Abstract: An improved glass test tube is provided with a protective shield on the test tube's outer surface which protects the test tube from accidental breakage. The protective shield may be of a color which indicates that it has breakage protection. In one embodiment, the protective shield is provided by plastic material which is coated or sprayed on the outer surface of the glass test tube. In another embodiment, the protective shield is provided by one or more layers of wrapped sheet material, such as polyester film. The improved glass test tube is particularly useful in automatic analyzers that measure erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Abstract: An improved test tube with a glass inner surface, layer, or lining, and a protective outer shield (or layer) of a material that protects the test tube from accidental breakage. The protective shield may be of a color which indicates that it has breakage protection. In one embodiment, the protective shield is provided by plastic material which is coated or sprayed on the outer surface of the glass test tube. In another embodiment, the protective shield is provided by one or more layers of wrapped sheet material, such as polyester film. In a further embodiment, a glass tube is inserted into a plastic tube to provide such glass tube with breakage protection. The improved test tube is particularly useful in automatic analyzers that measure erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Abstract: Cards having non-volatile memory, referred to as smart cards, are provided which are insertable into a slot of an automatic sample analysis device. Such smart cards may be of different types, including a quality control smart card, which stores quality control information for use by the device when analyzing quality control samples associated with the quality control smart card. Other types of smart card may also be provided, such as a setup card for setting up the device for operation, or a tube card for setting the device for a lot of sample containers.

Abstract: An adapter for test tubes is provided enabling attachment of information with identifying patient and/or test data, and which further facilitates insertion of test tubes into automated test equipment. The adapter has a cylindrical housing with two open ends into which a test tube and its attached stopper are received. In one embodiment, one end of the adapter is attached to the stopper and extends partially along the length of the test tube. In another embodiment, the adapter receives the entire test tube in a first position, and in a second position, the test tube and attached stopper are slid within the adapter housing, such that the test tube exits the housing and retains the stopper in the housing. When the assembly of the adapter and test tube is inserted into automatic test equipment, the adapter prevents the information attached to its housing associated with the sample from interfering with analysis of the sample contained in the test tube.

Abstract: An analyte recognition system uses an array (16) of ion-selective electrode (ISE) sensors, each sensitive to a different ion in a downstream flow path (32) therethrough to a coupling (30) which provides a ground or bias electrode. Another flow path (34) is upstream through an ISE sensor (26) which provides a reference electrode and the coupling. The coupling has a flow path, provided by a sidearm, to an outlet (40) going to a drain (35) for both the upstream and downstream flow paths. The upstream flow path reference electrode is a conduit for a reference fluid, and measurements from the other electrodes are made with respect to the reference electrode. Contamination and permanent poisoning of certain of the electrodes in the downstream path may occur if reversal of the flow were to take place, or if the reference fluid flowing in the upstream path were to flow into the downstream path.