Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Analyzer – structured indicator – or manipulative laboratory... – Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-20
2001-12-04
Warden, Jill (Department: 1743)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Analyzer, structured indicator, or manipulative laboratory...
Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
C422S050000, C422S051000, C422S051000, C422S068100, C422S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325975
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suction generating device for developing suction in a sample analysis device, in which the suction is utilized for forced-sucking.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are various types of samples in the field of analytical chemistry, and particularly in the medical field, body fluids such as blood, urine, spinal fluid, saliva, and the like, are important subjects for analysis. A need has arisen for analyzing such samples in large amounts and collectively.
In order to meet this need, a sample analysis device, having a reagent film previously impregnated with a reagent and stuck on a strip, has been developed and used. In such a device, the reagent film is supplied with a sample such as blood, and the sample is allowed to react with the reagent to generate a pigment, which develops a color in the reagent film, and then the degree of the color is analyzed by an optical measuring apparatus such as a densitometer. By using this device, operations for preparing a reagent and allowing the reagent to react with the sample can be simplified, so that the whole analysis operation can be converted into a routine exercise.
In such a sample analysis device, examples of methods for supplying the reagent film with a sample include a method utilizing capillarity, spotting, dipping, and the like. Among these methods, methods utilzing capillarity have been most commonly used. Because it is required to intercept external light during optical measuring, the sample supplying portion and the analysis section must be positioned at a considerable distance from one another when the device is set in an optical measuring apparatus. Therefore, the sample must be moved in the device, capillarity being used as the means for moving the sample. Examples of devices utilizing capillarity are disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 4-188065 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 57-132900.
FIG. 10
shows one example of a sample analysis device utilizing capillarity. As shown in the drawing, the device has a triangular shaped sampling point
42
protruding from an approximately center portion of the front face
44
of a transparent base member
47
made of acrylic resin, a groove
46
extending from the sampling point
42
toward the back portion of the base member
47
, and a slot
45
formed as an extension of the groove. Furthermore, a reagent film
48
is stuck on the upper face of the base member
47
on the side of the front face
44
so that it may cover the groove
46
. The structure of the reagent film
48
is determined as appropriate depending on the type of the sample. For example, when analyzing plasma components of blood, the reagent film used comprises a filtration layer, a reagent layer, a transparent protective layer, and an opaque protective layer, which are laminated in this order from the bottom, and in which an observation window
50
for entering light is formed in an approximately center portion in the opaque protective layer.
Analysis using this device may be carried out as in the following steps. First, a drop of blood is obtained from a subject and brought into contact with the sampling point
42
. Then, the blood is drawn into the groove
46
by capillarity and the whole groove is filled with the blood. When the blood permeates into the reagent film
48
covering the upper portion of the groove
46
, first erythrocytes are removed by the filtration layer, and plasma components reach the reagent layer and are allowed to react with the reagent to generate a pigment, which develops a color in the reagent layer. In this state, the device is set in an optical measuring apparatus such as a densitometer, where the degree of the color developed in the reagent layer is measured by irradiating light through the observation window
50
.
However, in using a device utilizing capillarity, there are problems as described below.
First, because a capillary channel needs to be continuously filled with a sample in order to cause capillarity, the sample must be provided in a larger amount than is required in analysis. In addition, because it takes some time to introduce the sample by capillarity, measuring cannot be carried out quickly. Furthermore, in body fluids such as blood, there are individual differences in properties such as viscosity, which affect capillarity, so that time required for introducing the sample into the analysis section or the like cannot be fixed. As a result, the time required for analysis, including the time for reaction with a reagent, is difficult to be fixed, and also an error might be caused in the analysis results. Furthermore, since the drawing force by capillarity is very weak, it is easily affected by gravity. Therefore, when introducing a sample, the inclination of the device has to be restricted, and also the structure of the optical measuring apparatus used is limited. Furthermore, the sample supplying portion and the analysis section cannot be positioned at a distance from each other because of the weakness of the drawing force by capillarity, therefore, in an optical measuring apparatus, possibilities of contamination of the measuring apparatus during introduction of a sample, or influence of external light, cannot be completely eliminated.
On the other hand, the spotting method for supplying samples has the disadvantage in that, when using blood as the sample, the sampling spot is limited to a fingertip, and sampling from an ear or the abdomen is difficult to perform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a suction generating device for developing suction in a sample analysis device, which utilizes the suction to achieve rapid and precise analysis of a small amount of sample.
Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a first suction generating device for developing suction in a suction generating chamber in a sample analysis device, said sample analysis device comprising a suction generating chamber having elasticity, a drawing channel in communication with the suction generating chamber, an analysis section formed in a certain position in the drawing channel, and a suction opening formed at the end of the drawing channel, said suction generating device comprising a compressor for compressing the suction generating chamber and a releaser for releasing the chamber from compression.
Previously, the applicant has separately filed applications for inventions related to a sample analysis device utilizing forced suction (Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-107310, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-236131, and Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 9-102204). By using these devices, a small amount of sample can be analyzed rapidly and precisely. The applicant has developed the suction generating device of the present invention in order to improve the operational performance of a forced suction type sample analysis device, and further expand the range of its application. In a general method of using the sample analysis device, first, a sample needs to be drawn into the sample a analysis device by suction developed by a manual operation, and then the device is set in a testing machine, so that complex operation is often required. Therefore, the present invention achieves automation for generating suction by providing a device comprising a compressor for compressing the suction generating chamber and a releasor for releasing the chamber from the compression. That is, the suction generating chamber is automatically compressed simply by setting the sample analysis device in the device of the present invention. Therefore, if the device of the present invention is installed in a testing apparatus or the like, the analysis operation can be simplified
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the suction generating device further comprises a cavity into which is inserted a sample analysis device and which holds said sample analysis device therein, and a protruding portion capable of compressing the suction g
Higuchi Yoshihiko
Hirayama Kouji
Koike Masafumi
Naka Michio
Okuda Hisashi
Arkray Inc.
Handy Dwayne K.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Warden Jill
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