Patent ID: 7396509
Filing Date: 2008-07-08
Classification: B01F,B01L,B03C,C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An instrument for detecting the amount of light emitted from the contents of a receptacle vessel, said instrument comprising: a housing defining a linear, horizontal transport path along which a plurality of adjacently-arranged receptacle vessels are moved through the instrument, said housing having an inlet for admitting receptacle vessels into said housing and an outlet through which receptacle vessels are ejected from said housing, said transport path extending linearly between said inlet and said outlet; an inlet door assembly constructed and arranged to move between an open position permitting a receptacle vessel to pass through said inlet and into said housing and a closed position restricting ambient light from entering said housing through said inlet, said inlet door assembly comprising a rotating door mounted so as to be rotatable about a generally horizontal axis of rotation, said rotating door having a solid portion and an open portion, said rotating door being rotated into a position in which said open portion thereof is aligned with said inlet when said inlet door assembly is in said open position, and said rotating door being rotated into a position in which said solid portion thereof is aligned with said inlet when said inlet door assembly is in said closed position; an outlet door assembly constructed and arranged to move between an open position permitting a receptacle vessel to pass through said outlet and out of said housing and a closed position restricting ambient light from entering said housing through said outlet, said outlet door assembly comprising a rotating door mounted so as to be rotatable about a generally horizontal axis of rotation, said rotating door having a solid portion and an open portion, said rotating door being rotated into a position in which said open portion thereof is aligned with said outlet when said outlet door assembly is in said open position, and said rotating door being rotated into a position in which said solid portion thereof is aligned with said outlet when said outlet door assembly is in said closed position; a photosensitive device disposed along said transport path and constructed and arranged to detect light emitted from the contents of a receptacle vessel operatively positioned with respect to said photosensitive device; a receptacle vessel positioner assembly positioned adjacent said transport path and constructed and arranged to pivot between: (1) a first position permitting the plurality of adjacently-arranged receptacle vessels to be moved along said transport path; and (2) a second position operatively engaging one of said receptacle vessels disposed on said transport path and operatively positioned with respect to said photosensitive device, said receptacle vessel positioner assembly being constructed and arranged to substantially prevent light from sources other than said operatively positioned receptacle vessel engaged by said receptacle vessel positioner assembly from being detected by said photosensitive device, said receptacle vessel positioner assembly being constructed and arranged to pivotally rotate between said first and second positions and including structure at least partially surrounding a receptacle vessel engaged by said receptacle vessel positioner assembly when said receptacle vessel positioner assembly is in said second position; and a transport mechanism constructed and arranged to move the plurality of adjacently-arranged receptacle vessels linearly along said linear transport path in such a manner as to operatively position each of the adjacently-arranged receptacle vessels with respect to said photosensitive device for a time duration sufficient to permit said photosensitive device to detect the amount of light emitted from the contents of the operatively positioned receptacle vessel.