CUVETTE-BASED APPARATUS FOR BLOOD COAGULATION MEASUREMENT AND TESTING
First Claim
1. A cuvette for use with a blood clot detection instrument, the cuvette comprising:
- a main body including;
a blood sample receptor-inlet;
a channel arrangement comprising;
at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement;
a sampling channel communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, at least the sampling channel having at least one surface portion, a coating, an insert or liner, and any combination thereof, that is hydrophilic; and
a waste channel communicating with the sampling channel; and
a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel,wherein the sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel. More specifically, air compressed within the blood clot detection instrument, the at least one test channel of the cuvette, and the section of the sampling channel extending beyond the vent opening of the cuvette, coacts with the waste channel to cause a leading edge of the blood sample drawn into the sampling channel from the blood receptor-inlet, to pull back within the sampling channel and uncover an optical sensor in of the blood clot detection instrument. The uncovering of the optical sensor activates a pump module of the blood clot detection instrument, which draws the requisite volume of the blood sample into the at least one test channel.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A cuvette for use with a blood clot detection instrument, the cuvette comprising:
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a main body including; a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement comprising; at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement; a sampling channel communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, at least the sampling channel having at least one surface portion, a coating, an insert or liner, and any combination thereof, that is hydrophilic; and a waste channel communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel, wherein the sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 45, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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21. An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time, the apparatus comprising:
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A) a blood clot detection instrument, the blood clot detection instrument comprising; a pump module; and at least one pressure sensor; and B) a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument, the cuvette comprising; a main body including; i) a blood sample receptor-inlet; ii) a channel arrangement comprising; a) at least one test channel for communicating with the pump module when the cuvette is operatively coupled to the clot detection instrument; b) a sampling channel communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, at least the sampling channel having at least one surface portion, a coating, an insert or liner, and any combination thereof, that is hydrophilic; and c) a waste channel communicating with the sampling channel;
andiii) a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel, wherein compressed air within the blood clot detection instrument and the at least one test channel, the sampling channel, the vent opening and waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel, and wherein the at least one test channel of the cuvette, and the pump module and the at least one pressure sensor of the clot detection instrument, coact to perform a blood clotting time measurement on the requisite volume of the blood sample. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 47, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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41. A blood clot detection instrument for automatically measuring blood clotting time of a blood sample contained in a test channel of a cuvette, the blood clot detection instrument comprising:
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a pump module for communicating with the test channel of the cuvette; a pressure sensor; and a central processing unit executing instructions for; operating the pump module in a pressure alternating mode that causes a viscosity of the blood sample to increase over time, the increase in viscosity of the blood causing a pumping pressure of the pump module to increase over time; obtaining a baseline pumping pressure from the pressure sensor upon initial operation of the pump module in the pressure alternating mode; obtaining additional pumping pressures over time from the pressure sensor; determining a pumping pressure difference value between each additional pumping pressure and the baseline pumping pressure; comparing the pumping pressure difference value to a predetermined threshold value; and indicating the blood clotting time of the blood sample when the pumping pressure difference value equals or exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the indicated blood clotting time comprising a duration of time extending between the measurement of the additional pumping pressure used for determining the pumping pressure difference value that exceeded the predetermined threshold value and the measurement of the baseline pumping pressure. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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Specification