EP0184852A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic liquid component separator
Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Co
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Filing: 1985-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A device in the form of a sealed transparent tube comprised of glass, for example, is provided for separating the fraction containing cells and cell free fraction of a liquid, such as blood, automatically upon introduction into the device, and without the need for any separate driving force. The device separates whole non-anticoagulated blood, for example, very rapidly upon introduction into the device. The device utilizes a cross-flow filtration area together with a vacuum force applied to the device during manufacture to cause immediate and rapid separation.
Inventors
- 👤 Mourad M. Eldegheidy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:35
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/14; B01D61/18; G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/49; G01N33/491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for the automatic separation of the cell containing and cell free fractions of a liquid sample, characterized by (a) an elongated housing having an open end and closed end, and defining an evacuated chamber; (b) a stopper for sealingly closing said open end; (c) a separation assembly extending along said chamber, said separation assembly comprising (1) means for separating said evacuated chamber into cell free fraction and cell containing fraction receiving areas; (2) a membrane separator extending along a substantial portion of the length of said chamber; (3) said membrane separator having a first side in flow communication with said cell/containing fraction receiving area, and a second side in flow communication with said cell free fraction receiving area; (4) said membrane separator having the maximum allowable porosity for the desired separation thereacross; and (d) a sample receiving area in the bottom surface of said stopper for receiving and directing a liquid sample to said separation assembly.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for the automatic separation of the cell containing and cell free fractions of a liquid sample, characterized by (a) an elongated housing having an open end and closed end, and defining an evacuated chamber; (b) a stopper for sealingly closing said open end; (c) a separation assembly extending along said chamber, said separation assembly comprising (1) means for separating said evacuated chamber into cell free fraction and cell containing fraction receiving areas; (2) a membrane separator extending along a substantial portion of the length of said chamber; (3) said membrane separator having a first side in flow communication with said cell/containing fraction receiving area, and a second side in flow communication with said cell free fraction receiving area; (4) said membrane separator having the maximum allowable porosity for the desired separation thereacross; and (d) a sample receiving area in the bottom surface of said stopper for receiving and directing a liquid sample to said separation assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The device of Claim 1, further characterized by (a) a cell free fraction receiving distributor panel adjacent said second side of said membrane separator for receiving and distributing a separated cell free fraction to said cell free fraction receiving area; (b) said distributor panel having a plurality of spaced apart channels therein for receiving a cell free fraction passing through said membrane separator; and (c) means providing flow communication between said channels and said cell free fraction receiving area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The device of Claim 1, further characterized by (a) an elongated sample distribution chamber extending along said first side of said membrane separator for receiving a sample to be separated from said sample receiving area of said stopper; and (b) said sample distribution chamber for distributing a sample to be separated evenly over the entire first side of said membrane separator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The device of Claim 2, further characterized by (a) said means for separating said evacuated chamber comprises (1) a divider panel extending from one side of said separation assembly to the internal surface of the opposing wall of said housing chamber; and (b) means for sealing the entire outer edge of said divider panel which abuts said internal surface of said housing chamber wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of Claim 4, further characterized by (a) said sealing means is an elastomer edge for sealingly abutting said housing chamber internal surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of Claim 4, further characterized by (a) said sealing means is an adhesive material for sealingly abutting said housing chamber internal surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of Claim 1, further characterized by (a) the sample receiving area of said stopper includes means for receiving the upper end of said separation assembly in press-fit engagement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The/device of Claim 1, further characterized by (a) said housing is a glass tube.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
196 words
A device for the automatic separation of the cell containing and cell free fractions of a liquid sample, characterized by (a) an elongated transparent tube defining an evacuated chamber and having an open end and a closed end; (b) an elastomer stopper for sealingly closing said open end; (c) a sample receiving area in the bottom surface of said stopper for receiving and directing a liquid sample to said evacuated chamber; (d) a flat elongated separation assembly extending a substantial length along said tube, and through the axis thereof from one wall to the other; (e) said separation assembly comprising (1) means for separating said evacuated chamber into a cell free fraction receiving area and a cell containing fraction receiving area; (2) opposed spaced apart walls; (3) a membrane separator positioned between said walls; (4) said membrane separator having a first side in flow communication with said cell containing fraction receiving area, and a second side in flow communication with said cell free fraction receiving area; and (5) a sample distribution chamber extending along said first side of said membrane separator for receiving a sample to be separated from said sample receiving area of said stopper.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
196 words
A device for the automatic separation of the cell containing and cell free fractions of a liquid sample, characterized by (a) an elongated transparent tube defining an evacuated chamber and having an open end and a closed end; (b) an elastomer stopper for sealingly closing said open end; (c) a sample receiving area in the bottom surface of said stopper for receiving and directing a liquid sample to said evacuated chamber; (d) a flat elongated separation assembly extending a substantial length along said tube, and through the axis thereof from one wall to the other; (e) said separation assembly comprising (1) means for separating said evacuated chamber into a cell free fraction receiving area and a cell containing fraction receiving area; (2) opposed spaced apart walls; (3) a membrane separator positioned between said walls; (4) said membrane separator having a first side in flow communication with said cell containing fraction receiving area, and a second side in flow communication with said cell free fraction receiving area; and (5) a sample distribution chamber extending along said first side of said membrane separator for receiving a sample to be separated from said sample receiving area of said stopper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
The device of Claim 9, further characterized by (a) a cell free fraction receiving distributor panel adjacent said second side of said membrane separator for receiving and distributing a separated cell free fraction to said cell free fraction receiving area; (b) said distributor panel having a plurality of spaced apart channels therein for receiving a cell free fraction passing through said membrane separator; and (c) means providing flow communication between said channels and said cell free fraction receiving area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The device of Claim 10, further characterized by (a) said means for separating said evacuated chamber comprises (1) a divider panel extending from one side of said separation assembly to the internal surface of the opposing wall of said housing chamber; and (b) means for sealing the entire outer edge of said divider panel which abuts said internal surface of said housing chamber wall.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of Claim 9, further characterized by (a) the,pore size of said membrane separator is within the range of between about 0.1 and 1.2 microns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of Claim 12, further characterized by (a) said pore size is 0.45 microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of Claim 9, further characterized by (a) a cannula receiving puncture diaphragm in said stopper.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of Claim 9, further characterized by (a) said tube is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of glass, polyethylene and polypropylene.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of Claim 9, further characterized by (a) said sample distribution chamber along said first side of said membrane separator includes a recessed distribution channel recessed within the range of 0.01 and 0.03 centimeters.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of Claim 16, further characterized by (a) said distribution channel is rectangular.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of Claim 17, further characterized by (a) said distribution channel is 1.5 centimeters wide and 10 centimeters long.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of Claim 16, further characterized by (a) said distribution channel includes an inlet area with gradually diverging walls.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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