Patent ID: 7256045

Claim:
A clinical analyzer for analyzing at least a portion of a liquid sample, comprising: sample handling apparatus having one or more sample containers holding an amount of sample liquid; sample metering apparatus having a proboscis defining a metering lumen, one or more tips with a tubular shape and a metering aperture at one end, and a metering pump coupled with the proboscis lumen; the tips being removably attachable to the proboscis and allowing fluid communication between the metering pump and the metering aperture through the proboscis lumen; sample processing apparatus having one or more test elements, an incubator and at least a thin film clinical chemistry system and a wet chemistry clinical testing system for conducting clinical tests on the liquid samples; and sample quality apparatus having a spectrophotometer and a tip end clamping device; the analyzer having several operating stations: (a) an initial aspiration position where a metering aperture of the tip can be periodically immersed in sample liquid held within one of the sample container; the metering pump adapted to create a partial vacuum to cause a selected volume of sample liquid to be aspirated from a sample container into the tip; (b) a dispensing position where the metering pump can create a partial pressure to cause a portion of the sample liquid to be dispensed from the tip onto a test element; (c) a thin film clinical chemistry testing position; (d) a sample quality measurement position; and (e) a wet chemistry testing position.