Apparatus And System For Biofluid Sample Dispensing And/Or Assay

Abstract

An apparatus for assaying biofluid includes a receptacle for removably housing a set of cuvettes of a biofluid sample dispensing apparatus, each cuvette of the set of cuvettes containing an assay sample having a reagent and a sample of the biofluid; a receptacle sealing element disposed around the receptacle for providing sealing engagement between the receptacle and the biofluid sample dispensing apparatus for sealing the set of cuvettes within the receptacle; a vacuum source for evacuating the receptacle; and an automated assay system connected to the receptacle for performing an assay process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes, while maintaining the set of cuvettes within the receptacle.

1 . An apparatus for assaying biofluid, the apparatus comprising:
 a receptacle for removably housing a set of cuvettes of a biofluid sample dispensing apparatus, each cuvette of the set of cuvettes containing an assay sample comprising a reagent and a sample of the biofluid;   a receptacle sealing element disposed around the receptacle for providing sealing engagement between the receptacle and the biofluid sample dispensing apparatus for sealing the set of cuvettes within the receptacle;   a vacuum source for evacuating the receptacle; and   an automated assay system connected to the receptacle for performing an assay process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes, while maintaining the set of cuvettes within the receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a set of receptacle sockets, each receptacle socket of the set of receptacle sockets for receiving a respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the set of receptacle sockets are arranged such that the biofluid sample dispensing apparatus is receivable by the receptacle in only one orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the set of receptacle sockets are arranged such that the assay process is performable on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes simultaneously. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a conduit for each receptacle socket of the set of receptacle sockets, each conduit connecting the vacuum source to a respective vacuum port of the respective receptacle socket of the set of receptacle sockets. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a common conduit for the set of receptacle sockets, the common conduit connecting the vacuum source to a vacuum port of the set of receptacle sockets. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein gaseous matter is extracted from the set of cuvettes during evacuation of the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein gaseous matter is extracted from each cuvette of the set of cuvettes through a hydrophobic membrane sealing an orifice of the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the automated assay system comprises an electromagnetic control system for performing a mixing process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic control system comprises a set of electromagnetic units for generating magnetic fields within the set of cuvettes to facilitate physical mixing of the assay samples in the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the magnetic fields facilitate physical mixing of the assay samples in the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic fields cause movement of a magnetic object in each cuvette of the set of cuvettes for physically mixing the assay sample in the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein each electromagnetic unit of the set of electromagnetic units comprises an array of electromagnetic elements. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein each cuvette of the set of cuvettes is associated with one or more arrays of electromagnetic elements, each electromagnetic element of the respective one or more arrays of electromagnetic elements individually operable for moving the magnetic object in the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes along a predefined path within the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the automated assay system comprises an optical system for performing a spectroscopic inspection process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the optical system comprises a set of optical units, each optical unit for performing the spectroscopic inspection process on a respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each optical unit comprises an illumination device for emitting light into the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein each optical unit comprises a spectroscopy instrument for performing spectroscopic measurements on the illuminated assay sample in the respective cuvette of the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the automated assay system comprises a temperature control system for performing a temperature control process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the temperature control system comprises a set of heating and/or cooling elements for maintaining the set of cuvettes at a predefined temperature. 
     
     
         21 . A method for assaying biofluid, the method comprising:
 removably housing a set of cuvettes of a biofluid sample dispensing apparatus within a receptacle, each cuvette of the set of cuvettes containing an assay sample comprising a reagent and a sample of the biofluid;   sealing the set of cuvettes within the receptacle by providing sealing engagement between the receptacle and the biofluid sample dispensing apparatus;   evacuating the receptacle using a vacuum source; and   performing, using an automated assay system connected to the receptacle, an assay process on the assay samples in the set of cuvettes, while maintaining the set of cuvettes within the receptacle.