US5278079A — Sealing device and method for inhibition of flow …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 97 words

A sealable chamber device comprising a hollow chamber having a sample intake port at a first end and an exhaust port at a second end, said hollow chamber having walls forming a first chamber portion starting at said intake port, and a reduced chamber portion having walls forming a cross-sectional area less than said first chamber portion from said exhaust port to said first chamber portion and a sufficient amount of aqueous expandable polymer in said reduced chamber portion which forms a seal in said reduced chamber portion upon contact of the polymer with an aqueous medium.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 97 words

A sealable chamber device comprising a hollow chamber having a sample intake port at a first end and an exhaust port at a second end, said hollow chamber having walls forming a first chamber portion starting at said intake port, and a reduced chamber portion having walls forming a cross-sectional area less than said first chamber portion from said exhaust port to said first chamber portion and a sufficient amount of aqueous expandable polymer in said reduced chamber portion which forms a seal in said reduced chamber portion upon contact of the polymer with an aqueous medium.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein said chamber walls form a circular cross section.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein said chamber walls form a rectangular cross section

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein said chamber walls form a square cross section.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said reduced chamber portion is about 50% to about 92% less than the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said first chamber portion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said reduced chamber portion is about 67% to about 75% less than the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said first chamber portion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous expandable polymer in said reduced chamber portion is on a polymer film and said polymer film extends from the sample intake port to the exhaust port.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein a medical diagnostic reagent is coated on a portion of polymer film in the first chamber portion.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 15 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous expandable polymer is hydrophilic.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 9, wherein the aqueous expandable hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, gelatin, cellulose, alginate/gelatin mixture and cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose mixture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

A sealable chamber device according to claim 1, wherein said hollow chamber is a capillary.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 128 words

A flow measuring device comprising a first chamber having walls forming a sample intake port at one end and a second chamber having walls forming a reduced cross-sectional area contiguous with and at the other end of said first chamber, said second chamber having walls forming an exhaust port contiguous with said second chamber and disposed opposite said sample intake port; an analytical reagent for medical diagnostics disposed in said first chamber; a water-expandable polymer sealing means disposed in said second chamber; means for passing an aqueous medium from said sample intake port through said first chamber to said second chamber; and means for contacting the water-expandable polymer sealing means with an aqueous medium, thereby causing the polymer to expand and form a seal in said second chamber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 128 words

A flow measuring device comprising a first chamber having walls forming a sample intake port at one end and a second chamber having walls forming a reduced cross-sectional area contiguous with and at the other end of said first chamber, said second chamber having walls forming an exhaust port contiguous with said second chamber and disposed opposite said sample intake port; an analytical reagent for medical diagnostics disposed in said first chamber; a water-expandable polymer sealing means disposed in said second chamber; means for passing an aqueous medium from said sample intake port through said first chamber to said second chamber; and means for contacting the water-expandable polymer sealing means with an aqueous medium, thereby causing the polymer to expand and form a seal in said second chamber.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 61 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the water-expandable polymer sealing means is deposited in said second chamber in an amount sufficient to form a seal in said second chamber when contacted with the aqueous medium, thereby inhibiting passage from said exhaust port and inhibiting the flow of aqueous medium in contact with analytical reagent in said first chamber.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the water-expandable polymer sealing means in said second chamber is on a polymer film and said polymer film extends from the sample intake port, through said first and second chambers to said exhaust port.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 36 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the analytical reagent for medical diagnostics is coated on a polymer film in said first chamber and extends from said sample intake port to said second chamber.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 62 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the water-expandable polymer sealing means in said second chamber is coated on a polymer film and said polymer film extends from said sample intake port to said exhaust port, said polymer film having an analytical reagent for medical diagnostics coated thereon in that portion of said polymer film extending through said first chamber.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the water-expandable polymer is hydrophilic.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the water-expandable hydrophilic polymer sealing means is a polymer selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, gelatin, cellulose, alginate/gelatin mixture and cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose mixture.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 40 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the reduced cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said second chamber is about 50% to about 92% less than the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of the first chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 40 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein the reduced cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said second chamber is about 67% to about 75% less than the cross-sectional area formed by the walls of said first chamber.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

A flow measuring device according to claim 12, wherein said first chamber is a capillary.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 89 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel having a sample intake port at one end and an exhaust port at the other end, comprising: a providing a channel having walls forming a reduced size in the channel at or proximal the exhaust port end of said channel; and b. adding a sufficient amount of water-expandable hydrophilic polymer to that portion of the channel having a reduced size, to inhibit flow through said exhaust port upon contact of the polymer with an aqueous medium.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 89 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel having a sample intake port at one end and an exhaust port at the other end, comprising: a providing a channel having walls forming a reduced size in the channel at or proximal the exhaust port end of said channel; and b. adding a sufficient amount of water-expandable hydrophilic polymer to that portion of the channel having a reduced size, to inhibit flow through said exhaust port upon contact of the polymer with an aqueous medium.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 57 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 22, further comprising c. passing an aqueous medium from said sample intake port to said exhaust port; and d. contacting the water-expandable polymer with the aqueous medium, thereby causing the polymer to expand and inhibit flow through the exhaust port.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 22, further comprising adding an analytical reagent for medical diagnostics to said channel.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 83 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 22, further comprising adding an analytical reagent for medical diagnostics to that portion of the channel extending from the exhaust port to that portion of the channel having a reduced size; passing an aqueous medium from said sample intake port to said exhaust port; and contacting the water-expandable polymer with the aqueous medium, thereby causing the polymer to expand and inhibit flow through the exhaust port.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 24, wherein the aqueous medium is a biological fluid, a substituent of which is detectable by said analytical reagent.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 24, wherein the analytical reagent and the water-expandable polymer are coated on a film substrate and placed in said channel.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 25, wherein the analytical reagent and the water-expandable polymer are coated on a polymer film and placed in said channel.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 22, wherein the water-expandable polymer is hydrophilic.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 29, wherein the water-expandable hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, gelatin, cellulose, alginate/gelatin mixture and cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose mixture.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 23, wherein the water-expandable polymer is hydrophilic.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 31, wherein the water-expandable hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, alginate, gelatin, cellulose, alginate/gelatin mixture and cellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose mixture.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method for inhibiting the flow of an aqueous medium in a channel in accordance with claim 22, wherein the channel is a capillary.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-01-10	1997-07-12	1998-01-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-01-10	2001-07-12	2002-01-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-01-10	2005-07-12	2006-01-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sealing device and method for inhibition of flow in capillary measuring devices

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