Patent ID: 8808649

Claim:
A disposable cartridge for use in the identification and quantification of micro-organisms in a fluid sample, comprising: a cartridge body; a plurality of disposable components received by the cartridge body, said plurality of disposable components including: a tube for an unprocessed fluid sample; and an optical cup or cuvette containing a processed fluid sample for use in an optical analysis; and the optical cup or cuvette into which a light travels for the optical analysis of the processed fluid sample and a reflective surface for enhancing the optical analysis, said optical cup or cuvette having sidewalls that are continuously tapered along their length to a truncated conical end and wherein during optical analysis, the light is directed downwardly through an open portion of the optical cup or cuvette and into the fluid sample, wherein the tapered surface is configured to assist with the optical analysis and the reflective surface of the optical cup or cuvette reflects fluorescent emissions back in an upwardly direction out of the fluid sample and through the open portion of the optical cup or cuvette to an optical collection unit for optical analysis.