US4777141A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Instrument for measuring coagulation parameters and method of use
Assignee: IL Holding Spa
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Filing: 1985-11-19
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Granted: 1988-10-11
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Expires: 2005-11-19
Abstract
Abstract An instrument for measuring coagulation parameters is provided in which plasma and at least one reagent are mixed by spinning in a cuvette with transparent windows and in which measurement is then made of scatter by the mixture of the energy of a light beam sent into the mixture. Upon spin, the plasma components and reagent are displaced into the chamber, thus determining the initiation of the presence of the mixture in which the clot forms, and a photodetecting unit senses the change in the energy of the scattered light, caused by clot formation.
Inventors
- 👤 Claudio Calzi
- 👤 Luigi Preda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:24
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/75; G01N21/77; G01N21/82; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/49; G01N33/4905; G01N21/01; G01N21/03; G01N21/07; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/49; G01N21/51; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/909; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/11; Y10T436/111666; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor; (b) placing a plasma sample into one of the chambers of a cuvette, (c) placing a coagulation reagent into the other chamber of the same cuvette, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction, (e) directing a light beam into the outer chamber through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for the plasma sample.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
236 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor; (b) placing a plasma sample into one of the chambers of a cuvette, (c) placing a coagulation reagent into the other chamber of the same cuvette, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction, (e) directing a light beam into the outer chamber through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for the plasma sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma sample is placed in the outer chamber of a cuvette.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the light beam is monochromatic and in the red region of the spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step (i) further comprises determining from the change in comparative light scatter between an initial point of time and a final point of time the amount of fibrin formed by reaction between the plasma sample and the coagulation reagent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein multiple plasma samples are each placed in the outer chamber of cuvettes in the same rotor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the reference substance is an emulsion present in the outer chamber of a cuvette into which plasma sample and coagulation reagent are not placed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 wherein an identical coagulation reagent is placed into the inner chamber of each cuvette into whose outer chamber a plasma sample is placed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the transferring step (d) comparing step (h) and determining step (i) are performed concurrently for each cuvette.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the light beam in monochromatic and in the red region of the spectrum.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor; (b) placing a plasma sample into one of the chambers of a cuvette, (c) placing a coagulation reagent into the other chamber of the same cuvette, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction, (e) directing a light beam into the outer chamber through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance which is a stable emulsion at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for the plasma sample.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor; (b) placing a plasma sample into one of the chambers of a cuvette, (c) placing a coagulation reagent into the other chamber of the same cuvette, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction, (e) directing a light beam into the outer chamber through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance which is a stable emulsion at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for the plasma sample.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 10, characterized in that said emulsion is an emulsion of silicone oil in water.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
321 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor, (b) placing multiple plasma samples each into the outer chamber of a cuvette, (c1) placing an identical coagulation activating reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette into which a plasma sample is placed, (d1) transferring the coagulation activating reagent in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components in multiple outer chambers, (c2) placing an identical coagulation initiating reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette in which components have been mixed in the outer chamber, (d2) transferring the coagulation initiating reagent in the inner chamber over the partial dam to initiate a coagulation reaction in multiple outer chambers, (e) directing a light beam into each outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for each plasma sample.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
321 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor, (b) placing multiple plasma samples each into the outer chamber of a cuvette, (c1) placing an identical coagulation activating reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette into which a plasma sample is placed, (d1) transferring the coagulation activating reagent in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components in multiple outer chambers, (c2) placing an identical coagulation initiating reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette in which components have been mixed in the outer chamber, (d2) transferring the coagulation initiating reagent in the inner chamber over the partial dam to initiate a coagulation reaction in multiple outer chambers, (e) directing a light beam into each outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for each plasma sample.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 12 wherein a delay occurs between the transferring step (d1) and the transferring step (d2) sufficiently long for the activating reagent to activate each plasma sample for the coagulation reaction subsequently initiated by the coagulation initiating reagent.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
315 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor, (b) placing multiple plasma samples each into the outer chamber of a cuvette, (c) placing an identical coagulation reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette into which a plasma sample is placed, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction in multiple outer chambers by: (d1) accelerating the rotor to transfer the coagulation reagent over each partial dam into an outer chamber, (d2) decelerating the rotor, and (d3) reaccelerating the rotor to complete the simultaneous mixing of each plasma sample with coagulation reagent, (e) directing a light beam into each outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for each plasma sample.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
315 words
A method for measuring the predisposition of a plasma sample to clot comprising the steps: (a) providing a rotor with multiple radially-extending cuvettes, each cuvette having an inner chamber and an outer chamber separated by a partial dam and having a radially-exterior basewall; the outer chamber being provided with two orthogonal windows, one of which is located on the exterior basewall of the rotor, (b) placing multiple plasma samples each into the outer chamber of a cuvette, (c) placing an identical coagulation reagent into the inner chamber of each cuvette into which a plasma sample is placed, (d) transferring the material in the inner chamber over the partial dam to the outer chamber to mix the components and initiate a coagulation reaction in multiple outer chambers by: (d1) accelerating the rotor to transfer the coagulation reagent over each partial dam into an outer chamber, (d2) decelerating the rotor, and (d3) reaccelerating the rotor to complete the simultaneous mixing of each plasma sample with coagulation reagent, (e) directing a light beam into each outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring through one of the orthogonal windows, (f) detecting light emerging from the other of the orthogonal windows over a plurality of points of time as a measure of the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring at each point of time, (g) measuring the light scattered by passing the light beam through a reference substance at each point of time, (h) comparing at each point of time the light scattered by the mixture of components in an outer chamber in which a coagulation reaction is occurring and by the reference substance to determine at each point of time a comparative value of light scatter, and (i) determining from the plurality of comparative values of light scatter a clotting time for each plasma sample.
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) | 1991-10-11 | 1992-04-11 | 1992-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-11 | 1996-04-11 | 1996-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-11 | 2000-04-11 | 2000-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |