Abstract A dish is provided for use in mechanical inoculation devices employing an inoculating loop or cotton swab. The tray has compartments containing combinations of differential or selective media to separate mixtures of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, facilitate isolation of organisms from clinical specimens and compare colony growth characteristics of pure cultures. The tray has compartments to separate the media and the media is filled above the heights of the barriers, so that the swab or inoculating loop may freely pass from one media to another. The aforementioned Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
A MEDIA TRAY ADAPTED FOR USE WITH AN AUTOMATIC INOCULATING MACHINE, MEDIA TRAY COMPRISING: A. A PLURALITY OF ADJACET COMPARTMENTS DEFINED BY A BOTTOM WALL AND SERIES OF RIBS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM AND FORMING AN ENCLOSURE AND B. BACTERIA GROWTH SUPPORTING MEDIA CONTAINED WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS, AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID MEDIA EXTENDING ABOVE THE UPPERMOST PORTION OF SAID RIBS WHEREBY AUTOMATICALLY DRIVEN INOCULATING MEANS MAY FREELY PASS FROM THE MEDIA IN ONE COMPARTMENT TO THE MEDIA IN ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS, AND C. MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL AND PARTIALLY EXTENDING INTO SAID MEDIA FOR IMMOBILIZING SAID MEDIA.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A MEDIA TRAY ADAPTED FOR USE WITH AN AUTOMATIC INOCULATING MACHINE, MEDIA TRAY COMPRISING: A. A PLURALITY OF ADJACET COMPARTMENTS DEFINED BY A BOTTOM WALL AND SERIES OF RIBS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM AND FORMING AN ENCLOSURE AND B. BACTERIA GROWTH SUPPORTING MEDIA CONTAINED WITHIN SAID COMPARTMENTS, AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID MEDIA EXTENDING ABOVE THE UPPERMOST PORTION OF SAID RIBS WHEREBY AUTOMATICALLY DRIVEN INOCULATING MEANS MAY FREELY PASS FROM THE MEDIA IN ONE COMPARTMENT TO THE MEDIA IN ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS, AND C. MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL AND PARTIALLY EXTENDING INTO SAID MEDIA FOR IMMOBILIZING SAID MEDIA.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The tray of claim 1 including wall members surrounding the outer ones of said ribs, said wall members being higher than said ribs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The tray of claim 2 including a removable cover adapted to fit over said wall members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tray of claim 1 including a plurality of first parallel compartments and a further compartment transverse to the said parallel compartments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The tray of claim 1 wherein said means comprises pins integrally with said bottom wall.