Fluid analysis cartridge and fluid analysis apparatus having the same

Inventors

SHIM, Jeo Young • PARK, Jong Myeon • Lee, Jae Sung • KIM, Do Gyoon • SEONG, Young Seop • YEO, Yeong Bae • Lee, Hae Seok • HWANG, Kyu Youn

Assignees

Precision Biosensor Inc

Abstract

A fluid analysis cartridge includes a reference well including a macromolecular coloring reagent having an optical characteristic that varies according to a thickness of the reference well, and a test well including a test reagent having an optical characteristic that varies according to a concentration of a component of a fluid sample that reacts with the test reagent and a thickness of the test well.

Core Innovation

The disclosed technology provides a fluid analysis cartridge in which optical measurements are performed through a multi-sheet structure to support analysis of a fluid sample. The cartridge includes a first sheet with at least one area to which light is irradiated, a second sheet sandwiched between the first sheet and a third sheet, and a light path in which light passes from the second sheet toward the third sheet. The second sheet accommodates both a reference well and a test well at corresponding areas on the second sheet.

A reference well includes a macromolecular coloring reagent having an optical characteristic that varies according to a thickness of the reference well. A test well includes a test reagent having an optical characteristic that varies according to each of a thickness of the test well and a concentration of a component of a fluid sample that reacts with the test reagent. The cartridge structure positions the macromolecular coloring reagent in an area corresponding to the reference well and positions the test reagent in another area corresponding to the test well.

A fluid analysis apparatus is also disclosed that uses a light source and a light detector and includes a processor configured to generate data based on detected light from the cartridge. The processor is further configured to change a test result of the test well based on data of the reference well, thereby using the reference well optical characteristic linked to well thickness to influence the resulting determination. The described configuration supports thickness-dependent behavior in the reference well and in the test well optical characteristics, tied respectively to thickness and to both thickness and reacting-component concentration.

In addition, the document describes that the reference-well optical characteristic sensitivity to thickness can be dependent on the macromolecular coloring reagent type or concentration, and that a tag may encode information for selecting proper thickness-sensitivity calibration data for the reference well components. The example apparatus arrangement is described with a three-sheet tester having light-blocking outer sheets and a second porous sheet, and example macromolecular materials and coloring reagents are described to provide the macromolecular coloring reagent for the reference well and a test reagent for the test well. The document further describes an experimental example in which corrected absorbance yields improved uniformity.

Claims Coverage

The document includes two independent claims: one directed to a fluid analysis cartridge and one directed to a fluid analysis apparatus using the cartridge. Across these independents, the coverage centers on thickness-dependent optical characteristics in both a reference well and a test well, and on using reference-well data to change a test result.

The independent claims collectively require a multi-sheet cartridge architecture with a reference well containing a macromolecular coloring reagent whose optical characteristic depends on reference-well thickness, and a test well containing a reagent whose optical characteristic depends on both test-well thickness and reacting-component concentration; the independent apparatus claim further requires that a processor changes the test result using reference-well data.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications