Molded casing for a test kit

Abstract

A casing for use as a test kit that employs crushable ampoules prefilled with chemical or biological reagents, comprising a molded casing having a distinct reaction chamber, and at least one distinct cell adapted for receiving a crushable ampoule. The cell has a flexible pressing area at its outer wall for pressing and crushing the ampoule. An opening exists between the chamber and the cell that is either narrow enough, or provided with filtering means so as to allow passage of the reagent while preventing passage of glass shards from the cell to the chamber. The casing further comprises an inlet leading from the exterior of the casing into the inner space of the reaction chamber and a sampling probe, for enabling obtaining samples of material and delivery of said material through the inlet to the reaction chamber.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A casing for use as a test kit using crushable ampoules prefilled with chemical or biological reagents, comprising a molded casing having a distinct reaction chamber, at least one distinct cell adapted for receiving a crushable ampoule and having a flexible pressing area at its outer wall for pressing and crushing said ampoule, wherein there is an opening between said chamber and said at least one cell, and said opening is narrow enough, or provided with filtering means, to prevent the passage of glass shards from the cell to the chamber.  
     
     
         2 . A casing according to  claim 1  made from either casted, injected, vacuum-formed, or press-formed material.  
     
     
         3 . A casing according to  claim 1 , provided as a disposable closed unit equipped inside its cells with all the required ampoules for a specific test reaction.  
     
     
         4 . A casing according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening between the reaction chamber and the at least one cell is formed in the shape of a channel.  
     
     
         5 . A casing according  claim 1 , further comprising aeration channels between cells or between the chamber and the cells.  
     
     
         6 . A casing according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible pressing area at the outer wall of a cell is focused for crushing its associated ampoule in a specific predetermined breaking point.  
     
     
         7 . A casing according to  claim 1 , provided with a protective barrier between each pair of cells, to protect ampoules from being crushed mistakenly.  
     
     
         8 . A casing according to  claim 1  wherein the pressing area is marked with a pattern.  
     
     
         9 . A casing for use as a test kit using crushable ampoules prefilled with chemical or biological reagents, comprising a molded casing having a distinct reaction chamber, at least one distinct cell adapted for receiving a crushable ampoule and having a flexible pressing area at its outer wall for pressing and crushing said ampoule, wherein there is an opening between said chamber and said at least one cell, and said opening is narrow enough, or provided with filtering means, to prevent the passage of glass shards from the cell to the chamber, said casing further comprising an inlet leading from it's outer side into the inner space of the reaction chamber for inserting a sample of a tested material.  
     
     
         10 . A casing according to  claim 9 , wherein the inlet is provided with one-time-only breakable seal for punching it closely prior to use.  
     
     
         11 . A casing for use as a test kit using crushable ampoules prefilled with chemical or biological reagents, comprising a molded casing having a distinct reaction chamber, at least one distinct cell adapted for receiving a crushable ampoule and having a flexible pressing area at its outer wall for pressing and crushing said ampoule, wherein there is an opening between said chamber and said at least one cell, and said opening is narrow enough, or provided with filtering means, to prevent the passage of glass shards from the cell to the chamber, said casing further comprising an inlet leading from it's outer side into the inner space of the reaction chamber for inserting a sample of a tested material, and is provided with a sampling probe having collecting means at its tip, for sampling outer material and delivering it through the inlet to the reaction chamber.  
     
     
         12 . A casing according to  claim 11 , wherein the sampling probe collecting means is a sticky portion for collecting samples by adhesion.  
     
     
         13 . A casing according to  claim 11 , wherein the sampling probe comprises means for collecting liquid samples.  
     
     
         14 . A casing according to  claim 11  wherein the sampling probe is formed also as a sealing cap to the inlet.  
     
     
         15 . A casing according to  claim 11  having together with it's sampling probe mutual interlocking means for locking the probe to the casing.  
     
     
         16 . A casing according to  claim 11  having together with it's sampling probe mutual interlocking means for locking the probe to the casing, wherein said interlocking means are irreversible.  
     
     
         17 . A casing according to  claim 1 , further comprising ampoule fulcrums in the at least one cell, reducing the pressing force needed for crushing the ampoule.  
     
     
         18 . A casing according to  claim 1 , made of a transparent material casting having a glossy polishing at least on one of the reaction chamber walls.  
     
     
         19 . A casing according to  claim 1 , made of opaque material, with an eyepiece at the reaction chamber, or with a reaction chamber made from transparent material.  
     
     
         20 . A casing according to  claim 1 , further comprising color-indexing spot printed or sticked on a wall of the reaction chamber.  
     
     
         21 . A casing according to  claim 1 , having walls with straight bottom ends, enabling positioning the casing vertically on any horizontal surface.