Fluid handling cassette system for body fluid analyzer

A fluid handling system for use in bodily fluid analysis, the system comprising:

• a patient cassette module configured to interface with a main instrument, the patient cassette module comprising:
• a frame;
• and
• a fluid handling network supported by the frame, the fluid handling network including a patient connection passageway that is configured to draw a sample of bodily fluid from a patient;
• an instrument cassette module configured to interface with the main instrument, the instrument cassette module comprising:
• a housing;
• one or more fluid passageways supported by the housing;
• at least one sample cell that is accessible via the one or more fluid passageways;
• and
• a fluid component separator;
• wherein the fluid component separator is configured to separate at least a portion of the sample into a plurality of components and position one or more of the components in the sample cell for a sensor of the main instrument to measure an analyte in the one or more components;
• and
• a transfer coupling configured to interconnect the instrument cassette module and the patient cassette module to provide fluid communication between the fluid handling network of the patient cassette module and the one or more fluid passageways of the instrument cassette module.

A method comprising:

• removing a used disposable fluid handling system from a main instrument;
• and
• coupling a replacement disposable fluid handling system to the main instrument;
• wherein the replacement disposable fluid handling system comprises:
• a patient cassette module configured to interface with the main instrument, the patient cassette module comprising:
• a frame;
• and
• a fluid handling network supported by the frame, the fluid handling network including a patient connection passageway that is configured to draw a sample of bodily fluid from a patient;
• an instrument cassette module configured to interface with the main instrument, the instrument cassette module comprising:
• a housing;
• one or more fluid passageways supported by the housing;
• at least one sample cell that is accessible via the one or more fluid passageways;
• and
• a fluid component separator, wherein the fluid component separator is configured to separate at least a portion of the sample into a plurality of components and position one or more of the components in the sample cell for a sensor of the main instrument to measure an analyte in the one or more components;
• and
• a transfer coupling configured to interconnect the instrument cassette module and the patient cassette module to provide fluid communication between the fluid handling network of the patient cassette module and the one or more fluid passageways of the instrument cassette module.

A method of making a fluid handling system for use in bodily fluid analysis, the method comprising:

• providing a patient cassette module configured to interface with a main instrument, the patient cassette module comprising:
• a frame;
• and
• a fluid handling network supported by the frame, the fluid handling network including a patient connection passageway that is configured to draw a sample of bodily fluid from a patient;
• providing an instrument cassette module configured to interface with the main instrument, the instrument cassette module comprising:
• a housing;
• one or more fluid passageways supported by the housing;
• at least one sample cell that is accessible via the one or more fluid passageways;
• and
• a fluid component separator, wherein the fluid component separator is configured to separate at least a portion of the sample into a plurality of components and position one or more of the components in the sample cell for a sensor of the main instrument to measure an analyte in the one or more components;
• and
• providing a transfer coupling configured to interconnect the instrument cassette module and the patient cassette module to provide fluid communication between the fluid handling network of the patient cassette module and the one or more fluid passageways of the instrument cassette module.