Disposable unitary cytology chamber and filter card for centrifugation of fluid samples and method of making same

• US 4,678,579 A
• Filed: 12/05/1984
• Issued: 07/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whale Scientific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Whale Scientific, Inc.
• Inventors: Griffin, Daniel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metz, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Sharon T.
• Application Number:
  US06/678,262
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 210/361, 210/451, 210/472, 210/477, 210/781, 210/782, 210/330, 210/321.1, 210/436, 210/455, 422/104, 422/101, 422/68, 422/72, 128/760, 128/767, 128/771, 604/DIG. 704
• US Class Current: 210/477
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7841 Holding or clamping means for handling purposes clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30223 said melt initiators being rib-like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5326 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7486 Paper, e.g. cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/80 General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81431 comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8167 Quick change joining tools or surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/847 Drilling standard machine type
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/14 Filters optical filters B29L2011/0066, sieves or screens B29L2031/737
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2813 Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on G01N1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2846 Cytocentrifuge method

Abstract

A unitary disposable chamber and filter unit including a method for making same in which a support surface on the chamber has energy directors such that when ultrasonic energy is applied thereto the energy directors will become molten and bond a filter card to the support surface at spaced locations away from the point of discharge of the fluid through the filter card onto a microscopic slide or other surface for analysis.

Claims

1. A unitary disposable filter unit adapted for use in the analysis of body fluids comprising:

a disposable sample chamber having a liquid sample-receiving funnel, a flat solid flange member defining a support surface for a filter card and a discharge port extending from said funnel and terminating in an opening in said flange member;

a filter card overlying said support surface of said flange, said filter card including an opening therein; and

securing means for permanently affixing said filter card to said support surface with said opening in said card aligned with said discharge port whereby said filter card is integrally united to said support surface and cannot be removed from said support surface without leaving segments of said filter card attached to said support surface.

2. A filter unit according to claim 1, said flange member having attachment ribs protruding from said support surface at spaced intervals therealong and embedded in said filter card.

3. A filter unit according to claim 2, said ribs on said flange member disposed at the outer peripheral edges of said support surface on said flange member, and said securing means operative to permanently affix said filter card to said ribs.

4. A filter unit according to claim 3, said flange member being generally rectangular and said ribs disposed adjacent to each corner of said flange member in facing relation to said filter card.

5. A filter unit according to claim 2, said ribs terminating in tapered edges defining energy directors adapted for application of ultrasonic energy thereto.

6. A filter unit according to claim 5, said ribs being of narrow elongated configuration and bonded to corresponding corners of said filter card.

7. In a centrifuge wherein a plurality of filters are mounted on a rotating carrier, each said holder having clamping means for releasably receiving a cytology chamber and a microscopic slide therein, the improvement comprising:

said cytology chamber defined by a disposable sample chamber having a liquid sample-receiving funnel and an end flange with a discharge port extending between said funnel and said flange;

a filter card overlying said end flange including an opening therein; and

securing means for permanently affixing said filter card to said end flange with said opening in said card aligned with said discharge port whereby said filter card is integrally united to said end flange and cannot be removed from said end flange without leaving segments of said filter card attached to said end flange, each said chamber positioned in one of said holders, and said clamping means releasably clamping said slide in overlying relation to said filter card.

8. In a centrifuge according to claim 7, each said end flange of a sample chamber having ribs protruding from an exposed surface of said end flange at spaced intervals therealong and embedded in said filter card.

9. In a centrifuge according to claim 8, said ribs on each said end flange disposed at outer peripheral edges of said flange.

10. In a centrifuge according to claim 9, said flange being generally rectangular and said ribs disposed adjacent to each corner of said flange.

11. In a centrifuge according to claim 8, said ribs on each said flange defining energy directors adapted for application of ultrasonic energy thereto.

12. In a centrifuge according to claim 11, said ribs being of narrow elongated configuration and ultrasonically welded to corresponding corners of said filter card.

13. In a centrifuge according to claim 7, said securing means characterized by bonding said filter card to said end flange at spaced intervals along outer edges thereof.

14. A unitary disposable filter unit for use in analysis of body fluids comprising a disposable sample chamber having a liquid sample-receiving funnel, a flat solid flange member defining a support surface for a filter card and a discharge port extending from said funnel and terminating in an opening in said flange member;

and a filter card overlying said support surface of said flange including an opening therein, said filter unit formed by the steps of;

forming energy directors on said support surface in spaced relation to said discharge port;

placing said filter card in overlying relation to said support surface with the opening in said filter card aligned with said discharge port; and

applying ultrasonic energy to said end flange whereby to weld said energy directors to said filter card so that said filter card is integrally united to said support surface and cannot be removed therefrom without leaving segments of said filter card attached to said support surface.

15. A unitary disposable filter unit according to claim 14, characterized by the step of locating said energy directors at spaced intervals around outer peripheral edges of said support surfaces and pressing said filter card against said support surface as ultrasonic energy is applied to the surface of said end flange opposite to said support surface.

16. A unitary disposable filter unit according to claim 15, said energy directors being in the form of attachment ribs protruding from said support surface and terminating in tapered edges defining said energy directors for the application of ultrasonic energy thereto.