| 摘要 |
A system for detecting the presence of bacterial growth in a plurality of sample vials incorporates a single test station moveable along each of the plurality of sample vials. In one embodiment, the sensor station is movably mounted on a rod, and that rod is movably mounted on a pair of spaced rods. The rod which carries the test station may move along the spaced rods to change the location of the test station in a first dimension and the test station is moveable along its rod to change location in a second dimension. In this way, the test station may be moved through two dimensions to move serially to the location of each of the plurality of sample vials. In another aspect of this invention, a bar code is associated with each of the sample vials, and the test station makes a reading of that bar code concurrent with a determination being made as to whether there is any bacterial growth in the sample vial. In this way, it is ensured that the results of the evaluation of whether bacterial growth is ongoing will be associated with the proper sample vial. In a third aspect of this invention, the sample vial incorporates a plurality of distinct types of bacterial sensors. Thus, the advantages of each of several types of bacterial sensors may be incorporated into a single sample vial.
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