Viscosity measuring apparatus and method of use
First Claim
1. Apparatus for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being, said apparatus comprising a device for receiving blood from the living being and an analyzer, at least a portion of said device being arranged to be coupled to the being for exposure to the being'"'"'s circulating blood, said analyzer being coupled to said device and arranged to determine the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood at plural shear rates;
- wherein said device comprises a blood plasma sampler, whereupon said apparatus effects the measurement of the viscosity of the circulating blood plasma; and
wherein said device comprises a tube for receiving the blood plasma, said tube being arranged to be introduced into the body of the being to an internal situs to enable blood plasma without red blood cells to flow into said tube at said situs.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A blood viscosity measuring system and method that monitors the rising head of a column of fluid representing a living being'"'"'s blood in-vivo to determine the blood viscosity over a range of shears. The system includes a capillary tube, at least a portion of which is located within the vascular system of the being, and a riser tube, having a liquid therein coupled to the capillary tube. A sensor and associated microprocessor are provided to determine the change in the height of the liquid in the riser tube at plural points along the length of the tube from which the viscosity is calculated.
117 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being, said apparatus comprising a device for receiving blood from the living being and an analyzer, at least a portion of said device being arranged to be coupled to the being for exposure to the being'"'"'s circulating blood, said analyzer being coupled to said device and arranged to determine the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood at plural shear rates;
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wherein said device comprises a blood plasma sampler, whereupon said apparatus effects the measurement of the viscosity of the circulating blood plasma; and
wherein said device comprises a tube for receiving the blood plasma, said tube being arranged to be introduced into the body of the being to an internal situs to enable blood plasma without red blood cells to flow into said tube at said situs.
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2. A system for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said system comprising a column having a liquid therein, a capillary tube, a sensing device and viscosity calculation means, said liquid in said column having a top surface, said capillary tube being arranged to be inserted into the vascular system of the being for providing blood from the being to cause said liquid in said column to assume an initial level, said column being operative so that said liquid in said column is enabled to change from said initial level to a different level, said sensing device for monitoring the height of the liquid in the column at plural points along the column as said liquid level in said column changes and for providing electrical signals indicative thereof, said calculation means being coupled to said sensing device for receiving said electrical signals to calculate the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood;
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wherein a fluid is located above said top surface of said liquid in said column, and wherein said top surface and said fluid define a machine determinable interface therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A system for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said system comprising a column having a liquid therein, a capillary tube, a sensing device and viscosity calculation means, said liquid in said column having a top surface, said capillary tube being arranged to be inserted into the vascular system of the being for providing blood from the being to cause said liquid in said column to assume an initial level, said column being operative so that said liquid in said column is enabled to change from said initial level to a different level, said sensing device for monitoring the height of the liquid in the column at plural points along the column as said liquid level in said column changes and for providing electrical signals indicative thereof, said calculation means being coupled to said sensing device for receiving said electrical signals to calculate the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood:
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said system additionally comprising a valve for selectively isolating said fluid in said column from atmospheric pressure. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A system for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of the blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said system comprising a column having a liquid therein, said column being arranged to have blood from the being coupled thereto, said liquid in said column having a top surface, said column being operative so that said liquid in said column is enabled to change from an initial level to a different level, a sensing device for monitoring the height of the liquid in the column at plural points along the column as said liquid level in said column changes and for providing electrical signals indicative thereof, and calculation means coupled to said sensing device for receiving said electrical signals to calculate the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood;
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wherein said liquid is not the blood of the being.
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7. A system for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of the blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said system comprising a column having a liquid therein, said column being arranged to have blood from the being coupled thereto, said liquid in said column having a top surface, said column being operative so that said liquid in said column is enabled to change from an initial level to a different level, a sensing device for monitoring the height of the liquid in the column at plural points along the column as said liquid level in said column changes and for providing electrical signals indicative thereof, and calculation means coupled to said sensing device for receiving said electrical signals to calculate the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood:
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said system additionally comprising a capillary tube arranged to be inserted into the vascular system of the being for providing blood from the being to cause said liquid in said column to assume said initial level; and
wherein said liquid is not the blood of the being. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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8. A system for effecting the measurement of the viscosity of the blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said system comprising a column having a liquid therein, said column being arranged to have blood from the being coupled thereto, said liquid in said column having a top surface, said column being operative so that said liquid in said column is enabled to change from an initial level to a different level, a sensing device for monitoring the height of the liquid in the column at plural points along the column as said liquid level in said column changes and for providing electrical signals indicative thereof, and calculation means coupled to said sensing device for receiving said electrical signals to calculate the viscosity of the being'"'"'s blood;
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said system additionally comprising a valve for selectively isolating said fluid in said column from atmospheric pressure. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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- 12. Apparatus for determining the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising a capillary tube, a second elongated tube, a sensor, and computing means, said capillary tube being arranged to be coupled to the interior of a blood vessel of the living being, whereupon blood may flow into said capillary tube, said second tube being coupled to said capillary tube and being arranged for receipt of a second flowable material, the second flowable material forming a fluid column in said second tube, said fluid column being adapted to change in height, said sensor being arranged to monitor the height of said fluid column at plural points along the length of said second tube as said fluid column changes in height and for providing a first signal indicative thereof, said computing means being responsive to said first signal for calculating the viscosity of the circulating blood at plural shear rates within said capillary tube and to provide a output signal representative thereof.
Specification