Method and apparatus for sequentially performing analyses on a plurality of fluid samples

• US 3,241,432 A
• Filed: 10/31/1962
• Issued: 03/22/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edwin C. Whitehead, Leonard T. Skeggs, Milton H. Pelavin, William J. Smythe
• Original Assignee: Edwin C. Whitehead, Leonard T. Skeggs, Milton H. Pelavin, William J. Smythe
• Inventors: Skeggs, Leonard T., Whitehead, Edwin C., Smythe, William J., Pelavin, Milton H.
• Application Number:
  US04/234,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• US Class Current: 436/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 with formation of a segmented stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/171538 Urea or blood urea nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/204998 Inorganic carbon compounds

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF A PLURALITY OF FLUID SAMPLES WITH RESPECT TO A GIVEN NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES PRESENT IN THE FLUID, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING:

SUPPLY MEANS FOR PROVIDING THE SAMPLES SEQUENTIALLY TO FORM AN INITIAL STREAM OF SEQUENTIAL SAMPLES WHEREIN EACH SAMPLE IS IN SEQUENCE WITH THE PRECEDING AND SUCCEEDING SAMPLES;

DIVIDING-TREATING-ANALYSIS MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SUPPLY MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE INITIAL STREAM OF SEQUENTIAL SAMPLES, FOR DIVIDING SUCH INITIAL STREAM INTO A PLURALITY OF QUOTIENT STREAMS, EACH SEQUENTIAL INCREMENT IN EACH OF SUCH QUOTIENT STREAMS BEING A FRACTIONAL PORTION OF A RESPECTIVE SEQUENTIAL SAMPLE IN THE INITIAL STREAM, FOR TREATING THE STREAMS FOR ANALYSIS, AND FOR DISCHARGING THE QUOTIENT STREAMS;

SAID DIVIDING-TREATING-ANALYSIS MEANS INCLUDING A SIGNAL GENERATING MEANS FOR PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUT SIGNALS, WHICH SIGNALS ARE EQUAL IN NUMBER TO SAID GIVEN NUMBER, EACH SUCH SIGNAL VARYING IN RESPONSE TO A SELECTED CHARACTERISTIC OF A TREATED RESPECTIVE FRACTIONAL PORTION AND THEREBY INDICATING THE CONCENTRATION OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF THE SUBSTANCES IN A SAMPLE PASSING THROUGH SAID DIVIDINGTREATING-ANALYSIS MEANS;

AND RECEIVING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SIGNAL GENERATING MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID SIGNALS THEREFROM, FOR STORING IN CORRELATION EACH SIGNAL WHICH IS PROVIDED RESPONSIVE TO A FRICTIONAL PORTION FROM THE SAME SAMPLE FROM THE INITIAL STREAM;

SAID SIGNAL GENERATING MEANS AND SAID SIGNAL RECEIVING MEANS EACH OPERATING CYCLICALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH SAMPLE FROM THE INITIAL STREAM.