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US 11,378,435 B2Granted
Device and method for evaluating amount of biological sample in a specimen container
AssigneeQuest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
InventorsChristine Amendt, Sevag Bedrosian, Gordon Love, Mkrtich Daniyelyan, Miguel Torrero
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided to evaluate an amount of a biological sample in a specimen container. A fixture has a bottom surface configured to support a specimen container. A reference indicator is disposed at a predetermined height relative to the bottom surface. The reference indicator is configured to facilitate a visual comparison of the reference indicator with a height of a volume of a biological sample in the specimen container.
Claims16
An apparatus for evaluating an amount of biological sample in a specimen container, comprising:
- a removable member comprising a protruding portion on one face of the removable member and a reference indicator disposed on the removable member on another face of the removable member directly opposite the one face;
- a fixture with a bottom surface configured to support a specimen container, wherein the fixture further comprises a holder for holding receiving the protruding portion of the removable member, the holder having a bottom support portion;
- wherein a lower end of the protruding portion is configured to rest on top of the bottom support portion of the holder such that, when the removable member is held in the holder, the holder positions the removable member in a predetermined position relative to the bottom surface of the fixture and the reference indicator is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the bottom surface,
- wherein the lower end of the protruding portion is an end of the removable member that is closest to the bottom surface,
- wherein the reference indicator is an indicium that identifies a location above the bottom support portion of the holder and provides a volume measurement of a biological sample in the specimen container, wherein the volume measurement is based on a biological sample distance of the specimen container above the bottom surface of the fixture,
- wherein the reference indicator is configured to facilitate a visual comparison of the reference indicator with a height of a volume of the biological sample in the specimen container to provide the volume measurement,
- wherein the holder is at least one of a slot and a sleeve having a shape corresponding to a shape of the protruding portion of the removable member.
4 more elements
A method of evaluating an amount of biological sample in a specimen container, the method comprising:
- disposing the specimen container in a fixture having a bottom surface configured to support the specimen container, wherein the fixture further comprises a holder for receiving a removable member having a protruding portion on one face of the removable member and a reference indicator disposed on the removable member on another face of the removable member directly opposite the one face;
- disposing the protruding portion of the removable member in the holder such that a lower end of the protruding portion rests on top of a bottom support portion of the holder, the holder positions the removable member in a predetermined position relative to the bottom surface of the fixture, and the reference indicator is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the bottom surface,
- wherein the holder is at least one of a slot and a sleeve having a shape corresponding to a shape of the protruding portion of the removable member,
- wherein the lower end of the protruding portion is an end of the removable member that is closest to the bottom surface;
- and
- visually comparing a height of a volume of a biological sample in the specimen container with the reference indicator to provide a volume measurement of biological sample contained within the specimen container,
- the reference indicator comprising an indicium that identifies a location above the bottom support portion of the holder and provides the volume measurement of the biological sample in the specimen container, wherein the volume measurement is based on a biological sample distance of the specimen container above the bottom surface of the fixture.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.