Abstract:
An automatic analysis apparatus includes an indexible table supporting a plurality of liquid sample containers, a stationary reagent liquid container, two off-take tubes, one tube insertable in a presented thereto sample container, the other tube insertable in the reagent container, means for concurrently inserting both tubes repeatedly into their respective containers to provide a flowing stream of segments of liquid sample interspersed by air segments, and a similar stream of segments of reagent. These streams are merged to form stream of liquid and air segments, which stream of liquid and air segments is passed through the sight passageway of a flow cell of a colorimeter. A recorder is coupled to the colorimeter, and may be rendered operational when the sight passageway of the flow cell is fully occupied by liquid.
Abstract:
A FLUID SYSTEM FOR INCLUSION IN AN AUTOMATED FLUID SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING A SERIES OF LIQUID SAMPLES FLOWING SERIATIM, THE FIRST-MENTIONED SYSTEM SERVING TO DILUTE EACH SAMPLE FOR SUBSEQUENT DIVISION INTO A LARGE NUMBER OF PARTS. EACH DILUTEDPART IS INTENDED FOR FLOW TO ONE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SUBCOMBINATIONS OF THE TOTAL SYSTEM. IN EACH OF THE SUBCOMBINATIONS THE DILUTED SAMPLE PART MAY RECEIVE A SPECIAL TREATMENT, SUCH AS MIXING WITH APARTICULAR REAGENT OR REAGENTS UNDER CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS FOR EXAMPLE, PRIOR TO ANALYSIS OF THAT SAMPLE PORTION AS BY PHOTOMETRY FOR EXAMPLE. EACH DILUTED SAMPLE PART MAY BE SUBJECTED TO A DIFFERENT TEST OR ANALYSIS THERE IS INVOLVED IN THE FIRST-MENTIONED SYSTEM THE SAME AND EQUAL DILUTION TREATMENT OF EACH SAMPLE AS THE SERIES. ALSO INVOLVED IN THE FIRST-MENTION SYSTEM IS THE EFFECTIVE INHIBITION OF CROSS CONTAMINATION OF SAMPLES FROM THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF THE SAMPLES INTO THE DILUTION SYSTEM TO THE POINT, AFTER DIVISION OF THE SAMPLES AS AFORESAID, WHERE THE SAMPLES FLOW INTO THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF THE AFORESAID ANALYSIS SUBCOMBINATIONS.