System for conducting the identification of bacteria in biological samples
First Claim
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1. An optics cup for holding a biological sample for use in an optical analysis comprising:
- a rectangular-shaped container for containing the biological sample, said container including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a floor;
said container having a rectangular opening for receiving the biological sample and a lower tapered area extending from said first end wall and inwardly and downwardly relative to the rectangular opening and toward said floor and wherein the first end wall has a depth that is less than a depth of said sidewalls and said second end wall, and wherein the lower tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through the opening and to reflect the beam through the biological sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a disposable cartridge and an optical cup or cuvette having a tapered surface; an optics system including an optical reader and a thermal controller; an optical analyzer; a cooling system; and an improved spectrometer. The system may utilize the disposable cartridge in the sample processor and the optical cup or cuvette in the optical analyzer.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An optics cup for holding a biological sample for use in an optical analysis comprising:
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a rectangular-shaped container for containing the biological sample, said container including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a floor; said container having a rectangular opening for receiving the biological sample and a lower tapered area extending from said first end wall and inwardly and downwardly relative to the rectangular opening and toward said floor and wherein the first end wall has a depth that is less than a depth of said sidewalls and said second end wall, and wherein the lower tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through the opening and to reflect the beam through the biological sample.
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2. An optics cup for holding a biological sample for use in an optical analysis comprising:
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a rectangular-shaped container for containing the biological sample, said container including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, and a floor; said container having a rectangular opening for receiving the biological sample and a lower tapered area extending from said first end wall and inwardly and downwardly relative to the rectangular opening and toward said floor and wherein the first end wall has a depth that is less than a depth of said sidewalls and said second end wall, and wherein the tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through the opening and to reflect the beam through the biological sample, and wherein and an inner surface at least along the tapered area is coated with a layer of reflective material. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A disposable cartridge for use in the identification and quantification of micro-organisms in biological samples, comprising:
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at least one compartment for positioning and supporting an optics cup containing the processed biological sample for use in an optical analysis; the optics cup having a rectangular shape and a tapered area into which a light source travels for the optical analysis of the processed biological sample and a reflective surface for enhancing the optical analysis, said optics cup including two spaced-apart sidewalls, a first end wall, a second end wall, said first end wall having a depth that is less than a depth of the sidewalls and the second end wall, and wherein the tapered area extends from the first end wall, wherein the tapered area has a surface that is configured to receive an illumination beam fed through an opening of the optics cup and to reflect the beam through the biological sample; and the compartment for positioning and supporting the optics cup having a rectangular-shaped opening for receiving and supporting the rectangular-shaped optics cup. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification