Instrument and Method for Detecting Analytes

• US 20170082543A1
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Furlan, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 10,393,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/3174 Filter wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6441 with two or more labels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6471 Special filters, filter wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/272 for following a reaction, e.g. for determining photometrically a reaction rate (photometric cinetic analysis)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0423 with rotating optics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0668 Multiple paths; optimisable path length
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/006 Filter holders

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an instrument and methods for detecting an analyte, comprising a light source capable of generating excitation light for exciting a plurality of luminescence labels, an excitation beam path extending between said light source and said analyte, a detector capable of detecting light emitted from said luminescence label, an emission beam path extending between said analyte and said detector, a filter carrier carrying two or more pairs of filter portions, each pair being related to one luminescence label and comprising a first filter portion for transmitting excitation light and a second filter portion for transmitting emitted light, wherein said first filter portion of one pair is said second filter portion of another pair, and wherein said filter portions are arranged in a manner that a respective one of said pairs can be brought in an operative condition in which said first filter portion is in said excitation beam path and said second filter portion is in said emission beam path, and wherein said filter carrier and said beam paths are movable with respect to each other by at least one moving mechanism so as to bring a respective one of said pairs in said operative condition.

Claims

1. -9. (canceled)

10. A method for detecting an analyte in a sample, comprising the steps of

generating an excitation light, said excitation light propagating along an excitation beam path towards said sample;

detecting an emission light emitted from a luminescence label, said emission light propagating along an emission beam path;

moving a first pair of a plurality of pairs of filter portions comprising a first and a second filter portion related to said luminescence label and said excitation and emission beam paths with respect to each other so that said pair of filter portions is in an operative orientation in which said first filter portion, adapted to transmit said excitation light for exciting said related luminescence label, is in said excitation beam path and said second filter portion, adapted to transmit said emission flight emitted by said related luminescence label, is in said emission beam path; and

moving a second pair of said plurality of pairs of filter portions relating to a second luminescence label; and

moving said beam paths with respect to each other so that said second pair is in said operative orientation, wherein the first filter portion of said first pair of filter portions comprises the second filter portion of the second pair of filter portions.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a filter carrier carrying said first and second filter portions is rotated in distinct rotating positions relative to said excitation and emission beam paths kept stationary so as to move one of said first and second pairs of filter portions in said operative orientation.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said filter carrier is moved by equal moving steps.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein a filter carrier carrying said first and second filter portions is translated in distinct translating positions relative to said excitation and emission beam paths kept stationary so as to translate one of said first and second pairs of filter portions in said operative orientation.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said excitation and emission beam paths are moved in distinct positions with respect to said filter portions kept stationary so as to bring one of said first and second pairs of first and second filter portions in said operative orientation.

15. (canceled)