Sample cell for fluid analysis system

• US 8,928,877 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiScan Biomedical Corporation
• Original Assignee: OptiScan Biomedical Corporation
• Inventors: Lim, Eugene, Tong, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Punnoose, Roy M
• Application Number:
  US13/542,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20130114068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 356/39
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0238 Optical sensor arrangements for performing transmission measurements on body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1427 Multiple blood sampling, e.g. at periodic or pre-established intervals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150229 Pumps for assisting the blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150267 Modular design or construction, i.e. subunits are assembled separately before being joined together or the device comprises interchangeable or detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150755 Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150992 Blood sampling from a fluid line external to a patient, such as a catheter line, combined with an infusion line; blood sampling from indwelling needle sets, e.g. sealable ports, luer couplings, valves tubing connectors and couplings A61M39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/155 Devices specially adapted for continuous or multiple sampling, e.g. at predetermined intervals devices loaded with multiple lancets simultaneously A61B5/15146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6866 Extracorporeal blood circuits, e.g. dialysis circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 : Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 : Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/07 : Centrifugal type cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 : using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/491 : by separating the blood components G01N15/05 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and method are disclosed for determining a concentration of an analyte (e.g., glucose) in a fluid (e.g., blood). The system can draw blood from a patient and deliver the blood to a sample cell. A centrifuge motor can spin the sample cell to separate the fluid into a plurality of components (plasma, red blood cells, etc.). A particular component of the fluid (e.g., plasma) may be positioned at a sample portion of the sample cell after centrifuging such that the concentration of the analyte is measured in the particular component of the fluid (e.g., plasma). The sample cell can include a cuvette that has two window pieces sandwiched between two clamshell pieces, and where the sample portion of the sample cell is defined by a gap between the window pieces.

Claims

1. A cuvette for use with an optical measurement system, the cuvette comprising:

a first window piece comprising an aperture portion that is transparent to light emitted by the optical measurement system;

a second window piece comprising an aperture portion that is transparent to the light emitted by the optical measurement system;

a spacer positioned between the first window piece and the second window piece to provide a gap between the first window piece and the second window piece; and

a first clamshell piece and a second clamshell piece positioned on opposite sides of the window pieces, wherein the first and second clamshell pieces are secured to each other to provide support to the first and second window pieces, wherein the first and second clamshell pieces comprise openings that align with the transparent aperture portions of the first and second window pieces such that the light emitted by the optical measurement system can pass through the cuvette.

2. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the spacer is an adhesive that secures the first window piece to the second window piece.

3. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the spacer is a non-adhesive spacer and wherein the first window piece is not directly secured to the second window piece.

4. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the window pieces have a plurality of corners and wherein the window pieces are bound on each corner by a side wall of the second clamshell piece such that the window pieces are held securely in place.

5. The cuvette of claim 4, wherein the first and second clamshell pieces are secured using an adhesive that extends substantially around the entire periphery of the window pieces except for at an inlet and at an outlet.

6. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the window pieces comprise Calcium Fluoride.

7. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the first clamshell piece comprises arms configured to engage the second clamshell piece and apply a force to press the first and second window pieces towards each other.

8. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the cuvette forms a sample chamber between the first window piece and the second window piece, the sample chamber configured to receive a sample of fluid for measurement.

9. The cuvette of claim 8, wherein the sample chamber comprises a lubricant configured to facilitate the removal of the sample of fluid from the sample chamber.

10. A fluid analysis system comprising:

the cuvette of claim 1; and

an optical measurement system configured to emit light through the cuvette.

11. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the aperture portions of the first and second window pieces are transparent to mid-infrared light.

12. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the openings in the first and second clamshell pieces comprise holes with closed edges.

13. The cuvette of claim 1, wherein the entire periphery of the window pieces except for an inlet and an outlet are covered by the first or second clamshell pieces.

14. A fluid analysis system comprising:

a fluid handling system that includes a patient end configured to provide access to a bodily fluid of a patient, wherein the fluid handling system is configured to draw a sample of bodily fluid from the patient through the patient end;

a sample preparation system in fluid communication with the fluid handling system and configured to;

receive a portion of the sample of bodily fluid from the fluid handling system; and

separate the portion of the sample of bodily fluid into a plurality of components; and

a fluid measurement system configured to measure the concentration of an analyte in the portion of the sample of bodily fluid;

the fluid analysis system comprising a cuvette, the cuvette comprising;

a first window piece that is transparent to light emitted by the fluid measurement system;

a second window piece that is transparent to light emitted by the fluid measurement system;

a spacer positioned between the first window piece and the second window piece to provide a gap between the first window piece and the second window piece; and

first and second clamshell pieces positioned on either side of, and secured together to provide support to, the first and second window pieces, the clamshell pieces also configured to permit the light emitted by the fluid measurement system to pass through the cuvette.

15. The fluid analysis system of claim 14, wherein the bodily fluid comprises blood that includes red blood cells.

16. The fluid analysis system of claim 15, wherein the sample preparation system is configured to lyse the red blood cells.

17. The fluid analysis system of claim 16, wherein the sample preparation system comprises an ultrasound system configured to produce ultrasound energy to lyse the red blood cells.

18. The fluid analysis system of claim 15, wherein the sample preparation system comprises a filter configured to separate the red blood cells from plasma of the blood.

19. The fluid analysis system of claim 15, wherein the sample preparation system comprises a centrifuge configured to separate the red blood cells from plasma of the blood.

20. The fluid analysis system of claim 14, wherein the first window piece and the second window piece are transparent to mid-infrared light.

21. The fluid analysis system of claim 14, wherein the entire periphery of the window pieces except for an inlet and an outlet are covered by the first or second clamshell pieces.

22. The fluid analysis system of claim 14, wherein the first and second clamshell pieces are configured to provide a clamping force that secures the first and second window pieces together and the clamshell pieces each have a central opening that permits light to pass through each of the first and second window pieces for optical measurement of the cuvette'"'"'s contents.