Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080228319 | ROBOTIC ARM ALIGNMENT - A method for aligning the position of a movable arm includes: providing an alignment element on the apparatus projecting a distance above the apparatus in the z-direction and having a surface lying in a plane formed by an x and y axis; providing a movable arm having a tool at the free end; positioning the object such that the surface of the element faces the tool; moving the tool in a direction towards the surface of the element; sensing when the tool reaches a predetermined point on or above the surface of the element, whereby the position of the tool in the z-direction is determined based on the relationship between the measured response of the tool and the height of the tool above the surface of the alignment element; placing the tool on or at a distance in the z-direction from the surface; moving the tool in the x-direction while sensing the surface of the element; moving the tool in the x-direction until an edge of the element is sensed; determining the center in the x-direction based on the known distance the tool has moved and the known dimensions of the element in the x-direction; placing the tool on or at a distance in the z-direction from the surface; moving the tool in the y-direction while sensing the surface of the element; moving the tool in the y-direction until an edge of the element is sensed; determining the center in the y-direction based on the known distance the tool has moved and the known dimensions of the element in the y-direction. In a preferred embodiment, the tool is a metering probe having a disposable tip on the end thereof. In another preferred embodiment, the measured response is the air pressure in the probe and the metering probe has a source of compressed air for expelling air out of the end of the probe and a pressure transducer for measuring the air pressure inside the metering probe. | 09-18-2008 |
20090093065 | ASPIRATING AND DISPENSING SMALL VOLUMES OF LIQUIDS - A metering device for aspirating and dispensing a liquid includes a housing; a pumping medium, preferably a gas containing chamber contained within the housing; a channel having a proximate end in fluid communication with the chamber and a distal end in fluid communication with an external environment; a heat or cold source providing a source of heat or cold to the gas containing chamber; and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the device further includes a pressure sensor for measuring gas pressure inside the chamber, or multiple chambers. A method for aspirating and dispensing a liquid includes: providing a metering device for aspirating and dispensing a liquid that includes a housing; a gas containing chamber contained within the housing, the chamber; a channel having a proximate end in fluid communication with the chamber and a distal end in fluid communication with an external environment; a heat or cold source providing a source of heat or cold to the gas containing chamber; and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature inside the chamber; providing a source of liquid to be aspirated; bringing the distal end of the channel into contact with the liquid; cooling the gas containing chamber with the heat or cold source to aspirate a first volume of liquid into the device; and heating the gas containing chamber to dispense a second volume of liquid out of the device. In a preferred embodiment, the metering device is a used in a diagnostic analyzer for determining the presence of one or more analytes in a sample. | 04-09-2009 |
20090233310 | PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION IN A TIP - An apparatus and a related method for performing particle agglutination reactions in a single, disposable probe tip are disclosed. The probe tip includes a sample cavity for sample acquisition, at least one flanking cavity for the capture of particles by centrifugation or other means, a transition zone for the mixing of the sample with reagents for agglutination and a detection zone for the optical detection of particle agglutination. A mechanism may be attached to the probe tip for the controlled movement of fluids through the internal volume of the probe tip. The probe tip is particularly useful for the automation of high-throughput agglutination-type assays. | 09-17-2009 |
20100221757 | PATIENT SAMPLE CLASSIFICATION BASED UPON LOW ANGLE LIGHT SCATTERING - An apparatus for classifying a liquid patient sample includes at least one sample container having a quantity of a sample that is aggressively acted upon so as to create a flow field. A measurement mechanism includes at least one low angle light emitter aligned with a measurement window of the at leas tone sample container and a detector oppositely disposed relative to the measurement window. Measurement of the scattered light detects particle characteristics of a moving flow field from the sample to determine, for example, the amount of agglutination of the sample so as to perform blood typing or other classifications without spatial separation. | 09-02-2010 |
20110070600 | PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION IN A TIP - An apparatus and a related method for performing particle agglutination reactions in at least one disposable probe tip are disclosed. The at least one probe tip includes a sample cavity for sample acquisition, at least one flanking cavity for the capture of particles by centrifugation or other means, a transition zone for the mixing of the sample with reagents for agglutination and a detection zone for the optical detection of particle agglutination. A mechanism may be attached to the probe tip for the controlled movement of fluids through the internal volume of the probe tip. The probe tip is particularly useful for the automation of high-throughput agglutination-type assays. | 03-24-2011 |
20110252872 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATING VISCOSITY - A method for estimating the viscosity of a liquid in an aspirating or dispensing probe, includes: measuring a reference pressure which is the pressure inside a metering tip when no dispense or aspirate is occurring (P | 10-20-2011 |
20120040446 | PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION IN A TIP - An apparatus and a related method for performing particle agglutination reactions in at least one disposable probe tip are disclosed. The at least one probe tip includes a sample cavity for sample acquisition, at least one flanking cavity for the capture of particles by centrifugation or other means, a transition zone for the mixing of the sample with reagents for agglutination and a detection zone for the optical detection of particle agglutination. A mechanism may be attached to the probe tip for the controlled movement of fluids through the internal volume of the probe tip. The probe tip is particularly useful for the automation of high-throughput agglutination-type assays. | 02-16-2012 |
20120258479 | Assay Device Having Rhombus-Shaped Projections - An assay device includes: a liquid sample receiving zone; a capture zone in fluid communication with the sample receiving zone having capture elements bound thereto, the capture zone having a substrate and projections which extend substantially vertically from the substrate, the projections having a rhombus-shaped cross-section and the projections arranged on the substrate with the corners of the projections facing upstream in a direction toward the sample receiving zone. The projections have a height, cross-section and a distance between one another that defines a capillary space between the projections capable of generating capillary flow parallel to the substrate surface; and a sink in fluid communication with the capture zone having a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the capture zone. The sample receiving zone, the capture zone and the sink define a fluid flow path. Preferably, the rhombus-shaped cross-section is a square or a diamond. | 10-11-2012 |
20130189672 | Assay Device Having Multiple Reagent Cells - An assay device includes: a liquid sample zone; a reagent zone downstream and in fluid communication with the sample zone. The reagent zone includes at least two reagent cells containing a reagent material and arranged in the reagent zone such that each reagent cell experiences substantially the same flow conditions of sample from the sample zone. The reagent cells divide the sample flow from the sample zone into multiple flow streams. Also includes are: one or more flow control elements disposed downstream from the reagent zone which combine the multiple flow streams into fewer flow streams; a detection zone in fluid communication with the reagent zone; and a wicking zone in fluid communication with the detection zone having a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the detection zone. The sample addition zone, the detection zone and the wicking zone define a fluid flow path. | 07-25-2013 |
20130189673 | Assay Device Having Controllable Sample Size - Disclosed is an assay device which comprises a liquid sample addition zone, a reagent zone, a detection zone, and a wicking zone, all defining a fluid flow path. The device further comprises a reagent addition zone along and in fluid communication with the fluid flow path downstream of the sample addition zone and upstream of the detection zone. An interrupting wash is added at this reagent addition zone in accordance with the method of the subject invention to control sample volume. The interrupting wash fluid is added at a predetermined fill volume on the chip device and also serves to wash the detection channel and fill the remaining chip volume. | 07-25-2013 |
20130189796 | Assay Device Having Uniform Flow Around Corners - An assay device includes: a liquid sample zone; a reagent zone downstream and in fluid communication with the sample zone containing a reagent material; a detection zone in fluid communication with the reagent zone having capture elements bound thereto; and a wicking zone in fluid communication with the capture zone having a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the detection zone. The sample receiving zone, the reagent zone, the detection zone and the wicking zone define a fluid flow path and at least a part of the fluid flow path has a substrate and projections which extend substantially vertically from the substrate, wherein the projections have a height, cross-section and a distance between one another that defines a space between the projections capable of generating capillary flow parallel to the substrate surface. In addition, the fluid flow path having projections includes a corner section which changes the direction of the flow path. The projections in or around the corner section are modified to maintain the configuration of the flow front of the sample flowing through the flow path after the corner is substantially the same configuration as before the corner. | 07-25-2013 |
20130210036 | Controlling Fluid Flow Through An Assay Device - An assay device includes: a detection zone which includes a first set of projections which are capable of generating capillary flow. A wicking zone (WZ) has a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the detection zone and includes a second set of projections which are capable of generating capillary flow. The WZ is rectangular in shape and the longer side of the rectangle extends in the direction of flow to thereby reduce the pressure gradient in the assay device which increases the total flow time of liquid sample compared to a WZ having equal length sides and same volume. At least a portion of the second set of projections have at least one dimension selected from a diameter, a center-to-center spacing, or a gap between projections that is different from the first set of projections, and is selected to increase the total flow time of the sample. | 08-15-2013 |
20130330713 | LATERAL FLOW ASSAY DEVICES FOR USE IN CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND CONFIGURATION OF CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR SAME - A lateral flow device for use in a mainframe or point-of-care clinical analyzer, in which the lateral flow device includes a planar support having at least one sample addition area and at least one reaction area disposed thereon. The sample addition area and reaction area are fluidly interconnected to one another and form at least one lateral fluid flow path. The lateral flow device is sized for retention within a storage cartridge of the analyzer defined by a hollow interior and having a plurality of lateral flow assay devices retained in stacked relation therein. | 12-12-2013 |
20140134653 | Calibrating Assays Using Reaction Time - A method for performing an assay on a liquid sample for the detection of one or more analytes of interest in an assay device having a flow path which includes a sample zone and detection zone thereon includes: dispensing the sample onto the sample zone; combining the sample and a reagent, wherein the sample and reagent may be combined prior to addition of the sample to the sample zone or on the assay device, flowing the combined sample/reagent by capillary action into and through the detection zone having capture elements bound thereto, wherein a signal at least partially representative of the presence or concentration of analyte(s) is produced and detected; determining a reaction time or reaction volume; and determining the concentration of the analyte by using both the detected signal and the reaction time or reaction volume. | 05-15-2014 |
20140141527 | QUALITY/PROCESS CONTROL OF A LATERAL FLOW ASSAY DEVICE BASED ON FLOW MONITORING - A method for providing quality control on a lateral flow assay device or for triggering a process-related step, the device including a substrate having at least one sample receiving area, at least one reagent zone downstream and in fluid communication with the at least one sample receiving area, at least one detection zone downstream and in fluid communication with the at least one reagent zone and at least one wicking zone downstream of the at least one detection zone, each fluidly interconnected therewith along at least one fluid flow path. The detection material provided in the at least one reagent zone produces a detectable signal that can be tracked and monitored prior to the completion of at least one test being performed on the lateral flow assay device. | 05-22-2014 |
20140206098 | Low Volume Assay Device Having Increased Sensitivity - An assay device includes: a liquid sample zone; a reagent zone downstream and in fluid communication with the sample addition zone containing a reagent material; a detection zone in fluid communication with the reagent zone. The detection zone has a substrate and projections which extend substantially vertically from the substrate, wherein the projections have a height, cross-section and a distance between one another that defines a capillary space between the projections capable of generating capillary flow parallel to the substrate surface. The device is capable of creating a reagent plume in the detection zone that includes liquid sample and dissolved reagent, where the width of the reagent plume extends substantially across the width of the detection zone, The device further includes a wicking zone in fluid communication with the detection zone having a capacity to receive liquid sample flowing from the detection zone. | 07-24-2014 |
20140272941 | ROTATABLE FLUID SAMPLE COLLECTION DEVICE - A sample collection device for a fluid sample includes: a body including a capillary channel having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to draw the fluid into the channel by capillary action; an air vent located in the vicinity of the second end and in fluid communication with the capillary channel; a barrier positioned within the capillary channel to prevent flow of the fluid by capillary action thereacross; and features on opposing sides of the body to form an axis of rotation, which is substantially perpendicular to the overall direction of the capillary channel from the first end to the second end. In a preferred embodiment, the sample collection device is adapted to rotate about the axis of rotation within a cartridge having a sample manipulation device to bring the first end into position with the sample manipulation device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275866 | ROTATABLE DISK-SHAPED FLUID SAMPLE COLLECTION DEVICE - A sample collection device for a fluid includes: a substantially disk-shaped body having a periphery; a capillary channel extending through the body and bounded by the periphery, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to draw the fluid into the channel by capillary action; a sample collection well located in the vicinity of the second end and in fluid communication with the capillary channel; and an axis of rotation extending through the center of the disk and which is substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the disk-shaped body. In a preferred embodiment, the sample collection device is adapted to rotate about the axis of rotation within a cartridge having a housing comprising an air vent in fluid communication with the capillary channel when the disk is rotated in a first position. | 09-18-2014 |