Abstract:
The invention provides an apparatus for piercing the cap of a container. The apparatus includes a blade support arm slidably attached to one or more vertical posts, a blade attached vertically below the blade support arm, and a cap retainer arm slidably attached to the vertical post such that the cap retainer arm is capable of travel along the posts between an upper position wherein the cap contacting surface is located above the elevation of the container cap and a lower position wherein the cap contacting surface is located at the elevation of the container cap. The cap retainer arm has an opening through which the blade can pass. A biasing member biases the cap retainer arm towards its lower position. The cap retainer arm is positioned below the blade but above the blade support arm contact surface. Thus, when the blade support arm slides upwardly, the blade support arm contacts the cap retainer arm and pushes the cap retainer arm upwardly from its lower position to its upper position.
Abstract:
The invention provides an automatic analyzing machine comprising a unique reaction cup combination for running high volume chemical analyses, such as analyses for sodium, potassium, glucose, creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen). The reaction cup combination includes an aluminum body having at least one flat smooth side. A planar heating element is sandwiched between the flat side and a planar outer sidewall. Within the planar outer sidewall is disposed a reagent inlet conduit coiled or otherwise disposed in planar fashion. By this design, heating of inlet reagent is more efficient and control of the temperature within the reaction cup is more precise. In a preferred embodiment, the reaction cup assembly includes a pair of such heating element and inlet conduit combinations so that the reaction cup can be rinsed with heated water instead of heated reagent. Such a design not only reduces the use of expensive reagent, but minimizes toxic waste disposal needs.
Abstract:
A polarographic sensor device to determine the partial pressure of a gas in a sample medium is disclosed. The device comprises a) a substantially hydroscopic electrolyte composition joining a pair of spaced apart electrodes, one of the pair of electrodes being a sensing electrode; b) a membrane permeable to gas but impermeable to the electrolyte, the membrane having a front section for separating the electodes and the electrolyte from the sample medium; and c) a fastener comprising a sleeve having a body portion and a lip, the body portion retaining the fastener and a side section of the membrane, and the lip retaining a portion of the front section of the membrane and holding substantially the entire front section in a spaced apart relationship from the sensing electrode.
Abstract:
Reagents for the immobilization of biopolymers, processes for their preparation and their subsequent use in the immobilized of biopolymers for analytical and diagnostic procedures are described. One type of reagent includes a solid support fabricated of a polymeric material having at least one surface with pendant acyl fluoride functionalities. Another reagent includes solid supports fabricated of polymeric materials including ethylene acrylic acid or ethylene methacrylic acid copolymers and activated polypropylene. Processes for preparing reagents include derivatizing polymeric materials to form acyl fluoride functionalities or derivatizing ethylene acrylic acid copolymers and ethylene methacrylic acid copolymers to form active acyl functionalities. Processes for immobilizing biopolymers include attaching natural or presynthesized biopolymers to activated solid support surfaces and directly attaching in a step-wise successive manner biomonomer units to a growing biopolymer chain attached to the solid support reagent.
Abstract:
A device (10) is provided for detecting a flow restriction in pipetting transporting a fluid sample (14) for a diagnostic system. The device (10) comprises a hollow conduit (12) which transports the fluid sample (14), a housing (16), a substantially incompressible medium (18), and a sensor (20). The hollow conduit (12) includes a flexible section (24), i.e., a piece of thin-walled tubing made from an elastomer. The conduit (12) has a substantially constant internal cross-sectional area. The housing (16) has an internal cavity (60) which substantially encloses the flexible section (24) and forms a sealed internal chamber (62) around the flexible section (24). The substantially incompressible medium (18) fills the internal chamber (62). The sensor (20) is in communication with the substantially incompressible medium (18) and detects a change of pressure of the substantially incompressible medium (18). A flow restriction in the conduit (12) causes an increase of pressure in the conduit (12) which causes the flexible section (24) to expand. Expansion of the flexible section (24) results in an increase of pressure in the substantially incompressible medium (18) in the internal chamber (62) which is detected by the sensor (20).
Abstract:
An improved automated diagnostic analyzer and method of the type which includes a reaction carousel having cuvettes to receive sample and reactant for photometric analysis and to index and park for addition of sample, reactant and washing of cuvettes. Alternative reactant and/or sample addition points are provided so the analyzer controller may index cuvettes to provide greater frequency at which washing of cuvettes may take place simultaneously with addition of sample or reactant.
Abstract:
A method for rapid separation of serum or plasma from cells in a whole blood sample uses a cylindrical sample tube having longitudinally-extending internal ribs. A separation gel and the sample are introduced into the tube, and the tube is axially centrifuged so as to form concentric shells of cells, gel, and serum or plasma. After centrifugation is stopped, the serum or plasma collects in the tube by gravity flow and the cells and gel remain affixed to the walls and ribs of the tube.
Abstract:
Coated capillary electrophoresis columns and methods for their use in electrophoretic separations are disclosed. The coated capillary columns include a length of tubing having an interior surface having an interconnected polymeric coating. The interconnected polymeric coating includes a hydrophobic hydrocarbon polymeric functionality covalently bound to the interior surface and polyvinylalcohol interconnected with the hydrophobic polymeric functionality. Exemplary columns are prepared by causing a Si-OH reactive compound, having a hydrophobic polymeric functionality, to react with Si-OH functionalities on the interior surface of capillary columns. Then causing vinyl acetate to polymerize in contact with the hydrophobic polymeric functionality and hydrolyzing the resulting polyvinylacetate forms a coating of interconnecting hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. Alternative exemplary coatings include a modified polyvinylalcohol such as a polyvinylether.