Patent ID: 7052651
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for exposing a metered amount of liquid specimen to immunochromatographic test strips, which comprises: a base pan; a fluid specimen collecting vessel held above said pan; said vessel including a vertical wall and a bottom piece having an aperture; a distribution valve mounted between said vessel and pan, said valve having a first cavity and being shaped and dimensioned to, in a first position, admit a metered sampling of fluid from said vessel through said aperture into said first cavity, and, in a second position, dump said sampling into said pan; a pair of test stations each shaped and dimensioned to hold a chromatographic test device above a portion of said pan and in contact with said sampling; wherein said pan comprises a liquid-receiving section under said valve, said section being divided into symmetrical portions each having one of first and second passageways, said portions being shaped and positioned to accept isovolumetric amounts of said sampling fluid through said aperture when said valve is placed in said second position; said valve further comprises a second cavity containing a desiccant compound, said second cavity having an opening positioned for exposing said pan to said desiccant compound when said valve is placed in said first position.