SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SAMPLE FLUID COLLECTION DEVICE

• US 20150045694A1
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TearLab Research, Inc. (Tearlab Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TearLab Research, Inc. (Tearlab Corp.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Benjamin, Zmina, Steve
• Application Number:
  US14/332,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0067 Tear or lachrymal fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 13/04 Investigating osmotic effects

Abstract

A fluid collection device comprising a body comprising a capsule interface, and a capsule configured to interface with the body via the capsule interface and configured to hold a sample receiving chip. The sample receiving chip comprises a substrate that receives an aliquot volume of a sample fluid, wherein the substrate is operatively shaped to receive the aliquot volume of sample fluid through capillary action, and a sample region of the substrate, sized such that the volume of the sample fluid is sufficient to operatively cover a portion of the sample region, whereupon energy properties of the sample fluid can be transduced to produce a sample fluid reading.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A tear fluid collection device configured to collect an aliquot volume of less than 20 uL of tear fluid from a subject, comprising

a) a body;

b) a tear collection interface (TCI) card configured to attach to the body and receive the aliquot volume, comprising;

i. a tip portion that extends beyond the body sufficiently to allow the TCI card to receive the aliquot volume;

ii. a substrate configured to receive the aliquot volume and having a sample region which transfers energy to the aliquot volume and is sized such that the aliquot volume operatively covers a portion of the sample region; and

c) a removable sheath configured to attach to the TCI card.

26. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the collection device is configured to collect the aliquot volume from an inferior tear meniscus of the subject.

27. The fluid collection device of claim 25, wherein the TCI card comprises a vent hole.

28. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the tip portion of the TCI card has a width and shape sufficient to soften contact of the tip portion with an eye.

29. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the tip portion of the TCI card extends approximately 0.5 millimeters beyond the body.

30. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sample region includes a plurality of electrodes disposed to contact the aliquot volume.

31. The collection device of claim 30, wherein the plurality of electrodes is arranged in an array.

32. The collection device of claim 30, further comprising a plurality of conductive connection lines coupled to the plurality of electrodes for transferring energy to and from the aliquot volume.

33. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the tear fluid reading indicates osmolarity of the tear fluid.

34. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the body comprises an auditory or visual indicator configured to indicate when the TCI card receives the aliquot volume.

35. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sheath isolates a portion of the TCI card.

36. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sheath isolates the tip portion of the TCI card.

37. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sheath isolates the tip portion of the TCI card from physical damage or recontamination.

38. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sheath further comprises a tab configured to allow the sheath to be removed from the TCI card.

39. The collection device of claim 25, wherein the sheath is removed by pulling from the TCI card.