Apparatus and method to measure platelet contractility
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring blood platelet contractility, comprising:
- a spherical rigid chamber having an opening in its upper aspect;
a smaller, spherical, flexible membrane chamber placed within, concentrically and isolated from the rigid chamber creating a void space between the walls of the rigid and flexible chambers and having an opening in its upper aspect smaller than and coaxial to the opening in the rigid chamber and a first, attached contiguous tubular passage leading out of the flexible chamber concentrically and in perpendicular axis through the opening in the rigid chamber, creating a void space that is isolated from the void space of the flexible inner chamber;
a two-way valve attached to the distal end of the tubular passage;
a second tubular passage connected to the valve at one end and in perpendicular axis to the first passage; and
a pressure transducer connected to the other end of the second passage wherein any force exerted on the flexible chamber to alter its diameter would be measured by the pressure transducer.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for measuring blood platelet contractility, hereinafter called a “retractometer” is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system apparatus and method for automatically measuring platelet contractility in a plurality of samples, having an array of retractometer units and an electronic solenoid valve controller to fully automate screening in clinical and research situations and save costs in labor.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring blood platelet contractility, comprising:
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a spherical rigid chamber having an opening in its upper aspect;
a smaller, spherical, flexible membrane chamber placed within, concentrically and isolated from the rigid chamber creating a void space between the walls of the rigid and flexible chambers and having an opening in its upper aspect smaller than and coaxial to the opening in the rigid chamber and a first, attached contiguous tubular passage leading out of the flexible chamber concentrically and in perpendicular axis through the opening in the rigid chamber, creating a void space that is isolated from the void space of the flexible inner chamber;
a two-way valve attached to the distal end of the tubular passage;
a second tubular passage connected to the valve at one end and in perpendicular axis to the first passage; and
a pressure transducer connected to the other end of the second passage wherein any force exerted on the flexible chamber to alter its diameter would be measured by the pressure transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 12)
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3. An apparatus for measuring blood platelet contractility, comprising:
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a spherical rigid chamber having an opening in its upper aspect;
a smaller, spherical, flexible membrane chamber placed within, concentrically and isolated from the rigid chamber creating a void space between the walls of the rigid and flexible chambers and having an opening in its upper aspect smaller than and coaxial to the opening in the rigid chamber and a tubular chamber leading out of the flexible chamber concentrically and in perpendicular axis through the opening in the rigid chamber, having both ends sealed creating a void space that is isolated from the void space of the flexible inner chamber; and
a glass capillary tubing coaxial to and longer than the tubular chamber, passing through both ends of the sealed tubular chamber, creating a continuous passage from outside of the apparatus to the void space of the inner flexible chamber. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. An automated system for measuring blood platelet contractility of a plurality of samples, comprising:
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an array of retractometer units, each of which is a separate apparatus for measuring blood platelet contractility, comprising;
a spherical rigid chamber having an opening in its upper aspect;
a smaller, spherical, flexible membrane chamber placed concentrically within the rigid chamber creating a void space between the walls of the rigid and flexible chambers and having an opening in its upper aspect smaller than and coaxial to the opening in the rigid chamber and a first, attached contiguous tubular passage leading out of the flexible chamber concentrically and in perpendicular axis through the opening in the rigid chamber, creating a void space that is isolated from the void space of the flexible inner chamber;
a two-way valve attached to the distal end of the tubular passage;
a second tubular passage connected to the valve at one end and in perpendicular axis to the first passage; and
a common pressure transducer connected to the other end of the second passage of each separate retractometer wherein any force exerted on the flexible chamber of each retractometer to alter its diameter would be measured by the common pressure transducer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A system apparatus for automatically measuring platelet contractility in a plurality of samples, comprising:
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a pump;
mechanically connected toa pump motor;
electronically connected toa microprocessor having a plurality of pins a first pin to turn the pump motor on a second pin to move fluid in the pump in one direction a third pin to move fluid in the pump in an opposite direction and at least one of the remainder of the plurality of pins to activate each of an array of solenoid valves;
a voltage divider used to establish the position of the fluid in the pump;
a first fluid conduit;
connecting the pump to a a hydraulic system comprisinga first manifold;
connecting the pump to each of a plurality of retractometers each activated by one of the solenoid valves;
a second fluid conduit manifold;
connecting the retractometers to a a pressure transducer;
an analog to digital (A/D) converter connected electronically to the tranducer, the pump motor and the microprocessor; and
a computer wherein, a readout position voltage from the voltage divider is entered through the (A/D) converter to the microprocessor, which determines the direction of flow in the pump and activates the pump fluid pressure within the system, which pressure is then measured by the pressure transducer connected electronically to the A/D converter and a target pressure is registered in the microprocessor memory and subsequently recorded and displayed by the computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for measuring blood platelet contractility, comprising:
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preparing a retractometer according to this invention by applying adhesive to the surface of the inner flexible membrane to avoid slippage of clots pressure conditioning the flexible membrane by mounting the membrane on a rubber stopper having a needle attached to a two-way valve attaching a syringe to one opening of the valve attaching a second needle to a second opening of the valve, making certain that the reach of the two needles is identical;
pressurizing the membrane closing the valve to the syringe allowing the inner and ambient pressures to equilibrate by siphoning and adjusting the fluid level inside the capillary to “
zero pressure”
level;
loading a sample into a void outside the flexible membrane;
adding a small amount of oil over the sample to avoid drying out of sample;
allowing the sample to clot; and
measuring the degree of contractility in a pressure transducer. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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18. A method for automatically measuring a plurality of samples to determine strength of platelet contractility, comprising:
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a first step of calibrating the apparatus of claim wherein the microprocessor reads all initial pressures in all retractometers sequentially by opening each solenoid valve, opening the protection valve. measuring the voltage in the pressure transducer storing the measured value in the temporary memory of the microprocessor. wherein this process is repeated until all the initial pressure values are registered as target values for each of the retractometers;
a second step, wherein the value of the hydraulics is taken opening the protection valve only activating the pump until the target value is reached; and
a third step of opening the sample valve measuring the pressure closing the sample valve sending the measured values to a text file in a computer wherein, the new measured value for each retractometer becomes the next target value, and wherein step three is repeated until all samples are measured. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification