Patent · US Expired

Compact blood culture apparatus

US5518923A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
5References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 6, 1995
Grant dateMay 21, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 6, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/809
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention describes an apparatus for detecting biological activities in a large number of blood culture containers. The containers are placed in a plurality of wells arranged in concentric rows on a turntable that is rotated about a central axis. Each well is designed to receive and hold one of a plurality of sealable containers inserted base first, with each container having optical sensing means for sensing microorganisms therein and a bar code pattern attached thereto for identification purposes. Each well has an opening in its base to allow a sensor station to monitor a fluorescence chemical sensor in each container to determine whether there is microorganism growth within the container. Prior to inserting each container into a well on the turntable, a culture medium and blood specimen are introduced into the container and the bar code is scanned to identify the container. As the containers are rotated on the turntable they are exposed to conditions enabling a variety of metabolic, physical, and chemical changes to take place in the presence of microorganisms within the specimen. The apparatus also includes a door on the front that opens and permits the turntable to…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.