Systems and methods for controlling bi-directional forces for clot assessment
AssigneeMedtronic Vascular, Inc.
InventorsTrevor Huang, Charlene Yuan, Tessy Kanayinkal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods to analyze blood or other fluid sample. The systems and methods utilize bi-directional magnetic forces to push or pull a magnetic object along a post in a chamber housing the fluid sample both before and after clot initiation has been implicated. The magnetic object can be threadably connected to the post. In other embodiments, the chamber is configured such that the magnetic object does not rotate but only slides along the post. Once a clot has been detected, the washer can be moved either up or down to apply either compressive force or strain within the clot, as desired, to evaluate elastic properties or firmness of the clot.
Claims19
A method of analyzing a fluid sample;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a cartridge including a chamber having a post and a magnetic washer engaged with the post;
- and an actuating magnet positioned proximate the chamber;
- moving the magnetic washer along the post in a first direction by activating the actuating magnet;
- moving the magnetic washer along the post in a second direction by activating the actuating magnet;
- and
- repeating the steps of moving the magnetic washer along the post in the first and second directions by activating the actuating magnet until changes in a viscosity of the fluid sample restrict further movement of the magnetic washer.
A method of analyzing a fluid sample;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a cartridge including a chamber having a post and a bar magnet engaged with the post, the bar magnet including an N pole and a S pole;
- and an actuating magnet positioned proximate the chamber, the actuating magnet having a N pole and a S pole;
- moving the bar magnet along the post in a first direction away from the actuating magnet via the actuating magnet by aligning the N pole of the bar magnet with the N pole of the actuating magnet;
- moving the bar magnet along the post in a second direction toward the actuating magnet via the actuating magnet by aligning the N pole of the bar magnet with the S pole of the actuating magnet;
- and
- repeating the steps of moving the bar magnet along the post in the first and second directions via the actuating magnet until changes in a viscosity of the fluid sample restrict further movement of the bar magnet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.