CARTRIDGE FOR APPARATUS FOR CHEMICALLY ANALYZING BLOOD AND APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20110195490A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: i-SENS, Inc.
• Original Assignee: i-SENS, Inc.
• Inventors: Shin, Jungwon, Lee, Heejun, Ha, Jeonghan, Kang, Tae Young, Nam, Hakhyun, Cha, Geun Sig
• Granted Patent: US 8,940,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00148 Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/492 Determining multiple analytes

Abstract

The present invention provides a cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry that is used for medical treatment, and automatically analyzes and records data needed for medical service, such as the concentrations of electrolytes, the partial pressures of gases, and the concentrations of metabolites, or the volume ratio of red blood cells contained in blood. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of present invention includes: an apparatus frame having a compartment; a cartridge that is inserted into the compartment of the apparatus frame and includes a sensor card, a solution valve unit, and a blood introducing unit; a controller that receives a signal generated from the sensor card and processes the signal; a lever for the blood introducing unit is connected to the apparatus frame; a power transmitting unit that is provide to the apparatus frame and transmits power of the lever for the blood introducing unit to open/close the blood introducing unit of the cartridge; a solution transporting unit that is provided to the apparatus frame and transports the solutions in the cartridge; and driving units that actuates the solution valve unit of the cartridge by the controller and opens or close the tubing flowing of the solutions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry, comprising:

an apparatus frame having a compartment;

a cartridge that is inserted into the compartment of the apparatus frame and includes solution bags that contains solutions, a solution valve unit that allows or blocks the flow of the solution, and a blood introducing unit;

a sensor card that is disposed in the cartridge or in the apparatus frame and measures the concentrations of electrolytes, the partial pressures of gases, and the concentrations of metabolites, or the volume ratio of the red blood cells contained in blood supplied through the blood introducing unit;

a controller that receives signals generated from the sensor card and processes the signals;

a lever for the blood introducing unit that is connected to the apparatus frame;

a power transmitting unit that is provided to the apparatus frame and transmits the power from the lever to open or close the blood introducing unit;

a solution transporting unit that is provided to the apparatus frame and transports the solutions in the solution bags; and

driving units that actuates the solution valve unit of the cartridge by the controller and opens or closes the tubing flowing of the solutions.

2. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein

the driving units each include:

a solenoid unit that is controlled by the controller; and

a movable member that moves by electrical operation of the solenoid unit.

3. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, further comprising

data output units that output data processed by the controller,

wherein the data output units include a display and a printer, both of which are integrated in the apparatus.

4. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein

a part of the controller that receives signals generated from the sensor card and processes the signals is electrically isolated from a part of the controller that controls the solution transporting unit and the driving units.

5. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein

the signals generated from the sensor card that the controller receives and processes are electrically isolated between the signals depending on the type of the signals.

6. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the apparatus frame is provided with a cartridge door that is fastened by a hinge to the apparatus frame and is equipped with a cartridge door lock to lock the cartridge door to the apparatus frame and a cartridge door lock sensor to sense the locking status of the door lock and transmit a sensed signal to the controller.

7. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the apparatus frame is provided with a lever lock that locks the lever for the blood introducing unit and a sensing unit that senses the locking status of the lever lock and transmits a sensed signal to the controller.

8. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the apparatus frame is provided with a sensing unit that detects the operation of the driving unit and transmits a detected signal to the controller.

9. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the lever for the blood introducing unit is the cover for the blood introducing unit that is composed of a magnifier at the center thereof.

10. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the apparatus frame is provided with a heater block equipped with a heater to maintain the temperature of the sensor card constant.

11. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is provided with a waste container that is connected with the sensor card through tubing.

12. An apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry comprising:

an apparatus frame having a compartment;

a cartridge that includes;

a cartridge case inserted in the apparatus frame;

a sensor card provided in the cartridge case and detecting the concentrations of electrolytes, the partial pressures of the gases, the concentrations of metabolites, or the volume ratio of the red blood cells contained in blood;

solution bags included in the cartridge case and containing solutions flowing to the sensor card by a solution transporting unit;

a solution tubing connector connected through tubing to each of the solution bags;

a solution valve unit allowing or blocking the flowing of the solutions from the solution bags to the sensor card; and

a blood introducing unit that is connected/disconnected to the solution tubing connector and is connected to the sensor card through tubing to supply blood or the solutions to the sensor card;

a controller that receives a signal generated from the sensor card and processes the signal;

a lever for the blood introducing unit that is connected to the apparatus frame;

a power transmitting unit that is provide to the apparatus frame and transmits power of the lever for the blood introducing unit to open/close the blood introducing unit of the cartridge;

a solution transporting unit that is provided to the apparatus frame and transports the solutions in the solution bags; and

driving units that actuates the solution valve unit of the cartridge by the controller and opens or closes the tubing flowing of the solutions.

13. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 12, wherein the solution tubing connector has a plurality of inlets connected to the solution bags through tubing and an outlet connected to the inlets to supply the solutions to the sensor card through the blood introducing unit.

14. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 12, wherein the solution valve unit includes

pressing members that are disposed over the tubing connecting between the solution bags and the solution tubing connector and close the tubing by applying pressure to the tubing and open the tubing by releasing the pressure applied to the tubing, and

elastic members that applies elastic forces to the pressing members to maintain the pressure applied to the tubing.

15. The apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 14, wherein the pressing member has

a body,

a head formed at one end of the body to hold the elastic member, and

an extending part at the other end of the body and having a tubing insertion hole.

16. A cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry, comprising:

a cartridge case having a space;

a sensor card provided in the cartridge case and detecting the concentrations of electrolytes, the partial pressures of gases, the concentrations of metabolites, or the volume ratio of the red blood cells contained in blood;

solution bags placed in the space of the cartridge case and of which solutions transported to the sensor card by the solution transporting unit;

a waste container placed in the space of the cartridge case and connected to the sensor card through tubing;

a solution tubing connector connected through tubing to each of the solution bags;

a solution valve unit allowing or blocking the solutions from the solution bags to the sensor card; and

a blood introducing unit that is connected/disconnected to the solution tubing connector and is connected to the sensor card through tubing to supply blood or the solutions to the sensor card.

17. The cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 16, wherein the solution tubing connector has a plurality of inlets connected to the solution bags through tubing and an outlet connected to the inlets to supply the solutions to the sensor card from the blood introducing unit.

18. The cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 16, wherein the solution valve unit includes pressing members that are disposed over the tubing connecting between the solution bags and the solution tubing connector and close the tubing by applying pressure to the tubing and open the tubing by releasing the pressure applied to the tubing, and elastic members that applies elastic forces to the pressing members to maintain the pressure applied to the tubing.

19. The cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 18, wherein the pressing member has a body, a head formed at an end of the body to hold the elastic member, and an extending part at the other end of the body and having a tubing insertion hole.

20. The cartridge for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of claim 16, wherein the cartridge is provided with a guide that guides the blood introducing unit to a predetermined position.