Fluid characteristic measurement
OwnerPaul J. Gilbertinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprises a detection indicator, a housing, and an exoskeleton in which the housing nests. The detection indicator is configured to furnish a visual indication upon contact with a fluid responsive to a characteristic of the fluid. The housing comprises an interior chamber configured to receive the fluid and to provide contact between the fluid and the detection indicator. The housing is configured to removably engage a conduit coupled to a source of a fluid sample, which may be a lumen inserted into a patient to receive fluid therefrom. In methods for use with the apparatus, a sample is collected, a characteristic is measured by the apparatus, and the apparatus is disconnected so as to avoid leakage of the sample and exposure of personnel.
Claims28
An apparatus, comprising:
- a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a liquid from a body of a subject, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body liquid;
- a housing with an interior chamber containing said detection indicator and configured to receive the body liquid and to provide contact between the body liquid and the detection indicator;
- an exoskeletal member into which said housing is nestably disposed;
- wherein the housing has an opening configured to removably engage a conduit adapted for liquid-transfer coupling with the subject so as to enable receiving body liquid from the subject.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a body fluid, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body fluid;
- a housing with an interior chamber configured to receive the body fluid and to provide contact between the body fluid and the detection indicator;
- wherein the housing is configured to removably engage a conduit adapted for fluid-transfer coupling with a patient so as to enable receiving body fluid from the patient;
- and
- a manually-operated valve disposed between the conduit and the interior chamber, which valve may be operated to allow or prevent fluid communication therebetween.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a detection indicator configured to display at least one visual indication when in contact with a liquid from a body of a subject, said at least one visual indication representing a value of a characteristic of the body liquid;
- a first body portion:
- a second body portion adapted to mate with the first body portion;
- wherein said first body portion and said second body portion are configured when in a mated assembly to form a liquid conduit from a first end of the mated assembly to a second end of the mated assembly:
- the first body portion having an interior chamber adapted to house the detection indicator;
- the liquid conduit having openings into the interior chamber to allow body liquid communication between the liquid conduit and the interior chamber and provide contact between the body liquid and the detection indicator;
- wherein the first body portion comprises a tubular member and the interior chamber is at least partially defined by an interior wall of the tubular member and a panel extending across points on the interior wall.
A method comprising:
- coupling a fluid characteristic indicator to a conduit coupled to a patient source of body fluid so as to enable body fluid transfer between the patient and the fluid characteristic indicator;
- aspirating a quantity of body fluid from said patient into said fluid characteristic indicator to saturate the fluid characteristic indicator;
- and
- insufflating air into the fluid characteristic indicator to flush body fluid therefrom.
A method comprising:
- coupling a fluid characteristic indicator to a conduit coupled to a patient source of body fluid, the couplings enabling body fluid transfer between the patient and the fluid characteristic indicator;
- aspirating a quantity of body fluid from said patient into said fluid characteristic indicator to saturate the fluid characteristic indicator;
- and
- insufflating air into the fluid characteristic indicator to flush body fluid therefrom, returning to the patient substantially all body fluid obtained therefrom.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.