Disposable sample card and method of making same
First Claim
1. A sample card for use in electrically operating on a liquid sample, the card comprising:
- a body portion;
a capillary tube defined in said body portion for receiving a liquid sample;
first and second electrode means disposed within said capillary tube in a spaced relationship;
measurement cell means formed by said capillary tube and bounded by said first and second electrode means for housing a predetermined volume of said liquid sample; and
means adapted to operatively associate said first and second electrode means with an electrical signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable sample for use in measuring a parameter of a liquid sample such as the hematocrit and a method of making same. The disposable sample card is a micro-volume conductivity cell precision molded from plastic with built-in stainless steel electrodes. The sample card comprises a planar base portion on which is defined a capillary tube. First and second electrodes are disposed within the capillary tube in a spaced relationship and define a volume within the capillary tube. This volume constitutes a conductivity cell. The sample card may be used with an instrument which basically comprises an electronic portion for processing data obtained from the liquid sample on the sample card, a front-end mechanism for positioning the sample card within the instrument, and a digital display for displaying in eye-readable form the results of a parameter measurement made in the instrument.
159 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A sample card for use in electrically operating on a liquid sample, the card comprising:
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a body portion; a capillary tube defined in said body portion for receiving a liquid sample; first and second electrode means disposed within said capillary tube in a spaced relationship; measurement cell means formed by said capillary tube and bounded by said first and second electrode means for housing a predetermined volume of said liquid sample; and means adapted to operatively associate said first and second electrode means with an electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A blood sample carrier for use in measuring conductivity of a blood sample, said carrier comprising:
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capillary tube means for receiving a blood sample; first and second electrode means disposed within said capillary tube means in a spaced relationship; measurement cell means, formed by said capillary tube means and bounded by said first and second electrode means, for segregating a predetermined volume of said liquid sample; and means adapted to operatively associate said first and second electrode means with an electronic conductivity measuring circuit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A blood sample carrier for use in electrically measuring a parameter of a blood sample, said carrier comprising:
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a planar base portion; a hollow tube having an interior surface that defines a capillary tube on said base; first and second electrodes disposed on a portion of said interior surface in a spaced relationship; a measurement cell defined by said interior surface and said first and second electrodes, said measurement cell segregating a predetermined volume of said blood sample being measured; and pad means, on said base, adpatd for electrically associating said first and second electrodes with a blood parameter measuring device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of making a disposable liquid sample carrier comprising the steps of:
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forming a portion of a base member into a portion of the interior surface of a capillary tube; providing an overlay having a surface; positioning and securing two electrodes in a spaced relationship on said surface of said overlay; and positioning and securing said overlay to said base member so that said surface of said overlay completes the interior surface of said capillary tube and so that said two electrodes along with the interior surface of said capillary tube segregates a volume constituting a measurement cell. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification