Sample collection and manipulation method

• US 5,700,695 A
• Filed: 06/30/1994
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zia Yassinzadeh
• Original Assignee: Zia Yassinzadeh
• Inventors: Yassinzadeh, Zia, Lingane, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist, Arlen
• Application Number:
  US08/269,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 128/763-765, 73/863.11, 73/863.12, 73/864.52, 73/864.61, 422/99-102, 436/148, 436/150, 436/177, 436/169, 436/180
• US Class Current: 436/180
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0295 Strip shaped analyte sensors for apparatus classified in A61B5/145 or A61B5/157 disposable multilayered or laminated electrodes G01N27/307; details of handling chemical test elements G01N33/4875
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150076 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150099 by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150129 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150396 Specific tip design, e.g. for improved penetration characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396, needle sets for catheters A61M25/06, needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150786 Optical identification systems, e.g. bar codes, colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15105 Purely manual piercing, i.e. the user pierces the skin without the assistance of any driving means or driving devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00425 Heating or cooling means associated with pipettes or the like, e.g. for supplying sample/reagent at given temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A sample collection and manipulation apparatus (2), typically used for collecting and manipulating a blood sample and measuring a component of that sample with the use of a reagent or ion-selective electrodes, includes a body member (4, 6, 8) defining a thermal pressure chamber (22) and a sample port (10). A measurement chamber (26) is formed along a fluid passageway (42, 16, 24) connecting the thermal pressure chamber with the sample port. The air within the thermal pressure chamber is preheated (54, 56, 60, 62, 63/65) to reduce its density and the sample port is then placed in contact with the liquid. As the gas cools, a partial vacuum is created within the thermal pressure chamber to draw a liquid sample through the passageway and into the measurement chamber. Appropriate analyte measurement techniques, such as optical or electrochemical, can then be carried out. Applications include the testing of blood gases, glucose, hemoglobin, electrolytes, coagulation and therapeutic drugs.

Claims

1. A method for collecting a liquid sample, said method comprising:

contacting a sample port of a receptacle body with the liquid sample, the sample port opening to the ambient atmosphere, the sample port coupled to a thermal pressure chamber by a fluid passageway;

cooling the gas within the thermal pressure chamber thereby drawing a liquid sample into the receptacle body by a partial vacuum created by said cooling of the gas; and

raising and lowering the temperature of the gas within the thermal pressure chamber to move the liquid sample within the receptacle body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature raising and lowering step is carried out by controllably raising and lowering the temperature of said gas.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature raising and lowering step is carried out to agitate the liquid sample within the receptacle body.