초록 ▼

An automated micro-organism culture growth and detection apparatus includes a plurality of carousel trays arranged in pairs, providing receptacles for a plurality of culture bottles. The bottles each include a pair of electrodes submerged in the culture liquid and extend through an end wall of the b

An automated micro-organism culture growth and detection apparatus includes a plurality of carousel trays arranged in pairs, providing receptacles for a plurality of culture bottles. The bottles each include a pair of electrodes submerged in the culture liquid and extend through an end wall of the bottle to form contact points. The receptacles include a pair of spring finger electrical contacts for each bottle to connect the electrodes to a measuring circuit. The complementary sets of the pairs of carousel trays are driven in counter-rotational directions to provide agitation for the culture during incubation and to index the individual to an access door in the incubation chamber surrounding the assembled carousel trays. A continuous flow of air at a controlled temperature is caused to flow through the incubation chamber which, together with the agitation, promotes the rapid growth of micro-organism in the culture bottles. The operation of the entire system including the driving of the carousel trays and the measuring of the growth characteristics of the micro-organisms is under the control of a micro-computer.

대표청구항 ▼

Medical analyzing apparatus including a micro-organism incubator and growth detection apparatus wherein micro-organism cultures are contained in culture bottles having a pair of electrodes for sensing the electrical characteristic of the culture as a function of micro-organism growth, said apparatus

Medical analyzing apparatus including a micro-organism incubator and growth detection apparatus wherein micro-organism cultures are contained in culture bottles having a pair of electrodes for sensing the electrical characteristic of the culture as a function of micro-organism growth, said apparatus comprising in combination: means defining an incubation chamber; a plurality of carousel trays each providing receptacles for a plurality of the aforesaid micro-organism culture bottles, said carousel trays including electrical contact means for contacting the electrodes of each culture bottle positioned in said receptacles; said electrical contact means exerting a spring force to retain said bottle in said receptacles; driving means operable to impart an oscillatory motion to said carousel trays whereby to agitate the contents of said culture bottles in said incubation chamber; a plurality of selectively operable doors providing access to said incubation chamber, said doors corresponding in number to said plurality of carousel trays and positioned, respectively, to access the receptacles of an associated tray, said driving means being further operable to selectively index said trays to present a selected receptacle for access at its associated door; and a micro-computer means connected to control said driving means and said doors, said micro-computer also being connected to periodically sample the electrical characteristics of said culture bottles in said incubator chamber, whereby to detect growth of micro-organisms in said bottles as a function of changes in said electrical characteristic.