Patent ID: 6827901
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: B01F,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A biological reaction apparatus for dispensing a selected reagent to a slide containing a sample, said biological reaction apparatus comprising:a reagent carousel having a plurality of reagent container supports thereon; a homing and indexing device, operatively coupled to the reagent carousel, for identifying the position of each reagent container support with reference to a home position; a motor engaging the reagent carousel and operatively coupled to said homing and indexing device, for rotating the reagent carousel and positioning a preselected reagent container support in a reagent supply zone, wherein said reagent supply zone is oriented so that reagent in a container in said preselected reagent container support is dispensable to a slide and wherein each of the reagent container supports is arranged to accommodate a reagent container such that it is positioned above a slide when in the reagent supply zone whereby the reagent is dispensable from a lower end of said container onto the slide; a sample carousel arranged beneath said reagent carousel for cooperation therewith, and having a plurality of slide supports with each slide support engaging a slide having a substantially planar support surface, said slide having a reagent agitation zone for adding and mixing reagents thereto located on the slide's upper surface; and an air mixer comprising an air jet and an air supply means positioned adjacent to a said reagent agitation zone for mixing reagents, said air mixer directing a jet of air at the reagent agitation zone thereby inducing mixing in the reagent agitation zone.