Incubator and analyzer with improved cap raising means

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I have devised an incubator that solves the above-noted space problems and complexities of the prior art incubators.
More specifically, there is provided an incubator for test elements containing a liquid for analysis, the incubator including means defining a plurality of stations in the incubator, including at least one station providing a loading or an unloading function; holding means at each of the stations for holding a plurality of test elements, means for moving the holding means and the test elements through the stations; a plurality of movable evaporation caps disposed so that a cap is adjacent each of the stations, the caps being constructed to cover at least a portion of a test element at each station so as to prevent liquid evaporation, the caps including a spring mounted to bias the cap against a held test element; and means for raising the caps against the spring to allow entry or removal of a test element into or from the holding means.
The incubator is improved in that the raising means comprises a camming surface fixedly disposed within the incubator above the holding means at the at-least one station, and a cam follower on the cap, the follower being positioned so that each follower encounters the camming surface and its cap is raised as the moving means moves the holding means and test elements through the at-least one station.
Accordingly, it is an advantageous feature of the invention that a simplified incubator is produced for analyzers using test elements that must be capped during incubation, for example, potentiometric test elements.
It is another advantageous feature of the invention that the size of such an incubator is substantially reduced.
A related advantageous feature of the invention is that fewer controls are needed for such an incubator, there being fewer active elements requiring such control.
Another related advantageous feature of the invention is improved reliability.
Other advantageous features will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the attached drawings