WO1992010737A1 - Reaction detection equipment - Google Patents

Reaction detection equipment Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1992010737A1
WO1992010737A1 PCT/GB1991/002205 GB9102205W WO9210737A1 WO 1992010737 A1 WO1992010737 A1 WO 1992010737A1 GB 9102205 W GB9102205 W GB 9102205W WO 9210737 A1 WO9210737 A1 WO 9210737A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
light
reaction
detection equipment
rotor
reaction detection
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1991/002205
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
John Cave
Original Assignee
Lep Scientific Limited
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 Lep Scientific Limited filed Critical Lep Scientific Limited
Publication of WO1992010737A1 publication Critical patent/WO1992010737A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
    • G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
    • G01N21/251—Colorimeters; Construction thereof
    • G01N21/253—Colorimeters; Construction thereof for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2201/00—Features of devices classified in G01N21/00
    • G01N2201/04—Batch operation; multisample devices
    • G01N2201/0415—Carrusel, sequential
    • G01N2201/0423—Carrusel, sequential with rotating optics

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to reaction detection equipment.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide detection equipment capable of detecting occurrence of reactions by colour change or agglutination.
  • reaction detection equipment comprising: a plurality of reaction sites; a source of light including a corresponding plurality of first light paths to the plurality of reaction sites; a corresponding plurality of second light paths from the plurality of reaction sites; an optical commutator having: a corresponding plurality of light receiving stations circularly arranged about an axis at the ends of the second light paths remote from the reaction sites, a rotor mounted for rotation past the light receiving stations with its axis of rotation coincident with the said axis, a light path on the rotor from a point thereof which passes the light receiving stations to a central point; means for detecting presence of light at the central point.
  • the source of light is a single light source and means is provided for splitting the light from the source to the plurality of first light paths.
  • an optical filter may be included between the light source and the first light paths. This arrangement is particularly useful where the reaction to be monitored releases a dye and the filter allows passage of only such light as is absorbed by the dye. Then once the reaction has occurred at any particular site, the amount of light will be received at the central point by the light detecting means at the turn of that site will be indicative of the strength of the reaction which has occurred.
  • the means for detecting light can be a photodetector positioned on the central axis of the rotor at the remote end of the single optical fibre.
  • photodetector can be positioned remote from the central axis of the rotor, another optical fibre being provided between the remote end of the single optical fibre and the photodetector.
  • the rotor is provided with synchronisation means for identifying via which reaction site light is arriving (or not as the case may be) at the central point.
  • a synchronous detection circuit can be provided which is adapted to receive signals from the synchronisation means and from the light detecting means and to output information indicating occurence of reaction at the individual reaction sites.
  • the detection circuit is preferably further adapted to output information indicative of the state of progress of the reactions at the reaction sites.
  • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of reaction detection equipment according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a commutator of the detection equipment of Figure 1.
  • the equipment shown in the drawings has a holder 1 for ten test tubes 2.
  • the holder has a recess 3 with two diametrically arranged bores 4,5 between which the tube with its reagents is held.
  • the bores accommodate respective optical fibres 6,7 terminating close to the tubes.
  • All ten optical fibres 6 from the bores 4 of the ten recesses 3 at one side of the recesses lead to the bores from an optical filter 8 and a quartz halogen lamp 9.
  • the lamp 9 passes light through the filter 10, and the filtered light passes on along the fibres 6 to the holder 1.
  • the light passes through the reagent mixture in the tubes - provided that the occurrence of the reaction does not cause the light to be absorbed by the reagents - and on to the respective optical fibres 7.
  • the fibres 7 lead to an optical commutator 11 having a rotor 12 with a central axis A about which it is mounted on a shaft 13 journailed in two spaced fixed plates 14,15.
  • the fibres 7 terminate at light receiving stations 16 in the form of bores 17 in one 14 of the fixed plates, which is parallel and adjacent to the rotor 12.
  • the bores 17 are normal to the fixed plate and the rotor and equi-radially spaced from the axis A.
  • the stations 16, i.e. the bores 17, are equi-angularly spaced around the central axis of the rotor at 36° to each other, there being the ten optical fibres 7 from the ten test tube recesses 3.
  • the rotor 12 carries a single optical fibre 18 from a bore 19 parallel to the bores 17 and at the same radial distance from the axis A into a central axial bore through the shaft 13.
  • the shaft 13 carries a gear wheel 20 in mesh with a pinion 21 on the shaft of a motor 22, whereby the rotor is spun.
  • the end of the optical fibre 18 at the bore 19 is brought into successive registration with the ends of the fibres 7, so that any light shining out of any of the fibres 7 when the fibre 18 is at its end passes into this fibre 18.
  • a fixed photo-electric diode 23 is arranged at the end of the shaft 13 remote from the rotor 12, where the fibre 18 terminates. This receives any light from the fibre 18 and passes a corresponding signal to a synchronous detection circuit 24.
  • the rotor 12 carries a circumferential disc 25 having ten slots 26 equi-angularly spaced about the axis A.
  • a proximity detector 27 is arranged adjacent the disc 25 and is connected to the circuit 24.
  • reaction channels are provided, typically sixty. It will be appreciated that such equipment benefits considerably from cost saving in comparison with providing individual light source and detection apparatus at each test tube. Further the need to associate optical fibres only with the test tubes, the light source and the commutator being remote, enables compact arrangement of the tubes.
  • the above described embodiment may be varied to provide direct motor drive or belt drive to the rotor.
  • the circumferential disc may have a single slot which provides an indication of when the rotor is in one position.
  • the detection circuit can then be adapted to sample at intervals which are fractions of the period between such indications and timed to the expected occurence of a signal at the fixed photo-electric diode.
  • the photo-electric diode can be provided remote from the end of the optical fibre 18 in the shaft 13.
  • a further optical fibre being provided between the fibre 18 at its end in the shaft and the photo-electric diode.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (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 Materials By The Use Of Chemical Reactions (AREA)

Abstract

Reaction detection equipment comprising: a plurality of reaction sites (3); a source of light (9) including a corresponding plurality of first light paths (6) to the plurality of reaction sites; a corresponding plurality of second light paths (7) from the plurality of reaction sites; an optical commutator (11) having: a corresponding plurality of light receiving stations (16) circularly arranged about an axis (A) at the ends of the second light paths remote from the reaction sites, a rotor (12) mounted for rotation past the light receiving stations with its axis of rotation coincident with the said axis, a light path (18) on the rotor from a point (19) thereof which passes the light receiving stations to a central point; means (23) for detecting presence of light at the central point.

Description

REACTION DETECTION EQUIPMENT
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reaction detection equipment.
Certain chemical reactions are accompanied by a change in colour of the reagents or agglutination.
The object of the present invention is to provide detection equipment capable of detecting occurrence of reactions by colour change or agglutination. The Invention
According to the invention there is provided reaction detection equipment comprising: a plurality of reaction sites; a source of light including a corresponding plurality of first light paths to the plurality of reaction sites; a corresponding plurality of second light paths from the plurality of reaction sites; an optical commutator having: a corresponding plurality of light receiving stations circularly arranged about an axis at the ends of the second light paths remote from the reaction sites, a rotor mounted for rotation past the light receiving stations with its axis of rotation coincident with the said axis, a light path on the rotor from a point thereof which passes the light receiving stations to a central point; means for detecting presence of light at the central point. Preferably, the source of light is a single light source and means is provided for splitting the light from the source to the plurality of first light paths.
To enhance the sensitivity of the equipment, an optical filter may be included between the light source and the first light paths. This arrangement is particularly useful where the reaction to be monitored releases a dye and the filter allows passage of only such light as is absorbed by the dye. Then once the reaction has occurred at any particular site, the amount of light will be received at the central point by the light detecting means at the turn of that site will be indicative of the strength of the reaction which has occurred.
The means for detecting light can be a photodetector positioned on the central axis of the rotor at the remote end of the single optical fibre. Alternatively, photodetector can be positioned remote from the central axis of the rotor, another optical fibre being provided between the remote end of the single optical fibre and the photodetector. Preferably the rotor is provided with synchronisation means for identifying via which reaction site light is arriving (or not as the case may be) at the central point. A synchronous detection circuit can be provided which is adapted to receive signals from the synchronisation means and from the light detecting means and to output information indicating occurence of reaction at the individual reaction sites. The detection circuit is preferably further adapted to output information indicative of the state of progress of the reactions at the reaction sites. To help understanding of the-invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The Drawings
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of reaction detection equipment according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a commutator of the detection equipment of Figure 1. The Preferred Embodiment
The equipment shown in the drawings has a holder 1 for ten test tubes 2. For each tube, the holder has a recess 3 with two diametrically arranged bores 4,5 between which the tube with its reagents is held. The bores accommodate respective optical fibres 6,7 terminating close to the tubes. All ten optical fibres 6 from the bores 4 of the ten recesses 3 at one side of the recesses lead to the bores from an optical filter 8 and a quartz halogen lamp 9. The lamp 9 passes light through the filter 10, and the filtered light passes on along the fibres 6 to the holder 1. The light passes through the reagent mixture in the tubes - provided that the occurrence of the reaction does not cause the light to be absorbed by the reagents - and on to the respective optical fibres 7.
The fibres 7 lead to an optical commutator 11 having a rotor 12 with a central axis A about which it is mounted on a shaft 13 journailed in two spaced fixed plates 14,15. At the rotor, the fibres 7 terminate at light receiving stations 16 in the form of bores 17 in one 14 of the fixed plates, which is parallel and adjacent to the rotor 12. The bores 17 are normal to the fixed plate and the rotor and equi-radially spaced from the axis A. The stations 16, i.e. the bores 17, are equi-angularly spaced around the central axis of the rotor at 36° to each other, there being the ten optical fibres 7 from the ten test tube recesses 3. The rotor 12 carries a single optical fibre 18 from a bore 19 parallel to the bores 17 and at the same radial distance from the axis A into a central axial bore through the shaft 13.
Between the plates 14,15, the shaft 13 carries a gear wheel 20 in mesh with a pinion 21 on the shaft of a motor 22, whereby the rotor is spun. The end of the optical fibre 18 at the bore 19 is brought into successive registration with the ends of the fibres 7, so that any light shining out of any of the fibres 7 when the fibre 18 is at its end passes into this fibre 18. At the end of the shaft 13 remote from the rotor 12, where the fibre 18 terminates, a fixed photo-electric diode 23 is arranged. This receives any light from the fibre 18 and passes a corresponding signal to a synchronous detection circuit 24. The rotor 12 carries a circumferential disc 25 having ten slots 26 equi-angularly spaced about the axis A. A proximity detector 27 is arranged adjacent the disc 25 and is connected to the circuit 24.
If light is able to pass through all the test tubes, ten light pulses per rotor revolution will arrive at the diode 23, and equivalent signals will be passed to the circuit 24. Equally ten pulses per rotor revolution from the detector 27 will be passed to the circuit. By calibration to associate a particular detector pulse with a particular one of the ten test tube positions and counting of the detector pulses, the presence or absence or strength of a signal from the photo-diode 23 in synchronism with the detector pulses will identify whether light is able to pass the individual test tubes and whether a light absorbing reaction has occurred in the individual tubes and the strength of the reaction. The design of the circuit 24 and its calibration are within the skills of the man skilled in the art and will not be described here. It will be appreciated that the frequency of interrogation of the individual channels can be high in comparison with the speed of reaction, at least where the reaction to be detected is not instantaneous, thus not only the occurrence or not of the reactions can be monitored but also their progress with time.
The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance considerably more than ten reaction channels can be provided, typically sixty. It will be appreciated that such equipment benefits considerably from cost saving in comparison with providing individual light source and detection apparatus at each test tube. Further the need to associate optical fibres only with the test tubes, the light source and the commutator being remote, enables compact arrangement of the tubes.
The above described embodiment may be varied to provide direct motor drive or belt drive to the rotor. The circumferential disc may have a single slot which provides an indication of when the rotor is in one position. The detection circuit can then be adapted to sample at intervals which are fractions of the period between such indications and timed to the expected occurence of a signal at the fixed photo-electric diode.
The photo-electric diode can be provided remote from the end of the optical fibre 18 in the shaft 13. A further optical fibre being provided between the fibre 18 at its end in the shaft and the photo-electric diode.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. Reaction detection equipment comprising: a plurality of reaction sites; a source of light including a corresponding plurality of first light paths to the plurality of reaction sites; a corresponding plurality of second light paths from the plurality of reaction sites; an optical commutator having: a corresponding plurality of light receiving stations circularly arranged about an axis at the ends of the second light paths remote from the reaction sites, a rotor mounted for rotation past the light receiving stations with its axis of rotation coincident with the said axis, a light path on the rotor from a point thereof which passes the light receiving stations to a central point; means for detecting presence of light at the central point.
2. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of light is a single light source and means is provided for splitting the light from the source to the plurality of first light paths.
3. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an optical filter is provided between the source of light and the first light paths.
4. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the first and second light paths are provided by corresponding pluralities of optical fibres.
5. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 4, wherein a test tube holder is provided at the reaction sites, the holder having at each site two oppositely arranged bores, one accommodating an end of a respective one of the first light path optical fibres and the other accommodating an end of a respective one of the second light path optical fibres.
6. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the optical commutator includes a fixed plate, the plate having a plurality of equi-angularly spaced bores constituting the light receiving stations, each bore accommodating a respective one of the ends of the second light path optical fibres remote from the reaction sites.
7. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rotor is journalled in the fixed plate.
8. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the light path on the rotor comprises a single optical fibre and the rotor has a first bore at the same radial distance from the axis as the bores in the fixed plate and a central axial bore, the single optical fibre being accommodated at one end in the first bore and extending into the central axial bore.
9. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rotor is mounted on a shaft extending into the central axial bore of the rotor and the shaft is hollow for extension of the single optical fibre into it.
10. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the means for detecting light is a photodetector positioned on the central axis of the rotor at the remote end of the single optical fibre.
11. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the means for detecting light is a photodetector positioned remote from the central axis of the rotor, and another optical fibre is provided between the remote end of the single optical fibre and the photodetector.
12. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rotor is provided with synchronisation means for identifying via which reaction site light is arriving (or not as the case may be) at the central point.
13. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 12, including a synchronous detection circuit adapted to receive signals from the synchronisation means and from the light detecting means and to output information indicating occurence of reaction at the individual reaction sites.
14. Reaction detection equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the detection circuit is adapted to output information indicative of the state of progress of the reactions at the reaction sites.
PCT/GB1991/002205 1990-12-11 1991-12-11 Reaction detection equipment WO1992010737A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB909026912A GB9026912D0 (en) 1990-12-11 1990-12-11 Reaction detection equipment
GB9026912.7 1990-12-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1992010737A1 true WO1992010737A1 (en) 1992-06-25

Family

ID=10686847

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1991/002205 WO1992010737A1 (en) 1990-12-11 1991-12-11 Reaction detection equipment

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU9087191A (en)
GB (1) GB9026912D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1992010737A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2280026A (en) * 1993-07-15 1995-01-18 Perkin Elmer Corp Photometric instrument with optical fibres for analyzing plural remote samples
EP0711407A1 (en) * 1993-07-30 1996-05-15 Biolumin Corporation Multi-functional photometer with movable linkage for routing optical fibers
DE4424961C2 (en) * 1993-07-15 2002-05-08 Perkin Elmer Corp Selector for a photometric instrument with optical fibers for the analysis of distant samples
GB2375170A (en) * 2001-01-16 2002-11-06 Sensormetrics Radiation sensor for measuring radiation dose and radiography apparatus
US11427632B2 (en) 2016-07-06 2022-08-30 Celgene Corporation Antibodies with low immunogenicity and uses thereof

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3986778A (en) * 1975-10-01 1976-10-19 International Business Machines Corporation Spectrophotometer sample holder
US4015122A (en) * 1974-07-12 1977-03-29 Rubinstein Walter M Photo-electric object detection system
DE3112308A1 (en) * 1981-03-28 1982-10-14 Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer & Co GmbH, 7770 Überlingen CUVETTE ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPECTRAL PHOTOMETER
US4509856A (en) * 1982-11-16 1985-04-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Rotor for centrifugal fast analyzers
US4968148A (en) * 1984-03-01 1990-11-06 Molecular Devices Corporation Single source multi-site photometric measurement system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4015122A (en) * 1974-07-12 1977-03-29 Rubinstein Walter M Photo-electric object detection system
US3986778A (en) * 1975-10-01 1976-10-19 International Business Machines Corporation Spectrophotometer sample holder
DE3112308A1 (en) * 1981-03-28 1982-10-14 Bodenseewerk Perkin-Elmer & Co GmbH, 7770 Überlingen CUVETTE ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPECTRAL PHOTOMETER
US4509856A (en) * 1982-11-16 1985-04-09 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Rotor for centrifugal fast analyzers
US4968148A (en) * 1984-03-01 1990-11-06 Molecular Devices Corporation Single source multi-site photometric measurement system

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2280026A (en) * 1993-07-15 1995-01-18 Perkin Elmer Corp Photometric instrument with optical fibres for analyzing plural remote samples
US5428696A (en) * 1993-07-15 1995-06-27 The Perkin-Elmer Corporation Photometric instrument with optical fibers for analyzing remote samples
GB2280026B (en) * 1993-07-15 1998-01-21 Perkin Elmer Corp Photometric instrument with optical fibers for analyzing remote samples
DE4424961C2 (en) * 1993-07-15 2002-05-08 Perkin Elmer Corp Selector for a photometric instrument with optical fibers for the analysis of distant samples
EP0711407A1 (en) * 1993-07-30 1996-05-15 Biolumin Corporation Multi-functional photometer with movable linkage for routing optical fibers
EP0711407A4 (en) * 1993-07-30 1997-09-24 Biolumin Corp Multi-functional photometer with movable linkage for routing optical fibers
GB2375170A (en) * 2001-01-16 2002-11-06 Sensormetrics Radiation sensor for measuring radiation dose and radiography apparatus
US11427632B2 (en) 2016-07-06 2022-08-30 Celgene Corporation Antibodies with low immunogenicity and uses thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9026912D0 (en) 1991-01-30
AU9087191A (en) 1992-07-08

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