US3829223A - Mixing rotor for fast analyzer of rotary cuvette type with means for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids - Google Patents

Mixing rotor for fast analyzer of rotary cuvette type with means for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids Download PDF

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Publication number
US3829223A
US3829223A US00381297A US38129773A US3829223A US 3829223 A US3829223 A US 3829223A US 00381297 A US00381297 A US 00381297A US 38129773 A US38129773 A US 38129773A US 3829223 A US3829223 A US 3829223A
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sample
mixing
cuvette
rotor
reagent liquids
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US00381297A
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S Hamel
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US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
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US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
    • G01N21/03—Cuvette constructions
    • G01N21/07—Centrifugal type cuvettes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/50—Movable or transportable mixing devices or plants
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F2101/00—Mixing characterised by the nature of the mixed materials or by the application field
    • B01F2101/23—Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials

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  • Another object of the invention is to provide a rotor design for a fast analyzer of the rotary cuvette type wherein the sample analysis cuvettes are designed to enhance mixing.
  • a rotor design characterized by improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids is provided for fast analyzers of the rotary cuvette type. At least one ramp-like projection is provided along the wall of each sample analysis cuvette to induce mixing of sample and reagent liquids upon rotation of the rotor. The use of such projections eliminates the need for supplemental mixing techniques and is especially desirable in miniature rotors where surface tension effects seriously inhibit turbulent mixing.
  • FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rotor made in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical section view of the rotor of FIG. 1.
  • a typical single sample analysis station 1 comprises two sample and reagent static loading cavities 2 and 3 serially connected by means of passages 4 and 5 with each other and with a sample analysis cuvette 6.
  • the rotor is of laminated construction with a central opa ue disk 7 sandwiched between transparent plates 8 an 9. Apertures 11 and 12 in plate 8 facilitate static loading of cavities 2 and 3 prior to dynamic transfer of sample and reagent liquids from those cavities to respective cuvettes 6.
  • Other loading cavity arrangements such as described in copending application Ser. No. 203,248, filed Nov. 30, 1971 and now US. Pat. No. 3,744,974, of common assignee maybe used without departing from the invention, which is restricted, rather, to an improved sample analysis cuvette design characterized by improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids discharged thereto.
  • each cuvette 6 is provided with at least one axially and radiall extending ramplike projection 13.
  • a preferred con lguration of projections 13 incorporates generally concave side portions which effectivelg direct liquid in the cuvette inward as shown by the roken flow arrows 14. Such flow effectively mixes the contents of cuvettes 6 by forcing liquid near the cuvette walls inward.
  • the mixing action depends upon the inherent relative rotation which develops between the cuvette walls and liquid contained therein during and briefly following acceleration of the rotor which defines the sample analysis cuvettes.
  • the magnitude of this relative rotation decreases to a minimum following initial acceleration of the rotor since the cuvette contents are also accelerated by the propellin effect of the confining cuvette walls until it approaches the rotational speed of the cuvette walls with the rotor operating at constant speed. Acceleration and deceleration of the rotor will increase the mixing action of projections 13 by causing further relative rotation of the cuvette walls and the cuvette contents.
  • a rotor for use in a fast photometric anal zer of the rotary cuvette type comprising a disk-shape member of laminated construction with a central opaque disk sandwiched between top and bottom transparent walls, and wherein said disk-shaped member defines a circular array of sample analysis cuvettes extending axially through said central opaque disk and means for loading and injecting sample and reagent liquids into said sample analysis cuvettes; the improvement wherein each of said sample analysis cuvettes has a generally cylindrical side wall defined by said opaque disk with a projection extending axially along said side wall between said top and bottom transparent walls and radially inward toward the center of said cuvette for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids therein.

Abstract

A rotor design which provides improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids in a fast photometric analyzer of the rotary cuvette type is described. According to the preferred embodiment, one or more ramp-like projections are provided along the wall of each sample analysis cuvette to enhance mixing.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hamel Aug. 13, 1974 MIXING ROTOR FOR FAST ANALYZER OF ROTARY CUVETTE TYPE WITH MEANS FOR ENHANCING THE MIXING OF SAMPLE AND REAGENT LIQUIDS [75] lnventor: Stephen D. Hamel, Oak Ridge,
Tenn.
[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, DC.
22 Filed: July 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 381,297
52 US. Cl ..356/246, 23/259, 250/576, 356/197 511 Int.Cl. ..G0lnl/10,GOln21/24 [58] Field of Search 356/39, 181,196, 197,
[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,555,284 l/197l Anderson 356/246 Primary Examiner-Vicent P. McGraw Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John A. Horan; David S. Zachry; Stephen D. Hamel [5 7] ABSTRACT A rotor design which provides improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids in a fast photometric analyzer of the rotary cuvette type is described. According to the preferred embodiment, one or more ramp-like projections are provided along the wall of each sample analysis cuvette to enhance mixing.
2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED NIB 1 31974 3,829 9223 MIXING ROTOR FOR FAST ANALYZER OF ROTARY CUVETTE TYPE WITH MEANS FOR ENHANCING THE MIXING OF SAMPLE AND REAGENT LIQUIDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention described herein relates generally to photometers and more particularly to an improved rotor for fast analyzers of the rotary cuvette type characterized by improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids in its sample analysis cuvettes. It was made by an employee of the US. Atomic Energy Commission in the course of his employment.
The general design and operation of fast photometric analyzers of the rotary cuvette type are generally described in US. Pat. No. 3,555,284, issued Jan. 12, 1971, to common assignee in in the name of Norman G. Anderson. In the analyzer described in that patent, a central loading disk is provided for statically receiving sample and reagent liquids prior to a photometric analysis operation. The sample and reagent liquids are then brought together dynamically by rotation induced forces in a separate mixing chamber or directly in respective sample analysis cuvettes. Complete and rapid mixing of the sample and reagent liquids is essential to ensure accurate photometric analysis of the cuvette contents.
Several techniques inlcuding tangential insertion of sample and reagent liquids into the cuvettes,the drawing of air bubbles through the cuvettes, rapid rotor acceleration and decleration, and parallel transfer of sample and reagent liquids have been used to enhance mixing with some degree of success. However, the recent introduction of miniaturized fast analyzers with correspondingly miniaturized rotors and sample analysis cuvettes, loading cavities, and sample and reagent volumes has resulted in decreased turbulent mixing because of the relatively increased effects of surface tension on the fluid flow of small liquid volumes.
It is, accordingly, a general object of the invention to provide a rotor design for a fast analyzer of the rotary cuvette type whereby sample and reagent mixing is enhanced.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rotor design for a fast analyzer of the rotary cuvette type wherein the sample analysis cuvettes are designed to enhance mixing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A rotor design characterized by improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids is provided for fast analyzers of the rotary cuvette type. At least one ramp-like projection is provided along the wall of each sample analysis cuvette to induce mixing of sample and reagent liquids upon rotation of the rotor. The use of such projections eliminates the need for supplemental mixing techniques and is especially desirable in miniature rotors where surface tension effects seriously inhibit turbulent mixing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rotor made in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical section view of the rotor of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a typical single sample analysis station 1 comprises two sample and reagent static loading cavities 2 and 3 serially connected by means of passages 4 and 5 with each other and with a sample analysis cuvette 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor is of laminated construction with a central opa ue disk 7 sandwiched between transparent plates 8 an 9. Apertures 11 and 12 in plate 8 facilitate static loading of cavities 2 and 3 prior to dynamic transfer of sample and reagent liquids from those cavities to respective cuvettes 6. Other loading cavity arrangements such as described in copending application Ser. No. 203,248, filed Nov. 30, 1971 and now US. Pat. No. 3,744,974, of common assignee maybe used without departing from the invention, which is restricted, rather, to an improved sample analysis cuvette design characterized by improved mixing of sample and reagent liquids discharged thereto.
As shown in the top view of FIG. 1, each cuvette 6 is provided with at least one axially and radiall extending ramplike projection 13. A preferred con lguration of projections 13 incorporates generally concave side portions which effectivelg direct liquid in the cuvette inward as shown by the roken flow arrows 14. Such flow effectively mixes the contents of cuvettes 6 by forcing liquid near the cuvette walls inward.
In theory, the mixing action depends upon the inherent relative rotation which develops between the cuvette walls and liquid contained therein during and briefly following acceleration of the rotor which defines the sample analysis cuvettes. The magnitude of this relative rotation decreases to a minimum following initial acceleration of the rotor since the cuvette contents are also accelerated by the propellin effect of the confining cuvette walls until it approaches the rotational speed of the cuvette walls with the rotor operating at constant speed. Acceleration and deceleration of the rotor will increase the mixing action of projections 13 by causing further relative rotation of the cuvette walls and the cuvette contents.
The foregoing description of one embodiment of the invention is offered for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted in a strictly limiting sense. For example, sample and reagent loading arrangements other than the one shown may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, more than one projection per sample analysis cuvette may be used. It is intended, rather, that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto.
What is claimed is:
1. In a rotor for use in a fast photometric anal zer of the rotary cuvette type comprising a disk-shape member of laminated construction with a central opaque disk sandwiched between top and bottom transparent walls, and wherein said disk-shaped member defines a circular array of sample analysis cuvettes extending axially through said central opaque disk and means for loading and injecting sample and reagent liquids into said sample analysis cuvettes; the improvement wherein each of said sample analysis cuvettes has a generally cylindrical side wall defined by said opaque disk with a projection extending axially along said side wall between said top and bottom transparent walls and radially inward toward the center of said cuvette for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids therein.
2. The improvement of claim I wherein said projection defines two axially extending, intersecting, concave surfaces, each having a radius of curvature which is smaller than that pf s aid angple analysis cuvette.

Claims (2)

1. In a rotor for use in a fast photometric analyzer of the rotary cuvette type comprising a disk-shaped member of laminated construction with a central opaque disk sandwiched between top and bottom transparent walls, and wherein said disk-shaped member defines a circular array of sample analysis cuvettes extending axially through said central opaque disk and means for loading and injecting sample and reagent liquids into said sample analysis cuvettes; the improvement wherein each of said sample analysis cuvettes has a generally cylindrical side wall defined by said opaque disk with a projection extending axially along said side wall between said top and bottom transparent walls and radially inward toward the center of said cuvette for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids therein.
2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said projection defines two axially extending, intersecting, concave surfaces, each having a radius of curvature which is smaller than that of said sample analysis cuvette.
US00381297A 1973-07-20 1973-07-20 Mixing rotor for fast analyzer of rotary cuvette type with means for enhancing the mixing of sample and reagent liquids Expired - Lifetime US3829223A (en)

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Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3890101A (en) * 1974-02-15 1975-06-17 Us Energy Collection ring for use in multiple-sample blood fractionation centrifugal rotors
US3953172A (en) * 1974-05-10 1976-04-27 Union Carbide Corporation Method and apparatus for assaying liquid materials
US4043678A (en) * 1976-03-01 1977-08-23 Technicon Instruments Corporation Cuvette
US4123173A (en) * 1976-06-09 1978-10-31 Electro-Nucleonics, Inc. Rotatable flexible cuvette arrays
US4202665A (en) * 1978-11-06 1980-05-13 Albert Einstein College Of Medicine Of Yeshiva University A Division Of Yeshiva University Detection of hepatitis B surface antigen
USRE30391E (en) * 1976-02-23 1980-09-02 Abbott Laboratories Chemical analysis cuvette
US4225558A (en) * 1978-09-19 1980-09-30 Honeywell Inc. Fluid sample test apparatus and fluid sample cell for use therein
US4226531A (en) * 1977-08-29 1980-10-07 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Disposable multi-cuvette rotor
US4239853A (en) * 1979-01-22 1980-12-16 Bradley Rex L Antibiotic testing method and apparatus having a channelized reservoir
US4254084A (en) * 1978-04-21 1981-03-03 Blum Alvin S Method and apparataus for automatic isoenzyme analysis
US4279862A (en) * 1977-11-17 1981-07-21 Bretaudiere Jean Pierre Centrifugal photometric analyzer
US4314970A (en) * 1980-08-27 1982-02-09 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Analysis system
US4373812A (en) * 1981-03-25 1983-02-15 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Cuvette assembly
US4468371A (en) * 1982-07-19 1984-08-28 Daryl Laboratories, Inc. Immunoassay test slide
US4557600A (en) * 1981-09-01 1985-12-10 Boehringer Mannheim Gmbh Process and device for the control and mixing of a fluid current subjected to centrifugal force
US4629703A (en) * 1981-08-27 1986-12-16 Technicon Instruments Corporation Automated analytical system
US4883763A (en) * 1984-05-03 1989-11-28 Abbott Laboratories Sample processor card for centrifuge
US4894204A (en) * 1984-12-21 1990-01-16 Inovelf Rotor with dynamic pipeting for a centrifuge analysis device
DE4006498A1 (en) * 1989-07-10 1991-01-24 Gen Electric FLAT SEALS
US4999304A (en) * 1987-12-28 1991-03-12 Miles Inc. Dynamic braking centrifuge
US5071625A (en) * 1985-02-27 1991-12-10 Fisher Scientific Company Cuvette handling
US5627041A (en) * 1994-09-02 1997-05-06 Biometric Imaging, Inc. Disposable cartridge for an assay of a biological sample
US5693233A (en) * 1992-04-02 1997-12-02 Abaxis Methods of transporting fluids within an analytical rotor
US20090227041A1 (en) * 2008-02-04 2009-09-10 Micropoint Biosciences, Inc. Centrifugal fluid analyzer rotor
US20130196360A1 (en) * 2012-01-26 2013-08-01 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Microfluidic device and control method thereof
US20150138912A1 (en) * 2012-02-16 2015-05-21 Natioanl Research Council Of Canada Centrifugal microfluidic mixing apparatus and method
WO2020112801A1 (en) * 2018-11-28 2020-06-04 V&P Scientific, Inc. Spinning vessel systems and methods for mixing, suspending particulates, aliquoting, washing magnetic beads, and concentrating analytes

Cited By (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3890101A (en) * 1974-02-15 1975-06-17 Us Energy Collection ring for use in multiple-sample blood fractionation centrifugal rotors
US3953172A (en) * 1974-05-10 1976-04-27 Union Carbide Corporation Method and apparatus for assaying liquid materials
USRE30391E (en) * 1976-02-23 1980-09-02 Abbott Laboratories Chemical analysis cuvette
US4043678A (en) * 1976-03-01 1977-08-23 Technicon Instruments Corporation Cuvette
US4123173A (en) * 1976-06-09 1978-10-31 Electro-Nucleonics, Inc. Rotatable flexible cuvette arrays
US4226531A (en) * 1977-08-29 1980-10-07 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Disposable multi-cuvette rotor
US4279862A (en) * 1977-11-17 1981-07-21 Bretaudiere Jean Pierre Centrifugal photometric analyzer
US4254084A (en) * 1978-04-21 1981-03-03 Blum Alvin S Method and apparataus for automatic isoenzyme analysis
US4225558A (en) * 1978-09-19 1980-09-30 Honeywell Inc. Fluid sample test apparatus and fluid sample cell for use therein
US4202665A (en) * 1978-11-06 1980-05-13 Albert Einstein College Of Medicine Of Yeshiva University A Division Of Yeshiva University Detection of hepatitis B surface antigen
US4239853A (en) * 1979-01-22 1980-12-16 Bradley Rex L Antibiotic testing method and apparatus having a channelized reservoir
US4314970A (en) * 1980-08-27 1982-02-09 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Analysis system
US4373812A (en) * 1981-03-25 1983-02-15 Instrumentation Laboratory Inc. Cuvette assembly
US4629703A (en) * 1981-08-27 1986-12-16 Technicon Instruments Corporation Automated analytical system
US4557600A (en) * 1981-09-01 1985-12-10 Boehringer Mannheim Gmbh Process and device for the control and mixing of a fluid current subjected to centrifugal force
US4468371A (en) * 1982-07-19 1984-08-28 Daryl Laboratories, Inc. Immunoassay test slide
US4883763A (en) * 1984-05-03 1989-11-28 Abbott Laboratories Sample processor card for centrifuge
US4894204A (en) * 1984-12-21 1990-01-16 Inovelf Rotor with dynamic pipeting for a centrifuge analysis device
US5071625A (en) * 1985-02-27 1991-12-10 Fisher Scientific Company Cuvette handling
US4999304A (en) * 1987-12-28 1991-03-12 Miles Inc. Dynamic braking centrifuge
DE4006498C2 (en) * 1989-07-10 1999-04-01 Gen Electric Device for sealing a space in a turbomachine
DE4006498A1 (en) * 1989-07-10 1991-01-24 Gen Electric FLAT SEALS
US5693233A (en) * 1992-04-02 1997-12-02 Abaxis Methods of transporting fluids within an analytical rotor
US5627041A (en) * 1994-09-02 1997-05-06 Biometric Imaging, Inc. Disposable cartridge for an assay of a biological sample
US20090227041A1 (en) * 2008-02-04 2009-09-10 Micropoint Biosciences, Inc. Centrifugal fluid analyzer rotor
US8486333B2 (en) 2008-02-04 2013-07-16 Micropoint Biosciences, Inc. Centrifugal fluid analyzer rotor
US20130196360A1 (en) * 2012-01-26 2013-08-01 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Microfluidic device and control method thereof
US20150138912A1 (en) * 2012-02-16 2015-05-21 Natioanl Research Council Of Canada Centrifugal microfluidic mixing apparatus and method
US9555382B2 (en) * 2012-02-16 2017-01-31 National Research Council Of Canada Centrifugal microfluidic mixing apparatus with deflection element, and method of mixing
WO2020112801A1 (en) * 2018-11-28 2020-06-04 V&P Scientific, Inc. Spinning vessel systems and methods for mixing, suspending particulates, aliquoting, washing magnetic beads, and concentrating analytes
US11623188B2 (en) 2018-11-28 2023-04-11 V&P Scientific, Inc. Spinning vessel systems and methods for mixing, suspending particulates, aliquoting, washing magnetic beads, and concentrating analytes

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