SYSTEM FOR TIMING THE COAGULATION OF BLOOD

• US 3,836,333 A
• Filed: 09/29/1972
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael D. Mintz
• Original Assignee: Michael D. Mintz
• Inventors: Mintz, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US05/293,396
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 23/259,23R,23B,253R 73/54,64.1
• US Class Current: 422/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 11/00 Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4905 Determining clotting time of blood by chemical methods G01N33/86, C12Q1/54

Abstract

Sensitivity of a magnetically coupled mechanical blood clot timing system is increased by providing an adjustable source of steady and time varying magnetic flux lines which couple a ferromagnetic member immersed in the blood sample with a variable conductance device disposed adjacent to the test vessel. A relative motion is produced between the member and the vessel. A predetermined change in the conductance of the device is detected when the blood clots and there is a change in the magnetic flux lines. Stability of the system is improved by shaping the test vessel to permit free rotation of the member.

Claims

2. The system of claim 1 in which there is provided a permanent magnet disposed beneath said vessel thereby to provide a substantial magnetic force for maintaining said member in a preferred predetermined position relative to said variable conductance means.

3. The system of claim 1 in which there is provided means for recording said time of occurrence of the transformation.

4. The system of claim 1 in which said vessel comprises a nonferromagnetic cylinder closed at one end and having pivot means extending from said closed end to allow free stable rotational movement of said ferromagnetic member relative to the inner walls of said vessel.

5. The system of claim 4 in which there is provided means for gripping said transformed blood to said inner walls.

6. The system of claim 1 in which said independent source of magnetic flux lines comprises a coil, an energy source coNnected to said coil for providing through said coil an electrical energy flow to produce said magnetic flux lines, and means for adjusting said energy flow through said coil.

7. The system of claim 6 in which said energy source is steady and said electrical energy flow is adjusted by said adjusting means to maintain said variable conductance means in a closed circuit condition by said magnetic flux lines with said member in a predetermined position relative to said variable conductance means.

8. The system of claim 6 in which said energy source varies with time and said electrical energy flow is adjusted by said adjusting means to cause said variable conductance means to attain a closed circuit condition by said magnetic flux lines with said member in a predetermined position relative to said variable conductance means.

9. The system of claim 6 in which said variable conductance means comprises reed switch means and said coil is solenoidal with said reed switch disposed in the center thereof.

10. A nonferromagnetic reaction vessel for containing a liquid in which the time it takes for blood to transform itself from a liquid to a clot is analyzed comprising said reaction vessel having bottom and inner surface, a ferromagnetic member disposed within said vessel, and pivot means extending from said bottom to allow unrestrained rotational movement of said member relative to said inner surface.

11. The reaction vessel of claim 10 in which said vessel and said pivot means comprise an integral molded structure.

12. The reaction vessel of claim 10 in which there is provided a stopper for containing said member and said blood within said vessel, said stopper having diaphram means for receiving hypodermic injection of said blood into said vessel.

13. The reaction vessel of claim 10 in which there is provided at least one member extending from said inner surface for gripping said clot to said inner surface, said extending member being positioned in said vessel to allow clearance for the movement of said ferromagnetic member.