Abstract: A multiple reagent test strip-reading instrument having rails extending from a loading area to one or more reading station platforms and then to a waste receptacle, a reciprocating blotter arm which contacts individual reagent strips sequentially placed transversely on the rails in the loading area, moving individual strips along the rails to an indexing strip advancing mechanism which intermittently advances the strips along the rails in spaced parallel relation, and after each advance, allows the strips to dwell for a predetermined time period; individual test strips being thereby sequentially delivered to reading position on the reading station platform where, during the dwell period, they are read by reflectance photometry. After reading, the strips are moved to the waste receptacle.

Abstract: A multiple reagent test strip-reading instrument having rails extending from a loading area to one or more reading station platforms and then to a waste receptacle, a reciprocating blotter arm which contacts individual reagent strips sequentially placed transversely on the rails in the loading area, moving individual strips along the rails to an indexing strip advancing mechanism which intermittently advances the strips along the rails in spaced parallel relation, and after each advance, allows the strips to dwell for a predetermined time period; individual test strips being thereby sequentially delivered to reading position on the reading station platform where, during the dwell period, they are read by reflectance photometry. After reading, the strips are moved to the waste receptacle.

Abstract: A multiple reagent test strip-reading instrument having rails extending from a loading area to one or more reading station platforms and then to a waste receptacle, a reciprocating blotter arm which contacts individual reagent strips sequentially placed transversely on the rails in the loading area, moving individual strips along the rails to an indexing strip advancing mechanism which intermittently advances the strips along the rails in spaced parallel relation, and after each advance, allows the strips to dwell for a predetermined time period; individual test strips being thereby sequentially delivered to reading position on the reading station platform where, during the dwell period, they are read by reflectance photometry. After reading, the strips are moved to the waste receptacle.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a peristaltic pump for withdrawing whole blood from a patient, a device for centrifuging the blood to separate plasma from the whole blood, a plasma treatment chamber for receiving the plasma, a vehicle positioned within the chamber and having an immuno-adsorbent agent fixed thereon to interact and bond with an immunological reactant carried by the plasma that is passed through the chamber for removing the immunological reactant from the plasma, tubing connected to recombine the substantially immunological reactant free plasma with the remainder of the whole blood and a peristaltic pump for returning the recombined whole blood to the patient. According to the present invention the plasma treatment chamber has a variable volume so that the chamber can be used for treating sequentially different quantities of plasma.

Abstract: The rotor drive assembly is utilized in driving a rotor assembly in an apparatus for centrifugal liquid processing of whole blood wherein whole blood is withdrawn from a donor, passed into a bowl held by the rotor assembly and the blood is centrifuged to separate the same into at least three components within the bowl. One component which is to be collected is withdrawn at a fixed rate of volumetric displacement while the other two components are withdrawn at variable rates of volumetric displacement. The other two components are recombined and returned to the donor. The withdrawal of the one component is optically monitored to determine whether or not either one of the other components is being mixed with the one component. The rotor drive assembly includes a unitary vertical drive shaft having a lower rotatable collar, an intermediate fixed collar and an upper rotatable collar mounted thereon.

Abstract: The support arm is used in an apparatus for the centrifugal liquid processing of whole blood wherein whole blood is withdrawn from a donor and passed through a flexible tubing of a fluid system of the apparatus into a bowl thereof where the blood is centrifuged to separate the same into at least three components. One component which is to be collected is withdrawn through a flexible tubing at a fixed rate of volumetric displacement while the other two components are withdrawn through flexible tubings at variable rates of volumetric displacement. The other two components are recombined and returned to the donor. The withdrawal of the one component is optically monitored to determine whether or not either one of the other components is being mixed with the one component. The support arm is positioned above the bowl for guiding the tubings to the bowl in a first position and is pivotal horizontally to a second position where the bowl can be easily removed.

Abstract: A drive system for a centrifugal liquid processing apparatus or the like wherein a rotor assembly having a container for receiving a liquid to be processed by centrifugation is rotatably mounted on a rotor drive assembly, which in turn is rotatably mounted to a stationary base. Liquid communication is maintained with the container during rotation of the rotor by means of a flexible umbilical cable which extends from the container to a location external to the apparatus by way of a passageway provided in the support shaft of the rotor assembly and a guide sleeve carried on and rotatably mounted to the rotor drive assembly. The rotor assembly is rotatably driven in the same direction as the rotor drive assembly with a speed ratio of 2:1 and the guide sleeve is rotatably driven in the opposite direction with a speed equal to that of the rotor drive assembly to prevent the umbilical cable from becoming twisted during operation of the apparatus.