Portable blood chemistry measuring apparatus

• US 4,929,426 A
• Filed: 11/02/1988
• Issued: 05/29/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biologix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biologix Incorporated
• Inventors: Fellows, Richard L., Delapp, Michael D., Lemons, Kyle E., Bodai, Balazs I., Grandon, Michael D., Gilbert, Scott J., Barry, Michael R., Littlejohn, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacey, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Lou Ann
• Application Number:
  US07/266,474
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 422/63, 422/102, 422/104, 422/68, 422/98, 204/400, 204/408, 204/409, 204/416, 204/419, 204/433, 204/435
• US Class Current: 422/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4925 measuring blood gas content, e.g. O2, CO2 , HCO3

Abstract

A portable apparatus for measuring the electrochemical characteristics of a sample is disclosed. A disposable cartridge, including a plurality of interconnected flow chambers, houses a printed circuit board substrate upon which reference and indicating electrodes are formed. The electrodes are employed in the presence of chemical reagents to aid in the electrochemical determination of a sample undergoing analysis. A thermal sensing element is in close proximity to the electrodes to permit the correction of the measurement for variations in temperature. After a pH value has been determined, the used cartridge can be mechanically ejected thus eliminating user exposure to the blood sample being measured. In this way, the pH of a blood sample can be determined quickly, effectively, inexpensively and with a minimum amount of sample and reagent preparation.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for measuring the electrochemical characteristics of a sample, said apparatus comprising:

a shell housing a cartridge bay configured so as to receive a plurality of cartridges from a clip;

spring loaded means for advancing one of the cartridges into a measurement position within said shell;

measuring structure means for measuring an electrochemical characteristic of a sample;

means for in situ, automatic calibration of the measuring structure means within the cartridge prior to introduction of the sample into the cartridge when said cartridge is in the measurement position;

means for indicating the electrochemical characteristics of the sample as measured by and received from the measuring structure means; and

means for ejecting the cartridge holding the sample from the shell after information corresponding to the electrical characteristics of the sample has been indicated.

2. The portable apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cartridge bay of said shell comprises a linear channel capable of receiving a single file row of cartridges.

3. The portable apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spring loaded means comprises a loaded spring in contact with and delivering a constant force to and driving an unused cartridge into measurement position upon ejection of a used cartridge.

4. A portable apparatus for measuring the electro-chemical characteristic of a sample, said apparatus comprising:

a shell housing a linearly channeled cartridge bay having a first end at a measurement position and a second end, the cartridge bay configured so as to receive a single file row of cartridges from a clip;

a loaded spring having a first end attached to said shell and a second end in contact with the cartridges in the second end of the cartridge bay, said spring delivering a force to the cartridges in the direction of the measurement position;

measuring structure means for measuring an electrochemical characteristic of a sample;

means for in situ, automatic calibration of said measuring structure means within the cartridge prior to introduction of the sample into the cartridge when said cartridge is in the measurement position;

means for indicating the electro-chemical characteristics of the sample as measured by and received from the measuring structure means; and

means for ejecting the cartridge holding the sample from the apparatus after information corresponding to the electrical characteristics of the sample has been indicated.