WO1994025159A1

WO1994025159A1 - Blood testing device

Info

Publication number: WO1994025159A1
Application number: PCT/CH1994/000079
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johann Leinhardt
Original assignee: Diag Human Ag
Priority date: 1993-05-03
Filing date: 1994-04-27
Publication date: 1994-11-10
Also published as: AU6501194A; CH685312A5

Abstract

The device comprises a horizontal bearing plate (2) rotatable about its axis (4) on which test vessels (101, 104) are arranged horizontally along a radial line. A first chamber (12) with a density gradient is arranged radially outwards. To this is connected an inner second chamber (16a, 16b) via a connecting aperture (18). Said second chamber is preferably sub-divided into a first partial chamber (16a) and a second partial chamber (16b) interconnected via an overflow (28). The device can easily be filled with substances to be examined and centrifuged with the simplest possible devices.

Description

Blood test device

The invention relates to a device for blood analysis according to the preamble of claim 1.

Devices of the type mentioned at the outset are known, in particular from EP-PS 0 305 337. In the device described there, a plurality of reaction vessels are fastened in parallel next to one another on a carrier plate which is intended for vertical use. It is disadvantageous that the device for centrifuging has to be tilted so that the reaction vessels are horizontal. A centrifuge with special devices for holding several such carrier plates is required for centrifuging. It is also disadvantageous that the reaction vessel has only one receiving chamber in which only a pretreated sample can be introduced. For this reason, the samples must be prepared outside the reaction vessel and then introduced into the receiving chamber of the reaction vessel.

The object of the invention is to further improve a device of the type mentioned.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1. The novel device can be placed on a simple centrifuge without special aids, which on the one hand simplifies the centrifuge design and on the other hand each device can be centrifuged individually immediately without several such devices must be placed in a complicated mounting system of a centrifuge. Advantageous embodiments of the device are described in claims 2 to 9.

It is particularly advantageous if the device is designed according to claim 2, so that the sample to be examined can be introduced for all test vessels by means of a one-time filling process, which considerably simplifies handling compared to the known devices in which the sample to be examined for each test vessel must be added separately.

The connection opening between the first chamber and the second chamber can in principle be at any location, but an embodiment according to claim 3 is preferred. This ensures that the sample to be examined does not immediately enter the first chamber from the second chamber. Only after a certain number of revolutions has been reached does the sample move on the inclined chamber wall into the connection opening and thus into the first chamber.

An embodiment of the device according to claim 4 is particularly advantageous, in which case two different substances can then be introduced into the second chamber, for example an erythrocyte into the first partial chamber and a serum to be examined into the second partial chamber. With a gentle rotation, the substance then migrates from the second sub-chamber into the first sub-chamber and can react there. The reaction mixture then migrates from the first sub-chamber into the first chamber at a higher speed. With the help of the new device, numerous pipetting steps can be saved, so that investigations can be carried out more efficiently. It can be expedient if the second partial chamber is an annular chamber common to all test vessels. Claim 6 describes an advantageous embodiment of the device, which can be further improved by the development according to claim 7. This improves the system when filling the device. Particularly advantageous is a further development according to claim 8, which prevents unintentional penetration of substances into the first chamber when filling the second chamber.

In particular, if a common substance is to be added for all test vessels, an embodiment of the device according to claim 9 is advantageous.

All of the blood tests known from EP-PS 0 194 212 and in particular 0 305 337 and from EP-OS 0 485 228 can be carried out with the known substances and reagents, for example blood group determinations, antibodies, by means of the present device ¬ search, antibody identification, compatibility tests and the like. For this purpose, reference is made to the literature on the prior art, in particular to the statements in the publications mentioned.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with the aid of schematic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a first device with a lid with six test vessels distributed around the circumference, in plan view;

Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 in

Section II-II of Figure 1, on a larger scale; and

Figure 3 shows another device with 16 am

Scope of distributed test vessels and removed cover in the floor plan.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a device which is suitable, for example, for determining blood groups. The device contains a carrier disk 2 which can be rotated about its axis 4. For this purpose, the carrier disc has a hub 6 with a bore 8 coaxial with the axis 4, by means of which it can be placed, for example, on a pivot pin of a centrifuge. The carrier disk 2 contains six test vessels 10 ^ to 10g, which are arranged on the carrier disk 2 lying along a radial beam 11 to the axis 4. Each test vessel has a first chamber 12 with an external tapered end section 14 and is filled with a known density gradient suitable for the respective examination purpose. Connected radially inward to the first chamber 12 is a second chamber 16, which communicates with the first chamber 12 via a connecting opening 18 and has an upper filling opening 20, so that the samples can be introduced horizontally. The chamber wall 22 arranged between the first chamber 12 and the second chamber 16 is inclined on the side 24 facing the second chamber 16 at an angle <X radially outwards against the connecting opening 18, so that with increasing centrifugal force the content of the second chamber can reach the first chamber 12 via the connection opening 18.

The second chamber can now be in one piece or, as in the example shown, can be divided into a first partial chamber 16a and a second partial chamber 16b with corresponding filling openings 20a, 20b by means of a partition wall 26, the first partial chamber 16a of the first chamber 12 is facing. The first partial chamber 16a and the second partial chamber 16b are connected to one another via an overflow 28 which is formed by the upper edge of the partition wall 26. The partition wall 26 is on the side 30 facing the second partial chamber 16b inclined radially outwards at an angle β, the angle β being smaller than the angle ot of the chamber wall 22, so that during centrifugation the contents of the second partial chamber 16b first flow into the first partial chamber 16a before penetration of the chamber contents via the Connection opening 18 in the first chamber 12 is possible. For example, the second subchamber 16b can be provided with a serum to be examined and the first subchamber 16a with an erythrocyte with which the serum reacts before it is analyzed in a known manner in the first chamber 12, ie in the density gradient.

The second sub-chamber 16b is preferably common to all test vessels, i.e. designed as an annular chamber. The first sub-chamber 16a can be individual for each test vessel or can also be designed as an annular chamber common to all test vessels.

The device preferably has a lid 32 which is transparent for observing the test vessels 10 ^ to 10 g. The cover 32 can, for example, have an opening 34 which leaves the region of the second sub-chamber 16b, which opening is therefore assigned to the filling opening 20b. The cover 32 can be designed as a fixed cover, wherein the filling opening 20a of each first sub-chamber 16a can be assigned an opening. The lid 32 is preferably designed to be rotatable and has an opening 36 which can be assigned to each filling opening of the first subchambers 16a, the opening 36 moreover from an active position interacting with the test vessels, that is to say the associated filling opening, into an adjacent inactive position Position can be pivoted. By pivoting the cover 32, the single opening can be connected in succession to the various test vessels in order to systematically equip the test vessels with substances ensure. The lid can also have a downward-facing cover lug 38 which is arranged in the region of the opening 36 and which covers the connection opening 18 from the second chamber 16 to the first chamber 12 of a test vessel 10 if the opening 36 is assigned to the corresponding test vessel. Only after the lid has been turned further does the cover tab 38 release the connection opening when the opening no longer communicates with the corresponding test vessel.

FIG. 3 shows a further device with sixteen radially arranged test vessels 10 to 10 ^, in which the second partial chamber 16b forms an annular chamber common to all test vessels analogous to that of FIG. The first sub-chamber 16a likewise forms a continuous annular chamber, but the bottom and the walls are designed prismatically in such a way that the substance added to the individual test vessels cannot get into the adjacent test vessel. The device shown in FIG. 3 is particularly suitable for antibody identification and for an antibody search test. The inner second partial chamber 16b serves to receive the serum necessary for the examination. The outer partial chamber 16a, which is closer to the first chamber 12 and thus to the density gradient, serves to receive erythrocytes. The first sub-chamber 16a simultaneously forms a reaction chamber. It is extraordinarily advantageous that the serum to be examined can be introduced into the internal second partial chamber 16b with a single pipetting step. In a first phase, the serum is automatically distributed into the first subchambers 16a by gentle centrifugation, that is to say at low speed, in which the erythrocytes are placed. Only in a second phase of centrifuging at high speed does the reaction mixture pass from the first sub-chamber 16a via the connection opening 18 into the first chamber 12 and thus into the density gradient for the known evaluation. - 1 -

REFERENCE CHARACTERISTICS

o Tilt angle ß Tilt angle

2 carrier disc

4 axis

6 hub

8 hole

¹⁰ 1 to ^ g test vessel

11 radial beam

12 first chamber

14 end section

16 second chamber

16a first subchamber

16b second subchamber

18 connection opening

20 filling opening

20a filling opening for 16a

20b filling opening for 16b

22 chamber wall

24 page of 22

26 partition

28 overflow

30 page

32 lids

34 opening

36 opening

38 cover tab

Claims

Godfather Sayings

1. Blood test device, wherein a plurality of test vessels (10 ₁ to 10 ₁₆ ) are arranged on a support plate (2), each of which has a first chamber (12) with a density gradient, which has a second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) is connected, which has a filling opening (20, 20a, 20b) for receiving the sample to be examined, characterized in that the support plate is designed as a horizontal support disc (2) which can be rotated about its axis (4) on which the test vessels (IO-L to 10 ₁₆ ) each lie along a radial beam

(11) of the carrier disc (2) are arranged, the first chamber (12) lying radially outside and the second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) lying radially inside, and the filling opening (20, 20a, 20b) of the latter on that of the carrier disc (2) opposite side of the second chamber (16) is arranged.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second chamber (16) is designed as an annular chamber communicating with all test vessels (10-_ to 10g).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the connecting opening (18) of the first chamber

(12) to the second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) is arranged in the upper region of a chamber wall (22) between the chambers (12, 16, 16a, 16b) and the side facing the second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) ( 24) of the chamber wall (22) extends at an angle (o () radially outwards towards the connection opening (18).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second chamber (16) by means of a partition (26) in a first partial chamber (16a), which the faces the first chamber (12), and is divided into a second partial chamber (16b), which faces away from the first chamber (12), and the two partial chambers (16a, 16b) are connected to one another via an overflow (28), the side (30) of the partition (26) of the second subchamber (16b) facing the second subchamber (16b) is inclined radially outwards against the overflow (28) by an angle (β) which is smaller than the angle (£ <.) , the side (24) of the chamber wall (22) facing the first partial chamber (16a) and each partial chamber (16a, 16b) being provided with an overlying fill opening (20a, 20b).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the second partial chamber (16b) is designed as an annular chamber common to all test vessels (10- ^ to lO ^ g).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) of all test vessels (10 ^ to 10 ^) is closed at the top by means of a lid (32) which covers the filling openings ( 20, 20a, 20b) of the chambers (16, 16a, 16b) assigned openings (34, 36).

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the lid (32) is rotatable and contains at least one opening (34), which in one position with a filling opening (20,20a) of the second chamber (16,16a) in connection stands and closes it in a different position.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the cover (32) contains at least one downwardly protruding cover lug (38) which, in one position, connects the connection (18) between the first chamber (12) and covers the second chamber (16, 16a, 16b) and releases it in another position.

9. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the cover (32) has a central opening (36) assigned to the filling opening (20b) of the second partial chamber (16b).