Method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit

• US 7,665,303 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: LifeScan Scotland Limited (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: McNeilage, Alan W., Bohm, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang M
• Application Number:
  US11/095,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 606/43, 606/45, 606/46, 606/57
• US Class Current: 60/643
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0442 thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1095 for supplying the samples to flow-through analysers for a specific analyser see relevant groups, e.g. under G01N15/00, G01N21/00, G01N27/00, G01N30/00, H01J49/00

Abstract

The invention described is a method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit. The described invention further includes a method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit wherein the method includes the step of injecting an air pocket into the fluid stream to create the bolus. In addition, the described invention includes a method of measuring the analyte concentration in a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit. The described invention further includes a method of measuring the analyte concentration in a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit wherein the method includes the step of injecting an air pocket into the fluid stream to create the bolus.

Claims

1. Method of measuring the analyte concentration in a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning said fluid in a channel in said fluid handling circuit;

actuating said pneumatic actuator to inject an air into said channel when said fluid is detected by a fill detector;

injecting air from said pneumatic actuator into said channel to form an air pocket upstream from said fill detector;

forming a bolus of said fluid, said bolus having a length which is substantially equal to the distance from said fill detector to said pneumatic actuator;

moving said bolus and said air pocket through said channel until said fluid is positioned over an analyte detector in said channel;

measuring the analyte content of said bolus;

venting said air pocket from said channel.

2. A method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit according to claim 1 wherein said pneumatic actuator comprises:

a controller;

a pressure generator connected to said controller; and

an isolator for isolating said pressure generator from said channel.

3. A method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit according to claim 2 wherein said pneumatic actuator further comprises:

a gas pocket connected to said channel through said isolator;

a heater controlled by said controller and adapted to heat gas in said gas pocket.

4. A method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit according to claim 2 wherein said pneumatic actuator further comprises:

a gas pocket connected to said channel through said isolator;

a flexible bladder connected to said gas pocket;

a plunger connected to said flexible bladder, said plunger being controlled by said controller.