Patent ID: 7422905

Claim:
A system comprising: a test cartridge comprising: a cartridge housing having at least one cylindrical test chamber therein into which a test sample is deposited to be tested, the test chamber having a test chamber axis, a test chamber diameter and a test chamber height defining a test chamber volume; and an agitator mounted at a pivot point at the test chamber axis, the agitator having an agitator vane adapted to be swept about the pivot point and through the test sample in the test chamber, the agitator vane having an agitator vane height extending substantially through the test chamber height and an agitator vane length extending substantially through the test chamber diameter; and a test instrument comprising: an instrument housing including a cartridge receptacle for supporting the test cartridge; sweeping means for sweeping the agitator vane about the pivot point through the test sample in substantially the full test chamber volume; detecting means for detecting a reduction of sweeping movement of the agitator vane; and timing means for timing a coagulation test time elapsed from the commencement of sweeping of the agitator vane until the detection of reduction of the sweeping movement, wherein the test cartridge is formed of the cartridge housing and comprises a test chamber pivot element; and the agitator vane comprises an agitator pivot element engaging the test chamber pivot element allowing rotational motion of the agitator vane about a pivot axis at the pivot point, and wherein the agitator vane comprises first and second agitator vane leaflets extending in opposed directions away from the pivot axis through the agitator vane length presenting agitator leaflet sweeping faces bounded by vane leaflet edges against the test sample disposed in the test chamber during rotation of the agitator vane leaflets.