Methods and devices for measuring sample coagulation

• US 20070285651A1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scantibodies Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Scantibodies Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Cantor, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/789,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/82 producing a precipitate or turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4905 Determining clotting time of blood by chemical methods G01N33/86, C12Q1/54

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods for measuring coagulation time. The device comprises a slide coupled to a sample carrier capable of sample flow from one end of the carrier to another end in a continuous back and forth motion until sample coagulates thereby preventing sample flow; a rocker or shaker means for moving sample inside the sample carrier; a light detector assembly for detecting light transmitted through said sample carrier; and a display means for indicating coagulation time corresponding to substantially no change in the amount of light transmitted as indicative of sample coagulation.

Claims

1. A device comprising a slide coupled to a sample carrier capable of sample flow from one end of the carrier to another end in a continuous back and forth motion until sample coagulates thereby preventing sample flow;

a rocker or shaker means for moving sample inside the sample carrier;

a light detector assembly for detecting light transmitted through said sample or sample carrier; and

a display means for indicating coagulation time corresponding to substantially no change in the amount of light transmitted as indicative of sample coagulation.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample is blood.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the sample carrier is a capillary tube.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the shaker means is a mechanical or a manual shaker.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the display means is a digital display means.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a housing.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said housing comprises a hinged structure for opening and closing said housing.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said hinged structure is configured such that closing the housing operates to turn on the light source.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said light source shines a beam of light through the slide and through the end of the sample carrier opposite to where the sample is placed.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser light.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein said hinged structure is configured such that closing the housing operates to turn on a timer for measuring coagulation time.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein said hinged structure is configured such that closing the housing operates to turn on the shaker means.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the light detector assembly comprises a light source and a photocell.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a light beam is transmitted from the light source through the sample carrier onto the photocell, which produces an output corresponding to the amount of light transmitted.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein an output corresponding to the formation of sample coagulation is produced when the range of variation in the amount of light transmitted through the sample carrier is within 0-10%.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the range of variation is 0 to 5%.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the range of variation is 0 to 1%.

18. A method for determining coagulation time using the device of claim 1.

19. The method of claim 18, for measuring the coagulation time of a blood sample.

20. A method for determining coagulation time, comprising:

a) applying a blood sample to a target location on a slide having disposed onto a capillary tube;

b) initiating a timing cycle when sample inside capillary tube is moved by means of a shaker from one end of the tube to another end in a continuous back and forth motion until sample coagulates thereby preventing sample flow, and a light source is turned on for transmitting light through the tube; and

c) determining coagulation time when substantially no change in the amount of light transmitted is detected.