Breath sampler
First Claim
1. A portable, through-flow breathing system for collecting breath samples from a human subject for subsequent determination of selected analyte content thereof, comprising:
- a tubular body having a minimal volume compatible with having engageable first and second ends;
first conduit means for conveying through the tubular body the subject'"'"'s essentially once-exhaled breath, said first conduit means fluidly communicating with said tubular body at a location intermediate said first and second ends;
second conduit means fluidly communicating with said first end of said tubular body, said second conduit means including air filtering means and selectively operable first valve means for admitting ambient air through said filtering means and into said tubular body when a subject inhales through said second conduit means; and
third conduit means fluidly communicating with said second end of said tubular body, said third conduit means including low impedance, compact analyte collection means for concentrating a collected analyte for prolonged storage pending analysis thereof located therein and selectively operable second valve means for admitting the essentially once-exhaled breath from said tubular body into said sample collection means when the subject exhales through said first conduit means,said tubular body and said first, second and third conduit means being formed to be compact and lightweight in combination to facilitate convenient holding thereof by the human subject during use, andsaid first valve means being closed when said second valve means is open, and said second valve means being closed when said first valve means is open thereby ensuring sampling of only a through-flow of the subject'"'"'s essentially once-exhaled breath.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for sampling volumetric quantities of human exhaled breath has three conduits and may be provided in "Y" or "T" shaped configuration. The free end of one of the conduits is adapted to connect with the mouth of the subject being tested. Another of the conduits is adapted to pass ambient air to the subject, this conduit being provided with a suitable filtering mechanism such as a charcoal inhalation canister and an inlet check valve. The third of the three conduits supports an appropriate sampling canister for receiving exhaled breath from the subject, and this conduit also is provided with a one-way check valve. In another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a method for collecting a sample of exhaled breath from a subject to collect therefrom a selected analyte and to accurately quantify its presence in the subject'"'"'s breath.
146 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A portable, through-flow breathing system for collecting breath samples from a human subject for subsequent determination of selected analyte content thereof, comprising:
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a tubular body having a minimal volume compatible with having engageable first and second ends; first conduit means for conveying through the tubular body the subject'"'"'s essentially once-exhaled breath, said first conduit means fluidly communicating with said tubular body at a location intermediate said first and second ends; second conduit means fluidly communicating with said first end of said tubular body, said second conduit means including air filtering means and selectively operable first valve means for admitting ambient air through said filtering means and into said tubular body when a subject inhales through said second conduit means; and third conduit means fluidly communicating with said second end of said tubular body, said third conduit means including low impedance, compact analyte collection means for concentrating a collected analyte for prolonged storage pending analysis thereof located therein and selectively operable second valve means for admitting the essentially once-exhaled breath from said tubular body into said sample collection means when the subject exhales through said first conduit means, said tubular body and said first, second and third conduit means being formed to be compact and lightweight in combination to facilitate convenient holding thereof by the human subject during use, and said first valve means being closed when said second valve means is open, and said second valve means being closed when said first valve means is open thereby ensuring sampling of only a through-flow of the subject'"'"'s essentially once-exhaled breath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for measuring the concentration of a selected analyte in a sample of essentially once-exhaled breath provided by a subject, comprising the steps of:
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prefiltering air inhaled by the subject from the ambient atmosphere with a filter capable of significantly removing such of the selected analyte as is present in the ambient air, to thereby ensure accurate subsequent measurement of the concentration of the selected analyte in the sample comprising the subject'"'"'s essentially once-exhaled breath; passing the breath sample directly through a selected sorbent example capable of sorbing the selected analyte therefrom, wherein the sorbent element is formed and disposed to present a low impedance flow passage to the breath sample passed therethrough; determining the volume of the breath sample from which analyte has been sorbed by the sorbent example; desorbing the sorbed analyte from the sorbent element; measuring an amount of the selected analyte desorbed from the sorbent; and determining a concentration of the selected sorbent in the determined volume of essentially once-exhaled breath provided by the subject. - View Dependent Claims (13, 16, 17)
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14. A method for measuring the concentration of a selected analyte in a multi-breath sample of essentially once-exhaled breath from a subject, comprising the steps of:
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passing a sample comprising multiple breaths, each being essentially once-exhaled, from the subject directly through a selected sorbent capable of retaining at least one analyte present in said sample; desorbing the at least one retained analyte from the sorbent; measuring a volume of said breath sample; and thereby determining a concentration of the desorbed analyte in the multiple breaths provided by the subject. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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18. Apparatus for collecting from a subject a sample of essentially once-exhaled breath containing a selected analyte, for subsequent determination of a concentration of the selected analyte in the sampled exhaled breath, comprising:
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a tubular conduit having a first opening to receive a flow-through of essentially once-exhaled breath from the subject, a second opening and a third opening to permit inhalation of ambient air by the subject; and means for collecting a sample of the selected analyte from said essentially once-exhaled breath, connected to said second opening, wherein the second and third openings contain respective first and second valve means to permit only said essentially once-exhaled breath to pass through the sample collection means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification