US 11,867,710 B2
Automatic analyzer and method for carrying out chemical, biochemical and/or immunochemical analyses
Berthold Limbach, Lotzwil (CH); Arnold Bartel, Graz (AT); Herfried Huemer, Feldbach (AT); Reinhard Marik, Graz (AT); Patrick Kraus-Füreder, Graz (AT); Robert Scholz-Mareich, Graz (AT); and Wolfgang Sprengers, Vasoldsberg (AT)
Assigned to Meon Medical Solutions GmbH & Co KG, Graz (AT)
Appl. No. 16/629,539
Filed by Meon Medical Solutions GmbH & Co KG, Graz (AT)
PCT Filed Jul. 13, 2018, PCT No. PCT/AT2018/060147
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 8, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/010514, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. A 50593/2017 (AT), filed on Jul. 14, 2017; application No. A 50595/2017 (AT), filed on Jul. 14, 2017; application No. A 50340/2018 (AT), filed on Apr. 23, 2018; and application No. A 50341/2018 (AT), filed on Apr. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0156879 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 35/10 (2006.01); G01N 21/25 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/02 (2006.01); G01N 33/553 (2006.01); G01N 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 35/1072 (2013.01) [G01N 21/253 (2013.01); G01N 33/553 (2013.01); G01N 35/0098 (2013.01); G01N 35/026 (2013.01); G01N 35/1004 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00356 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0415 (2013.01); G01N 2035/0437 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0627 (2013.01)] 36 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automatic analyzer for carrying out chemical, biochemical and/or immunochemical analyses of liquid samples, which are present in a sample store of the analyzer, with the aid of liquid reagents, which are present in at least one reagent store of the analyzer, the automatic analyzer comprising
cuvettes for receiving the liquid samples and reagents, wherein a plurality of cuvettes is arranged as a stationary, linear cuvette array in the analyzer, and wherein each of the cuvettes includes a measurement window arranged on the side of the cuvette,
a first pipettor configured and arranged to be movable in an x-direction along the linear cuvette array, said first pipettor being equipped with at least one pipetting needle which is designed to be lowerable in a z-direction into the cuvettes and which is designed to be movable in a y-direction, substantially normal to the x-direction, between the cuvettes and the sample store and/or the reagent store,
a mixer unit configured and arranged for mixing the samples and reagents in the cuvettes,
an optical measurement unit which, in order to obtain a measurement signal, includes a spectroscopic unit or a detection unit, both having direct lateral access to the plurality of cuvettes and is configured and arranged to receive measurement radiation that exits through the measurement window arranged on the side of each of the cuvettes,
a cuvette washing unit configured and arranged to be movable in the x-direction, for cleaning the cuvettes,
a needle washing unit configured and arranged to clean the at least one pipetting needle, and
a stationary temperature control unit configured and arranged to set a predefinable measurement temperature in the cuvettes;
wherein at least one of the mixer unit, the optical measurement unit, and the cuvette washing unit is configured and arranged to be movable in the x-direction independently of the first pipettor along or parallel to the linear cuvette array and each have access to different cuvettes or groups of cuvettes in a freely selectable order.