REAGENT COMPONENT DISPENSING CAPS FOR REAGENT CONTAINERS USED IN AUTOMATED CLINICAL ANALYZERS

• US 20180043363A1
• Filed: 08/11/2016
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Instrumentation Lab Co (Instrumentation Lab)
• Original Assignee: Instrumentation Lab Co (Instrumentation Lab)
• Inventors: Blankenstein, Gert, Zeng, Hansong
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 with means for closing or opening
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 39/08 Threaded or like closure members secured by rotation; Bushes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2807 the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2835 ruptured by a sharp element, e.g. a cutter or a piercer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2864 the element being a plug or like element closing a passage between the auxiliary container and the main container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2892 the element, e.g. a valve, opening an aperture of the auxiliary container B65D51/2864, B65D51/2878 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3211 coaxially and provided with means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers

Abstract

Described is an automated reagent dispensing cap and methods of use in an automated clinical analyzer for introducing one or more reagent components housed in the reagent dispensing cap into a container enclosing another reagent component with which it is combined to achieve a reagent useful for diagnostic testing.

Claims

1. A device for storing and dispensing reagent components in an automated clinical analyzer, comprising:

a housing comprising a first opening and a first end adjacent to said first opening, said housing extending to a second end opposite to the first end, and internal threads extending from said first end of said housing along an internal surface of said housing to the second end of said housing, said housing defining a lumen having a long axis positioned between the housing first and the second ends;

a cylindrical member positioned within the lumen of the housing and oriented along the long axis of the housing lumen, said cylindrical member comprising a cylindrical member first end positioned in the lumen of said housing at the first end of said housing, and a cylindrical member second end positioned in the lumen of said housing opposite to said cylindrical member first end, said cylindrical member comprising external threads extending from said first end of said cylindrical member to said second end of said cylindrical member and mateable with the internal threads of said housing, said cylindrical member rotatable and translatable on said internal threads of said housing from said housing first end towards a seal, said seal positioned across the lumen of said housing at the housing second end; and

,

a chamber formed in the lumen of said housing between the second end of said cylindrical member and said seal.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a reagent component positioned in the lumen of said chamber between said seal and the second end of said cylindrical member.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising an actuator operably positioned at the first end of said cylindrical member.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said actuator comprises a ram.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said actuator comprises a rotatable cylindrical member and a needle;

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said seal is integral with and joined to said second end of said cylindrical member.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising an attachment piece at the second end of said housing for mating to a container.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said attachment piece is selected from the group consisting of threads, snap-lock, mating rings, receiving grooves, a friction-fit mechanism, Luer lock, and one or more tabs.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of external threads are positioned on the external surface of the first end of said housing.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cap for reversibly sealing the first opening of said housing.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising

a deformable member positioned across the lumen of the chamber of said housing, said deformable member comprising a piercing probe including a pointed tip positioned on the side of said membrane closest to the second end of the housing.

12-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A device for storing and dispensing reagents, comprising:

a housing comprising a first opening and a first end adjacent to said first opening, said housing extending to a second end opposite to the first end, said housing having a central axially disposed lumen along a long axis of the housing positioned between the housing first and the second ends, and said housing defining a chamber oriented perpendicular to the long axis of said housing; and

,

a plug positioned and laterally slideable in the lumen of said chamber, said plug comprising a through-hole perpendicular to the long axis of said housing, said through-hole comprising a reservoir for storing a reagent and for releasing said reagent from said reservoir when said through-hole is aligned with the lumen of said chamber.

18. The device of claim 17 further comprising an attachment piece at the second end of said housing for mating to a container.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said attachment piece is selected from the group consisting of a snap-lock mechanism, friction-fit mechanism, threads, one or more tabs, receiving grooves, mating rings, and a Luer lock.