Viscosity measuring apparatus and method of use
AssigneeVisco Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKenneth Kensey, John E. Nash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blood viscosity measuring system and method that monitors the rising head of a column of fluid representing a living being's blood in-vivo to determine the blood viscosity over a range of shears. The system includes a capillary tube, at least a portion of which is located within the vascular system of the being, and a riser tube, having a liquid therein coupled to the capillary tube. A sensor and associated microprocessor are provided to determine the change in the height of the liquid in the riser tube at plural points along the length of the tube from which the viscosity is calculated.
Claims55
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of a flowable material at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising material receiving means and calculation means, said material receiving means comprising an input tube arranged to be introduced into said material to enable said material to flow therein, said calculation means being coupled to said material receiving means and being arranged to calculate the viscosity of the material within said input tube at plural shear rates and to provide a signal representative thereof, said calculation means comprising a column of fluid and monitoring means, said fluid in said column being arranged to be coupled to the material within said input tube, whereupon said column of fluid changes in height, said monitoring means being arranged to monitor the height of the fluid within said column at plural points along the height thereof as said fluid column changes in height and to calculate the viscosity of the material therefrom.
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of a first flowable material at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising a first tube, a second elongated tube, a sensor, and computing means, said first tube being arranged for receiving the first flowable material to enable the first flowable material to flow therein, said second tube being coupled to said first tube and being arranged for receipt of a second flowable material, the second flowable material forming a fluid column in said second tube, said fluid column being adapted to change in height, said sensor being arranged to monitor the height of said fluid column at plural points along the length of said second tube as said fluid column changes in height and for providing a first signal indicative thereof, said computing means being responsive to said first signal for calculating the viscosity of the first flowable material at plural shear rates within said first tube and to provide a output signal representative thereof.
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of a flowable material at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising material receptor and a calculator, said material receptor comprising an input tube arranged to be introduced into said material to enable said material to flow therein, said calculator being coupled to said material receptor and being arranged to calculate the viscosity of the material within said input tube at plural shear rates and to provide a signal representative thereof, said calculator comprising a column of fluid and monitor, said fluid in said column being arranged to be coupled to the material within said input tube, whereupon said column of fluid changes in height, said monitor being arranged to monitor the height of the fluid within said column at plural points along the height thereof as said fluid column changes in height and to calculate the viscosity of the material therefrom;
- wherein said flowable material is arranged to flow into said input tube under the force of gravity, whereupon the height of said column of fluid changes;
- wherein the relative height of said input tube to said column of fluid is adjustable, whereupon said input tube is disposed above a portion of said column of fluid so that gravity causes said column of fluid to change height;
- and
- wherein said apparatus additionally comprises a first valve coupled between said input tube and said column of fluid to selectively enable the flowable material to flow through said input tube to cause said column of fluid to change height.
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of a first flowable material at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising a first tube, a second elongated tube, a sensor, and a computer, said first tube being arranged for receiving the first flowable material to enable the first flowable material to flow therein, said second tube being coupled to said first tube and being arranged for receipt of a second flowable material, the second flowable material forming a fluid column in said second tube, said fluid column being adapted to change in height, said sensor being arranged to monitor the height of said fluid column at plural points along the length of said second tube as said fluid column changes in height and for providing a first signal indicative thereof, said computer being responsive to said first signal for calculating the viscosity of the first flowable material at plural shear rates within said first tube and to provide a output signal representative thereof.
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of circulating blood of a living being at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising a blood receptor and a calculator, said blood receptor comprising an input tube arranged to be introduced into the vascular system of the living being to enable the circulating blood to flow therein, said calculator being coupled to said blood receptor and being arranged to calculate the viscosity of the circulating blood within said input tube at plural shear rates and to provide a signal representative thereof, said calculator comprising a column of fluid and a monitor, said fluid in said column being arranged to be coupled to the circulating blood within said input tube, whereupon said column of fluid changes in height, said monitor being arranged to monitor the height of the fluid within said column at plural points along the height thereof as said fluid column changes in height and to calculate the viscosity of the circulating blood therefrom.
Apparatus for determining the viscosity of a flowable material at plural shear rates, said apparatus comprising a first tube, a second tube, a sensor, and a computer, said first tube being arranged for receiving the flowable material to enable the flowable material to flow therein, said second tube being coupled to said first tube and being arranged for supporting a fluid column therein, said fluid column being adapted to change in height in accordance with movement of said flowable material, said sensor being arranged to monitor the height of said fluid column at plural points along the length of said second tube as said fluid column changes in height and for providing a first signal indicative thereof, said computer being responsive to said first signal for calculating the viscosity of the flowable material at plural shear rates within said first tube and to provide an output signal representative thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.