Sealing means for test cassette

摘要

Disclosed is a test cassette comprising a continuous length of test carrier tape (22) in a supply chamber (12), the supply chamber (12) having an opening (52) sized so as to allow the test carrier tape (22) to pass through into a test zone (32) into an uptake chamber (14) where the test carrier tape (22) coils itself onto an uptake mandrel (26), the supply chamber (12) being sealed from the environment whereby the opening (52) of the supply chamber (12) allowing the exit of the test carrier tape (22) has a spacer (42) disposed either side of it, filling the remaining width of the opening (52) of the housing (16), a cover plate (34) being biased by a spring (38) to cover the spacer (42) and tape (22), thus covering the opening (52) and sealing the cassette (10).

主权项

1. A test cassette including:
a housing with a supply chamber for carrying a length of carrier tape, the housing having a right side wall, a left side wall and an opening where the carrier tape exits the supply chamber for testing, wherein the opening is positioned between the right side wall and the left side wall; and a seal assembly for restricting moisture entering the supply chamber as the carrier tape is removed through the opening, wherein the seal assembly includes: a cover plate attached relative to the housing to press and seal against the tape adjacent the opening; a spacer positioned between the cover plate and the housing, wherein the spacer is of substantially the same thickness as the carrier tape and includes a left portion near the left side wall and a right portion near the right side wall that defines an open window under the cover plate between the left portion and the right portion to accommodate the tape when the cover plate presses against the tape and spacer, as the tape is drawn through the seal assembly to exit the opening in the supply chamber; and a biasing member to urge the cover plate against the carrier tape.