Handheld gas analysis systems for point-of-care medical applications

• US 8,695,401 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tricorntech Corp.
• Original Assignee: Tricorntech Corp.
• Inventors: Wang, Li-Peng, Chou, Tsung-Kuan A., Huang, Chien-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US13/332,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20120090378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 73/233.5, 73/234, 73/234.1, 73/234.2, 961/01, 422/89
• US Class Current: 73/23.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/0095 Separation specially adapted for use outside laboratory, e.g. field sampling, portable equipments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/025 Gas chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/8881 Modular construction, specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/20 using a sampling valve
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6091 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

The disclosure describes a substrate with a fluid-handling assembly coupled to the substrate, the fluid-handling assembly including a plurality of fluid-handling components removably coupled to the substrate and removably coupled to each other. The plurality of fluid handling components includes a gas chromatograph having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a detector array having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet of the detector array is fluidly coupled to the fluid outlet of the gas chromatograph. A control circuit is communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of fluid-handling components, and a readout circuit communicatively coupled to the detector array and to the control circuit. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a fluid-handling assembly coupled to the substrate, the fluid-handling assembly including a plurality of fluid-handling components removably coupled to the substrate and removably coupled to each other, the plurality of fluid handling components including;

a gas chromatograph having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and

a detector array having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet of the detector array is fluidly coupled to the fluid outlet of the gas chromatograph;

a shroud covering the plurality of fluid-handling components;

a control circuit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of fluid-handling components; and

a readout circuit communicatively coupled to the detector array and to the control circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the readout circuit includes an analysis circuit and associated logic to analyze an output signal received from the detector array.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an indicator coupled to an output of the analysis circuit to indicate to a user a result of the analysis.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fluid-handling components further comprises a pre-concentrator having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the pre-concentrator is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid outlet of the pre-concentrator is removably coupled to the fluid inlet of the gas chromatograph.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the plurality of fluid-handling components further comprises a filter and valve unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid outlet of the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the fluid inlet of the pre-concentrator.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the plurality of fluid-handling components further comprises a pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the pump is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid inlet of the pump is removably coupled to the fluid outlet of the detector array.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein fluid couplings provide the removable couplings among the plurality of fluid-handling components.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shroud provides the removable couplings among the plurality of fluid-handling components.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a printed circuit board that includes electrical connections that communicatively couple the control circuit to one or more of the plurality of fluid-handling components and the readout circuit to the detector array.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector array includes one or more MEMS detectors, wherein at least one of the one or more MEMS detectors can be a chemiresistor or a bulk acoustic wave sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector array includes one or more non-MEMS detectors, wherein at least one of the one or more non-MEMS detectors can be a surface acoustic wave sensor.

12. A system comprising:

a gas analysis device comprising;

a substrate;

a fluid-handling assembly coupled to the substrate, the fluid-handling assembly including a plurality of fluid-handling components removably coupled to the substrate and removably coupled to each other, the plurality of fluid handling components including;

a gas chromatograph having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and

a detector array having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet of the detector array is fluidly coupled to the fluid outlet of the gas chromatograph;

a shroud covering the plurality of fluid-handling components;

a control circuit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of fluid-handling components;

a readout circuit communicatively coupled to the detector array and to the control circuit; and

a communication interface coupled to the readout circuit.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a pre-concentrator having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the pre-concentrator is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid outlet of the pre-concentrator is removably coupled to the fluid inlet of the gas chromatograph.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a filter and valve unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid outlet of the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the fluid inlet of the pre-concentrator.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the pump is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid inlet of the pump is removably coupled to the fluid outlet of the detector array.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the readout circuit includes an analysis circuit and associated logic to analyze the output signals received from the detector array.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication interface comprises a wireless transceiver mounted on the substrate and an antenna mounted to the substrate and coupled to the wireless transceiver.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising one or both of a router and a computer with which the gas analysis device can communicate through the wireless transceiver and the antenna.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the communication interface comprises a hardware data interface.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising one or both of a wireless device and a computer with which the gas analysis device can communicate through the hardware data interface.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a fluid-handling assembly coupled to the substrate, the fluid-handling assembly including a plurality of fluid-handling components removably coupled to the substrate and removably coupled to each other, the plurality of fluid handling components including;

a gas chromatograph having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet,

a pre-concentrator having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid outlet of the pre-concentrator is coupled to the fluid inlet of the gas chromatograph, and

a detector array having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet of the detector array is fluidly coupled to the fluid outlet of the gas chromatograph;

a shroud covering the plurality of fluid-handling components;

an external pre-concentrator having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet coupled to the fluid coupling between the outlet of the pre-concentrator and the inlet of the gas chromatograph;

a control circuit communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of fluid-handling components; and

a readout circuit communicatively coupled to the detector array and to the control circuit.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a three-way valve removably coupled to the fluid outlet of the pre-concentrator, to the fluid inlet of the gas chromatograph, and to the fluid outlet of the external pre-concentrator.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the readout circuit includes thereon an analysis circuit and associated logic to analyze an output signal received from the detector array.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the plurality of fluid-handling components further comprises a filter and valve unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid outlet of the filter and valve unit is removably coupled to the fluid inlet of the pre-concentrator.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the plurality of fluid-handling components further comprises a pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the pump is removably coupled to the control circuit and wherein the fluid inlet of the pump is removably coupled to the fluid outlet of the detector array.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the shroud provides the removable coupling among the plurality of fluid-handling components.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein fluid couplings provide the removable coupling among the plurality of fluid-handling components.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the substrate is a printed circuit board that includes electrical connections that communicatively couple the control circuit to one or more of the plurality of fluid-handling components and the readout circuit to the detector array.