US4789526A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum diagnostic device
Assignee: Pall Corp
•
Filing: 1986-12-15
•
Granted: 1988-12-06
•
Expires: 2006-12-15
Abstract
Abstract A diagnostic device is provided comprising a housing including a chamber having one portion open to the exterior of the housing and another portion which is closed to the exterior of the housing with a porous structure such as a hydrophilic membrane disposed across the open portion of the chamber and hermetically sealed to the housing such that after the wettable layer is wetted, the pressure in the closed portion of the chamber of the device can be reduced so that fluid is drawn through the porous structure into the closed portion or interior of the chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Vlado I. Matkovich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:44
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; G01N33/50; G01N33/53; G01N33/543; G01N33/54366; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375; Y10T436/255
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A diagnostic device for testing at least one analyte in a liquid, the diagnostic device comprising: a housing having an exterior and including a chamber having one portion open to the exterior of the housing and another portion closed from the exterior of the housing; a porous structure disposed across the open portion of the chamber and hermetically sealed to the housing, the porous structure having a first surface communicating with the exterior of the housing, a second surface communicating with the closed portion of the chamber, and at least one layer which is wettable by a liquid; and means for increasing the volume of the closed portion of the chamber to thereby decrease the pressure within the closed portion of the chamber, the at least one wettable layer of the porous structure having a bubble point such that when the at least one wettable layer has been wetted by a liquid, the diagnostic device is capable of maintaining a pressure differential across the porous structure after the volume of the closed portion of the chamber has been increased by said volume increasing means to create a pressure differential across the porous structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A diagnostic device for testing at least one analyte in a liquid, the diagnostic device comprising: a housing having an exterior and including a chamber having one portion open to the exterior of the housing and another portion closed from the exterior of the housing; a porous structure disposed across the open portion of the chamber and hermetically sealed to the housing, the porous structure having a first surface communicating with the exterior of the housing, a second surface communicating with the closed portion of the chamber, and at least one layer which is wettable by a liquid; and means for increasing the volume of the closed portion of the chamber to thereby decrease the pressure within the closed portion of the chamber, the at least one wettable layer of the porous structure having a bubble point such that when the at least one wettable layer has been wetted by a liquid, the diagnostic device is capable of maintaining a pressure differential across the porous structure after the volume of the closed portion of the chamber has been increased by said volume increasing means to create a pressure differential across the porous structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein the volume increasing means includes a bellows means operatively associated with the housing for increasing the volume of the closed portion of the chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 further comprising an absorbent pad disposed within the closed portion of the chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one wettable layer is hydrophilic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein a reagent is immobilized in said porous structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein a segment of the housing including the porous structure hermetically sealed thereto is detachable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein the porous structure includes a liquophobic layer below the at least one wettable layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The diagnostic device of claim 7 wherein the liquophobic layer comprises a hydrophobic layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes first and second sections disposed coaxially with respect to each other, the second section including an end wall of the closed chamber spaced from the porous structure, and wherein the volume increasing means includes a threaded connection between the first and second section of the housing whereby, by rotating the first section relative to the second section, the end wall moves farther from the porous structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The diagnostic device of claim 9 wherein the first section of the housing is disposed coaxially within and sealingly engages the second section of the housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The diagnostic device of claim 9 wherein the first section of the housing is disposed coaxially around the second section of the housing, and wherein the diagnostic device further comprises a third housing section coaxially disposed within the second housing section and extending between the first and second sections.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The diagnostic device of claim 11 further comprising an absorbent pad disposed within the third section of the housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The diagnostic device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a bore in the closed portion of the chamber, and wherein the volume increasing means includes a piston disposed within the bore and sealingly engaging the housing and means for moving the piston along the bore between first and second positions, the first position being farther from the porous structure than the second position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The diagnostic device of claim 13 wherein the housing includes first and second sections, the first section including the bore and the second section being non-rotatably joined to the piston, and wherein the piston moving means includes a threaded connection between the first and second portions of the housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The diagnostic device of claim 13 wherein the housing includes first and second sections, the first section including the bore and being rotatably joined to the second section, and wherein the piston moving means includes a threaded conection between the piston and the second section of the housing and means for preventing the piston from rotating in the bore.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The diagnostic device of claim 16 wherein the piston rotation preventing means includes a key means for coupling the piston to the first section of the housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The diagnostic device of claim 13 wherein the piston moving means includes a plunger joined to the piston and extending beyond the housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The diagnostic device of claim 17 wherein the plunger includes a means for securing the plunger to a stationary device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US528802A
Cited
US857547A
Cited
US1055028A
Cited
US1154351A
Cited
US1286875A
Cited
US1522975A
Cited
US2595493A
Cited
US3241729A
Cited
US3802843A
Cited
US3888629A
Cited
US3730352A
Cited
US3838978A
Cited
US3909363A
Cited
US3815787A
Cited
US4138474A
Cited
US4014653A
Cited
US3985032A
Cited
US4059020A
Cited
US4356149A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-12-06 | 1992-06-06 | 1992-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-12-06 | 1996-06-06 | 1996-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-12-06 | 2000-06-06 | 2000-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |