US3484206A - Chemical sampling apparatus - Google Patents

Chemical sampling apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3484206A
US3484206A US547290A US3484206DA US3484206A US 3484206 A US3484206 A US 3484206A US 547290 A US547290 A US 547290A US 3484206D A US3484206D A US 3484206DA US 3484206 A US3484206 A US 3484206A
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United States
Prior art keywords
pipette
sample
tube
receptacle
receptacles
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US547290A
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English (en)
Inventor
Herbert Loebl
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Joyce Loebl and Co Ltd
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Joyce Loebl and Co Ltd
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Publication date
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Publication of US3484206A publication Critical patent/US3484206A/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/10—Devices for withdrawing samples in the liquid or fluent state
    • G01N1/18—Devices for withdrawing samples in the liquid or fluent state with provision for splitting samples into portions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
    • G01N35/02—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations
    • G01N35/04—Details of the conveyor system
    • G01N2035/0439—Rotary sample carriers, i.e. carousels
    • G01N2035/0446—Combinations of the above
    • G01N2035/0448—Combinations of the above composed of interchangeable ring elements

Definitions

  • Our invention relates to improvements in chemical sampling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for receiving a series of samples of chemical substances such as body fluids and transferring them with or without the addition of a reagent or cleaning fluid to a series of receptacles in sequence.
  • Our invention is especially concerned with apparatus for the treatment of samples or biochemical fluids obtained from patients in a hospital.
  • the fluid from each patient is drawn off into a tube or trough which is labelled in suitable fashion with the identity of the patient.
  • the said tubes are placed in sequence in a container or support, and the container is then placed in an apparatus adapted to contain a further container loaded With receptacles, Whereafter the containers are moved by equal amounts so that a sample can be transferred from a tube or trough to a receptacle or several receptacles by an automatically operated pipette or pipettes.
  • Each pipette dips into the sample tube and extracts a predetermined quantity of fluid therefrom.
  • the pipette then rises from the tube and moves over to its receptacle, the rate of discharge being such as to mix the sample and reagent thoroughly, and clean out the pipette.
  • the pipette may remove a supernatant sample from a receptacle and transfer it to a further receptacle, add a predetermined quantity of one or more reagents, or transfer fluid to a measuring device, the action being determined by the process to which the sample is to be subjected or has been subjected.
  • the apparatus comprises a rotating stage or table adapted to support a ring or rings and rotate them in steps, each step being of such length as to bring the containers and/or receptacles one after another into the path of the pipette movement.
  • the apparatus is preferably driven by an electric motor controlled by registering contacts associated with the ring, and the rate of rotation of the ring is predeterminable.
  • the motor operates the pipette, by means of a cam shaft.
  • a container or ring instead of a container or ring, a long table or an endless belt or like device may be used if a large number of samples is required to be processed.
  • This tube is dipped by the pipette into the sample fluid and a pump 3,484,206 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 device of known form sucks up a pre-determined quantity thereof.
  • the pipette and tube now rise from the sample fluid and move to the receptacle into which the said quantity is discharged, with or without the addition of a quantity of reagent solution.
  • the droplet thereof retained on the end of the pipette tube by surface tension may have a volume which is appreciable compared with the total amount of fluid extracted from the sample tube.
  • the droplet may vary in volume.
  • a similar wiping action may take place over the edge of the receptacle into which the sample is discharged.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circular rig embodying our invention
  • FIG. 2 shows means for replacing a pipette
  • FIG. 3 is a table form of trough and receptacle sup- P
  • FIG. 4 is a table form of tube and receptacle support
  • FIG. 5 is a single ring form of support for multiple sampling
  • FIG. 6 is a band form of tube, trough or receptacle support.
  • the rib shown in FIG. 1 is for the purpose of receiving a plurality of biological samples in tubes in an outer ring container and transferring a measured quantity of each sample to a receptacle on an inner ring holder, with the addition of a quantity of reagent, each sample is collected into a tube 1 which is dropped into a hole in an outer ring container 2, this container being located on a table 3.
  • the latter is rotatably indexed by a pin and slot mechanism driven by a motor (not shown) located in the base 4 of a chassis 5, so as to bring tube and receptacle pairs successively to a predetermined position.
  • the motor also drives a series of cams which act on a pipette arm 6 pivoted on a shaft 7.
  • the arm carries a short length of flexible plastic tubing 8 held in a replaceable clip 9, the pipette being connected by flexible tubing 10 to a metering pump 11.
  • the pipette is guided so that its end dips first into a tube 1.
  • the pump is operated to extract a predetermined quantity of sample.
  • the pipette end now wipes over the edge of the tube to remove any droplets, rises, and enters one of the receptacles 12 located in an inner ring 13. These receptacles are tilted inwards with respect to the top of the ring so that the ring and its contents can be placed directly in a centrifuge.
  • the pipette discharges the sample into the receptacle, together with a metered quantity of a reagent or cleaning fluid derived from a bottle 14 via a pipe 15 and pump 11. Finally the pipette once more wipes over the edge of the receptacle to remove any droplet, and the carrying arm returns it to a start position. The two rings index round to bring the next tube-receptacle pair within reach of the pipette, and the cycle is repeated until all the receptacles have received a charge.
  • the inner ring 13 is removed by hand from the rig shown, rotated for a required period in a centrifuge, and then transferred to a second rig similar to that shown in the drawing, except that no outer ring is fitted.
  • the pipette of the second rig now injects a metered quantity of a reagent into each receptacle without transferring any fluid to a further receptacle.
  • the ring is once more transferred to a third rig similar to the one shown in the drawing, together with an outer ring furnished with tubes.
  • the outer ring with its tubes is placed on another rig associated with a measuring device, and the pipette and pump thereof extract a quantity of fluid from each tube in turn, wash out a cuvette on the measuring instrument, fill the cuvette, and allow the instrument to measure a particular feature of the fluid before emptying the cuvette and recommencing the cycle.
  • a description of this process is given in copending US. patent application No. 550,876 filed May 3, 1966.
  • a second pipette 16, pump 17 and bottle 18 may be located on the rig; the first pipette is removed from the arm 6 and replaced by the second, the change-over occupying only a very short time.
  • the pipette may be located on its arm with its end substantially vertical, or it may be tilted so as to enter the slanting receptacles in the inner ring.
  • the reagent bottle is omitted, the pump mechanism being suitably modified.
  • the pump mechanism is itself interlocked with the motor cams and controlled thereby, so that it operates only at the required time.
  • the throw or delivery of the pump can be adjusted to suck up or deliver any desired quantity of sample or reagent.
  • FIG. 2 shows how a pipette is attached to its arm.
  • the clip 9 carries a length of small-bore flexible plastic tube 8, attached to another flexible tube 10.
  • the clip 9 has a slot 21, and slides over the end of the arm 6, the slot passing around a screw 20 having a knurled head. When the screw is manually loosened the pipette 8 and its clip 9 can be slid ofl the arm and replaced by another.
  • the latter may be replaced by a flexible endless belthaving pockets or holes for receiving the tubes or receptacles carrying the samples.
  • All the rings or containers have slots registering with a spline or splines on the tables of each rig so that every sample can be recognised at any rig by its position thereon.
  • FIGURE 3 shows a table form of support 27 for taking simultaneously measured quantities of a sample, adding different reagents to each quantity, and transferring them to separate tubes for submission subsequently to different tests.
  • Each sample is placed in a narrow trough 41, carried on the table 27. Near each trough is a plurality of tubes 22, and the table is indexed along to bring each trough and its associated tubes under a plurality of pipettes 23.
  • Each pipette is connected to a different reagent, so that after passing the pipettes the tubes 22 carry portions of the same sample, but with diflerent reagents.
  • FIG. 4 is an alternative to FIG. 3.
  • a row of sample receptacles 44 containing the same (or different) fluid is located on a table 29 adjacent a row of tubes 25.
  • the table is indexed past a set of pipettes 26 which may be connected to and supply different (or the same) reagents.
  • FIG. shows a circular form of table with troughs and tubes as in FIGURE 3, though of course tubes and receptacles as in FIG. 4 may be fitted.
  • two sets of pipettes 30, 31 are provided (more sets may of course be used if required), acting sequentially on the tubes as they pass beneath them.
  • FIG. 6 shows a belt arrangement suitable for use in connection with a large number of samples.
  • the two arrangements are of course alternatives.
  • Filled troughs and empty tubes may be aflixed to the belts at point A, passed under one or more pipettes 39, and removed at point B.
  • the tubes with their samples plus reagents may pass through a measuring instrument While still on the belt. there being means such as holes in the belt to allow the passage of a light beam for evaluation of the light transmission of the fluids in the tubes.
  • the belts are shown as passing over supporting and driving rollers 37.
  • Any pipette subsequent to the first may only add a reagent to a sample quantity without transferring it to a further receptacle, or it may extract a predetermined quantity for test purposes.
  • Chemical sampling and treating apparatus for acting successively on a series of samples and for preparing said samples for centrifuging comprising:
  • a first container in the form of a ring carrying a first plurality of sample receptacles
  • a second ring-shaped container located within said first ring container and carrying a second plurality of receptacles

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
US547290A 1965-05-07 1966-05-03 Chemical sampling apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3484206A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB19306/65A GB1149383A (en) 1965-05-07 1965-05-07 Improvements in chemical sampling methods

Publications (1)

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US3484206A true US3484206A (en) 1969-12-16

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US547290A Expired - Lifetime US3484206A (en) 1965-05-07 1966-05-03 Chemical sampling apparatus

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3484206A (de)
DE (1) DE1598623A1 (de)
FR (1) FR1479081A (de)
GB (1) GB1149383A (de)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3545933A (en) * 1967-10-19 1970-12-08 Bodenseewerk Perkin Elmer Co Sample conveying arrangement for chemical analysis apparatus
US3549330A (en) * 1968-02-16 1970-12-22 Autokemi Ab Apparatus for analyzing liquids
US3776700A (en) * 1971-12-08 1973-12-04 Linbro Chem Co Inc Serial dilution apparatus
US3932131A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-01-13 Monega Anstalt Method and device (analysis machine) for simultaneous performance of a number of analyses, especially microanalyses, of standard type on chemical objects
USRE30391E (en) * 1976-02-23 1980-09-02 Abbott Laboratories Chemical analysis cuvette
US4699766A (en) * 1985-05-30 1987-10-13 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Automatic chemical analyzer
US4974458A (en) * 1987-12-14 1990-12-04 Ajinomoto Company, Inc. Automatic preparation apparatus and support arm
US5623106A (en) * 1995-06-06 1997-04-22 Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. Method and apparatus for forming disposable tips in an analyzer
US5629201A (en) * 1992-05-22 1997-05-13 Priolion Development B.V. Apparatus for applying a liquid sample onto a culture medium
US20040197229A1 (en) * 2003-04-02 2004-10-07 Cem Maintenance Inc., Englewood, C.O. Systems and methods for chemical analysis of pool water
US20050042138A1 (en) * 2003-08-20 2005-02-24 Sysmex Corporation Sample analyzer, nucleic acid detector and nucleic acid detection method
US20120149058A1 (en) * 2009-03-20 2012-06-14 F. Hoffman-La Roche Ag Process and apparatus for testing substances for potential carcinogenicity
US9335338B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-05-10 Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation Automated diagnostic analyzers having rear accessible track systems and related methods
US9400285B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-07-26 Abbot Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods
US10001497B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-06-19 Abbott Laboratories Diagnostic analyzers with pretreatment carousels and related methods

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2019117071A (ja) * 2017-12-26 2019-07-18 川崎重工業株式会社 分注方法

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB671714A (en) * 1949-03-25 1952-05-07 David Claude Cecil Mercier Improvements in and relating to the automatic sampling of granular or powdered materials
US2653083A (en) * 1951-12-06 1953-09-22 Mathewson Machine Works Inc Apparatus for automatically making blood sugar screening tests
US2879141A (en) * 1955-11-16 1959-03-24 Technicon Instr Automatic analyzing apparatus
US3038340A (en) * 1957-06-18 1962-06-12 Technicon Instr Automatic fluid sample supply apparatus
US3192968A (en) * 1962-07-02 1965-07-06 Warner Lambert Pharmaceutical Apparatus for performing analytical procedures
US3327535A (en) * 1963-08-24 1967-06-27 Sequeira Peter Jam Littlejohns Multiple pipetting apparatus

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB671714A (en) * 1949-03-25 1952-05-07 David Claude Cecil Mercier Improvements in and relating to the automatic sampling of granular or powdered materials
US2653083A (en) * 1951-12-06 1953-09-22 Mathewson Machine Works Inc Apparatus for automatically making blood sugar screening tests
US2879141A (en) * 1955-11-16 1959-03-24 Technicon Instr Automatic analyzing apparatus
US3038340A (en) * 1957-06-18 1962-06-12 Technicon Instr Automatic fluid sample supply apparatus
US3192968A (en) * 1962-07-02 1965-07-06 Warner Lambert Pharmaceutical Apparatus for performing analytical procedures
US3327535A (en) * 1963-08-24 1967-06-27 Sequeira Peter Jam Littlejohns Multiple pipetting apparatus

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3545933A (en) * 1967-10-19 1970-12-08 Bodenseewerk Perkin Elmer Co Sample conveying arrangement for chemical analysis apparatus
US3549330A (en) * 1968-02-16 1970-12-22 Autokemi Ab Apparatus for analyzing liquids
US3776700A (en) * 1971-12-08 1973-12-04 Linbro Chem Co Inc Serial dilution apparatus
US3932131A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-01-13 Monega Anstalt Method and device (analysis machine) for simultaneous performance of a number of analyses, especially microanalyses, of standard type on chemical objects
USRE30391E (en) * 1976-02-23 1980-09-02 Abbott Laboratories Chemical analysis cuvette
US4699766A (en) * 1985-05-30 1987-10-13 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Automatic chemical analyzer
US4974458A (en) * 1987-12-14 1990-12-04 Ajinomoto Company, Inc. Automatic preparation apparatus and support arm
US5629201A (en) * 1992-05-22 1997-05-13 Priolion Development B.V. Apparatus for applying a liquid sample onto a culture medium
US5623106A (en) * 1995-06-06 1997-04-22 Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. Method and apparatus for forming disposable tips in an analyzer
US20040197229A1 (en) * 2003-04-02 2004-10-07 Cem Maintenance Inc., Englewood, C.O. Systems and methods for chemical analysis of pool water
US20050042138A1 (en) * 2003-08-20 2005-02-24 Sysmex Corporation Sample analyzer, nucleic acid detector and nucleic acid detection method
US20120149058A1 (en) * 2009-03-20 2012-06-14 F. Hoffman-La Roche Ag Process and apparatus for testing substances for potential carcinogenicity
US9778277B2 (en) * 2009-03-20 2017-10-03 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ag Process and apparatus for testing substances for potential carcinogenicity
US9335338B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-05-10 Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation Automated diagnostic analyzers having rear accessible track systems and related methods
US9400285B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2016-07-26 Abbot Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods
US10001497B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-06-19 Abbott Laboratories Diagnostic analyzers with pretreatment carousels and related methods
US10197585B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2019-02-05 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods
US10267818B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2019-04-23 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having rear accessible track systems and related methods
US10775398B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2020-09-15 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods
US11125766B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2021-09-21 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having rear accessible track systems and related methods
US11435372B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-09-06 Abbott Laboratories Diagnostic analyzers with pretreatment carousels and related methods
US11536739B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-12-27 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods
US12007403B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2024-06-11 Abbott Laboratories Automated diagnostic analyzers having rear accessible track systems and related methods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1149383A (en) 1969-04-23
DE1598623A1 (de) 1970-09-10
FR1479081A (fr) 1967-04-28

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