Measuring device for viscometric analysis on a biological fluid

A measuring device for viscometric analysis on a biological fluid, comprising at least one of blood and plasma that is taken from a patient and that is in a coagulation phase, said measuring device comprising a base frame and at least one support element associated with said base frame, having an elongated shape and comprising a first portion and a second portion connected with one another by interposition of motion transmission means from said first portion to said second portion and respectively provided with:

• a first ending part associable with motor means to set in rotation said support element around an axis of rotation;
• a second ending part opposite to said first ending part and connected to a contact element configured to slide across an upper surface of the biological fluid to be analyzed, which is contained in a collecting vessel;
• and sensor means adapted to measure at least one viscosity value of said biological fluid comprising:
• at least a first sensor element comprising a first disc element and at least a second sensor element comprising a second disc element and associated with said support element and operable in rotation around said axis of rotation at a predefined rotational speed, and operatively connected to optical means adapted to detect a speed change between said sensor means depending on said at least one viscosity value, said first disc element being connected with said first portion and said second disc element being connected with said second portion, wherein said motion transmission means comprise at least one elastic element and said optical means are adapted to detect an angular speed and a phase of rotation of said disc elements, wherein said predefined rotational speed is comprised between 50 and 100 min−1 so as to mimic circulation in arterioles where the biological fluid lacks an artificial activator so as to permit assessment of platelet function in the biological fluid, wherein said measuring device is operative and wherein said disc elements are operable in rotation around said axis of rotation between:
• a first operating configuration in which said disc elements rotate in-phase at said predefined speed which is transmitted by said elastic element from said first portion to said second portion;
• and a second operating configuration in which said first disc element and said second disc element rotate out-of-phase to each other, with a phase shift of said disc elements being proportional to said at least one viscosity value.

A measuring device for viscometric analysis on a biological fluid, particularly blood or plasma, which biological fluid comprises blood or plasma taken from a patient and that is in a coagulation phase, said measuring device comprising a base frame and at least one support element associated with said base frame, having an elongated shape and comprising a first portion and a second portion connected with one another by interposition of motion transmission means from said first portion to said second portion and respectively provided with:

• a first ending part associable with motor means to set in rotation said support element around an axis of rotation;
• a second ending part opposite to said first ending part connected to a contact element and configured to slide across an upper surface of the biological fluid to be analyzed, which is contained in a collecting vessel;
• sensor means adapted to measure viscosity values of said fluid comprising:
• at least a first sensor element comprising a first disc element and at least a second sensor element comprising a second disc element and associated with said support element and operable in rotation around said axis of rotation at a predefined rotational speed, and operatively connected to optical means adapted to detect a speed change between said sensor means depending on said viscosity values, said first disc element being connected with said first portion and said second disc element being connected with said second portion, wherein said motion transmission means comprise at least one elastic element and said optical means are adapted to detect an angular speed and a phase of rotation of said disc elements, and wherein said predefined rotational speed is comprised between 50 and 100 min−1 so as to mimic circulation in arterioles where the biological fluid to be analyzed lacks an artificial activator so as to permit assessment of platelet function in the biological fluid;
• and
• temperature control means for controlling the temperature of said fluid wherein said collecting vessel comprises a heating/cooling element and a temperature sensor for feedback control of the temperature of said fluid.