Patent US2419496A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3884640A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus to analyze fluids
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-10-26
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1992-10-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for measuring at least two of the following characteristics of a fluid; pH, partial pressure of dissolved gas or gases therein, inorganic ion concentration, hemoglobin, temperature, and the like, the apparatus comprising a vessel having a flow channel for fluid passing therethrough and means for inducing turbulence in the channel at specified locations; sensors for the above enumerated fluid characteristics located in the vessel along the channel and within the area of induced turbulent flow; and integral heat-exchanging means e.g., cartridge heaters, within the vessel and external solid state circuitry for maintaining or achieving a preselected temperature in a fluid passing through the vessel and in the sensors. Also disclosed is such an apparatus adapted to the analysis of very small quantities of fluids, e.g., blood, including components for sample storage and transfer, preheating, propulsion and electronic read out and display.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard G Lock
- 👤 John F Wilfore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/49; G01N33/4915; G01N33/492
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
AN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUID: PH, PARTIAL PRESSURE OF DISSOLVED GAS OR GASES THEREIN, INORGANIC ION CONCENTRATION, HEMOGLOBIN AND TEMPERATURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A. A VESSEL INCLUDING A FLOW CHANNEL FOR FLUID PASSING THERETHROUGH, SAID FLOW CHANNEL INCLUDING INTEGRAL MEANS FOR INDUCING TURBULENT FLOW IN AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS THEREIN DURING THE MEASURING OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SAID FLUID; B. AT LEAST TWO SENSING MEANS, EACH SAID SENSING MEANS BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHANNEL AND IN PROXIMITY TO ONE OF SAID MEANS FOR INDUCING TURBULENT FLOW; AND C. INTEGRAL HEAT-EXCHANGING MEANS WITHIN SAID VESSEL FOR MAINTAINING OR ACHIEVING A PRESELECTED LEVEL OF THE TEMPERATURE OF A FLUID PASSING THROUGH SAID FLOW CHANNEL AND THE SENSING MEANS IN SAID VESSEL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
AN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUID: PH, PARTIAL PRESSURE OF DISSOLVED GAS OR GASES THEREIN, INORGANIC ION CONCENTRATION, HEMOGLOBIN AND TEMPERATURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A. A VESSEL INCLUDING A FLOW CHANNEL FOR FLUID PASSING THERETHROUGH, SAID FLOW CHANNEL INCLUDING INTEGRAL MEANS FOR INDUCING TURBULENT FLOW IN AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS THEREIN DURING THE MEASURING OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SAID FLUID; B. AT LEAST TWO SENSING MEANS, EACH SAID SENSING MEANS BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHANNEL AND IN PROXIMITY TO ONE OF SAID MEANS FOR INDUCING TURBULENT FLOW; AND C. INTEGRAL HEAT-EXCHANGING MEANS WITHIN SAID VESSEL FOR MAINTAINING OR ACHIEVING A PRESELECTED LEVEL OF THE TEMPERATURE OF A FLUID PASSING THROUGH SAID FLOW CHANNEL AND THE SENSING MEANS IN SAID VESSEL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said integral means for inducing turbulent flow in said fluid comprises an abrupt change of direction of the flow channel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said integral means for inducing turbulent flow in said fluid comprises an enlarged chamber in said flow channel at each of said locations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said integral means for inducing turbulent flow in said fluid comprises both an abrupt change of direction of the flow channel and an enlarged chamber in said flow channel at each of said locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said sensing means is an electrochemical sensor and intermediate said sensor and said flow channel is a permeable, non-porous membrane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said vessel is at least partially transparent so as to provide visual access to the flow channel for fluid passing therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes individual sensing means for blood pH, sensing means for dissolved gas in blood, and sensing means for inorganic ion concentration in blood.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the volume of said flow channel is selected to provide for measurement of quantities of blood within the range of 0.1 to 0.4 cm.3.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 which includes a first sensing means comprising an electrochemical sensor for the determination of pH in blood and a second sensing means comprising an electrochemical sensor for the determination of partial pressure of carbon dioxide in blood.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 9 which also includes a third sensing means comprising an electrochemical sensor for the determination of the partial pressure of oxygen in blood.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said integral heat-exchanging means is a heating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said vessel is constructed substantially of metal having a high heat transfer capability and the integral heating means is embedded within the metallic structure of said vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said integral heating means comprises an electrical resistance heater and an external power supply or a closed pathway for conducting a heat transfer fluid therethrough and an external means to heat said fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said integral heating means comprises, in combination, at least one electrical cartridge resistance heater imbedded within the metallic structure of said vessel, a power supply, a sensor imbedded in said vessel for signalling temperature changes above and below a pre-selected level and a solid state relay for activating the heater or heaters when the vessel temperature falls below a pre-selected level and for deactivating the heater or heaters when the vessel temperature rises above a pre-selected level.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
50 words
AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ANALYZING AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUID: PH, PARTIAL PRESSURE OF DISSOLVED GAS OR GASES THEREIN, INORGANIC ION CONCENTRATION, HEMOGLOBIN AND TEMPERATURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A. PLURAL HOLDING MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY STORING A SPECIMEN FLUID, A CALIBRATION FLUID AND A RINSING FLUID;
Claim 17
Independent Claim
50 words
AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ANALYZING AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUID: PH, PARTIAL PRESSURE OF DISSOLVED GAS OR GASES THEREIN, INORGANIC ION CONCENTRATION, HEMOGLOBIN AND TEMPERATURE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A. PLURAL HOLDING MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY STORING A SPECIMEN FLUID, A CALIBRATION FLUID AND A RINSING FLUID;
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 which also includes temperature exchanging means for preheating a fluid between transfer means (b) and measuring means (c).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
106 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein in said measuring means (c), said vessel is constructed substantially of a metal having a high heat transfer capability and the integral heat exchanging means comprises, in combination, at least one electrical cartridge resistance heater imbedded within the metallic structure of said vessel, a power supply, a sensor imbedded within said vessel for signalling temperature changes above and below a pre-selected level and a solid state relay for activating the heater or heaters when the vessel temperature falls below a pre-selected level and for deactivating the heater or heaters when the vessel temperature rises above a pre-selected level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said transfer means (b) includes means to dispense a gas and wherein the flow channel in said measuring means (c) is normally substantially horizontal, but movable to provide that when a liquid fluid in the flow channel is being displaced by a gas, the exit port in said vessel is disposed below the level of the entrance port and when a gas in the flow channel is being displaced by a liquid fluid, the exit port in said vessel is disposed above the level of the entrance port.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said plural holding means comprises an anaerobic chamber for at least one specimen fluid and an anaerobic chamber for at least one calibration fluid and means for regulating the inside temperature of each said chamber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said transfer means comprises a moveable tubular probe and a conduit on one end of said probe and in open communication downstream with said measuring means, said probe being insertable at predetermined intervals into an opened package of specimen fluid, calibration fluid or rinse fluid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said propulsion means comprises a conduit for said fluid said conduit having a flexible portion and a peristaltic pump operating on said flexible portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as Defined in claim 15 wherein said electronic means comprises an amplifier for the signal from each sensor coupled to means to display and record the amplified signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15 which includes individual sensing means for blood pH, sensing means for dissolved gas in blood, and sensing means for inorganic ion concentration in blood.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 23 in which the volume of said flow channel is selected to provide for measurement of quantities of blood within the range of 0.1 to 0.4 cm.3.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said measuring means is detachable from said apparatus and transportable to an apparatus-remote location for receiving a blood specimen drawn directly from the patient into the flow channel in said measuring means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |