Patent ID: 7601300
Filing Date: 2009-10-13
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An integrated system for processing a plurality of test samples and test sample devices for receiving said test samples, said test samples received in individual fluid receptacles, comprising: a carrier for carrying a plurality, of said individual fluid receptacles and a plurality of said test sample devices, each of said test sample devices placed in fluid communication with a test sample stored in one of said individual fluid receptacles; a vacuum station adapted for manual insertion of said carrier into said vacuum station and manual removal of said carrier from said vacuum station, said vacuum station further comprising a source of vacuum and a vacuum controller, said vacuum source controlled so as to load said test samples from said individual fluid receptacles into respective test sample devices; and a carrier and test device processing subsystem remote from said vacuum station, comprising (1) a transport system for translating the carrier within the carrier and test device processing subsystem, the transport system including one or more optical sensors for sensing the position of the carrier within the carrier and test device processing subsystem, including the position of the carrier at an incubator loading position and (2) modules for processing said carrier and test sample devices, said modules including an incubator and a module for conducting optical measurements of said test sample devices, wherein said carrier and test device processing subsystem and said vacuum station are integrated into a single instrument and wherein said carrier is manually loaded into said carrier and test device processing subsystem after completion of vacuum loading of said test samples; wherein the one or more optical sensors include an optical sensor located at the incubator loading position where the test sample device are moved from the carrier into the incubator.