Ion selective/enzymatic electrode medical analyzer device and method of use
First Claim
1. An analyzer device for measuring the concentration of a desired substance contained within a body fluid sample comprising:
- a probe bearing an electrode for generating an electric signal in response to the detection of the desired substance;
a sample cup formed to receive a static quantity of body fluid sample therein;
a vessel formed to receive said probe and store a quantity of solution bearing a known concentration of the desired substance to be measured, said vessel being spatially separated at a position vertically above said sample cup and including an opening at its lower distal end;
means for axially reciprocating said probe through said opening between said vessel and said sample cup to generate an electric signal from said electrode in both the quantity of solution and body fluid sample;
means for processing said electrical signals to derive a resultant concentration value of the desired substance within the body fluid sample;
means for displaying said resultant concentration level; and
means cooperating with said vessel for preventing the passage of solution stored within said vessel through said opening in said vessel, wherein said preventing means comprises means for forming an inverted fluid meniscus which extends across said opening.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular multi-channel automated medical analyzer device is disclosed, characterized by use of an ion selective electrode and/or enzymatic electrode/wash cell system which permits rapid analysis of various substances of interest contained within undiluted body fluids such as whole blood, serum and/or plasma. The ion selective electrode and/or the enzymatic electrode are disposed upon a probe which automatically axially reciprocates downwardly in a simple manipulative motion between an open-ended reference wash cell and a sample cup bearing the body fluid specimen to be analyzed. The wash cell includes an inlet port and one or more outlet ports through which is circulated an aqueous solution bearing a known concentration of the substance to be measured to provide a reference calibration medium as well as a probe washing medium. The probe is lowered directly into the sample cup to physically contact the specimen to be measured and, after analysis, is lifted upwardly into the wash cell wherein any attendant portion of the specimen remaining on the probe is stripped off by suction and the aqueous solution flow through the wash cell is initiated to thoroughly wash the probe and establish a new calibration medium for subsequent specimen analysis. The wash cell/probe assembly is specifically designed to prevent any leakage or drooling of the aqueous solution from the wash cell into the sample cup throughout manipulation of the probe. Operation of each of the modules of the analyzer is facilitated through common processing and control electronics and test measurements are accomplished initially on a dual point calibration procedure and subsequently on a single point calibration procedure.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An analyzer device for measuring the concentration of a desired substance contained within a body fluid sample comprising:
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a probe bearing an electrode for generating an electric signal in response to the detection of the desired substance; a sample cup formed to receive a static quantity of body fluid sample therein; a vessel formed to receive said probe and store a quantity of solution bearing a known concentration of the desired substance to be measured, said vessel being spatially separated at a position vertically above said sample cup and including an opening at its lower distal end; means for axially reciprocating said probe through said opening between said vessel and said sample cup to generate an electric signal from said electrode in both the quantity of solution and body fluid sample; means for processing said electrical signals to derive a resultant concentration value of the desired substance within the body fluid sample; means for displaying said resultant concentration level; and means cooperating with said vessel for preventing the passage of solution stored within said vessel through said opening in said vessel, wherein said preventing means comprises means for forming an inverted fluid meniscus which extends across said opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of measuring the concentration of a substance of interest contained within a body fluid sample comprising the steps of:
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calibrating an electrode in a vessel having a lower open end and containing a column of a solution bearing a known concentration of a substance of interest desired to be measured; maintaining an inverted fluid meniscus adjacent said lower open end of said vessel to prevent the passage of said column of solution through said lower open end of said vessel; axially transporting said electrode through the open end of said vessel into a sample cup having a quantity of body fluid contained therein; generating an electric signal from said electrode in response to the sensing of the substance of interest within said quantity of body fluid; processing said electric signal to derive a concentration value of the substance of interest within said quantity of body fluid; and
displaying said concentration value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of manipulating an electrode bearing probe between a vessel having an open lower end and a sample sup bearing a body fluid specimen physically separated and disposed vertically below said vessel comprising the steps of:
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disposing an electrode bearing probe within a vessel defining a fluid chamber having an open lower end; supplying a quantity of fluid to fill said fluid chamber while preventing the passage of fluid through said open end of said chamber by maintaining an inverted fluid meniscus adjacent said open end of said chamber; axially reciprocating said probe through said open end of said vessel and into the sample cup to immerse said electrode probe in a body fluid specimen contained in the sample cup while drawing a vacuum adjacent said open end of said chamber to remove any portion of said fluid from said probe; and axially reciprocating said probe from the sample cup into said vessel while drawing a vacuum adjacent said open end of said chamber to remove any portion of the body fluid sample remaining on said probe from said probe. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An analyzer device fox measuring the concentration of a desired substance contained within a body fluid sample comprising:
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a probe; sensor means carried by said probe for generating a signal in response to the detection of the desired substance; a sample cup formed to receive a quantity of body fluid sample therein; a vessel disposed vertically above said sample cup, said vessel having a lower open end and formed to receive said probe and store a quantity of fluid bearing a known concentration of the desired substance to be measured; means disposed within said vessel for forming an inverted fluid meniscus adjacent said lower open end of said vessel to prevent any passage of said fluid through said lower open end; means for axially reciprocating said probe between said vessel and said sample cup to generate a signal from said sensor means in both the quantity of fluid and body fluid sample; means for processing said signals to derive a resultant concentration value of the desired substance within the body fluid sample; and means for displaying said resultant concentration level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A medical analyzer device for measuring the concentration of a desired substance within a body fluid sample comprising:
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a housing; at least one test solution module insertable into said housing; a probe carried by said test station responsive to the presence of a desired substance within a body fluid sample; a vessel carried by said test station module formed to receive said probe and store a quantity of solution therein and including an opening at its lower end; a sample cup positioned upon said test station module physically separated from said vessel and disposed at an elevation below said vessel and coaxial with said probe, said sample cup formed to receive a body fluid sample therein; means carried by said test station module for periodically circulating a wash and calibration solution through said vessel; means for forming an inverted fluid meniscus adjacent the opening of said vessel to prevent the passage of solution contained within said vessel through said opening; means mounted to said test station module for axially reciprocating said probe between said vessel and said sample cup; means mounted to said housing for controlling the operation of said circulating and reciprocation means and processing information received from said probe; and display means positioned on said housing for displaying the processed information representing the concentration of the desired substance contained within the body fluid sample. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An analyzer device for measuring the concentration of a substance of interest contained within a body fluid sample comprising:
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a probe bearing an electrode for generating an electric signal in response to the detection of the substance of interest; a sample cup formed to receive a body fluid sample therein; a vessel formed to receive said probe and store a quantity of solution bearing a known concentration of the substance of interest to be measured, said vessel having an opening at its lower end; means for axially reciprocating said probe between said vessel and said sample cup to generate an electric signal from said electrode in both said quantity of solution and said body fluid sample; means for processing said electrical signals to derive a resultant concentration value of the substance of interest within said body fluid sample, said probe being formed to possess a thermal mass and thermal conductivity sufficient to rapidly adjust the temperature of the body fluid sample to the temperature of said quantity of solution upon entry of said probe into said sample cup; and means for preventing the passage of solution through the opening of said vessel, wherein said preventing means comprises means for forming an inverted fluid meniscus which extends across said opening. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method of measuring the concentration of a substance of interest contained within a body fluid sample comprising the steps of:
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calibrating an electrode in a vessel having a lower open end and containing a column of a solution bearing a known concentration of a substance of interest desired to be measured; maintaining an inverted fluid meniscus adjacent said lower open end of said vessel to prevent the passage of said column of solution through said lower upper end of said vessel; axially transporting said electrode from a first position in said vessel to a second position outside of said vessel to dispose said electrode in a body fluid sample; rapidly adjusting the temperature of said body fluid sample to the temperature of said solution bearing a known concentration of the substance to be measured by thermal interaction of said electrode and said body fluid sample; generating an electric signal from said electrode in response to the sensing of the substance of interest within said body fluid sample; and processing said electric signal to derive a concentration value of the substance of interest within said body fluid sample. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification