CA1312264C - Slide holder and tip locator - Google Patents
Slide holder and tip locatorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1312264C CA1312264C CA000551670A CA551670A CA1312264C CA 1312264 C CA1312264 C CA 1312264C CA 000551670 A CA000551670 A CA 000551670A CA 551670 A CA551670 A CA 551670A CA 1312264 C CA1312264 C CA 1312264C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- slide
- tip
- holder
- passageways
- dispensing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
- G01N35/00029—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N35/00—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
- G01N35/00029—Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides
- G01N2035/00039—Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
Abstract
IMPROVED SLIDE HOLDER AND TIP LOCATOR
ABSTRACT
There is disclosed a universal slide holder for use in an analyzer, that will accept either a colorimetric slide or a potentiometric slide for dispensing a liquid onto the slide. The holder comprises a body portion, means for releasibly holding a slide, and a disposable tip guide and support turret for positioning a tip relative to the slide during metering. The holder is improved in that the guide and support turret has two passageways extending through it to a position Just above the slide holding means, with a construction to position a liquid dispensing tip selectively in one or the other passageway, the passageways including a shoulder dimensioned to position and support the dispensing tips based on the dimensions of the barrel of the tip.
ABSTRACT
There is disclosed a universal slide holder for use in an analyzer, that will accept either a colorimetric slide or a potentiometric slide for dispensing a liquid onto the slide. The holder comprises a body portion, means for releasibly holding a slide, and a disposable tip guide and support turret for positioning a tip relative to the slide during metering. The holder is improved in that the guide and support turret has two passageways extending through it to a position Just above the slide holding means, with a construction to position a liquid dispensing tip selectively in one or the other passageway, the passageways including a shoulder dimensioned to position and support the dispensing tips based on the dimensions of the barrel of the tip.
Description
- 1 - 1 31 22~4 IMPROVED SLIDE HOLDER AND TIP LOCATOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to slide holders used in analyzers to ~scertain analyte concentrations in liquid S added to the slides.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the analyzer shown in U.S. Patent No.
4~296,070, Figures 2-4 especially, two different slide blocks or holders 40 are provided to hold a test element 10 or slide 15 or 17. One kind of slide 15 is a colorimetric test element, with a liquid-receiving are~ that is centered, Figure 3. The other kind of slide 17 is a potentiometric test elemen~ with a sample liquid-receiving area that is offset from center. Also featured in the 15 holder is a tip locator, unnumbered, shown as a vertically rising cylinder or turr~t, in Figure 4. That tip locator is used to locate the dispensing tip from the metering tower 18, Figure 2, relative to the slides, to permit liquid dispensing onto the slides. The holders 40 are 20 rotated into position under the tower by rotation of rotor 32, Figure 3, that mounts holders 40 at the ends of arms 36. As is evident ~n Flgure 3, the tip locator is slightly off-center for holders designed for slides 17, compared to the tip locator that is precisely centered for 25 t~e holders designed for slides 15. Thus, each slide holder i~ dedicated to one type of slide or ~he other.
Such dedication requires, among other things, ~ more complex software and timing program in order to keep track of which ~lide holder is appropriate for which kind of 30 ass~y~
What has been needed prior to this invenkion is a universal slide or test element holder that will allow either type of slide to be held, and at the same time accommodate either the centered dispensing for slides 15, 35 OR the offset dispensing for slides 17. The ~imples~
procedure for doing that is of course to modify the tlp - 2 - 1~12264 locator so as to have two vertical passageways, e~ch slightly offset relative to the other, so that a dispensing tip can be brought down to the center of a slide (if colorimetric), or to one side of center (if potentiometric). However, I discovered that a problem exists if this is done - the standard opening for the tips causes considerable overlap of the side-~y-side passageways. This overlap gives incomplete positive location of the dispensing tip in the X-Y plane, and is unacceptable. Yet at the same time, such standard-sized opening has been needed to accommodate the dispensing tlps used. It would be unscceptable to make ~uch tips smaller overall to overcome that problem, for several reasons.
Not the least of these rea30ns is that the molds used to mold the tips would have to be redesigned.
Therefore, there has been a substantial need to provide a universal slide holder for reeeiving in the analyzer either a colorimetrlc or A potentiometric ~lide, without requiring a redesign of the dispensing tip thst 0 cooperates with the slide holder during liquid di pensing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have discovered that the problem preventing the use of the overlapping pRssageways i5 that the present slide holders use bore diameters for the dispensing tip9 2S that are based on the out~ide dismeter (O.D.) of the grasping fins. I have solved the problem by con~tructin6 the passageways so AS to locate and hold the dispensing tips based on their barrel dismeter, a sm~ller Biameter than that of the grasping fins. The use of a ~maller diameter means ~here is a reduction in ~he overl~p of the passageways, leading to a satisfactory stability of the tips held by such improved slide holders.
More specifically, there is provided a ~lide holder ~or ~ounting a slide in an analyzer in po~ition to receive liquid dispensed from a di~pensing tip having a _ 3 _ l 31 226~
barrel and grasping fins, the holder comprising a body portion, means on the body portion for releasibly holding a slide constructed to assay for an analyte of a liquid, and a d1~pensing tip guide and support turret for 5 positioning ~ dispensing ~ip in proper relations~ip to a held slide. The holder is improved in that khe guide and support turret h~s two passageways extending therethough to a position just above the slide-holding means, located ~nd constructed so that a liquid-dispensing tip is 10 selectively positionable in one or the other pas~agew3y for dispensing liquid on either a colorimetric or potentiometric test slide, the passageways includlng a shoulder dimensioned to position and support such tips based on the barrel of the tip rather than the grasping fins, whereby any overlap of the passagewRys is minimized and ~he disposable tip is stabilized when positioned in one or the other passageway.
Accordingly, it is an advantageous feature of the 20 invention that the same slide holder can be used to position the slide and the dispensing tip relative to each othert regardless of whether the slide is for colorimetric or for potentiometrlc assay, without necessitating a change in the construction or siæe of the dispensing tip~
It is a further advantageous feature of the invention that the positioning and centering of the dispensing tips within the passagewQys of the holder is independent of the width of the grasping fins, thereby maXing it possible to redesign the size of such fins 3~ without affecting the holder's function.
Other advankageous features will become apparent upon reference to the following Description of the Preferred Embodiment~ when read in light of the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a portion 1 3 1 22~
of a prior art an~lyzer, in which the two different, dedicated slide holders are depicted;
Figure 2 is a plan view of ~ sllde holder constructed in accordance with the invention;
Figure 3 is a section view taken gener~lly ~long the line III - III of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plAn view of the tip loc~tor turret only, enlarged for clarity;
Figure 5 is a fr~gmentary section view slmilsr to 10 that of Figure 3, illustra~ing the use of the turret; 2nd Figure 6 is a fragmentary section view similar to that of Figure 5, but of the prior art for comparison purposes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention is described herein in connection with the preferred embodiments, that is, when used ln conjunction with an analyzer for the analysis of liquids as desçribed, for ex~mple, in U.S. Patent 4,296,070. In addition, it is applicable to a sllde holder ~or holding 20 slides in any ~naly~er in which two different slides of any kind have to be accommodated, one of which receives dispensed liquid in the center, and the other of which receives such llquid off-center.
As used h~rein, terms such as "up", "down" ~nd "vertical" refer to the orientation of par~s as they are used in the analyzer.
The invention concerns slide holders of the type used in enalyzers such as the analyzer shown in U.S.
Patent No. 4,296,070. Thus, in Figure 1 herein, such an 30 ~nalyzer comprises two slide stations 14 and 16 for slidss 15 and 17; a liquid-dispensing station 18; means 30 for moving slides from stations 14 and 16, to st~tion 18 an~
to incubators 22 and 24; and means (not shown) for detecting signals generated by the slide in proportion to the analyte of the liquid that is present. The moving means 30 in turn comprises a rotor 32 with preferably six arms 36, each of which is mounted with a slide holder 40 or 40'. Such a holder comprises arm-attaching portion 42 screwed onto the arms 36, slide-holding portion ~4, flexible arms 46 connecting portions 42 and 44, and tip loc~tor turrets 50 and 50'. The only difference between each of holders 40 ~nd 40' is the location of turrets 50 and 50', ~nd the additional presence, not shown, of a guide on slide holder 40' allowing the deposition of reference fluid onto slides 17.
As noted in the Background of the Invention, such slide holders 40 and 40' are dedicated ~o receiving only one kind of slide, slides 15 and 17, respectively.
In ~ccord with the invention, the slide holder 140 is improved SO RS to accept ither slide 15, a 1S colorimetric slide, or slide 17, a potentiometric slide.
To that end, the tip locator turret is redesigned. Slide holder 140 comprises, Figure 2, arm-attaching portion 142, slide-holding portion 144, flexible connector 147, the improved tip locator turret 200, and a referencs proboscis 20 locator sleeve 160. The arm-attaching portion 142, slide-holding portion 144, flexible connector 147 and reference proboscis locator sleeve 160 are conventional and need no further detailed discussion. Examples ~re described in, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 4,296,070. The 25 slide~holding portion 144 includes a flat plate 145, Figure 3, on which ~urret 200 is mounted, and guides (not shown) are used to hold a slide E (shown in phantom), spaced from plate 145, as shown in greater detail in Figure 5 of U.S. Patent No. 4,296,070. Plate 145 is 30 apertured at 149, in alignment with passageways 210 and 210' (Figure 3). The reference proboscis locator sleeve functions, as is conventional, to guide into and hold in place the dispensing portion of the analyzer that dispenses reference fluld onto a potentiometric slide, if ~S in fact a potentlometric slide is present in the slide holder. It is not used if a colorimetric slide i5 present.
1 31 226~
Turning now to tip locator turret 200, thls turret is similar to turrets 50 and 50' oE Figure 1 of the prior art except that two, rather than one, pa~sageways 210 and 210', Figures 2-3, extend vertically through the 5 turret. The passageways each have an upper portion 220 and a lower portion 230, wi~h a tip locating and supporting shoulder 240 located in between, Figure 3.
Shoulder 240 is designed based on the barrel o the tip, rather than the grasping fins of the tip. As a 10 result, Figure 4, it is possible to have passageways 210 and 210' close enough together as required for dispensing onto both a potentiometric and a colorimetric slide, ~uch that the overlap that occurs at their common sidewall forms a gap 250, that is of minimal size and therefore 15 minimal interference in the support of dispensing tip~.
More specifically, gap 250 subtends an angle alpha, measured from either center 252 of passageway 210 or 210', that is no larger than about 60~. This leaves a supporting surface 254 for shoulder 240 that extends 20 around for at least 315.
The actual d~mensions of passageways 210 and 210' depend of course, on the dimensions of the tip T that is used. For a tip T, Figure 5, having an O.D. fvr the barrel B that is about 0.64 cm and ~ volume o$ about 25 240 ~1, diameters dl, d2 and d3, Figure 3, are preferably the following approximate vslues:
dl = 0.65 cm d2 - 1.27 cm d3 = 0.87 cm 30 Each of the passageways 210 and 210' i~ preferably substantial twin of the other, regarding dimenslons.
The operation of the slide holder of this invention will be apparent from the preceding description. Thus, a dispensing tip T, Figure 5, i~ held 35 in turre~ 200, by reason of shoulder 240 h~ving a bore 1 3 1 226~
size fitted to the barrel B of tip T, rather than to the grasping fins F, as has been conventional. As is ~pparent from Figure 4, the included ~ngle between fins on the tip is 60, so th~t when angle alpha i5 less than 60~, at its maximum, then the flns F, shown as rectangular spikes resting on surface 254, can have only one at most fall into the gap 250. Gaps larger than this, for example a g~p of 78~ ~s is formed if shoulder 240 is dimensioned to hold the fins F, as in the prior art, Figure 6, rather than the barrel B of the tip, lead to at least two of the fins being unsupported. That is, turret 50 had shoulders 51 sized to fit the O.D. of fins F of tip T. The lower portion 52 of passageway 53 had no relationship to the barrel dimension, except tha~ it WAS substantially larger. As a result, tip T was not properly suppor~ed in a vertical orientation when both pflss~geways were presen~.
Most preferably, angle alpha of Figure 4 is about 4oo~
As will be readily apparent from ~he above description, the slide holder of the invention will allow the grasping fins F to be modified in size, without necessitating a redesign of the passageways. That is, upper portion 220 will accommodate the present-sized flns that are preferably about 1.1 cm in diameter, or ones th~t are of lesser diameter. Such lesser di~meter is advantageous to allow the dispensing tips T to fit into serum containers that ~re smaller in diameter, for example, those that are 10.2 mm in internal diflmeter.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to slide holders used in analyzers to ~scertain analyte concentrations in liquid S added to the slides.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the analyzer shown in U.S. Patent No.
4~296,070, Figures 2-4 especially, two different slide blocks or holders 40 are provided to hold a test element 10 or slide 15 or 17. One kind of slide 15 is a colorimetric test element, with a liquid-receiving are~ that is centered, Figure 3. The other kind of slide 17 is a potentiometric test elemen~ with a sample liquid-receiving area that is offset from center. Also featured in the 15 holder is a tip locator, unnumbered, shown as a vertically rising cylinder or turr~t, in Figure 4. That tip locator is used to locate the dispensing tip from the metering tower 18, Figure 2, relative to the slides, to permit liquid dispensing onto the slides. The holders 40 are 20 rotated into position under the tower by rotation of rotor 32, Figure 3, that mounts holders 40 at the ends of arms 36. As is evident ~n Flgure 3, the tip locator is slightly off-center for holders designed for slides 17, compared to the tip locator that is precisely centered for 25 t~e holders designed for slides 15. Thus, each slide holder i~ dedicated to one type of slide or ~he other.
Such dedication requires, among other things, ~ more complex software and timing program in order to keep track of which ~lide holder is appropriate for which kind of 30 ass~y~
What has been needed prior to this invenkion is a universal slide or test element holder that will allow either type of slide to be held, and at the same time accommodate either the centered dispensing for slides 15, 35 OR the offset dispensing for slides 17. The ~imples~
procedure for doing that is of course to modify the tlp - 2 - 1~12264 locator so as to have two vertical passageways, e~ch slightly offset relative to the other, so that a dispensing tip can be brought down to the center of a slide (if colorimetric), or to one side of center (if potentiometric). However, I discovered that a problem exists if this is done - the standard opening for the tips causes considerable overlap of the side-~y-side passageways. This overlap gives incomplete positive location of the dispensing tip in the X-Y plane, and is unacceptable. Yet at the same time, such standard-sized opening has been needed to accommodate the dispensing tlps used. It would be unscceptable to make ~uch tips smaller overall to overcome that problem, for several reasons.
Not the least of these rea30ns is that the molds used to mold the tips would have to be redesigned.
Therefore, there has been a substantial need to provide a universal slide holder for reeeiving in the analyzer either a colorimetrlc or A potentiometric ~lide, without requiring a redesign of the dispensing tip thst 0 cooperates with the slide holder during liquid di pensing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have discovered that the problem preventing the use of the overlapping pRssageways i5 that the present slide holders use bore diameters for the dispensing tip9 2S that are based on the out~ide dismeter (O.D.) of the grasping fins. I have solved the problem by con~tructin6 the passageways so AS to locate and hold the dispensing tips based on their barrel dismeter, a sm~ller Biameter than that of the grasping fins. The use of a ~maller diameter means ~here is a reduction in ~he overl~p of the passageways, leading to a satisfactory stability of the tips held by such improved slide holders.
More specifically, there is provided a ~lide holder ~or ~ounting a slide in an analyzer in po~ition to receive liquid dispensed from a di~pensing tip having a _ 3 _ l 31 226~
barrel and grasping fins, the holder comprising a body portion, means on the body portion for releasibly holding a slide constructed to assay for an analyte of a liquid, and a d1~pensing tip guide and support turret for 5 positioning ~ dispensing ~ip in proper relations~ip to a held slide. The holder is improved in that khe guide and support turret h~s two passageways extending therethough to a position just above the slide-holding means, located ~nd constructed so that a liquid-dispensing tip is 10 selectively positionable in one or the other pas~agew3y for dispensing liquid on either a colorimetric or potentiometric test slide, the passageways includlng a shoulder dimensioned to position and support such tips based on the barrel of the tip rather than the grasping fins, whereby any overlap of the passagewRys is minimized and ~he disposable tip is stabilized when positioned in one or the other passageway.
Accordingly, it is an advantageous feature of the 20 invention that the same slide holder can be used to position the slide and the dispensing tip relative to each othert regardless of whether the slide is for colorimetric or for potentiometrlc assay, without necessitating a change in the construction or siæe of the dispensing tip~
It is a further advantageous feature of the invention that the positioning and centering of the dispensing tips within the passagewQys of the holder is independent of the width of the grasping fins, thereby maXing it possible to redesign the size of such fins 3~ without affecting the holder's function.
Other advankageous features will become apparent upon reference to the following Description of the Preferred Embodiment~ when read in light of the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a portion 1 3 1 22~
of a prior art an~lyzer, in which the two different, dedicated slide holders are depicted;
Figure 2 is a plan view of ~ sllde holder constructed in accordance with the invention;
Figure 3 is a section view taken gener~lly ~long the line III - III of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plAn view of the tip loc~tor turret only, enlarged for clarity;
Figure 5 is a fr~gmentary section view slmilsr to 10 that of Figure 3, illustra~ing the use of the turret; 2nd Figure 6 is a fragmentary section view similar to that of Figure 5, but of the prior art for comparison purposes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention is described herein in connection with the preferred embodiments, that is, when used ln conjunction with an analyzer for the analysis of liquids as desçribed, for ex~mple, in U.S. Patent 4,296,070. In addition, it is applicable to a sllde holder ~or holding 20 slides in any ~naly~er in which two different slides of any kind have to be accommodated, one of which receives dispensed liquid in the center, and the other of which receives such llquid off-center.
As used h~rein, terms such as "up", "down" ~nd "vertical" refer to the orientation of par~s as they are used in the analyzer.
The invention concerns slide holders of the type used in enalyzers such as the analyzer shown in U.S.
Patent No. 4,296,070. Thus, in Figure 1 herein, such an 30 ~nalyzer comprises two slide stations 14 and 16 for slidss 15 and 17; a liquid-dispensing station 18; means 30 for moving slides from stations 14 and 16, to st~tion 18 an~
to incubators 22 and 24; and means (not shown) for detecting signals generated by the slide in proportion to the analyte of the liquid that is present. The moving means 30 in turn comprises a rotor 32 with preferably six arms 36, each of which is mounted with a slide holder 40 or 40'. Such a holder comprises arm-attaching portion 42 screwed onto the arms 36, slide-holding portion ~4, flexible arms 46 connecting portions 42 and 44, and tip loc~tor turrets 50 and 50'. The only difference between each of holders 40 ~nd 40' is the location of turrets 50 and 50', ~nd the additional presence, not shown, of a guide on slide holder 40' allowing the deposition of reference fluid onto slides 17.
As noted in the Background of the Invention, such slide holders 40 and 40' are dedicated ~o receiving only one kind of slide, slides 15 and 17, respectively.
In ~ccord with the invention, the slide holder 140 is improved SO RS to accept ither slide 15, a 1S colorimetric slide, or slide 17, a potentiometric slide.
To that end, the tip locator turret is redesigned. Slide holder 140 comprises, Figure 2, arm-attaching portion 142, slide-holding portion 144, flexible connector 147, the improved tip locator turret 200, and a referencs proboscis 20 locator sleeve 160. The arm-attaching portion 142, slide-holding portion 144, flexible connector 147 and reference proboscis locator sleeve 160 are conventional and need no further detailed discussion. Examples ~re described in, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 4,296,070. The 25 slide~holding portion 144 includes a flat plate 145, Figure 3, on which ~urret 200 is mounted, and guides (not shown) are used to hold a slide E (shown in phantom), spaced from plate 145, as shown in greater detail in Figure 5 of U.S. Patent No. 4,296,070. Plate 145 is 30 apertured at 149, in alignment with passageways 210 and 210' (Figure 3). The reference proboscis locator sleeve functions, as is conventional, to guide into and hold in place the dispensing portion of the analyzer that dispenses reference fluld onto a potentiometric slide, if ~S in fact a potentlometric slide is present in the slide holder. It is not used if a colorimetric slide i5 present.
1 31 226~
Turning now to tip locator turret 200, thls turret is similar to turrets 50 and 50' oE Figure 1 of the prior art except that two, rather than one, pa~sageways 210 and 210', Figures 2-3, extend vertically through the 5 turret. The passageways each have an upper portion 220 and a lower portion 230, wi~h a tip locating and supporting shoulder 240 located in between, Figure 3.
Shoulder 240 is designed based on the barrel o the tip, rather than the grasping fins of the tip. As a 10 result, Figure 4, it is possible to have passageways 210 and 210' close enough together as required for dispensing onto both a potentiometric and a colorimetric slide, ~uch that the overlap that occurs at their common sidewall forms a gap 250, that is of minimal size and therefore 15 minimal interference in the support of dispensing tip~.
More specifically, gap 250 subtends an angle alpha, measured from either center 252 of passageway 210 or 210', that is no larger than about 60~. This leaves a supporting surface 254 for shoulder 240 that extends 20 around for at least 315.
The actual d~mensions of passageways 210 and 210' depend of course, on the dimensions of the tip T that is used. For a tip T, Figure 5, having an O.D. fvr the barrel B that is about 0.64 cm and ~ volume o$ about 25 240 ~1, diameters dl, d2 and d3, Figure 3, are preferably the following approximate vslues:
dl = 0.65 cm d2 - 1.27 cm d3 = 0.87 cm 30 Each of the passageways 210 and 210' i~ preferably substantial twin of the other, regarding dimenslons.
The operation of the slide holder of this invention will be apparent from the preceding description. Thus, a dispensing tip T, Figure 5, i~ held 35 in turre~ 200, by reason of shoulder 240 h~ving a bore 1 3 1 226~
size fitted to the barrel B of tip T, rather than to the grasping fins F, as has been conventional. As is ~pparent from Figure 4, the included ~ngle between fins on the tip is 60, so th~t when angle alpha i5 less than 60~, at its maximum, then the flns F, shown as rectangular spikes resting on surface 254, can have only one at most fall into the gap 250. Gaps larger than this, for example a g~p of 78~ ~s is formed if shoulder 240 is dimensioned to hold the fins F, as in the prior art, Figure 6, rather than the barrel B of the tip, lead to at least two of the fins being unsupported. That is, turret 50 had shoulders 51 sized to fit the O.D. of fins F of tip T. The lower portion 52 of passageway 53 had no relationship to the barrel dimension, except tha~ it WAS substantially larger. As a result, tip T was not properly suppor~ed in a vertical orientation when both pflss~geways were presen~.
Most preferably, angle alpha of Figure 4 is about 4oo~
As will be readily apparent from ~he above description, the slide holder of the invention will allow the grasping fins F to be modified in size, without necessitating a redesign of the passageways. That is, upper portion 220 will accommodate the present-sized flns that are preferably about 1.1 cm in diameter, or ones th~t are of lesser diameter. Such lesser di~meter is advantageous to allow the dispensing tips T to fit into serum containers that ~re smaller in diameter, for example, those that are 10.2 mm in internal diflmeter.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (4)
- What is Claimed is:
l. In a slide holder for mounting a slide in an analyzer in position to receive liquid dispensed from a dispensing tip having a barrel and grasping fins, the holder comprising a body portion, means on said body portion for releasibly holding a slide constructed to assay for an analyte of a liquid, and a dispensing tip guide and support turret for positioning a dispensing tip in proper relationship to a held slide;
the improvement wherein said guide and support turret has two passageways extending therethough to a position just above said slide-holding means, constructed so that a liquid-dispensing tip is selectively positionable in one or the other passageway for dispensing liquid on either a colorimetric or potentiometric slide, said passageways including a shoulder dimensioned to position and support such tips based on the barrel of the tip rather than the grasping fins, whereby any overlap of said passageways is minimized and the disposable tip is stabilized when positioned in one or the other passageway. - 2. A slide holder as defined in Claim 1, wherein said shoulders of said passageways overlap at a common surface thereof, said overlap, as measured by the angle subtended from the center of either passageway, is less than about 60°.
- 3. A slide holder as defined in Claim 1, wherein said passageways have an upper portion and a lower portion with said shoulder inbetween, the internal diameter of the upper portion being larger than that of said lower portion to accommodate the grasping fins of the disposable tip.
- 4. A slide holder as defined in Claim 3, wherein the internal diameter of each of said passageways, measured at said shoulder, does not exceed about 0.68 cm for a disposable tip constructed to accommodate 240 µ1 of liquid.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US075,477 | 1987-07-20 | ||
| US07/075,477 US4797257A (en) | 1987-07-20 | 1987-07-20 | Slide holder and tip locator |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1312264C true CA1312264C (en) | 1993-01-05 |
Family
ID=22126020
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000551670A Expired - Fee Related CA1312264C (en) | 1987-07-20 | 1987-11-12 | Slide holder and tip locator |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4797257A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0300723B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH0754284B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1312264C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3876328T2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE3832460C2 (en) * | 1987-09-25 | 1994-05-19 | James Alexander Baxter | Precision positioning and carrier device |
| US20040191923A1 (en) * | 2003-03-31 | 2004-09-30 | Tomasso David Angelo | Test element holder with a probe guide for an analyzer |
| US7597847B2 (en) * | 2003-03-31 | 2009-10-06 | Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. | Analyzer having a stationary multifunction probe |
| US20040230400A1 (en) * | 2003-05-13 | 2004-11-18 | Tomasso David Angelo | Analyzer having concentric rotors |
| US8043562B2 (en) | 2003-12-08 | 2011-10-25 | Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. | Analyzer having removable holders or a centrifuge |
| US10031085B2 (en) | 2014-07-24 | 2018-07-24 | Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. | Point of care analytical processing system |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2719234C2 (en) * | 1977-04-29 | 1985-03-28 | Hans A. Dipl.-Chem. Dr. 8000 München Thoma | Multi-channel system for handling immobilized, biologically active substances |
| US4272482A (en) * | 1979-07-02 | 1981-06-09 | Eastman Kodak Company | Metering apparatus |
| SE8001913L (en) * | 1980-03-11 | 1981-09-12 | Clinicon Ab | DEVICE FOR TRANSFER OF DOSED QUANTITIES OF REAGENT LIQUID TO TESTS BY AN ANALYZER |
| US4287155A (en) * | 1980-06-16 | 1981-09-01 | Eastman Kodak Company | Sample tray and carrier for chemical analyzer |
| US4296070A (en) * | 1980-06-16 | 1981-10-20 | Eastman Kodak Company | Slide distributor for a chemical analyzer |
| US4539855A (en) * | 1984-05-03 | 1985-09-10 | Eastman Kodak Company | Apparatus for transferring liquid out of a capped container, and analyzer utilizing same |
| JPS6171334A (en) * | 1984-09-17 | 1986-04-12 | Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc:The | Sample picking up apparatus |
| JPS61231462A (en) * | 1985-04-05 | 1986-10-15 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Apparatus for dripping liquid specimen |
| US4753775A (en) * | 1985-04-12 | 1988-06-28 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Rapid assay processor |
| SE450171B (en) * | 1985-10-18 | 1987-06-09 | Carl Urban Ungerstedt | DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC COLLECTION OF SMALL LIQUID VOLUMES |
-
1987
- 1987-07-20 US US07/075,477 patent/US4797257A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1987-11-12 CA CA000551670A patent/CA1312264C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1988
- 1988-07-15 JP JP63176884A patent/JPH0754284B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-07-19 DE DE8888306573T patent/DE3876328T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1988-07-19 EP EP88306573A patent/EP0300723B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH0754284B2 (en) | 1995-06-07 |
| EP0300723A3 (en) | 1990-02-07 |
| DE3876328T2 (en) | 1993-04-15 |
| US4797257A (en) | 1989-01-10 |
| EP0300723A2 (en) | 1989-01-25 |
| EP0300723B1 (en) | 1992-12-02 |
| DE3876328D1 (en) | 1993-01-14 |
| JPS6435379A (en) | 1989-02-06 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |