A supply device for liquid analysis apparatus including a probe and a sample container, said probe and said container being relatively movable with respect to each other whereby liquid carried within the container may be removed by said probe when the probe is disposed within the container, said probe including a takeoff conduit with a valve disposed therein, rinse fluid supplied to said conduit through said valve, said valve preventing rinse fluid from entering said conduit when the sample is moving from said container through the probe, said rinse fluid flowing through said conduit and at least a portion thereof flowing out of said probe when said valve is opened, thereby cleansing the conduit and the probe.
A discharge system for a tubing system in an apparatus for the selective transport of fluid volume quantities, for instance in a particle analyzer. Fluid is transported by means of a delivery pump from a first vessel through a transport conduit to a second vessel. Carry-over from one specimen to the next as well as foam, droplets and bubbles at the outlet or delivery nozzle are to be circumvented. A substantially T-shaped fitting is arranged in the transport conduit and its lateral branch leads through a valve to a collector vessel which is maintained under vacuum by a pump. After closing the valve and filling the first vessel, the delivery pump is operated. When a predetermined fluid volume has been attained in the second vessel, the valve is opened and a further pump operated whereupon the entire fluid quantity contained in the transport conduit and in the first vessel is drawn into the collector vessel: in particular, the fluid in the outlet nozzle and in the tubing system connected to such outlet nozzle is drawn or sucked back. When only air is taken in, the pumps can be turned off and the process can be repeated. The reverse suction at the outlet nozzle prevents the formation of foam, droplets and bubbles and the conduits of the tubing system are well drained.
The invention relates to a process for rinsing a device for circulating a liquid between a storage tank (1) and a sampling head (2) from a supply pipe (3) to which is connected a motor air pipe (12). The rinsing or washing consists of injecting a rinsing or washing fluid into the supply pipe (3) or into the motor air pipe (12), the latter being supplied with gas during the rinsing or washing of the device.
A device is provided for cleaning a liquid sample taking needle, mounted fixedly on the frame of a sample taking apparatus, which device includes a mobile mechanism formed of a rinsing case (14) sliding over the sample taking needle (3) between a top position which it occupies during sample taking and a low position which it occupies during cleaning in which it covers the whole of the lower part of the needle, the end of this latter remaining withdrawn inside a cylindrical cleaning chamber (18) provided in the case through which the needle passes and at the lower part of which a depression is applied.
A modular multi-channel automated medical analyzer device is disclosed, characterized by use of an ion selective electrode and/or enzymatic electrode/wash cell system which permits rapid analysis of various substances of interest contained within undiluted body fluids such as whole blood, serum and/or plasma. The ion selective electrode and/or the enzymatic electrode are disposed upon a probe which automatically axially reciprocates downwardly in a simple manipulative motion between an open-ended reference wash cell and a sample cup bearing the body fluid specimen to be analyzed. The wash cell includes an inlet port and one or more outlet ports through which is circulated an aqueous solution bearing a known concentration of the substance to be measured to provide a reference calibration medium as well as a probe washing medium. The probe is lowered directly into the sample cup to physically contact the specimen to be measured and, after analysis, is lifted upwardly into the wash cell wherein any attendant portion of the specimen remaining on the probe is stripped off by suction and the aqueous solution flow through the wash cell is initiated to thoroughly wash the probe and establish a new calibration medium for subsequent specimen analysis. The wash cell/probe assembly is specifically designed to prevent any leakage or drooling of the aqueous solution from the wash cell into the sample cup throughout manipulation of the probe. Operation of each of the modules of the analyzer is facilitated through common processing and control electronics and test measurements are accomplished initially on a dual point calibration procedure and subsequently on a single point calibration procedure.
