Biodynamics LLC

Mark D McNeil

Robert H Goldstein

Robert M Stahl

Yasuhiro Yamazaki

Robert H Johnson

Sandra L Piepho

Medical testing apparatus including a microprocessor controlled centrifuge having a group of cuvettes therein. The apparatus also includes a microdiluter apparatus with a pair of pumps therein of differing diluting capability. The cuvettes have hollow main bodies produced from transparent material to allow analysis of the specimen within the cuvettes by a series of spectrophotometers adapted to read the cuvettes while they are rotating within the centrifuge. Bags of reagent are received within the cuvettes and are designed to burst upon reaching a given level of centrifugal force allowing the reagent to flow from the bags into a test chamber within the cuvette main body. Projections are provided on the cuvettes to control the orientation of the cuvettes when inserted into the microdiluter apparatus. A tab is provided on each cuvette in proper orientation to actuate the appropriate microdiluter pump for the test the cuvette is intended for. The cuvette projections also are coded with a binary code to produce a signal which indicates to the test apparatus which test is being carried out in the cuvette. The apparatus also includes means for receiving the signal from the code reader and from the spectrophotometer and for printing out the test results appropriate for the coding.

Blood analyzer system

An automatically-adjusting photometer for measuring the absorbance of a sample in which the amount of light passing through a sample test location is sensed by a photodetector and converted to an electrical output signal. The output signal is amplified and converted to a logarithmic value. Prior to measuring the absorbance of a sample, the photometer is calibrated by a computer. With the sample test location empty, the computer records and places in memory a logarithmic value proportional to the electrical output signal which corresponds to zero absorbance. Next, this value is reduced by a predetermined factor by switching a resistor into the calibration circuitry. The resulting value is also recorded and placed in memory by the computer. When a sample is placed in the test location, the computer records a value proportional to the electrical output signal which corresponds to the absorbance of the sample. Using the three recorded values the computer calculates the correctly-adjusted absorbance of the sample.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Mark D McNeil