Spectroscopic sample holder

A sample holder comprising:

• a housing having a width dimension and a depth dimension orthogonal to the width dimension;
• an inlet for receiving blood to be analyzed, the inlet comprising a piece of capillary tube, wherein the piece of capillary tube is an integral part of the housing;
• an inlet transition chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the inlet;
• an optical chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the inlet transition chamber, the optical chamber having at least one optical window for spectroscopic analysis of the blood and an optical chamber depth extending from the at least one optical window parallel to the depth dimension;
• an overflow chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the optical chamber;
• and
• an outlet vent, in the housing, and fluidly connected to the overflow chamber, to provide an outflow path for air;
• and
• wherein the inlet transition chamber comprises a tapered transition region bordering the optical chamber, wherein within the tapered transition region the inlet transition chamber width, parallel to the width dimension, increases toward the optical chamber and the inlet transition chamber depth, parallel to the depth dimension, diminishes toward the optical chamber.

A sample holder comprising:

• a housing having a width dimension and a depth dimension orthogonal to the width dimension;
• an inlet, in the housing, for receiving blood from a syringe to be analyzed, wherein the inlet is configured to engage the syringe;
• an inlet transition chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the inlet;
• an optical chamber, in the housing, defining a void for receiving the blood from the inlet, the optical chamber comprising at least one optical window for spectroscopic analysis of the blood and an optical chamber depth extending from the at least one optical window parallel to the depth dimension, wherein an optical chamber width parallel to the width dimension is greater than the optical chamber depth;
• an overflow chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the optical chamber;
• a buffer chamber for collecting an excess of the blood from the overflow chamber;
• and
• an outlet vent, in the housing and fluidly connected to the overflow chamber, to provide an outflow path for air;
• and
• wherein the inlet transition chamber comprises a tapered transition region bordering the optical chamber, wherein within the tapered transition region the inlet transition chamber width, parallel to the width dimension, increases toward the optical chamber and the inlet transition chamber depth, parallel to the depth dimension, diminishes toward the optical chamber.

A sample holder assembly comprising:

• a sample holder having
• a housing having a width dimension and a depth dimension orthogonal to the width dimension;
• an inlet, in the housing, for receiving blood to be analyzed;
• an inlet transition chamber, in the housing, for receiving the blood from the inlet;
• an optical chamber, in the housing, defining a void for receiving the blood from the inlet, the optical chamber comprising at least one optical window for spectroscopic analysis of the blood and an optical chamber depth extending parallel to the depth dimension from the at least one optical window parallel to the depth dimension, wherein an optical chamber width parallel to the width dimension is greater than the optical chamber depth;
• and
• an outlet vent, in the housing and fluidly connected to the optical chamber, to provide an outflow path for air;
• and
• wherein the inlet transition chamber comprises a tapered transition region bordering the optical chamber, wherein within the tapered transition region the inlet transition chamber width, parallel to the width dimension, increases toward the optical chamber and the inlet transition chamber depth, parallel to the depth dimension, diminishes toward the optical chamber;
• and
• an adaptor, wherein the adaptor is fluidly connected to the inlet to receive the blood from a source.