US 4,054,415 AGranted

Body fluid and blood electrolyte analyzer

AssigneeYale University

InventorsDavid Seligson, Stephen Clark Wardlaw, Philip C. Surh

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Abstract

An apparatus for testing body fluid or blood electrolytes in a body fluid or blood serum sample includes three testing stations. The blood sample is automatically transported from an input point serially and in a linear manner along a track past the three testing stations to an output point. The first testing station removes a first portion of the sample at a first location along the track and has a rotating structure including a container which receives and stores the first portion and rotates it to a first testing position at a first time. A testing structure tests the first portion while at the first testing position at that first time. The second testing station removes a second portion of the sample at a second location along the track and includes a second rotating structure including a container which receives and stores the second portion and rotates the stored second portion to a second testing position, also at the first time. A second testing structure tests the second portion while at the second position at the first time. A third testing station removes a third portion of the sample at a third location along the track and tests the removed third portion at the noted first time so that all the tests are performed simultaneously and the results thereof can be derived simultaneously without the need for memory, delay or control apparatus.

Claims68

Dependent claims

An apparatus for testing a body fluid, such as for blood electrolytes in a blood sample including in combination;

means for moving a plurality of blood samples serially and in a linear manner along a track from an input to an output,
a first testing station for testing at least a first sample constituent, said first testing station including means for removing a first portion of said sample at a first location along said track, first rotating means for receiving and storing said first portion in a container and for rotating said container to a first testing position at a first time, first testing means for testing said first portion while at said first testing position,
a second testing station for testing a second sample constituent, said second testing station including means for removing a second portion of said sample at a second location along said track, a second rotating means for receiving and storing said second portion in a container and for rotating said container to a second testing position at said first time, second testing means for testing said second portion while at said second testing position,
a third testing station for testing a third sample constituent, said third testing station including means for removing a third portion of said sample at a third location along said track and testing means for receiving said third portion and operative to test same at said first time whereby said first, second and third tests are performed simultaneously, and
output means coupled to said first, second and third testing stations for simultaneously providing said test results.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.