US3869252A - Dose distribution means - Google Patents

Dose distribution means Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3869252A
US3869252A US353111A US35311173A US3869252A US 3869252 A US3869252 A US 3869252A US 353111 A US353111 A US 353111A US 35311173 A US35311173 A US 35311173A US 3869252 A US3869252 A US 3869252A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
syringe
receptacles
conveyor
primary
tube
Prior art date
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
US353111A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hans Haug
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3869252A publication Critical patent/US3869252A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • 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
    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
    • G01N35/1009—Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids
    • G01N35/1016—Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
    • 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
    • G01N35/10—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices
    • G01N35/1081—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices characterised by the means for relatively moving the transfer device and the containers in an horizontal plane
    • G01N35/1083—Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices characterised by the means for relatively moving the transfer device and the containers in an horizontal plane with one horizontal degree of freedom
    • G01N2035/1086—Cylindrical, e.g. variable angle

Definitions

  • the conveyors are indexed with re- 128/2 F; 73/4256; 141/130 spect to each other and the samples are distributed in doses in accordance with a predefined program from ⁇ 56] References Cited each of said primary receptacles into one or more of UNITED STATES PATENTS said secondary receptacles correspondingly coded.
  • the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling liquid samples in clinical analysis and in particular to a method and apparatus for automatically and continuously apportioning defined doses taken from liquid samples.
  • a method and apparatus for the distribution of liquid samples into predefined dose portions comprising the steps of retaining successive liquid samples in respective primary receptacles in which the samples may be treated as a whole as for example, centrifuging a blood sample to separate the serum from the red cells or erythrocytes.
  • the receptacle is coded and [located on a primary conveyor adapted to move along a predefined path.
  • a plurality of secondary receptacles are provided which may, if desirable and necessary, be prepared in advance with specific test solutions or test material.
  • the secondary receptacles are located correspondingly in one or more secondary conveyor lines which extend along a path at an angle to that of the primary conveyor.
  • the primary conveyor and the secondary conveyors are indexed with respect to each other so that each primary conveyor becomes located along each of the secondary conveyor lines.
  • Means are provided responsive to the particular code of the primary conveyor by which predefined doses of the sample is distributed or apportioned from each of the primary receptacles in a continuous predefined preselected manner.
  • primary receptacle comprises a conventional hypodermic syringe in which the plunger rod has been removed
  • the conveyor on which the primary receptacles are located comprise means for engaging the piston of the syringe and in response to a given signal incrementally moving the syringe so that the predefined doses are dispensed therefrom.
  • code the primary receptacles with a coded cap which is mounted over the discharge end of the sy ringe. This cap is being provided with an elongated out? let tube adapted to extend to the: secondary receptacles.
  • the conveyor on which the primary receptacles are located preferably extend over a bridge member beneath which the conveyor lines locating the secondary receptacles extend. As the primary receptacles move over the bridge, the tubular end of each of the receptacles comes into contact with a secondary receptacle located on each of the secondary conveyor lines. Consequently, in accordance with the coded predefined program, discharge of the sample in predefined doses can be made to one or more of secondary receptacles.
  • sensing means are arranged to sense the presence of fluid in the outlet tube from the primary receptacle.
  • the sensing means is connected to switch means which control the discharge of the tube so that the discharge of the tube will only be made when there is in fact fluid in the primary receptacle.
  • the sensing device is a photoelectric cell capable of determining not only the presence of liquid but also its color and/or density. In this manner, when fractionated liquids such as whole blood separated into serum and erythrocytes are being handled, the switch means may be actuated to control the operation of the discharge means only when the presence of the requisite fraction of the sample is in the tube.
  • the present system and apparatus makes use of certain components which are well-known in this art. These components include coding and code reading devices as well as computer programming devices for the actuation of the discharged means and the indexing of the respective conveyors. Further the present system and apparatus employs known types of devices and mechanisms for arranging secondary receptacles, preparing these receptacles in line, and pre-dosing the secondary receptacles with the test solution and test materials. These known devices are not set forth in detail in the present disclosure because of their present availability to those skilled in this art.
  • FIGS. 1 through 4 show a syringe adapted for use in the present invention at various stages in the preparation of the primary liquid sample
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing the mounting of a primary receptacle on its corresponding conveyor and its relationship to the sensing device;
  • FIG. 6 is a general schematic view showing the system and apparatus of the present invention.
  • the primary receptacle comprises an otherwise conventional syringe of the type shown in FIG. 1.
  • the syringe comprises a body 7 in which a piston 9 is movably located. Attached to the piston 9 is a removable plunger 10 which may be conventionally screwed onto the piston or otherwise connected to it by some sort of bayonet-type connection. Attached to the discharge end of the syringe body 7 is an injection needle.
  • the needle is also removable from the nozzle and may be screw threaded thereon or also provided with some sort of keying and bayonet-type latch.
  • the needle as a whole is removed in order to allow the nozzle to be freely opened for use as will be later described.
  • a plurality of plastic pieces 12 may be inserted within the syringe body 7 which plastic pieces initially mix with the blood sample as seen in FIG. 2, when the blood sample is withdrawn into the syringe.
  • the primary receptacle or syringe 7 is to be used directly in the course of the present system to retain and maintain the liquid therein and from which the liquid may be withdrawn in doses directly from the syringe.
  • the primary receptacle or syringe may be employed to process or otherwide treat the entire sample whenever the entire sample has to be so treated. In testing blood samples, this includes the step of separating the serum 14 from the erythrocytes 14A as seen in FIG.
  • the syringe by placing the syringe in a suitable centrifuge.
  • the plastic pieces 12 act to maintain the interface between the serum 14 and the erythrocytes 14A during further processing of the sample, thus preventing the two fractions from remixing and dissolving within each other.
  • a coding cap 13 is placed over the nozzle end or discharge end of the syringe.
  • the information relating to the code, the sample and the person from whom the sample has been taken are correspondingly retained in a suitable computer.
  • the plunger is activated in the direction of the arrow 15.
  • the primary receptacles or syringes 7 are placed serially on a conveyor after being provided with the coding cap 13.
  • the conveyor 20 is adapted to move in the direction shown by the arrow 21 so that the syringes 7 are serially inserted within a code reading and computer unit 22 of conventional type.
  • the centrifuge or other preconditioning device may be arranged either before or after the code reading unit 22.
  • each of the receptacles or syringes 7 is individually placed in a seat or mounting unit 16 which is arranged to correspond with means 17 for discharging the syringe, which means are mounted on the conveyor 20.
  • the means 17 includes a feed ram 6 which is adaptable to move against the piston 9 in predefined increments along the direction of the arrows 15 so that a corresponding amount of the liquid may be discharged through the nozzle 18 of the syringe.
  • the means 17 may include suitable solenoid actuators, pawl and ratchet means, or other means for incrementally moving the ram 6.
  • Mounted on the nozzle 18 is an elongated flexible tube 8 which bends over at an angle to extend downwardly contrary to the vertically upward extension of the syringe 7.
  • the pressure on the piston 9 is adapted to maintain a column of fluid or liquid in the tube 8.
  • a code reading, decoding and stamping device in which the codes on each of the receptacles or syringes 7 are translated into operative instructions.
  • the latter means 23 are operative to control the known means for preparing and arranging the secondary receptacles indicated by the reference numeral 2 in FIG. 6. These means prepare the receptacles with the proper test solutions or test material and align the receptacles in a plurality of rows or conveyor lines 25 at predefined spaced intervals.
  • the code is read and stored and then transmitted to provide a corresponding indicational code on the secondary receptacles which are to subsequently receive a portion or a dose of the sample contained in the corresponding syringe 7.
  • the syringes are successively led to closing apparatus which contains the means for actuating the discharge mechanism 17 including the ram 6.
  • the receptacles are moved in the direction 26 over a bridge 1 transverse to the direction of the parallel lines 25 by which the secondary receptacles 2 are conveyed. Further at this point a sensing device 4 is provided through which the end of the flexible tube 8 passes.
  • the sensing device 4 is preferably a photoelectric cell and suitable light source which determines the pressure or absence of fluid in the tube 8. Further the photocell is adapted to sense either the color or density of the fluid therein so that for example when whole blood is to be tested, the sensing device can distinguish between the difference of the serum and the erythrocytes.
  • a switch device 3 Connected by a lead line 9 with the sensing device 4 is a switch device 3 which controls the operation of the discharge mechanism 24.
  • the switch device 3 and the sensing device 4 are preferably provided with means to control the discharge mechanism 24 in accordance with predefined program for delivering the doses from the syringe 7 to the secondary receptacles 2.
  • the conveyors 25 move in a parallel direction with each other and parallel to the direction of the conveyor 20 as indicated by the arrow 21.
  • the bridge 1 contains a conveyor which indexes with respect to each of the conveyors 25 in a step-by-step movement. And preferably extends transversely to the conveyors 25.
  • Each of the conveyors 25 pass on to a specific testing and measuring instrument as for example devices for sugar determination, hemoglobin content, etc.
  • the control of the coding device 22, the decoding and stamping device 23 which controls the preparation of the secondary receptacles, and the discharge mechanism 24 can be so cooperatively arranged so that predefined doses are discharged from each of the syringes 7 into one or more of the secondary receptacles arranged on the individual conveyors 25 as the particular syringe 7 is indexed past the particular conveyor 25.
  • the secondary receptacles can be pre-prepared with the test solutions or test material, the materials may be added after the secondary receptacles pass the bridge 1 and are filled with the dose from the sample contained in the syringe 7.
  • the present invention provides many features and advantages not found in the prior art.
  • the use of a syringe 7 as the primary receptacle reduced the fairly large number of vessels that had to be previously employed whenever the blood sample or similar liquid sample was transferred from the actual hypodermic syringe manu ally to the dosing unit.
  • the same syringe which is employed to withdraw or remove the liquid from the patients body is simultaneously used as the dosing vessel, and in this way the transfer of the fluid, and the possibility of the loss of liquid or the contamination of the liquid is greatly reduced.
  • the present arrangement further enables the secondary receptacles to be pre-prepared.
  • Apparatus for the preparation of secondary receptacles including means for filling and dosing the secondary receptacles with the required test solution or test material, are well known.
  • This apparatus may be placed either in conjunction with the system of the present invention or may be separately maintained and onlythe receptacles fed to the present apparatus.
  • the conveyance of the secondary conveyor lines in parallel directions beneath a bridge which carries the primary receptacles provides a simple and effective way for bringing the primary and secondary receptacles into adjacent arrangement or contact with each other so that a transference of the liquid from one to the other may be easily and simply made.
  • the secondary receptacles be coded to correspond with the primary receptacles from which they are to receive a dose sample.
  • this coding should be made before the secondary receptacles pass the bridge 1 and before they are inserted into the conveyors of the secondary conveying lines so that a more assured correspondence of the secondary and primary vessels are ob tained.
  • the flexible tube extension and the vertical arrangement of the syringe 7 in the conveyor 20 has also a great deal of benefit.
  • the piston 9 of the syringe can be activated to maintain a head or column of fluid in the elongated tube 8 so that an instantaneous discharge of fluid is possible and so that air or other impurities cannot enter into the syringe and contaminate the blood sample.
  • the flexible tube 8 can be fitted either manually or mechanically onto the nozzle 18 of the syringe by well-known means.
  • the flexibility of the tube 8 also permits accurate location and correspondence to the particular secondary receptacle into which the material sample is to be inserted.
  • disposable flexible tubes of the type 8 can be very inexpensively made from plastic.
  • the tubes are preferably made of the same thin caliber, same diameter internal bore and of equal length so that they are readily interchangeable one with the other.
  • the use of disposable flexible tubes has a further advantage in that once a tube is used it may be discarded so that any residue of liquid from one receptacle to another would be avoided. This is particularly useful in the testing of blood since the carry over of serum from one test sample to another is destructive of the clinical analysis completely.
  • a photocell sensing device and combined switch unit is also extremely beneficial in that it not only senses the pressure of liquid in the receptacle which may be dosed into the secondary receiving unit, but it also is capable of sensing the difference between fractions of the sample. This is particularly useful in sampling blood wherein only the serum is to be tested and the presence of erythrocytes are to be avoided.
  • the advantage of switching off the apparatus when the sensing device responds to the admixture of only a portion of the erythrocytes in the serum is quite advantageous.
  • the sensing and combined switch mechanism should be provided with means by which the ram 6 is permitted to be actuated against the piston 9 in order to discharge a full column of fluid into the tube 8 before the incremental step-by-step discharge of the fluid is made into the secondary containers.
  • the switch should be provided with two stages, the first stage being a preparation stage wherein the tube is completely filled so that only after this complete fllling can a signal be given which enables the dosing of the predefined amounts.
  • the present arrangement further provides, that in the event of there being too much liquid in the primary receptacles, a conveyor control is actuated by means of which the distributor head travels to a storage unit until the switch-off device comes into operation.
  • a conveyor control is actuated by means of which the distributor head travels to a storage unit until the switch-off device comes into operation.
  • the apparatus according to claim 2 including photocell means for sensing the presence of liquid in said tube.
  • said means for discharging said syring comprises a ram adapted to engage the pistons of said syringe and actuator means for incrementally moving the same.
  • Apparatus in according with claim 2 including storage means remote from said primary conveyor, a distributor for selectively locating said syringe on said primary conveyor or in said storage means and switch means for controlling the distributor to locate said syringe in said storage means in the event of there being too much liquid in the syringe.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
US353111A 1972-04-22 1973-04-20 Dose distribution means Expired - Lifetime US3869252A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2219862A DE2219862A1 (de) 1972-04-22 1972-04-22 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum verteilen von fluessigkeitsproben, insbesondere serumproben auf dem gebiet der klinischen chemie

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3869252A true US3869252A (en) 1975-03-04

Family

ID=5842982

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US353111A Expired - Lifetime US3869252A (en) 1972-04-22 1973-04-20 Dose distribution means

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3869252A (pt)
DD (1) DD103733A5 (pt)
DE (1) DE2219862A1 (pt)
FR (1) FR2182478A5 (pt)
GB (1) GB1435315A (pt)
IT (1) IT981731B (pt)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4522921A (en) * 1981-12-11 1985-06-11 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Sample delivering method for use in automatic chemical analysis
US4664885A (en) * 1981-07-13 1987-05-12 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic chemical analyzer
US5559339A (en) * 1994-10-31 1996-09-24 Abbott Laboratories Method and apparatus for verifying dispense of a fluid from a dispense nozzle
EP1615013A1 (en) * 2003-04-15 2006-01-11 Universal Bio Research Co., Ltd. Dispensing cylinder, large capacity dispensing device, and method of using large capacity dispensing device

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FI821787A (fi) * 1982-05-20 1983-11-21 Kone Oy Metod och anordning foer saekerstaellande av provers presentation och identifikation

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3607097A (en) * 1967-08-09 1971-09-21 Philips Corp Analyzer for liquid samples
US3687632A (en) * 1969-07-30 1972-08-29 Rohe Scientific Corp System for transferring liquids between containers
US3728079A (en) * 1968-06-14 1973-04-17 Hycel Inc Automatic chemical testing apparatus

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3607097A (en) * 1967-08-09 1971-09-21 Philips Corp Analyzer for liquid samples
US3728079A (en) * 1968-06-14 1973-04-17 Hycel Inc Automatic chemical testing apparatus
US3687632A (en) * 1969-07-30 1972-08-29 Rohe Scientific Corp System for transferring liquids between containers

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4664885A (en) * 1981-07-13 1987-05-12 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic chemical analyzer
US4522921A (en) * 1981-12-11 1985-06-11 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Sample delivering method for use in automatic chemical analysis
US5559339A (en) * 1994-10-31 1996-09-24 Abbott Laboratories Method and apparatus for verifying dispense of a fluid from a dispense nozzle
EP1615013A1 (en) * 2003-04-15 2006-01-11 Universal Bio Research Co., Ltd. Dispensing cylinder, large capacity dispensing device, and method of using large capacity dispensing device
EP1615013A4 (en) * 2003-04-15 2010-04-14 Universal Bio Research Co Ltd DISTRIBUTION CYLINDER, HIGH CAPACITY DISPENSING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF USING THE DEVICE

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1435315A (en) 1976-05-12
DD103733A5 (pt) 1974-02-05
DE2219862B2 (pt) 1975-05-07
DE2219862A1 (de) 1973-10-31
IT981731B (it) 1974-10-10
FR2182478A5 (pt) 1973-12-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP1064531B1 (en) Electronic apparatus for dispensing precise small quantities of fluid
US4066412A (en) Automatic clinical analyzer
US4595562A (en) Loading and transfer assembly for chemical analyzer
US4483927A (en) Method of automatically analyzing chemical substances and an automatic chemical analyzer
US5747350A (en) System for dosing liquids
US5211310A (en) Apparatus and method for dispensing phases of blood
US3770382A (en) Automatic clinical analyzer
US3568735A (en) Laboratory microtitration dispensing apparatus
US3991616A (en) Automatic pipetter
US5555920A (en) Method and apparatus for aliquotting blood serum or blood plasma
US3492876A (en) Aliquant discharge device
JPS61500184A (ja) 密閉されたサンプル容器のキヤリアを搬送しサンプルを混合する方法および装置
WO1983000393A1 (en) Loading and transfer assembly for chemical analyzer
WO1992019949A1 (en) Improved apparatus and method for aliquotting blood serum or blood plasma
NO125556B (pt)
NO762070L (pt)
US3869252A (en) Dose distribution means
CA1198970A (en) Apparatus to evaluate the "erythrayte sedimentation rate" (esr) in several samples
US4359447A (en) Automatic multichannel apparatus for performing emergency analyses, in particular chemical-clinical analyses on biological fluids
EP0527562A2 (en) Column analyser system and chromatographic column
US4259288A (en) Automatic multichannel apparatus for performing analyses on fluids, in particular for performing clinical-chemistry analyses on biological liquids
US4873877A (en) Precision liquid handling apparatus
US5322192A (en) Pipetting apparatus
US3654091A (en) Incubation chamber
CN110333311B (zh) 一种自动萃取和净化装置