Compact sanitary urinalysis unit

• US 4,473,530 A
• Filed: 09/24/1980
• Issued: 09/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real
• Original Assignee: Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real
• Inventors: Villa-Real, Antony-Euclid C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, William F.
• Application Number:
  US06/190,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 422/61, 422/58, 422/59, 422/60, 422/102, 422/101, 422/104, 215/6, 215/DIG. 8, 206/221, 206/219, 210/927, 210/518, 73/444, 73/450, 73/863.52, 128/762, 128/771
• US Class Current: 422/408
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/007 for taking urine samples measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5082 Test tubes per se
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/042 by centrifuging and investigating centrifugates centrifuges per se B04B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/29 using visual detection G01N21/31 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/493 urine
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/528 Atypical element structures, e.g. gloves, rods, tampons, toilet paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device for performing routine urinalysis. A closed integrated system enables the user to do the important variety of tests and steps during each procedure, thereby greatly minimizing the exposure of the user to the undesired contamination from the urine specimen being tested and facilitating the performance of the testing procedure under a shorter timeframe and initiating lesser laboratory wares expenditure. The device is comprised of a clear and transparent tubular container, subdivided into a larger main longitudinal chamber integrated with two adjacent smaller longitudinal chambers therein. One of the smaller longitudinal chambers being calibrated to the equivalence of the routinely accepted specific gravity urinometer (hydrometer) and, inside this chamber is a small flotation component for determining the specific gravity of the urine specimen trapped therein. The second smaller longitudinal chamber contains a built-in chemical reagent strip so that upon the entrance of urine specimen, color changes in the strip will result in determining the quali-quantitative approximate levels of ph, protein, glucose, bilirubin, ketones, free hemoglobin, and urobilinogen found in each urine specimen. The device has a thin flattened double-walled cul-de-sac-like lower section to accommodate the urine sediments after centrifugation providing a means for the microscopist to investigate the formed constituents of the urine sediment under a microscope. A special cap has a factory placed powdered stain which can be released into the urine specimen contained in the larger main chamber, just before centrifugation in order to bring about greater visual contrast of the various constituent elements found in each particular specimen'"'"'s urinary sediment to effect better microscopic analysis of the urine. The entire compact sanitary urinalysis unit is made to be disposable after a singular use.

Claims

1. A container for performing routine urinalysis tests comprising:

a large main longitudinal chamber for a urine specimen, said chamber circumscribed by a curved wall segment and a flat wall segment, said curved wall segment and said flat wall segment curved inwardly near an end of the chamber to form a narrow open throat extending into a end cul-de-sac-like chamber;

a pair of longitudinal extending smaller chambers adjacent each other, said chambers circumscribed by a curved wall segment, and said flat wall segment and a partition wall segment between said pair of longitudinal extending smaller chambers having vertically extending spaced apart apertures therein, said curved wall segment curved inwardly near an end thereof toward and joining said flat wall segment near an end thereof to form curved bottom ends for said smaller chambers, one of said smaller chambers being calibrated to the equivalence of the routinely accepted specific gravity hydrometer and including a flotation component therein for determining the specific gravity of a urine specimen contained in said smaller chamber, the other smaller chamber containing a chemical reagent strip to test the quali-quantitative chemical constituents of said urine;

said flat wall being non-porous to prevent the intermingling of urine in said main chamber and said pair of smaller chambers, said urine in said smaller chambers intermingled by passing through said vertically extending apertures in said partition wall;

said end cul-de-sac-like chamber intergral with said main chamber and having parallel flat walls, curved side walls, and a curved end wall to define a narrow flat chamber to accommodate urine sediments said end cul-de-sac-like chamber having spaced horizontal and vertical lines to aid in the microscopic analysis of a urine specimen;

a supporting and protecting rubber sheath surrounding the end cul-de-sac-like chamber;

indicator means on the inwardly curved portions of said curved wall segment of said flat wall segment near said open throat for indicating the proper level of supernatant fluid to be retained in said main chamber for mixing with sediments in said end cul-de-sac-like chamber; and

a transparent cap for said container, said cap having a chamber therein for storing a powdered stain and means for dispensing said powdered stain into said main chamber and said means comprising a rotatable portion having a top wall, a side wall, and downwardly slanting bottom walls terminating in an off-set aperture, and a stationary portion having an offset aperture therein and having an indented side wall mateing with a plurality of protrusions near an end of said large longitudinal chamber whereby said stationary portion is locked to said main chamber whereby the contents of said chamber in said cap may be dispensed into said larger chamber by rotating the rotary portion of said cap to align said offset apertures with each other whereby the contents of said chamber of said cap will gravitate into said main chamber.