Filtration and incubation unit

Claim 1

A COMBINED FILTRATION AND INCUBATION UNIT FOR MICROORGANISM ANALYSIS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN ENCLOSED CONTAINER COMPRISING A TRANSPARENT MATERIAL PERMITTING VISUAL OBSERVATION OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING A BOTTOM PORTION HAVING AN OUTLET PORT AND A TOP PORTION HAVING AN INLET PORT, A FLAT FILTER FILM CAPABLE OF REMOVING MICROORGANISMS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTS, SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR SAID FLTER FILM INCLUDING GENERALLY FLAT-STURFACED BIBULOUS SUPPORTING MEMBER UNDERLYING SAID FILTER FILM, SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE PROVIDING DRAINAGE FROM BENEATH AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM FILTRATION THROUGH SAID FILTER FILM AND HAVING LIQUID-HOLDING CAPACITY TO CONTAIN SUFFICIENT NUTRIENT MEDIUM TO NOURISH MICROORGANISMS COLLECTECD ON SAID FILTER FILM, MEANS ENGAGING THE MARGINAL EDGER OF SAID FILTER FILM TO HOLD SAID FILTER FILM IN SUBSTANTIAL CONTACT WITH SAID BIBULOUS SUPPORTING MEMBER, THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FILTER FILM BEING EXPOSED TO A SPACE WITHIN SAID TOP PORTION HAVING A VOLUME SUFFICIENT TO CONTAIN AIR TO SUSTAIN AEROBIC MICROORGANISMS COLLECTED ON SAID FILTER FILM, AND REMOVABLE SEALING MEANS SEALING SAID OUTLET PORT AND SAID INLET PORT.