System and method for receiving and storing reagent packs in an instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761027-B2
Application number	US-202217877776-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2022
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A system includes a reagent pack input carousel, a carousel frame supporting the carousel, and a track on which the carousel frame is supported for movement of the carousel into and out of an instrument in drawer-like fashion. The carousel is rotatable about an axis of rotation and includes a plurality of reagent pack input stations arranged about the perimeter of the carousel. Each input station is adapted to carry a reagent pack, and the input stations are oriented at an angle with respect to a radial orientation relative to the axis of rotation. Each input station includes an alignment block located at a radially inner end of the station, and the block is received within a recess formed in an end of the reagent pack placed in the station to align and position of the reagent pack within the station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a reagent pack input carousel that is rotatable about an axis of rotation, the reagent pack input carousel comprising a plurality of reagent pack input stations arranged about the perimeter of the reagent pack input carousel, each reagent pack input station being adapted to receive and carry a reagent pack, wherein each of the plurality of reagent pack input stations is oriented at an angle with respect to a radial orientation relative to the axis of rotation, and wherein each reagent pack input station comprises an alignment block located at a radially inner end of the reagent pack input station and wherein the alignment block is configured to be received within a recess formed in an end of the reagent pack to maintain alignment and position of the reagent pack within the reagent pack input station;
a carousel frame including a recess within which the reagent pack input carousel is disposed; and
a track on which the carousel frame is supported and adapted to enable the carousel frame to be slid as a drawer into an instrument in a closed position and out of the instrument in an open position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the angle is from 5 to 20°.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a code reader configured to read a machine code provided on the reagent packs, and wherein the carousel frame comprises a scanning slot providing an opening through which the code reader may read a machine code disposed on a side of each reagent pack disposed in the reagent pack input stations.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor disposed on the carousel frame and coupled to the reagent pack input carousel to effect powered rotation of the reagent pack input carousel, wherein the motor moves with the carousel frame as the carousel frame is slid into and out of the instrument.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors for detecting a position of the carousel frame.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a reagent pack access slot formed in the carousel frame through which a reagent pack distributor within the instrument can access a reagent pack disposed within a reagent pack input station aligned with the reagent pack access slot.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each respective reagent pack input station of the plurality of reagent pack input stations comprises dividers between the respective reagent pack input station and adjacent reagent pack input stations on either side of the respective reagent pack input station, wherein the dividers comprise radial inner dividers disposed between each respective reagent pack input station and adjacent reagent pack input stations on either side of the respective reagent pack input station and radial outer dividers disposed between each respective reagent pack input station and adjacent reagent pack input stations on either side of the respective reagent pack input station, with a gap situated between each radial inner divider and the corresponding radial outer divider.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a code reader configured to read a machine code provided on the reagent packs, and wherein the carousel frame comprises a scanning slot providing an opening through which the code reader may read a machine code disposed on a side of each reagent pack disposed in the reagent pack input stations, and wherein each divider includes a machine code that is readable by the code reader when no reagent pack is disposed in the reagent pack input station.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one reagent pack disposed in a reagent pack input station of the reagent pack input carousel, the reagent pack comprising
a plurality of mixing wells, wherein at least one of the mixing wells contains a lyophilized reagent;
a manipulating hook configured to be engageable by a manipulating structure of a receptacle distributor; and
a rear recess in one end of the reagent pack that is configured to receive the alignment block to align the reagent pack within the reagent pack input station.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each of two or more of the mixing wells contains a lyophilized reagent, and wherein the two or more mixing wells contain the same reagent or different reagents.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lyophilized reagent is in pellet form, and each pellet is held at the bottom of the at least one mixing well with an electrostatic charge imparted to the pellet and/or the at least one mixing well or with one or more physical features present in the at least one mixing well.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the reagent pack further comprises a pierceable foil adhered to a top surface of the reagent pack, wherein the pierceable foil is configured to be pierced by a pipette tip to enable reconstitution agents or other substances to be dispensed into the mixing well and to enable reconstituted reagent to be aspirated from the mixing well.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a reagent pack storage compartment configured to store a plurality of reagent packs; a reagent pack storage carousel disposed within the reagent pack storage compartment, the reagent pack storage carousel being rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein the reagent pack storage carousel includes a plurality of reagent pack storage stations disposed around the axis of rotation of the reagent pact storage carousel, each reagent pack storage station being configured to hold a reagent pack.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a rotary distributor configured to move a reagent pack between the reagent pack input carousel and the reagent pack storage carousel.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the rotary distributor comprises:
a distributor head configured for vertical and rotary movement; and
an extendible and retractable hook disposed within the distributor head and configured to engage a reagent pack to pull the reagent pack into the distributor head or push the reagent pack out of the distributor head.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the carousel frame is disposed above the reagent pack storage compartment when the carousel frame is in the closed position.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a reagent pack access slot formed in the carousel frame through which the rotary distributor can access a reagent pack disposed within a reagent pack input station of the reagent pack input carousel that is aligned with the reagent pack access slot.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of reagent pack storage stations of the reagent pack storage carousel are disposed on more than one level.

19. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a cooling system for maintaining the reagent pack storage compartment at a lower than ambient temperature.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a humidity control module configured to control humidity within the reagent pack storage compartment.

21. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a storage carousel drive configured to power rotation of the reagent pack storage carousel.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the storage carousel drive comprises a motor coupled to the reagent pack storage carousel to power rotation of the reagent pack storage carousel, wherein the motor is located outside the reagent pack storage compartment.

23. The system of claim 13 , wherein the reagent pack input carousel and the reagent pack storage carousel rotate inde

Assignees

• Gen Probe Inc

Inventors

• Buse David A
• Hagen Norbert D
• Opalsky David

Classifications

• B01L3/50825 Primary

  Closing or opening means, corks, bungs · CPC title

• C12Q1/6806 Primary

  Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay (C12Q1/6804 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L3/527

  for a plurality of reagents · CPC title

• B01L3/565

  Seals · CPC title

• B01L2200/026

  Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details · CPC title