Patent ID: 6908226
Filing Date: 2005-06-21
Classification: B01L,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In a method for analyzing a blood sample, a method for aspirating a volume of blood from a container comprising the steps of: (a) mounting a thermistor proximate the tip of a blood-aspirating probe; (b) applying a predetermined constant current to the thermistor to maintain the temperature of the thermistor at an initial predetermined level higher than the ambient temperature surrounding the thermistor; (c) advancing the probe tip towards and into the blood to be aspirated while monitoring the resistance of the thermistor; and (d) applying a vacuum force to the aspirating probe to cause blood to be aspirated into the probe upon sensing that the thermistor resistance has risen above a preset threshold level, thereby indicating that the thermistor has entered the blood to be aspirated and that the thermistor temperature has dropped below a threshold level.