Inventors:
Hideki Itaya - Cupertino CA, US
Jason Hool - Pacific Palisades CA, US
Javier Urena - San Jose CA, US
Fredrick Spears - San Jose CA, US
Osamu Ohno - Mountain View CA, US
Kantaro Maruoka - Cupertino CA, US
International Classification:
G01N035/00
US Classification:
436/045000, 436/048000, 436/049000, 422/064000, 422/065000
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a diagnostic instrument for analyzing liquid samples. The diagnostic instrument in accordance with this invention includes a sample carousel and a diagnostic carousel. The sample carousel includes at least one sample tube and in the exemplary embodiment a plurality of sample tubes, each having unique identifying indicia readable by a machine reader. The sample tube capable of storing the liquid sample to be analyzed. The diagnostic carousel including at least one pipette capable of storing liquid sample to be analyzed. There are matching number of pipettes to sample tubes and each having matching unique identifying indicia which is matched with the appropriate sample tube. The diagnostic carousel being offset from the sample carousel and lying in a different plane from the sample carousel. Each pipette including a transfer mechanism for transferring sample from the sample tube directly to the pipette. The diagnostic instrument further including structure for bringing the pipette into contact with the sample tube, upon contact, the transfer mechanism of the pipette being activated for transferring sample from the sample tube to the pipette.