| 摘要 |
<p>A portable, modular blood analyzer capable of analyzing multiple blood values in an inexpensive, relatively simple, easy-to-use and easy-to-maintain instrument. The invention comprises a three-part system including an analyzer body (10), calibrant cartridge (14), and sensor cartridge (12). A modular calibrant cartridge (14) is insertable into the analyzer body (10), and contains all necessary calibrant fluids as well as a waste container. A modular sensor cartridge (12) having integral pump tubing (16) plugs into the analyzer body (10) for easy removal and replacement of the sensor elements. The analyzer body (10) internally has modular units including an electronics module, a display module, and a fluidics/printer module. The analyzer uses a single pump head (18) to aspirate blood only to a sensor array within the sensor cartridge (12). This action is accomplished by aspirating blood by rotationg a peristaltic pump (18) in one direction during a first portion of an analysis cycle, and by reversing the pump (18) and flushing the blood from the sensor cartridge (12) with fluid pumped from the opposite direction during a second portion of an analysis cycle. Accordingly, blood contacts only a small portion of the analyzer mechanism, most of which is disposable. Because all valves are 'downstream' from the single pump, no blood products pass through any valves. The analyzer fluid handling section is easily cleaned by removal of the sensor cartridge (12), yielding a single tube pathway. A short path length for blood travel permits using blood samples as small as 200 νl. The analyzer is light and modular in design and is fully automatic.</p> |
