Patent ID: 11965824
Assignee: INPECO SA
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A device for screening of a biological sample contained in a container which is housed by a transport device and which has at least one label attached to a surface thereof, said device comprising:
a lighting system comprising a radiation source,
an analysis station in which said container is irradiated by a radiation emitted by said radiation source, and comprising an optical detector for collecting said radiation after it has irradiated the container,
an optical fiber connected at a first end with said lighting system and at a second end with said analysis station, for conveying the radiation emitted by said radiation source towards said container in said analysis station,
an automated transport line comprising an automatic conveyor configured to move forward said transport device housing said container through said analysis station, and
an electronic controller, configured to process signals emitted by said optical detector,
wherein said lighting system comprises a filter holder device located downstream of said radiation source, comprising at least two filters for selecting at least two radiations with different wavelengths, including a reference radiation and an absorption radiation,
wherein said optical detector is a camera or video camera, configured to collect radiation reflected by a volume of the sample in the container and by said at least one label attached to the container, when the at least one label is on a side of the container opposite to that from which the radiation emitted by said radiation source originates,
said camera or video camera being provided with at least a first sensor sensitive to said reference radiation and with at least a second sensor sensitive to said absorption radiation, said first sensor and said second sensor being configured to detect, respectively, intensity values of components of said reference radiation and of said absorption radiation which are not absorbed by said biological sample and to send said intensity values to said electronic controller,
said electronic controller being configured and programmed to process a ratio between the intensity value of the components of absorption radiation not absorbed by said biological sample and the intensity value of the components of reference radiation not absorbed by said biological sample, in any order,
wherein said analysis station further comprises an optical detection system of the container for analysis of the biological sample contained therein,
wherein said optical detection system of the container includes a backlight panel and a front illuminator placed one in front of the other and configured to illuminate said container, and to allow said camera or video camera (30) to acquire, at least one image of said container, and to send to said electronic controller information based on said at least one acquired image,
said analysis station comprising a rotation system for rotating said container around a vertical axis of its own,
said electronic controller being configured and programmed to control said rotation system on a basis of information received from said camera or video camera to position said container so that, during a following analysis phase of the biological sample contained in the container:
a) said at least one label attached to a surface of said container is arranged on the opposite side with respect to that from which the radiation emitted by the optical fiber originates, and
b) the radiation emitted by said optical fiber irradiates said volume of the sample at a predetermined inspection window.