Apparatus and method for analyzing a liquid in a capillary tube of a hematology instrument
First Claim
1. A device for analyzing a blood sample, comprising:
- a capillary tube defining a path of travel for flow of a blood sample in vitro; and
a sensor assembly located about said capillary tube and having a launch sensor for emitting an ultrasound pulse into said capillary tube in a direction perpendicular to said path of travel, anda second sensor located forward along said path of travel relative to said launch sensor and canted at an angle relative to said path of travel so that said second sensor is aligned to receive echo signals of said ultrasound pulse that reflect off cells moving forward within said path of travel, wherein said device is adapted for measuring erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or zeta sedimentation rate (ZSR) of a blood sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the density and fluid-type of a fluid flowing in a capillary tube, the velocity and viscosity of a blood sample flowing in a capillary tube, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of a blood sample after flow has been brought to an abrupt stop in a capillary tube, and/or the zeta sedimentation rate (ZSR) of a blood sample after flow has been brought to an abrupt stop in a capillary tube. These measurements are accomplished by directing a waveform pulse, such as an ultrasound pulse, at a pre-determined frequency transversely across the capillary tube and sample fluid, and by determining the flight of time of the pulse through the capillary tube and sample fluid and/or the Doppler shift of the echo signals reflecting off cells moving forwardly or transversely within a flowing, or stationary, blood sample.
91 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A device for analyzing a blood sample, comprising:
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a capillary tube defining a path of travel for flow of a blood sample in vitro; and a sensor assembly located about said capillary tube and having a launch sensor for emitting an ultrasound pulse into said capillary tube in a direction perpendicular to said path of travel, and a second sensor located forward along said path of travel relative to said launch sensor and canted at an angle relative to said path of travel so that said second sensor is aligned to receive echo signals of said ultrasound pulse that reflect off cells moving forward within said path of travel, wherein said device is adapted for measuring erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or zeta sedimentation rate (ZSR) of a blood sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for analyzing a fluid sample comprising:
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flowing a blood sample in vitro in a path of travel within a capillary tube; emitting a waveform ultrasound pulse of a predetermined frequency in direction directed transversely across the path of travel of the blood sample; receiving said pulse by a sensor after said pulse propagates at least partially through said capillary tube and said path of travel; stopping the flow of the blood sample in an abrupt manner within the capillary tube; wherein said emitting step is accomplished after the flow of the blood sample is abruptly stopped; wherein, during said receiving step, echo signals are simultaneously received from the ultrasound pulse reflecting off cells moving forward relative to the path of travel within the capillary tube and off cells moving transversely relative to a central longitudinal axis of the capillary tube after the flow of the blood sample is abruptly stopped; and wherein, during said measuring step, the Doppler shift of the echo signals are measured to determine the rate of decay of velocity of forward moving cells and the rate of decay of velocity of cells moving in a transverse direction; whereby the measured rate of decay of the velocity of forward moving cells is utilized to determine an ESR value for the blood sample and the rate of decay of velocity of the cells moving transversely is utilized to determine a ZSR value for the blood sample. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification