Analysis cartridge and method for using same

• US 10,197,477 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pulse Health LLC
• Original Assignee: Pulse Health LLC
• Inventors: Krauss, Martin, Mahon, Maura, King, Andrew, Cooper, Steve, Ingle, James, Thomas, Gerald, Barsic, David, Andrews, Neal, Young, Brian, Lara, Juven, Noll, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US15/408,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 73 233, 73 232, 73 3107, 73431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0087 Breath samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/22 in the gaseous state specially adapted for biological material G01N33/497; measuring breath flow A61B5/087
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2244 Exhaled gas, e.g. alcohol detecting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/022 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/068 Optics, miscellaneous
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/52 Use of compounds or compositions for colorimetric, spectrophotometric or fluorometric investigation, e.g. use of reagent paper and including single- and multilayer analytical elements immunological elements G01N33/54386; involving labelled immunochemicals G01N33/58; for haemoglobin or occult blood G01N33/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/64 involving ketones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/200833 Carbonyl, ether, aldehyde or ketone containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/202499 Formaldehyde or acetone

Abstract

An analysis cartridge the includes a main body portion and a filter assembly. The main body portion includes an upper portion that defines an upper chamber and a lower portion that defines a fluid chamber. The filter assembly is movable along a filter assembly path between a first position and a second position. The filter assembly has an opening defined therethrough. In the first position, the opening partially defines the upper chamber and in the second position the opening partially defines the fluid chamber.

Claims

1. An analysis cartridge, comprising:

a breath chamber defining a breath path and comprising a filter assembly positioned along the breath path; and

a fluid chamber positioned along the breath chamber and configured to contain a solution, the fluid chamber defining a filter assembly path extending through the solution, wherein

the filter assembly is configured to advance along the filter assembly path in response to rotation of the analysis cartridge.

2. The analysis cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a removable mouthpiece at least partially defining the breath chamber and configured to receive a breath sample.

3. The analysis cartridge of claim 2, wherein:

the filter assembly further comprises;

a first porous frit plate;

a second porous frit plate; and

a substrate separating the first and second porous frit plates;

wherein;

the substrate is in the breath path; and

the first and second porous frit plates are configured to capture carbonyl containing moieties.

4. The analysis cartridge of claim 3, further comprising:

a frit holder configured to position the first and second porous frit plates in alignment with the filter assembly path.

5. The analysis cartridge of claim 4, wherein the first and second frit plates comprise polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene.

6. The analysis cartridge of claim 3, wherein the substrate comprises silica.

7. The analysis cartridge of claim 3, wherein the solution is an elution solution comprising water and ethanol.

8. The analysis cartridge of claim 1, further comprising:

an ampule member configured to hold a fluorescence chromophore and advance from a first position to a second position, wherein;

the ampule member is separate from the fluid chamber when in the first position; and

the ampule member is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber when in the second position.

9. The analysis cartridge of claim 8, further comprising:

a first breakable barrier positioned between the ampule member and the fluid chamber;

wherein

when the ampule member is in the first position the fluorescence chromophore is separated from the fluid chamber by the first breakable barrier;

when the ampule member is the second position, the breakable barrier is pierced by the ampule member; and

when the breakable barrier is pierced by the ampule member, the fluorescence chromophore is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber.

10. The analysis cartridge of claim 9, wherein the solution is an elution solution comprising water and ethanol.

11. The analysis cartridge of claim 10, wherein the fluorescence chromophore is a phenylene diamine derivative.

12. The analysis cartridge of claim 9, further comprising:

a second breakable barrier positioned across the filter assembly path;

thereby isolating the breath chamber from the fluid chamber;

wherein;

rotation of the analysis cartridge results in the second breakable barrier being pierced by the filter assembly and in fluid communication with the fluid chamber.

13. The analysis cartridge of claim 12, wherein the first breakable barrier and the second breakable barrier comprise foil.

14. The analysis cartridge of claim 1, further comprising:

a main body portion having an upper portion defining the breath chamber;

a lower portion defining the fluid chamber; and

a collar extending from a surface of the lower portion and configured to receive an end of a handle assembly.

15. The analysis cartridge of claim 14, wherein the collar has at least one attachment recess defined therein for attachment to the handle assembly.