Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Bicycling
Reexamination Certificate
1996-10-03
2001-10-09
Ludlow, Jan (Department: 1743)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Bicycling
C366S220000, C422S105000, C435S287300, C436S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299567
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to selective component agitation apparatus and method, e.g. apparatus for suspending the solid phase component in solid phase-containing reaction systems or reactants, particularly in assay reaction systems. The apparatus is particularly useful in automated assay machines. The invention further relates to a method for carrying out solid phase resuspension.
It is usual in, for example, hospital laboratories, to carry out large numbers of diagnostic reactions on samples from one or more subjects. Such reactions are conveniently carried out using automated assay machines, programmed to carry out the necessary tests and to display and/or issue the results in some hard copy form.
Usually such machines are provided with carriers, for example racks or carousels, which hold containers with the necessary reaction components for one or more specific diagnostic tests and/or the samples to be tested themselves.
Many assays, particularly where the assay is an immunoassay, have a solid component on which a particular reagent may be bound or adsorbed. In many cases the solid component is a particulate or finely divided solid phase which is capable of suspension in aqueous media. It is of course desirable, prior to using such solid phase components, to ensure that they are adequately suspended, thus preventing inaccuracies from being introduced into the assay.
It is known in the art to mix or resuspend components by vibratory methods, for example vibratory mixers are well known which operate by placing a sample container on a vibrating element, which causes mixing in the sample. One commercial immunoassay system uses a reaction container which is suspended at its top by a resilient “web”. The base of the container is not suspended but hangs “free”, and is adapted to interact with a mechanical agitator to transmit a disturbance to the whole container. In addition, EP 0051341 discloses an apparatus which includes a reagent/sample container-carrying carousel, which carousel is rotatable and has mounted thereon in fixed positions a number of individual containers.
In many systems found in the art, a problem with reactions which comprise a solid phase component is the cumulative effects of frequent resuspension and/or disturbance on the useful life of the solid phase reagent. After a time, solid phase components deteriorate due to fragmenting of particles or loss of bound reagent. This is a particular problem where, as is usually the case, a carousel carrier supports components for different tests, not all of which will be required for a particular patient sample, and some of which may be infrequently used and thus the corresponding reactants infrequently replenished. In such a situation, systems which vibrate or otherwise disturb the whole carousel carrier will cause resuspension of all solid phases carried thereon, regardless of whether or not these are needed for a particular reaction or test, leading to reactant deterioration and, ultimately, inaccurate or poor results. There are further problems in the art, in that suspension caused by vibration is unreliable and may also lead to inaccurate or poor results, and such a mixing or suspension made may result in undesirable aeration or frothing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides apparatus for selectively agitating one or more components of a multi-component reaction or assay, which apparatus comprises at least one container for said one or more components which is rotatably mounted upon a platform also carrying other component containers, said at least one container being mounted so as to be free to rotate independently of other containers on the platform, and means for selectively rotating said at least one container.
The present invention in a preferred embodiment provides apparatus for suspending a particulate solid phase which is suspensible in aqueous media, which apparatus comprises at least one container for said solid phase carried upon a platform which also carries reagent-, reaction-, and/or sample-containers, said at least one container being mounted so as to be free to rotate independently of other containers on the platform, and means for selectively rotating said at least one container. Preferably, the apparatus is part of an automated immunoassay system, the platform being a carousel carrying containers for use in a number of immunoassay tests. In especially preferred embodiments, there is one of said selectively rotatable solid phase containers for each immunoassay test.
The rotatable selectively solid phase container(s) may be mounted on bearings facilitating ease of rotation, e.g. PTFE or polypropylene or other low-friction plastics material bearings. The container(s) themselves may be made of such materials, eliminating the need for special bearings due to the resulting low frictional coefficient surface of the container(s). Such container(s) may be provided with a specifically shaped base rotatably to fit into a corresponding hole or recess on a platform.
Preferably, the means for selective rotating solid phase container(s) comprises a motor which can drive the container either directly or indirectly. An individual motor may be provided for each independently rotatable solid phase container, or a single motor operable with each such container may be used.
The preferred type of platform is a rotatable carousel which is adapted to carry the containers, and which by simple rotation can bring a required solid phase container into alignment with a fixed position motor drive, thereby allowing the selective rotation of a solid phase container independently of other containers on the carousel.
If desired, other containers may be positioned and mounted so as to be selectively rotatable.
Rotatable containers can be rotated via a wheel mounted on a drive shaft attached to the appropriate motor. The container is brought into frictional contact with the wheel whereby when the motor is energized and the wheel turns the container is rotated. Alternatively, the container may carry an integral gear wheel around its circumference, e.g. moulded into a lower part of the circumference, which gear meshes with a drive gear on the drive shaft.
The present apparatus can also include means to monitor spinning of the container(s), e.g. via a fixed sensor aligned to detect reflected light from a reflective area provided on the container(s). The invention also envisages the possibility of monitoring the degree of resuspension of solid phase by employing one or more transparent rotatable containers and measuring of a light absorption or scatter beam passing through such containers. In general, positive feed back may be provided to a computer controlling apparatus including the rotatable container(s) of the invention, e.g. either by a Hall effect device or by a reflective opto device to ensure that the solid phase is adequately spun. These two sensors may be of the type supplied by RS Components Ltd.
The solid phase containers envisaged in the present invention can be provided separately or as part of complete modules comprising several vessels, e.g. one or more liquid reagent containers together with one or more solid phase containers, wherein in each module the containers are preferably all joined by an overlaying snap fit top adapted to link the containers and to hold them in the correct alignment for mounting on the platform. If desired, at least some of the reagent containers can be provided in integral form as a one piece moulding. In such circumstances a top for linking purposes may not be necessary.
In addition, the present apparatus can be provided with means to cover or seal access openings of containers, whether solid phase containers or other vessels, while they are not in use. Such means can include, inter alia, foil or plastics material seals or removable plugs or caps. A single cover can be employed for a number of containers simultaneously. The means can comprise a movable cover which, when a particular container is not specifically required, may be positioned such that
Allen Gerald John
Forrest Gordon Coulter
Missing Philip
Alfa Wasserman S.p.A.
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Ludlow Jan
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