Device and Method for Monitoring and Quantifying Analytes

• US 20150377860A1
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Breath Diagnostics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Breath Diagnostics, LLC
• Inventors: Schentag, Jerome J., D'Andrea, David T., Bright, Frank V.
• Application Number:
  US14/819,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20150377860A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14507 specially adapted for measuring characteristics of body fluids other than blood devices for taking samples of body liquids A61B10/0045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/17 Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

The present invention can be described as an apparatus and cartridge for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid. The invention can also be described as a method of detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid using the apparatus and cartridge. The method comprises the steps of clamping a sensor cartridge into a cartridge receiver of the apparatus, providing fluid to a fluid flow-path of the cartridge, illuminating at least a portion of a sensor, and using a photodetector to detect a change in the optical property of the sensor, wherein the change is caused by the presence or absence of an analyte in the fluid.

Claims

1. A cartridge for use in an apparatus having a clamping head assembly for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid, the cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body having a fluid flow-path between an inlet and an outlet;

a first sensor port on the cartridge body, positioned between the inlet and the outlet, and having a first sensor assembly configured to be exposed to fluid in the flow-path and further configured to detect the presence of an analyte in the fluid; and

an illumination port on the cartridge body configured to allow light energy to illuminate at least a portion of the first sensor assembly in contact with fluid in the flow-path.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the illumination port includes a filter assembly arranged such that the light energy passes through the filter assembly before illuminating the at least a portion of the first sensor assembly.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first sensor assembly is configured to detect glucose.

4. The cartridge of claim 3, further comprising a second sensor port on the cartridge body, positioned between the inlet and the outlet, and having a second sensor assembly configured to be exposed to fluid in the flow-path and further configured to detect the presence of oxygen in the fluid.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge body is opaque.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, further comprising an electronic memory device for storing sensor and calibration data.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge body includes a second fluid flowpath and a second sensor port having a second sensor assembly configured to detect the presence of an analyte in a fluid in the second fluid flow-path.

8. A cartridge for use in an apparatus having a clamping head assembly for detecting the presence of an analyte in a fluid, the cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body having a fluid flow-path between an inlet and an outlet;

at least one sensor port on the cartridge body, each sensor port having a sensor assembly configured to be in contact with fluid in the flow-path; and

at least one light source configured to illuminate at least a portion of each sensor assembly in contact with fluid in the flow-path;

wherein at least one sensor port is positioned between the inlet and the outlet.

9. The cartridge of claim 8, further comprising a battery in electrical connection with the light source.

10. The cartridge of claim 8, further comprising conductive contacts positioned on the cartridge body so as to be in electrical connection with the apparatus for delivering power to the at least one light source.