Automated diagnostic analyzers having vertically arranged carousels and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025147058-A1
Application number	US-202519016884-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 10, 2025
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 8, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Example automated diagnostic analyzers and methods for using the same are disclosed herein. An example apparatus described herein includes a first carousel rotatably coupled to a base and having a first axis of rotation. The example apparatus includes a second carousel rotatably coupled to the base and vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel. In the example apparatus, the second carousel has a second axis of rotation and a plurality of vessels. The example apparatus also includes a pipetting mechanism offset from the second axis of rotation. The example pipetting mechanism is to access the first carousel and the second carousel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of an automated diagnostic analyzer to at least:
cause a reagent carousel to rotate relative to a base, the reagent carousel rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the reagent carousel to support a plurality of reagent containers; cause a reaction carousel to rotate relative to the base according to a plurality of locksteps, the reaction carousel rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the reaction carousel to support a plurality of reaction vessels, the reaction carousel vertically spaced from the reagent carousel such at least a portion of the reaction carousel is disposed over the reagent carousel, wherein each of the locksteps includes an advancement step and a stop step, and wherein, for each of the locksteps, the stop step is longer than the advancement step; cause a first pipetting mechanism to aspirate a sample from a sample container and dispense the sample into a reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel; and cause a second pipetting mechanism to aspirate a reagent from a reagent container disposed on the reagent carousel and dispense the reagent into the reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel.

2 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the second pipetting mechanism to rotate relative to the base between aspirating the reagent and dispensing the reagent, the second pipetting mechanism rotatable about a third axis or rotation that extends through a circumference of the reagent carousel.

3 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the third axis of rotation is outside of the reaction carousel.

4 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the first pipetting mechanism to rotate relative to the base between aspirating the reagent and dispensing the sample, the first pipetting mechanism rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation that is outside of the reagent carousel and the reaction carousel.

5 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the reagent is a first reagent and the reagent container is a first reagent container, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
cause a third pipetting mechanism to aspirate a second reagent from a second reagent container disposed on the reagent carousel and dispense the second reagent into the reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel.

6 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
cause a reader, which is disposed adjacent the reaction carousel, to read contents of the reaction vessel as the reaction vessel passes the reader during one of the advancement steps of the reaction carousel.

7 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of an automated diagnostic analyzer to at least:
cause a reagent carousel to rotate relative to a base, the reagent carousel rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the reagent carousel to support a plurality of reagent containers; cause a reaction carousel to rotate relative to the base and through a plurality of locksteps, the reaction carousel rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the reaction carousel to support a plurality of reaction vessels, the reaction carousel vertically spaced from the reagent carousel such at least a portion of the reaction carousel is disposed over the reagent carousel, wherein each of the locksteps includes an advancement step and a stop step, and wherein during the advancement step of each of the locksteps, the reaction carousel is rotated about 90°; cause a first pipetting mechanism to aspirate a sample from a sample container and dispense the sample into a reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel; and cause a second pipetting mechanism to aspirate a reagent from a reagent container disposed on the reagent carousel and dispense the reagent into the reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel.

8 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the second pipetting mechanism to rotate relative to the base between aspirating the reagent and dispensing the reagent, the second pipetting mechanism rotatable about a third axis or rotation that extends through a circumference of the reagent carousel.

9 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the third axis of rotation is outside of the reaction carousel.

10 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the first pipetting mechanism to rotate relative to the base between aspirating the reagent and dispensing the sample, the first pipetting mechanism rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation that is outside of the reagent carousel and the reaction carousel.

11 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the reagent is a first reagent and the reagent container is a first reagent container, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
cause a third pipetting mechanism to aspirate a second reagent from a second reagent container disposed on the reagent carousel and dispense the second reagent into the reaction vessel disposed on the reaction carousel.

12 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
cause a reader, which is disposed adjacent the reaction carousel, to read contents of the reaction vessel as the reaction vessel passes the reader during one of the advancement steps of the reaction carousel.

13 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of an automated diagnostic analyzer to at least:
cause a first carousel to rotate relative to a base, the first carousel having a first diameter, the base having a horizontal length and a horizontal width; cause a second carousel to rotate relative to the base, the second carousel having a second diameter, the second carousel vertically spaced over the first carousel such that at least a portion of the second carousel is disposed over the first carousel, and such that the horizontal length of the base is less than a sum of the first and second diameters and the horizontal width of the base is less than the sum of the first and second diameters; and cause a pipetting mechanism to aspirate a reagent from a reagent container on the first carousel and dispense the reagent into a vessel on the second carousel.

14 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the pipetting mechanism to rotate relative to the base between aspirating the reagent and dispensing the reagent, the pipetting mechanism rotatable about an axis that extends through a circumference of the first carousel.

15 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the pipetting mechanism is a first pipetting mechanism, the reagent is a first reagent, and the reagent container is a fir

Assignees

• Abbott Lab
• Canon Medical Systems Corp

Inventors

• Ochranek Brian L
• Arnquist David C
• Oonuma Takehiko
• Tahara Hirotoshi
• Sato Naoto

Classifications

• G01N2035/0455

  Coaxial carousels · CPC title

• G01N2035/0444

  for cuvettes or reaction vessels · CPC title

• G01N35/04

  Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N35/02

  using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} · CPC title

• Y10T436/11

  Automated chemical analysis · CPC title