The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 28, 2003
Michael James Justin, St. Louis, MO (US);
James Clement Bishop, Columbia, MO (US);
Douglas L. Hopper, Maryville, IL (US);
Mark Joseph Fanning, Florissant, MO (US);
Michael James Justin, St. Louis, MO (US);
James Clement Bishop, Columbia, MO (US);
Douglas L. Hopper, Maryville, IL (US);
Mark Joseph Fanning, Florissant, MO (US);
bioMérieux, Inc., Durham, NC (US);
Abstract
A carrier for holding up to N test sample devices as they are moved through a sample testing instrument. Each of the test sample devices are held in a receiving structure such as a slot in the carrier. The carrier also includes N optical interrupt positioning features, each placed in registry with one of the receiving structures (and thereby in registry with the test sample device). The instrument includes fixed optical interrupt sensors for detecting the position of the positioning feature as the carrier is moved through the instrument. In the illustrated embodiment, the position features comprise voids formed in a rib on the lower surface of the carrier. The optical interrupt sensors are positioned below the path the carrier travels over, whereby as the carrier moves past the sensor the voids, and hence position of the test sample devices, are detected.