Apparatus for drawing of a bodily fluid and method therefor

• US 10,206,663 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roc8sci Co.
• Original Assignee: Roc8sci Co.
• Inventors: Hartley, Frank Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Henson, Devin B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huong Q.
• Application Number:
  US14/996,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20160199042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150251 Collection chamber divided into at least two compartments, e.g. for division of samples injection syringes having more than one chamber A61M5/19; syringes for injection of two or more media A61M5/2448, A61M5/284; sample preparation for further analysis A61B5/150755
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150755 Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15105 Purely manual piercing, i.e. the user pierces the skin without the assistance of any driving means or driving devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043

Abstract

A sample holder that enables mid-infrared spectroscopy of a test sample using mid-infrared light is disclosed. The sample holder includes an inlet port and a sample chamber that comprises a sample region and a capillary channel that fluidically couples the inlet port and the sample region. The capillary channel is characterized by a higher capillary force than the sample region. As a result, when the inlet port is put in contact with a liquid containing the test sample, the liquid is drawn into the sample region without the formation of bubbles that could obscure the optical analysis. In some embodiments, the inlet port is the free end of a draw tube having an outer diameter that is smaller than the minimum spacing between pain receptors at a draw site on a patient, which mitigates pain felt by the patient due to insertion of the draw tube at the draw site.

Claims

1. A sample holder for holding a test sample, the sample holder comprising:

an inlet port; and

a sample chamber that includes a first window region that is transmissive for a first radiation that is characterized by a wavelength within the range of 2.5 microns to 12.5 microns, the sample chamber having a sample region and a capillary channel that that extends around at least half the perimeter of the sample region, wherein the capillary channel fluidically couples the inlet port and the sample region;

wherein the sample region is characterized by a first capillary force for a first liquid and the capillary channel is characterized by a second capillary force for the first liquid, and wherein the second capillary force is higher than the first capillary force such that the capillary channel is operative for drawing the first liquid from the inlet port to the sample chamber to entirely fill the sample region with the first liquid; and

wherein the first liquid includes the test sample.

2. The sample holder of claim 1 further comprising a body that includes:

the first window region, the first window region having a first surface;

a second surface comprising a second window region being transmissive for the first radiation, the second surface being parallel with the first surface; and

a sidewall that extends from the first surface to the second surface;

wherein the first surface and second surface collectively define the sample region, and wherein the sample region has a first thickness; and

wherein the first surface, the second surface, and the sidewall collectively define the capillary channel such that the capillary channel has a first width and a second thickness that changes monotonically from zero to the first thickness along the first width.

3. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein the sidewall forms an angle that is equal to or less than 45°

with one of the first surface and second surface.

4. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein the body further comprises an optical element.

5. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein the body further comprises a microfluidic system, the microfluidic system being located within the sample chamber.

6. The sample holder of claim 2 wherein the body further comprises a reagent, the reagent being located within the sample chamber.

7. The sample holder of claim 1 wherein the first window region comprises float-zone silicon.

8. The sample holder of claim 1 further comprising a draw tube that includes the inlet port, the draw tube having an outer diameter that is less than the minimum spacing of pain receptors at a draw site.

9. The sample holder of claim 1 wherein the inlet port is dimensioned and arranged to enable sheath flow of the sample from the inlet port to the sample chamber.

10. A method comprising:

providing a sample holder for a test sample, the sample holder including a body comprising a first window region that is transmissive for mid-infrared radiation, and the sample holder having an inlet port and a sample chamber that includes a sample region and a capillary channel that extends around at least half the perimeter of the sample region, wherein the capillary channel fluidically couples the inlet port and the sample region; and

establishing physical contact between the inlet port and a liquid that contains the test sample;

wherein physical contact between the inlet port and the liquid gives rise to a capillary force that draws the test sample into the sample chamber via the capillary channel to entirely fill the sample region with the liquid.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the sample holder is provided by operations comprising:

forming a first cavity in a first substrate comprising the first window region, the first cavity including a sidewall and a first surface that is planar; and

joining the first substrate and a second substrate that includes a second window region having a second surface, wherein the first surface, second surface, and sidewall collectively define the sample chamber such that the sample region is characterized by a first capillary force for the first liquid and the capillary channel is characterized by a second capillary force for the first liquid, and wherein the second capillary force is higher than the first capillary force.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first window region comprises float-zone silicon.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the sample holder is provided such that it further includes a draw tube that comprises the inlet port and a second port that is fluidically coupled with sample region via the capillary channel, and wherein the draw tube has an outer diameter that is less than the minimum separation of pain receptors at a draw site.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the outer diameter is less than or equal to 140 microns.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising increasing the concentration of an analyte within the sample region by evaporating a solvent, the test sample including the solvent and the analyte.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising reacting a reagent with the test sample in a first region that is within the sample chamber.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the sample holder is provided such that it further includes an optical element.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the sample holder is provided such that the sample chamber includes at least a portion of a microfluidic system.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a first electrode that is located within the sample chamber; and

providing an electric field having a first magnitude between the first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the electric field traverses at least a portion of the test sample;

wherein the magnitude of the electric field is based on the electrochemical potential required to electroplate a first analyte.