Patent ID: 7521256

Claim:
A sample volume defining device for separating and diluting a small defined volume of a liquid sample, said device comprising: (a) a first body comprising at least one cavity with a defined volume on a surface of said first body, said cavity having an open end and an opposing closed end; said first body being slidable between a first location and a second location; and (b) a second body having a surface complementary with and abutting against said surface of said first body in a manner, when said first body being in said first location, an area of said surface of said first body around said cavity not being in contact with said surface of said second body and being available for applying said liquid sample thereon, and a pair of channels extending through said second body, each of said channels having an opening on said surface of said second body; when said first body being in said second location, said pair of channels being in fluid communication with said cavity of said first body; when said first body is slid from said first location to said second location, an edge of said second body, abutting said surface of said first body, scrapes off an excessive volume of said liquid sample applied over said cavity and on said area, and leaves within said cavity a volume of said liquid sample equal to said defined volume of said cavity; and at said second location, said pair of channels of said second body are in fluid communication with said cavity, enabling directing a flow of a diluting fluid from one of said channels to flush said liquid sample retained in said cavity through another of said channels to form a diluted sample.