Fluid analysis cartridge, and fluid analysis apparatus including same

Inventors

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

Assignees

Precision Biosensor Inc

Abstract

A fluid analysis cartridge having an improved structure in order to increase test reliability, and a fluid analysis apparatus including the same are disclosed. The fluid analysis apparatus comprises: a housing having a fluid supply part for supplying a fluid sample, and a filter member arranged such that the fluid sample supplied to the fluid supply part passes therethrough; a fluid analysis cartridge having a test unit that is connected to the housing so that the fluid sample that has passed through the filter member can be introduced and a test can be performed; and a pressure member that is arranged to pressurize the fluid analysis cartridge in order to move the fluid sample supplied to the fluid supply part to the test unit, wherein the test unit includes a first panel that has a first inflow part facing the filter member, and a second panel that is arranged to face the first panel and that has a second inflow part corresponding to the first inflow part, and the first inflow part may have a smaller width than the second inflow part.

Core Innovation

A portable fluid analysis apparatus is disclosed that includes a fluid analysis cartridge with a housing having a fluid supply portion and a filter member configured to filter a fluid sample supplied to the cartridge. The apparatus further includes an inspection unit coupled to the housing to receive the fluid sample after passing through the filter member for inspection, and a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the fluid analysis cartridge to move the fluid sample from the fluid supply portion into the inspection unit.

The inspection unit includes stacked first and second plates, in which the first plate has a first inlet opening facing the filter member and the second plate is stacked on the first plate with a second inlet opening aligned with the first inlet opening. The first inlet opening has a width smaller than a width of the second inlet opening, the second inlet opening is a through-hole extending from an upper surface of the second plate to a lower surface of the second plate, and the second plate further includes a plurality of transparent reservoirs and a channel connecting the second inlet opening and the plurality of transparent reservoirs.

Backflow reduction is addressed by providing a fluid sample movement path along the lower surface of the first plate aligned with the channel of the second plate to prevent the fluid sample from flowing back toward the filter. The fluid sample movement path includes a first part providing the first inlet opening and a connected second part facing the second inlet opening, where at least part of the second part is coated with a hydrophobic material.

Additional backflow prevention and capillary mitigation are described using a micro space between the first plate and the second plate, and hydrophobic backflow-preventing structures formed on or adjacent to the flow path, including unevenness and backflow-preventing protrusions.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim set covers 5 inventive features centered on a fluid analysis apparatus with stacked plates, aligned inlet openings of different widths, transparent reservoirs connected by a channel, and a pressurizing member that drives the filtered fluid sample into the inspection unit for inspection.

Across the independent claim, the inventive structure is centered on a pressurized fluid analysis cartridge driving filtered fluid into an inspection unit formed by stacked plates with aligned inlet openings of different widths, a second-plate through-hole, and an inlet-to-reservoir channel with transparent reservoirs. Claim refinements add backflow prevention through an aligned movement path with hydrophobic coating, and structural mitigation by introducing a micro space between stacked plates, with a glass fiber filter member specified in the dependent set.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications