Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2001-05-29
Lee, John R. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
C250S573000, C356S440000, C422S051000, C422S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239445
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing tests on a sample of body fluid to be optically inspected.
It is useful for various medical diagnostic purposes to utilize a reflectance spectroscope to analyze samples of body fluid, for example, to determine the color of a person's urine. A conventional spectroscope may determine the color of a urine sample disposed on a white, non-reactive pad by illuminating the pad and taking a number of reflectance readings from the pad, each having a magnitude relating to a different wavelength of visible light. The color of the urine on the pad may then be determined based upon the relative magnitudes of red, green, blue and infrared reflectance signals.
Conventional spectroscopes may be used to perform a number of different urinalysis tests utilizing a reagent strip on which a number of different reagent pads are disposed. Each reagent pad may be provided with a different reagent which causes a color change in response to the presence of a certain type of constituent in urine, such as leukocytes (white blood cells) or red blood cells. Such a reagent strip may have ten or more different types of reagent pads.
In a conventional spectroscope, the process of inspecting a reagent strip may be performed by dipping the reagent strip in a urine sample, blotting excess urine from the reagent strip, placing the reagent strip at a designated location in the spectrophotometer, and pressing a start button which causes the spectroscope to begin automatic processing and inspection of the reagent strip.
OBJECT
It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. This object is solved by a combination of features of the main claim. The sub-claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the invention, and the invention may also reside in a sub-combination of described features. The “Summary of the Invention,” thus incorporated, presents, therefore, only an example, but not a limitation of the subject matter.
The invention is directed to an apparatus and method which allow different types of liquid carriers to be utilized in an optical inspection apparatus in a simple and convenient manner.
An apparatus in accordance with the invention is directed to an optical inspection apparatus adapted to inspect a liquid sample, such as a body fluid sample. The apparatus includes a tray that is adapted to be physically coupled to a first liquid sample carrier and a second liquid sample carrier, each of the first and second liquid sample carriers being adapted to hold a liquid sample. The first liquid sample carrier is of a first type and the second liquid sample carrier is of a second type different from the first type. The apparatus has a light source adapted to illuminate one of the liquid samples associated with one of the liquid sample carriers when the liquid sample carrier is coupled to the tray at an inspection location and a detector adapted to receive light from the liquid sample when the liquid sample is being illuminated by the light source.
The first liquid sample carrier may be in the form of a disposable reagent cassette, and the second liquid sample carrier may be adapted to support a reagent strip having a plurality of reagent pads disposed thereon, with the first liquid sample carrier having an elongated channel formed therein, the channel being sized to accommodate the reagent strip.
The invention is also directed to a method of using an optical inspection apparatus having a support tray that supports a liquid sample to be inspected, a light source that illuminates the liquid sample supported by the support tray when the support tray is at an inspection location, and a detector that detects light received from the liquid sample.
The method includes the steps of (a) placing onto the support tray a removable insert of a first type that carries a liquid sample, (b) causing the liquid sample to be illuminated by the light source, (c) causing light received from the liquid sample to be detected by the detector, (d) taking the removable insert off of the support tray, (e) placing onto the support tray a removable insert of a second type that carries a liquid sample, the second type of removable insert having a different physical structure from the first type of removable insert, (f) causing the liquid sample on the second type of removable insert to be illuminated by the light source, and (g) causing light received from the liquid sample to be detected by the detector.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3907503 (1975-09-01), Betts et al.
patent: 4689202 (1987-08-01), Khoja et al.
patent: 5059394 (1991-10-01), Phillips et al.
patent: 5231576 (1993-07-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5661563 (1997-08-01), Howard et al.
patent: 5945341 (1999-08-01), Howard, III
Clinitek 50 User's Guide, 1996 Bayer Corporation, Revised Mar. 1996, 18 pages.
Howard, W. E. III, An Introduction to Reflectance Spectroscopy for Dry Phase Reagent Chemistry,Miles Science Journal,pp. 33-37.
Bayer Corporation
Jeffers Jerome L.
Lee John R.
Pyo Kevin
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