Reagent test strip reading instrument

• US 5,055,261 A
• Filed: 11/14/1988
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miles, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Miles, Inc. (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Khoja, Mirza A., Wogoman, Frank W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Richard V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedman, Charles K.
• Application Number:
  US07/270,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/64, 422/68.1, 422/82.05, 15/102, 198/339.1, 198/740, 198/741
• US Class Current: 422/64
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 25/02 the carrier or impeller having different forward and return paths of movement, e.g. walking beam conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2813 Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on G01N1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00118 for multiple tests
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence

Abstract

A multiple reagent test strip-reading instrument having rails extending from a loading area to one or more reading station platforms and then to a waste receptacle, a reciprocating blotter arm which contacts individual reagent strips sequentially placed transversely on the rails in the loading area, moving individual strips along the rails to an indexing strip advancing mechanism which intermittently advances the strips along the rails in spaced parallel relation, and after each advance, allows the strips to dwell for a predetermined time period; individual test strips being thereby sequentially delivered to reading position on the reading station platform where, during the dwell period, they are read by reflectance photometry. After reading, the strips are moved to the waste receptacle. Means is provided for insuring that each test strip is delivered to reading position in registration with the read head of the photometer, and means is also provided for pressing each test strip flat against the reading station platform. The indexing mechanism employs a strip advancing member provided with parallel rows of equally spaced upstanding pegs or fingers, there being guiding and drive means for imparting movement to said member along a vertical orbital path having a generally circular extent and also having a rectilinear extent parallel with the rails, said pegs intersecting the plane of the reagent strips on the rails when said member moves forwardly along said rectilinear extent and being withdrawn from said plane when said member moves rearwardly along said circular extent.

Claims

1. In combination, at least two spaced generally parallel and horizontal, stationary rails extending to a reading station platform where a test strip is read by reflectance photometry and adapted to support a test strip disposed transversely thereon;

a movable test strip advancing member in the form of a removably mounted tray having spaced generally vertically extending pegs, means for guiding movement of said strip advancing member along an orbital path in a generally vertical plane aligned with said rails, said orbital path including a rectilinear generally horizontal advancing extent parallel with said rails wherein said pegs intersect the plane of a test strip on said rails and are adapted to engage and to advance such test strip along said rails, said orbital path also having a generally circular return extent wherein said pegs are withdrawn from said plane; and

drive means for moving said strip advancing member along said orbital path.

2. The combination of claim 1 which additionally comprises control means for said drive means effecting disposition of said strip advancing member along the return extent of its orbital path on normal termination of operation of the drive means.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which the strip advancing member is mounted for slidable transverse removable movement on a portion of said guiding means, and on said normal termination of operation of the drive means is disposed in a position vertically offset from said rails so that it can be removed and replaced without interference by said rails.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said rails are formed on a base member mounted for slidable transverse removable movement on a frame.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein on normal termination of operation of said drive means said strip advancing member is disposed in a position offset vertically from said base member in which it permits removal and replacement of the latter without interference by said strip advancing member.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said strip advancing member is mounted for slidable transverse removable movement on a portion of said guiding means, said rails are formed on an apertured base tray mounted for slidable transverse removable movement on a frame, and on a normal termination of operation of said drive means, said first-mentioned tray is disposed in a position vertically offset from said base tray so that either tray can be removed and replaced without interference by the other.

7. The combination of claim 1 in which the orbital path of said strip advancing member and the position of the pegs thereon are so related to said reading station platform that as a test strip moved by the pegs reaches a reading position on the reading station platform, the strip advancing member simultaneously reaches the forward end of the horizontal extent of its orbital path.

8. The combination of claim 7 which additionally comprises control means for said drive means which temporarily terminates operation of said drive means for a predetermined dwell period when the strip advancing member reaches the forward end of the horizontal extent of its orbital path.

9. The combination of claim 8 which additionally comprises means for reading a test strip in a reading position on the reading station platform during the dwell period.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said strip reading means comprises multiple optical elements for reflectance photometry reading of the respective test areas of a multiple test reagent strip in said reading position.

11. The combination of claim 1 which additionally comprises a blotter member mounted adjacent and extending transversely across said rails for reciprocating movement along said rails between retracted and advanced positions, said blotter member being adapted, during advancing movement thereof, to remove excess liquid from a test strip while advancing the latter along said rails from a first to a second position;

means for driving said blotter member in timed relation with movement of said strip advancing member, so that said blotter member is in its advanced position when said strip advancing member is about to begin movement along the horizontal advancing extent of its orbital path with the pegs thereof positioned behind and adapted to engage a test strip move to its said second position by movement of said blotter member to its advanced position, said peg position preventing return movement of said test strip with said blotter member on return of the latter to its retracted position.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the blotter member is formed with cut away portions for accommodating the pegs of the strip advancing member without interference during retractile movement of the blotter member from its advanced position and simultaneous advancing movement of said strip advancing member.

13. Reflectance photometry apparatus for moving a driven member which is in the form of a removably mounted tray having parallel rows of spaced, upstanding projections from an initial position along a generally planar orbital path having a generally circular extent and also having a generally rectilinear extent thereby to advance a test device to a reading station platform, comprising at least one first shoulder means comprising two spaced shoulder members having coplanar rectilinear surface;

second shoulder means comprising a pair of spaced rollers respectively cooperable with said coplanar rectilinear surfaces on said driven member;

means for biasing said driven member in a direction tending to cause engagement of said rectilinear surface by said second shoulder means;

at least one driving member mounted for rotation on an axis generally normal to the plane of said orbital path and having a radially offset actuating member; and

third shoulder means comprising a pair of parallel slots formed in the driven member, extending at an acute angle with respect to said rectilinear surface, and within which said actuating members are respectively slidable, said slots having a width generally the same as the diameter of the cylindrical actuating members therein and having a length greater than their width, on said driven member engageable by said actuating member upon rotation of said driving member to cause movement of said driven member against the bias of said biasing means along a generally circular path causing movement of said second shoulder means out of contact with said rectilinear surface at said initial position and subsequent return thereof into contact with the rectilinear surface at a second position thereon spaced from said initial position, said third should means being shaped such that, upon continued rotation of said driving member, engagement of the actuating member with the third should means causes rectilinear movement of the second shoulder means along said rectilinear surface from said second position to said initial position to thereby complete one cycle of orbital movement of said second shoulder means and said driven member.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein there are two spaced, like driving members having parallel axes of rotation, and each driving member has a rotatable cylindrical actuating member whose axis of rotation is parallel with that of the related driving member.

15. Apparatus as in claim 13 which additionally comprises a pair of generally horizontal spaced parallel, stationary rails adapted to support thereon a test strip and with which said rectilinear surface is generally parallel, and wherein said driven member carries spaced pegs which intersect the plane of the upper surface of said rails during rectilinear movement of said driven member, said pegs being spaced from said plane during a portion of the movement of the driven member along the circular extent of its orbital path.

16. Apparatus as i claim 15 wherein said spaced pegs are upstanding, and during a portion of the movement of the driven member along the circular extent of its orbital path said pegs are spaced below the plane of the upper surface of the rails.

17. Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said pegs project from a tray which is removably mounted on the driven member.

18. Apparatus as in claim 16 which comprises a tray which carries spaced parallel rows of equally spaced upstanding pegs, each of said spaced pegs being included in one of said rows.

19. In a reflectance photometry reagent test reading instrument having a reading station platform, the combination of at least two spaced generally parallel, horizontal, stationary rails adapted to support a test strip disposed transversely thereon, a blotter member mounted adjacent and extending transversely across said rails for reciprocating movement along said rails between retracted and advanced positions, said blotter member being adapted during advancing movement thereof to contact an edge portion of a test strip on said rails and to remove excess liquid therefrom, as well as to advance said test strip along said rails from a first to a second position;

means for driving said blotter member;

spaced upstanding pegs extending from a removably mounted tray, said pegs having a first position in which they are engageable with a rear edge portion of a test strip moved to said second position by said blotter member; and

means for moving said pegs to their said first position in timed relation with movement of said blotter member to its advanced position, said pegs in their first position preventing movement of a test strip from its second position with said blotter member on return of the latter toward its retracted position.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said blotter member is formed with cut away portions for accommodating said pegs without interference upon retractile movement of the blotter member from its advanced position.

21. The combination of claim 19 which is useful with multiple test strip having spaced absorbent test areas separated by substantially nonabsorbent areas, and which additionally comprises means effective during said advancing movement of a test strip toward its said second position for causing endwise movement of said test strip as necessary to effect registration of nonabsorbent areas thereof with said pegs when said strip reaches its second position.