Integrated ECL Immunoassay System with Counterbalanced Shaker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for performing ECL immunoassays require multiple individual machines for washing, pipetting, stirring, and reading, lacking an integrated solution that improves efficiency and provides thermal control.
Innovation Solution
An integrated ECL immunoassay system that includes a housing with a pipette dispenser, multi-well trays, an incubator with counterbalanced consumable shaking apparatus, an ECL reader, and a cooler with thermoelectric cooling, allowing for efficient cooling and thermal control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple individual machines are used for washing, pipetting, stirring, and reading, then each function can be performed independently, but the system complexity increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual machines (washing station, pipetting robot, shaker/incubator, and ECL reader) into a single integrated automated assay system. These components are physically merged and controlled by a centralized controller to process assays sequentially without manual intervention, thereby improving productivity while managing system complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system performs multiple assay functions (washing, pipetting, incubating/shaking, and reading) within a single platform. The system is designed to handle complete assay workflows universally, allowing one system to replace multiple specialized machines while maintaining functional versatility through modular component design.
2Temperature
If thermal control is not provided, then the system is simpler, but reagent and sample temperatures cannot be maintained at optimal levels
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides localized thermal control specifically within the shaker/incubator component, which can maintain optimal temperatures for reagents and samples during incubation steps. This targeted approach applies thermal control only where needed in the assay workflow, rather than heating/cooling the entire system, thus managing complexity while achieving temperature control.
3Reliability
If pipette tips are not cleaned during a run, then the system is simpler to operate, but cross-contamination may occur between samples
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates an automated pipette tip cleaning station that cleans tips between uses without requiring manual intervention. The cleaning function is integrated into the assay workflow and executed automatically by the controller, allowing the system to maintain high reliability through cross-contamination prevention while preserving ease of operation by eliminating manual cleaning steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances efficiency by integrating all necessary machines into a single system, providing thermal control to maintain optimal reagent and sample temperatures, and enabling cleaning of multiple pipette tips during a run.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler with thermoelectric cooling, allowing for efficient cooling and thermal control
Implementation Method 2
an incubator with counterbalanced consumable shaking apparatus, an ECL reader, and a cooler with thermoelectric cooling, allowing for efficient cooling and thermal control
Implementation Method 3
measuring the labels that are present in sandwich complexes on the solid phase... One exemplary detection technology that may be used to measure labels during the measuring step is electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for performing assays on a solid phase to measure the level of analyte in a sample. Such a system may perform immunoassays using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) including a counterbalanced orbital shaking apparatus for assay consumables. The counterbalanced orbital shaking apparatus also incubates the assay consumables, and has a cooling system to maintain a preset temperature within the shaking apparatus.