Automatic lysis detection apparatus

Claim 2

A portable compact and lightweight apparatus for measuring the time for initiation of clot formation of blood by detecting the presence of fibrin and for measuring the time for a fibrin to lyse including fibrin producing and detecting means, electrode means associated with said apparatus for holding the fibrin thread, and means for producing an electric circuit which includes said electrode means and a current path and detecting the current flow in said electric circuit while the fibrin is intact wherein the improvement comprises: means connected to said electric circuit and responsive to he initiation and termination of current flow through the circuit for measuring the time for a fibrin to lyse; and shutoff means connected to said electric circuit and responsive to the lysing of the fibrin which breaks the current path thereby recording the time for a fibrin to lyse.

Claim 3

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fibrin producing and detecting means includes a casing of reduced size, a blood specimen receiving means on said casing for receiving a specimen of blood to be measured, said means for producing a circuit and detecting the current flow including conductivity means for cooperating with fibrin to produce an electrical current path, said conductivity means including said electrode means which contains an electrode adapted to be stationary for contact with the specimen and another electrode adapted to be movable into and out of the specimen, a mechanism for moving the electrode into and out of the specimen, timing means for registering the time to detect the presence of fibrin in said specimen, electrical potential means for supplying an electrical potential to said conductivity means, and switch means for initiating the operation of said timing means.

Claim 4

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for measuring includes a second timing means provided to measure the time for the fibrin strand to lyse, cutoff means connected to said circuit and being provided for stopping the movement of the movable electrode upon lifting of a fibrin out of the specimen by the movable electrode and passage of current through said conductivity means, and paralyzing means are associated with said second timing means to permit said second means to run as long as a fibrin is intact and to cooperate with said shutoff means to facilitate the stopping of said second timing means when said fibrin lyses.

Claim 5

The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said measuring means includes; the first timing means for registering the time to detect the presence of fibrin in said specimen, the second timing means, means for stopping said first timing means and starting the second timing means to measure the time for the fibrin strand to lyse, said cutoff means stopping the operation of said first timing means; a second switch means associated with said cutoff means and said second timing means so that when said first timer is stopped said second timer is started, and said paralyzing means is associated with said second timer to permit said second timer to run as long as the fibrin is intact and to cooperate with said shutoff means to facilitate the stopping of the second timer when the fibrin Lyses.

Claim 6

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said apparatus includes a second mechanism for lowering both of said electrodes into said receiving means and out of said receiving means.

Claim 7

The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second mechanism includes a carrier supporting both of said electrodes, part of said carrier projecting outwardly from the casing and part of said carrier projecting inwardly of said casing and said carrier being displaceable relatively thereto from an electrode immersed position to an electrode elevated position, latching means for releasably holding the carrier in the electrode elevated position, said carrier and said casing having interengaging surfaces for cooperating and directing said electrodes into the receiving means when in the electrode immersed position and away therefrom when in the electrode elevated position.

Claim 8

The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein said apparatus includes time delay means for causing after a predetermined period of time following activation of said switch means, the latching means to release the carrier from the electrode elevated position whereupon the interengaging surfaces cooperate and direct the electrodes into the receiving means and the electrode immersed position and the first mechanism to move the movable electrode into and out of the liquid.

Claim 9

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said fibrin producing and detecting means includes heating means for maintaining said specimen at a predetermined temperature, said heating means being binary and comprising a first thermostatically controlled heating means for heating said specimen quickly and adapted to become inoperative at a temperature above normal body temperature, and a thermostatically controlled second heating means for heating said specimen and maintaining it with a preset tolerance of substantially 37* Centigrade.

Claim 10

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said mechanism includes a drive means including a motor having an output shaft, a cam rotatably mounted on said output shaft, said cam having stepped cam faces, said movable electrode adapted to engage the stepped surfaces of said cam whereby upon rotation of said cam by said motor through the output shaft the stepped surfaces of said cam move said electrode, said cam having a surface area sufficient to maintain said moving electrode in a predetermined position in contact with the detection means of the apparatus.

Claim 11

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said movable electrode contains a loop on the end thereof in contact with the blood to facilitate the holding of the fibrin thereon.