Systems and methods for controlling bi-directional forces for clot assessment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10983107-B2
Application number	US-201816110179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2018
Priority date	Aug 23, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to analyze a fluid sample, comprising:
a cartridge including a chamber having a post and a magnetic washer engaged with the post; and
an actuating magnet positioned proximate the chamber; wherein the actuating magnet is configured to apply force on the magnetic washer in two directions; wherein the magnetic washer is threadably engaged with the post with threads.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuating magnet is an electromagnet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic washer is a bar magnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the chamber includes a plurality of rails that restrict rotation of the bar magnet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the chamber includes four rails positioned on an interior surface of the chamber surrounding the bar magnet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein both of the two directions are parallel to the post.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic washer has a length that is substantially the same as an internal diameter of the chamber.

Assignees

• Medtronic Vascular Inc

Inventors

• Huang Trevor
• Yuan Charlene
• Kanayinkal Tessy

Classifications

• G01N11/12

  by measuring rising or falling speed of the body; by measuring penetration of wedged gauges (G01N11/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/4905

  Determining clotting time of blood (by chemical methods G01N33/86, C12Q1/56) · CPC title

• G01N11/00

  Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties · CPC title

• G01N11/16

  by measuring damping effect upon oscillatory body · CPC title

• G01N33/49 Primary

  Blood {(chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80)} · CPC title