US3838970A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Centrifuge tube for ultra-violet analysis
Assignee: Medical Evaluation Devices and Instruments Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-23
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Granted: 1974-10-01
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Expires: 1993-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A centrifuge tube formed from a transparent plastic and provided at its bottom with a penetratable membrane through which an optical fiber element is passed upon completion of centrifuging of the contents to enable visual observation of the effect of light, particularly ultra-violet light, on the contents, when compared with a standard or control, to detect the presence or absence of a predetermined type of foreign matter in the centrifuged contents of the tube. The optical fiber element may be formed from quartz or from such a material as a methyl methacrylate capable of transmitting ultra-violet light.
Inventors
- 👤 W Kline
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:43
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0291; B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5021; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/01; G01N21/03; G01N21/07; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S385/00; Y10S385/901; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375; Y10T436/2575
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
IN A METHOD OF VISUALLY ANALYZING AN ORGANIC SPECIMEN THROUGH EXPOSURE TO TRANSMITTED LIGHT, THE STEPS OF, SUPPLYING A TRANSPARENT CENTRIFUGE TUBE HAVING A PENETRABLE MEMBRANE AT THAT END THEREOF WHERE SOLIDS ARE CONCENTRATED FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF CENTRIFUGING, AT LEAST PARTLY FILLING SAID CENTRIFUGE TUBE WITH A LIQUID CONTAINING A DISPERSION OF THE SOLIDS OF SAID ORGANIC SPECIMEN, CENTRIFUGING SAID LIQUID DISPERSION TO CONCENTRATE THE SOLIDS THEREOF AT THE MEMBRANE-CONTAINING END OF SAID CENTRIFUGE TUBE, THEN INSERTING AN OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT THROUGH SAID PENETRABLE MEMBRANE SO THAT ITS INNER END IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS IN SAID TUBE AND ITS OUT END IS EXPOSED FOR OPERABLE CONNECTION TO AN EXTERNAL SOURCE OF LIGHT, THEN OPERABLY CONNECTING THE SAID OUTER EXPOSED END OF SAID OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT TO SAID EXTERNAL SOURCE OF LIGHT WHEREBY TO TRANSMIT LIGHT FROM SAID EXTERNAL SOURCE INTO THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS WITHIN SAID TUBE, AND VISUALLY OBSERVING ANY EFFECT CREATED BY THE LIGHT TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT UPON THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS OF SAID SEPECIMEN.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
IN A METHOD OF VISUALLY ANALYZING AN ORGANIC SPECIMEN THROUGH EXPOSURE TO TRANSMITTED LIGHT, THE STEPS OF, SUPPLYING A TRANSPARENT CENTRIFUGE TUBE HAVING A PENETRABLE MEMBRANE AT THAT END THEREOF WHERE SOLIDS ARE CONCENTRATED FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF CENTRIFUGING, AT LEAST PARTLY FILLING SAID CENTRIFUGE TUBE WITH A LIQUID CONTAINING A DISPERSION OF THE SOLIDS OF SAID ORGANIC SPECIMEN, CENTRIFUGING SAID LIQUID DISPERSION TO CONCENTRATE THE SOLIDS THEREOF AT THE MEMBRANE-CONTAINING END OF SAID CENTRIFUGE TUBE, THEN INSERTING AN OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT THROUGH SAID PENETRABLE MEMBRANE SO THAT ITS INNER END IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS IN SAID TUBE AND ITS OUT END IS EXPOSED FOR OPERABLE CONNECTION TO AN EXTERNAL SOURCE OF LIGHT, THEN OPERABLY CONNECTING THE SAID OUTER EXPOSED END OF SAID OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT TO SAID EXTERNAL SOURCE OF LIGHT WHEREBY TO TRANSMIT LIGHT FROM SAID EXTERNAL SOURCE INTO THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS WITHIN SAID TUBE, AND VISUALLY OBSERVING ANY EFFECT CREATED BY THE LIGHT TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID OPTICAL FIBER ELEMENT UPON THE CONCENTRATED SOLIDS OF SAID SEPECIMEN.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 in which said centrifuge tube is formed as a syringe for the direct collection of said specimen from a body cavity of an animate being.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 1 in which said liquid dispersion of said organic specimen is dyed, at least prior to centrifuging, with a dye that, under ultra-violet light, exhibits a color response to indicate the presence or absence of predetermined foreign matter in said specimen as compared with that of a dye control standardized for the presence or absence of the same foreign matter, and in which said optical fiber element is formed from a material capable of transmitting ultra-violet light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 in which said optical fiber element is formed from the group of materials consisting of quartz and a methyl methacrylate capable of transmitting ultra-violeT light.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3 in which the light transmitted through said optical fiber element is ultra-violet light.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-30 | 1978-04-01 | 1978-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-30 | 1982-04-01 | 1982-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-30 | 1986-04-01 | 1986-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |