Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A structure for metering blood comprising: means for accurately metering samples of blood having a foam layer thereon, comprising means for collapsing and venting only air from said foam layer including (a) a tube having at least one open end portion; and (b) an elastically deformable cap mounted on said tube at said one end portion and having two passages which connect the interior of said tube with the surroundings via said one end portion, said passages opening to the surrounding at respective locations which are spaced in the axial direction of said tube, and one of said passages offering a higher resistance to fluid flow than the other of said passages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A structure for metering blood comprising: means for accurately metering samples of blood having a foam layer thereon, comprising means for collapsing and venting only air from said foam layer including (a) a tube having at least one open end portion; and (b) an elastically deformable cap mounted on said tube at said one end portion and having two passages which connect the interior of said tube with the surroundings via said one end portion, said passages opening to the surrounding at respective locations which are spaced in the axial direction of said tube, and one of said passages offering a higher resistance to fluid flow than the other of said passages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a sleeve which surrounds and is in frictional engagement with said one end portion of the tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The structure of claim 2, wherein said sleeve is a cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said cap comprises a radially deformable elastic sealing element spacedly surrounding said one end portion of the tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said one end portion of the tube has an end face and said cap comprises a bottom wall adjacent to said end face, said cap further comprising an elongated nipple extending beyond said bottom wall in a direction away from said end face and defining said other passage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 5, wherein said cap has an apertured portion disposed in the region of said bottom wall and defining said one passage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein the minimum cross-sectional area of said one passage at most equals one-fourth of the minimum cross-sectional area of said other passage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a hollow frustoconical sealing element which is elastically deformable radially of said tube and spacedly surrounds said one end portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The structure of claim 8, wherein said cap further comprises a sleeve surrounding and frictionally engaging said one end portion, said sealing element having a smaller-diameter end integral with said sleeve and a larger-diameter end spacedly surrounding said tube between the end portions thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a bottom wall facing said one end portion of the tube, and further comprising at least one distancing element interposed between said one end portion and said bottom wall so that the bottom wall and the one end portion define a clearance communicating with at least one of said passages.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 10, wherein said distancing element forms part of said cap, said one end portion having an end face abutting against said distancing element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a bottom wall adjacent to and facing said one end portion of the tube and a nipple defining said other passage, said nipple being offset with reference to the axis of said tube, as considered radially of said one end portion, said one end portion having an end face adjacent to said bottom wall and said other passage being aligned with a portion of said end face.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said one end portion of the tube has an end face and a portion of said one passage is aligned with a portion of said end face.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said tube has a graduated scale.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said other passage is longer than said one passage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The structure of claim 1, further comprising a vessel arranged to contain a supply of blood and a head of foam on top of such supply, said cap being insertable into said vessel so that said other passage allows the blood to flow from the supply into said tube while said one passage extends into the head of foam in said vessel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The structure of claim 16, wherein said vessel is a cylinder having an open end and said cap comprises a radially deformable elastic sealing element surrounding said one end portion of the tube and arranged to slide along the internal surface of the vessel in response to introduction of the cap into said vessel through the open end of the latter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein the length of said tube is at least 200 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said tube consists of a light-transmitting material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein the minimum cross-sectional area of said one passage is a minute fraction of the minimum cross-sectional area of said other passage.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein the other end portion of said tube is open.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said one passage opens to the surroundings at a location nearer to said tube than the location at which said other passage opens to the surroundings.