Patent ID: 8771608

Claim:
An apparatus for utilizing at least one sensor having a test strip with a sensitive area surrounded by a slidably displaceable sheath in a stowed configuration wherein the sensitive area is configured to detect the presence of a certain substance in a liquid test specimen, the apparatus comprising: (a) a carrier having at least one opening, (b) a loading portion structured and configured to: (1) receive at least one sensor positioned upright therein wherein a user is enabled to cause said at least one sensor to be operatively and frictionally inserted through the at least one opening of the carrier, and (2) cause a sheath of said at least one sensor to be slidably displaced from a stowed configuration thereby exposing a predetermined length of a sensitive area of said at least one sensor; (c) a testing portion including: (1) a base, (3) a container alignable with the base, and (2) a testing platform adjustably mounted to the base and structured to support the carrier with said at least one sensor inserted therethrough wherein only a specified length of the predetermined length of the sensitive area of said at least one sensor is submerged in a test specimen contained in the container; and (d) an extracting portion structured and configured to receive the carrier with said at least one sensor inserted therethrough, the extracting portion including: (1) a comb-like element structured and configured to operatively displace and return the sheath of said at least one sensor to its stowed configuration, and (2) an end wall with studs structured and configured to operatively eject said at least one sensor from the carrier.