Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
  • B01L3/508—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above
  • B01L3/5085—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
  • G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12M—APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS
  • C12M23/00—Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges
  • C12M23/02—Form or structure of the vessel
  • C12M23/12—Well or multiwell plates
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
  • G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
  • G01N2021/0378—Shapes
  • G01N2021/0382—Frustoconical, tapered cell

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to chemical and biological analysis apparatus and more specifically to apparatus for light-based analysis of multiple solution reactions.
• Biomed ⁇ eal facilities such as hospital laboratories, frequently run large numbers of tests on organic samples such as blood or urine. These tests are utilized to identify the presence or absence of bacterial or viral organisms, the genus/species identification of bacterial or viral organism and/or the anti- microbial agent susceptibility of the bacterial or viral organisms within the sample. Standardized tests have been developed over the years for rapid and consistent analysis of these samples.
• One of the types of analysis run on organic samples utilizes reactions of varying concentrations of the sample with known antimicrobial agents and/or other biochemical agents. Depending on the presence or absence of specific substances or organisms and the metabolic activity of such organisms a precipitate or other opaque deposit such as a bacterial growth may be formed in the solutions. This opaque deposit may then be visually observed. The technician may determine whether the specific test has been positive or negative by the absence or presence of the opaque deposit growth.
• Each tray is designed for analysis of a single sample or multiple samples and includes stations for analysis of various concentrations of the sample of antimicrobial agents and biochemical substrates in addition to
• a standard type of sample tray utilized in biomedical facilities has ninety-six wells, arranged in eight rows and twelve columns. Each well is generally cylindrical and is supported such that the bottom surface does not rest upon the counter or other surface upon which the tray is set.
• the design of the prior art wells has been generally restricted to three distinct types of well shapes.
• the wells utilized have been predominately cylindrical in shape due to the ease of cleaning.
• the bottom portions of the wells have been either gently rounded in a hemispheric shape, totally flat bottomed or tapered to a point.
• Each of these types of wells has proven acceptable for visual analysis of the samples for the presence of absence of opaque deposits.
• each has significant disadvantages when the trays are used for instrumental examination.
• a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a support structure supporting a planar upper plate including ninety-six circular apertures therethrough arrayed in eight rows and twelve columns, each aperture including a well depending therefrom.
• Each well includes a right cylindrical segment adjacent to the aperture and a truncated conical segment at the
• the truncated conical section culminates at the bottom of the well with a circular flat bottom panel having a radius less than the radius of the aperture.
• the support structure is sufficient to prevent the bottoms of the wells from contacting a planar surface when the tray is set upon such.
• the entire improved biomedical tray is constructed of a rigid transparent material.
• the flat bottom panel is amenable to perpendicular radiation beam analysis with an insignificant amount of diffraction.
• FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved biomedial analysis tray according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tray of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of an individual well of the trayj and
• Fig. 4 is a schematic illustrating the manner in which instrumental analysis takes place with the well of Fig. 3.
• the present invention is an improved biomedical analysis tray for use particularly with instrumental optical analysis devices.
• the tray is adapted for use in biomedical facilities such as hospital laboratories wherein it is necessary to analyze a large number of samples.
• the tray is used for electromagnetic radiat ⁇ on beam (usually visible light) instrumental detection of precipitates bacterial growth cultures or other opaque deposits caused by the reaction of samples of biological ⁇ noculumns with antimicrobial agents or other biochemical substrates.
• the improved biomedial analysis tray 10 includes a planar upper plate 12.
• Upper plate 12 is rectangular in shape and is supported on each side by a predominantly vertical support wall 14.
• Support wall 14 maintains plate 12 above and parallel to a support surface such as a table top or counter top when the tray 10 is set upon such a surface.
• the plate 12 is formed to includes a plurality of apertures 16 there ⁇ through.
• the preferred embodiment includes ninety-six such apertures 16 arrayed in eight rows and twelve columns.
• a sample well 18 for receiving samples for analysis depends from each aperture.
• Each sample well includes a circular flat bottom panel 20.
• FIG. 2 a side elevational view of the improved biomedical analysis tray 10 is shown. Since the tray 10 and all the parts thereof are constructed of transparent material the construction details of the tray are visible through the near support wall 14 in this view.
• the illustration of Fig. 2 shows the relationship between the bottom of the support walls 14 and the bottom of the wells 18. It is necessary that the bottom panels 20 of the wells 18 be supported such that they are not scratched or otherwise damaged by direct contact with a flat surface such as a counter upon which the tray 10 is placed.
• the specific structure of the sample well 18 is illustrated in Fig. 3.
• the circular aperture 16 which is formed in support plate 12 provides the upper opening to the sample well 18.
• Sample well 18 then includes a right cylindrical segment 22 extending downward from the aperture 16. At the bottom of the right cylindrical segment 22 is formed a truncated conical segment 24. At the bottom of truncated conical segment 24 is the flat bottom panel 20.
• the sample well 18 is constructed including a well wall 26 for retaining the sample within the well 18.
• the interior surface of the well wall 26 in the right cylindrical segment is vertical and smooth such that precipitates cultures, or other deposits will not readily adhere to the well wall 26 but will settle to the bottom of the well 18.
• the well wall 26 In the truncated conical segment 24 the well wall 26 is slanted inward to urge precipitates or other deposits to slide down the interior surface of the well wall 26 and come to rest on the flat bottom panel 20.
• Fig. 4 illustrates the manner in which the sample well 18 of the preferred embodiment is utilized for instrumental optical analysis.
• the sample such as a biological inoculum
• the reagent such as an antimicrobial agent or other biochemical substrate
• the liquid content 28 is allowed to react within the sample well 18 for a predetermined time period, usually three to orty hours, such that if the proper conditions are present, a precipitate bacterial or viral growth or other opaque deposit 30 will form and will settle to the bottom of the sample well 18.
• the construction of the sample well urges the precipitate 30 to settle upon the upper surface of the flat bottom panel 20. Since the upper surface of flat bottom panel 20 is relatively small in area, the precipitate 30 is formed to a maximal thickness such that maximum electromagnetic radiation impedance for a given amount of precipitate 30 is achieved.
• a technician may perform a visual analysis on the sample well 18 to determine whether a precipitate 30 has or has not been formed. Since the precipitate 30 is concentrated on the flat bottom panel 20, this analysis is easily done.
• an electromagnetic radiation source 32 within the instrument emits radiation 34.
• radiation source 32 is a lamp radiating a beam of visible light as its radiation 34.
• the radiation 34 impacts a reflector 36 or other radiation concentrating and directing means and is directed vertically downward through the sample
• a radiation sensor 38 such as a photocell, is situated directly beneath the flat bottom panel 20. The sensor 38 thus will detect any radiation 34 coming through the flat bottom panel 20 but will not detect radiation which does not pass thorugh panel 20. The sensor 38 then sends a signal to signal processing equipment 40 which is programmed to analyze the radiation trans- mittal characteristics of the contents of the given well 18.
• well 18 in the truncated conical segment 24 is such that radiation impinging upon the well wall 26 surrounding the flat bottom panel 20 is diffracted outward such that it does not impinge upon sensor 38 and does not contribute to the signal. It may also be seen that the presence of a precipitate or other opaque deposit 30 upon flat bottom panel 20 will prevent the transmittal of radiation to sensor 38 and will thus result in a null signal to signal processing equipment 40. In this mannmer the instrument can sense the presence or absence of the opaque deposit 30.
• the improved biomedical analysis tray 10 is constructed of virgin polystyrene. Any other material such as aerylonitrile which is transparent to the analysis radiation utilized by the instrument may be used as well provided it is resistant to breakdown from the chemicals utilized in the reactions. It is also possible to construct tray 10 to be opaque except at flat bottom panel 20.
• the dimensions of the tray 10 of the preferred embodiment are 13.647 em x 10.599 em (5.373" x 4.173") at the base, with a height of 1.476 em
• planar upper plate 12 has lateral dimensions of 13.249 cm x
• Each well has a total depth of 1.148 em (0.452") to the upper interior surface of flat bottom panel 20.
• the right cylindrical segment has a depth of 1.041 cm (0.410") and the well walls have a thickness of 0.127 cm
• the thickness of flat bottom panel 20 is 0.152 cm (0.060") and the radius of the flat bottom panel 20 is also 0.152 cm (0.060").
• the well wall 26 in the truncated conical segment 24 is inclined at an angle of 30° from horizontal.
• the well wall 26 in the cylindrical segment 22 is tapered inward at an angle of 2° from aperture 16 to conical segment 24. This tapering allows tray 10 to be easily removed from the mold.
• the dimensions of the tray 10 and its components may be selected to match the desired processing instrument. Tolerances are dependent on manu- facturing and utilization conditions.
• each of the ninety-six sample wells 16 is labeled such that the tray 10 is readily utilizable by laboratory technicians.
• the tray 10 is also specifically directed for use with the auto SCAN - 3 automated antibiotic suseptability/organism identification system of

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
• Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (10)

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Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1982
  • 1982-06-18 WO PCT/US1982/000839 patent/WO1983000047A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1982-06-18 EP EP19820902323 patent/EP0082194A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1982-06-18 JP JP57502302A patent/JPS58500972A/ja active Pending
  • 1982-06-21 ES ES1982273615U patent/ES273615Y/es not_active Expired

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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