Patent ID: 8535937
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A device for detecting microbial growth, comprising: (a) a vial containing a fluid for cultivating a microorganism, the vial including a barrier to solid substances in the fluid for separating a zone in which the microorganism is cultivated from a detection zone, the fluid containing at least one indicator substance that emits a visible fluorescence signal when excited by ultraviolet energy and at least one visible dye compound capable of generating a visible secondary signal upon interaction with visible light wherein dynamic changes of the emitted signals are indicative of microbial growth; (b) at least one ultraviolet light-emitting diode positioned adjacent to a first transparent wall of the vial below the barrier generating electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths below 400 nanometers into the detection zone, said at least one ultraviolet light-emitting diode capable of exciting said at least one indicator substance, thereby generating said visible fluorescence signal; (c) at least one visible-band light-emitting diode positioned adjacent to a second transparent wall of the vial below the barrier generating electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths greater than or equal to 400 nanometers into the detection zone, said at least one visible-band light-emitting diode capable of interacting with the at least one visible dye compound, thereby generating said visible-band secondary signal; (d) at least one light detector adjacent to a third transparent wall of the vial sensitive to electromagnetic energy comprising wavelengths greater than or equal to 400 nanometers for detecting said visible-band fluorescence signal and said visible-band secondary signal; and (e) a controller programmed to selectively energize the ultraviolet light-emitting diode and the visible band light-emitting diode wherein the controller energizes one of said light emitting diodes continuously and provides another light-emitting diode with pulsated energy.