Apparatus for producing thin liquid samples for microscopic analysis
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for producing thin samples of liquids for microscopic analysis, said apparatus comprising:
- a base portion;
a means for containing said sample(s) carried by said base portion, having an interior, an exterior, and outside walls; and
a lid portion, the base portion, said means and the lid forming a cuvette, wherein said cuvette has a plurality of consecutive separation walls which separate the interior of said cuvette into a plurality of successive compartments;
wherein said cuvette has a sample entrance port that is connected with the first of said successive compartments by a channel, wherein each of said consecutive separation walls comprises at least two different types of through-channels, and wherein the liquid sample is analyzed within the last of said successive compartments.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the field of diagnostics by means of microscopic sample analysis, and specifically relates to a method and apparatus for preparing thin microscopic samples of liquids, and in particular monolayers of red blood cells.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for producing thin samples of liquids for microscopic analysis, said apparatus comprising:
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a base portion;
a means for containing said sample(s) carried by said base portion, having an interior, an exterior, and outside walls; and
a lid portion, the base portion, said means and the lid forming a cuvette, wherein said cuvette has a plurality of consecutive separation walls which separate the interior of said cuvette into a plurality of successive compartments;
wherein said cuvette has a sample entrance port that is connected with the first of said successive compartments by a channel, wherein each of said consecutive separation walls comprises at least two different types of through-channels, and wherein the liquid sample is analyzed within the last of said successive compartments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
a) at least one through-channel of a first type which allows red blood cells and blood plasma to flow through said wall; and
b) at least one through-channel of a second type which allows only blood plasma to flow through said wall.
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7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each wall of each compartment of said cuvette has at least one small venting opening for air venting.
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8. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each wall of each compartment of said cuvette has at least one small venting opening for air venting.
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9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said base plate is comprised of polycarbonate or polystyrene.
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10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sample entrance is a sample entry port in the base portion which is connected to the means by a narrow channel.
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11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said separating walls of said means have weld features.
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12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said outside walls of said means are surrounded by a moat, so that the lid portion rests only on the outside walls and weld features.
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13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lid portion is a transparent lid.
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14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said transparent lid is made out of plastic material.
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15. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said lid portion is welded onto the outside walls and weld features of said means.
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16. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said base plate is comprised of a transparent plastic material, providing said cuvette with two windows for performance of transmission measurements.
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17. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said separation walls are arranged in consecutive longitudinal fashion.
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18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sample container has at least five separating walls.
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19. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cuvette has at least one window for performance of fluorescence measurements.
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20. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cuvette has at least two windows for performance of transmission measurements.
Specification