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US5340747A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus and method

Assignee: Difco Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1993-06-04
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Granted: 1994-08-23
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Expires: 2013-06-04
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Abstract

Abstract A diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus and method includes at least one test tray including a plurality of reaction chambers, a light source disposed proximate to the test tray for directing light, at an excitation wavelength of a fluorescence emitting agent contained within the reaction chambers, at the test tray, a filter for passing therethrough only light generated by a fluorescence emitting reaction resulting from the interaction of the fluorescence emitting agent and a sample, and an imaging mechanism for detecting only the light generated by the fluorescence emitting reaction at the emission wavelength simultaneously from the plurality of reaction chambers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gideon Eden

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 11:49
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12M; C12M41/00; C12M41/46; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/251; G01N21/253; G01N35/00; G01N35/00029; G01N2035/00099; G01N2035/00108; G01N2035/00118; G01N2035/00148; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01N21/6428; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/04; G01N2201/0415; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/808; Y10S435/809; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/807; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/111666; Y10T436/112499

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
A diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus for detecting the presence of fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said apparatus consisting essentially of: a test tray including a plurality of reaction chambers containing an FEA, which upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample will emit light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength; a narrow band light source disposed proximate to said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray for directing light substantially at said excitation wavelength at said plurality of reaction chambers; filter means for passing therethrough only light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength; and a video means for detecting only the light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all the said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray and forming an image thereof, said filter means being disposed between said test tray and video means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
A diagnostic microbiological testing apparatus for detecting the presence of fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said apparatus consisting essentially of: a test tray including a plurality of reaction chambers containing an FEA, which upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample will emit light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength; a narrow band light source disposed proximate to said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray for directing light substantially at said excitation wavelength at said plurality of reaction chambers; filter means for passing therethrough only light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength; and a video means for detecting only the light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all the said plurality of reaction chambers of said test tray and forming an image thereof, said filter means being disposed between said test tray and video means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 65 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a detection area, carousel means for containing a plurality of said test trays, indexing means for sequentially moving said carousel to selectively position each of said test trays proximate to said detection area, and positioning means for positioning one of said test trays proximate to said detection area into and out of said detection area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including reaction media for reacting with a predetermined microbe to emit the light at said emission wavelength, said video means detecting the presence of the microbe by detecting said light at said emission wavelength.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reaction chambers further include an antibiotic for susceptibility testing.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 148 words
A method of detecting the presence of a fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said method consisting essentially of the steps of: containing an FEA in a plurality of reaction chambers of a test tray, the FEA upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample emitting light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength; directing a narrow band light substantially at the excitation wavelength at the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray passing through a filter only light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from the plurality of reaction chambers; and video imaging only the passed through light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all of the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 148 words
A method of detecting the presence of a fluorescence emitting reaction (FER) resulting from the interaction of fluorescence emitting agents (FEA) and a sample for susceptibility and identification testing, said method consisting essentially of the steps of: containing an FEA in a plurality of reaction chambers of a test tray, the FEA upon reaction with a predetermined microbe in a sample emitting light at a predetermined emission wavelength upon being illuminated by light at a predetermined excitation wavelength; directing a narrow band light substantially at the excitation wavelength at the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray passing through a filter only light generated by an FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from the plurality of reaction chambers; and video imaging only the passed through light generated by the FER at the emission wavelength simultaneously from all of the plurality of reaction chambers of the test tray.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-08-22 1998-02-21 1998-08-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-08-22 2002-02-21 2002-08-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-08-22 2006-02-21 2006-08-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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