially along the inner surface of the container including the lower tapered area.

6. A disposable cartridge for use in the identification and quantification of micro-organisms in biological samples, comprising:

at least one compartment for positioning and supporting an optics cup containing the processed biological sample for use in an optical analysis;

the optics cup having a rectangular shape and a tapered area into which a light source travels for the optical analysis of the processed biological sample and a reflective surface for enhancing the optical analysis, said optics cup including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, said first end wall having a depth that is less than a depth of the sidewalls and the second end wall, and wherein the tapered area extends from the first end wall, wherein the tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through an opening of the optics cup and to reflect the beam through the biological sample; and

the compartment for positioning and supporting the optics cup having a rectangular-shaped opening for receiving and supporting the rectangular-shaped optics cup.

7. The disposable cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the disposable cartridge is injection molded and made of a plastic material.

8. The disposable cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the at least one compartment for positioning and supporting the optics cup is substantially enclosed within the disposable cartridge and has a configuration similar to that of the optics cup.

9. The disposable cartridge according to claim 6, including at least one attachment clip configured for cooperating with a magazine opening for attaching the cartridge therein.

10. The disposable cartridge according to claim 9 including at least one alignment member.