FI87738C - Device for moving samples - Google Patents

Description

1 87738

EQUIPMENT FOR TRANSFER OF SAMPLES

The invention relates to an apparatus for transferring liquid samples from sample tubes to cuvettes in a cuvette system such as a microtiter plate. The invention is particularly suitable for use in the field of clinical analysis technology.

Blood samples for clinical analysis are usually taken in multi-milliliter test tubes. For example, antibody assays by EIA or similar methods are generally performed in significantly smaller reaction vessels.

10 The assay is also usually performed on several samples at a time. Standardized microtiter plates with 8 x 12 sample wells with a 9 mm pitch are very commonly used for this purpose.

The transfer of samples from the test tubes to the analysis plate is currently performed one sample at a time when the diameter of the test tubes is larger than the distribution of the sample wells on the plate. This makes the transfer quite slow.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an arrangement which speeds up the transfer of samples in the case described above. The object of the invention is achieved by the means set out in the independent claims.

An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below. In the schematic drawings of the description, Fig. 1 shows a top view of the transfer of samples, Fig. 2 a diagonal front view of the equipment used for the transfer, and Fig. 3 the arrangement of the sample tubes in its rack.

The samples are transferred to wells 2 of a microtiter plate 1. The plate has 12 rows of 8 wells with a well distribution of 30 9 mm. The diameter of the wells is about 7 mm. The wells in the row are marked A-H in the order from the outermost part.

The samples have been taken in test tubes 3 with a diameter of approx.

12 mm. The test tubes are placed in rack 4.

Rack 4 has sample tubes 3 in two rows. Each of the 35 rows has four pipes with an 18 mm pitch. The samples from every first well of the row of plate 1 starting from the first (A, C, E and G) are in the first row and the samples from the other every other well (B, D, F and H) of the row are in the second row. The plate and sample tube rack are positioned at the hardware level so that the rows of plate and rack are parallel and the first tube of the first row of rack is on the same line as the outermost wells A 5 of the rows of plates and the first tube of the second row is on the same line

Above the transfer level there is a mobile liquid dispenser 5 with four dispensing tips with a replaceable tip container 6 in a row with an 18 mm pitch. The top row is 10 parallel to the sample tube row. In addition, the apparatus includes a fluid dispenser drive apparatus.

The liquid dispenser 5 can be lowered to draw liquid into or out of the containers 6. The dispenser can be moved in the transverse direction of the sample tube rows. In addition, the dose 15 can be moved in the direction of the row to the extent that samples can be taken from either row of sample tubes. The desired settable amount of liquid can be drawn into the tip containers of the dispenser and removed to the desired location.

The transfer device further comprises a tip package 8, in which 20 there are 8 x 12 tip containers 6 in a matrix corresponding to the plate.

The dispenser 5 also has a tip removal device by means of which the used containers are removed. The equipment has a pool 9 for used tips.

A device corresponding to a multichannel line-25 pipette can be used as the dispenser 5 (see e.g. publications FI 52025, FI 60137, FI 57704, FI 58875, FI 844906 and FI 73368). The pipette is operated mechanically here and the movements can be pre-programmed into the control unit. The volume adjustment is performed manually. The pipette is replaceable.

70 The apparatus further comprises a reagent holder 10, the geometry of which corresponds to the sample tube holder 4. From the reagent holder, the dispenser retrieves the reagent into the wells 2 of the plate 1, if necessary.

When using the instrument, first place the sample tube holder 4 3.5 with the tubes 3 in place. The device is started, in which case the dose rack 5 first picks up the tip containers 6 from the package 8, retrieves the samples from the first row of the rack to wells A, C, E and G of the first row of plate 1, removes the tip containers to the fence 9. 87.738. F and H, then replace with a new 'sample rack' and continue until the desired number of samples has been transferred to the wells of the plate. Depending on the assay procedure, reagents can also be added to the butter, if necessary.

The amount of sample in tubes 3 may vary. Therefore, in the rack 4, the pipes can be set to the desired height so that the liquid surface of all the pipes is at the same level. This is achieved by means of flexible nails 11 which intersect the tubes from the side and hold the tube in place by friction.

Claims (3)

An apparatus for moving liquid samples from test tubes (3) into successive cuvettes (2) by means of a dispenser (5) with which samples are taken from the test tubes (3) and dosed therein into the cuvettes (2), characterized in that the liquid dispenser (5) has several consecutive moving tips (7) for simultaneously taking and dosing samples and that the distance at the centers of the tips (7) is a multiple of the distance at the centers of the cuvettes (2). 10 Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the dispenser (5) is interchangeable. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 for moving samples from test tubes (3) which are in a position (4), characterized in that an apparatus for placing test tubes (3) is associated with the test tube position (4). that their liquid levels will be at the same level.