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Publication Number
US-11529286-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus for storing blood plasma separated after fractionation from whole blood within a wrapped hematocrit (capillary) tube. The apparatus is large enough to receive and display a standard laboratory identification label. The apparatus stores plasma from a hematocrit tube that does not include thixotropic gel. The apparatus housing has an intended upright orientation, a central axis, a top end, a bottom end, and side walls defining an internal cavity. A wall with an upper surface and a lower surface divides the internal cavity into an upper cavity and a lower cavity. A reservoir is formed in the upper cavity. A removable cap seals the reservoir. The cap is movable between open and closed positions. A channel within the lower cavity extends axially from the bottom of the housing to the wall. The channel receives and supports the wrapped hematocrit tube while plasma is expelled therefrom and into the reservoir.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides a plasma-storage apparatus for storing the fluid contents from a capillary tube, including an upright housing with side walls that define an internal cavity. A wall divides the internal cavity into an upper cavity and a lower cavity, with a reservoir in the upper cavity and a channel within the lower cavity that extends axially to the wall.
The apparatus includes a removable cap for sealing the reservoir, where the cap is movable between open and closed positions. The cap is described as a removable hinged cap that seals the reservoir using a plug-and-rotation fit. A visually monitored observation slit is provided in the lower channel, and the channel includes stop/shoulder features to control insertion depth by interaction between the stop and an overwrap edge on a wrapped hematocrit tube.
A system is also provided for collecting and storing blood plasma that includes a wrapped hematocrit tube having a first outer diameter OD1 for an unwrapped portion and a second outer diameter OD2 for a wrapped portion. The apparatus channel has an upper portion with inner diameter ID1 and a lower portion with a larger inner diameter ID2, and the channel includes a shoulder formed at the interface between the upper and lower portions.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims. Independent claim 1 covers the general plasma-storage apparatus architecture with an upright housing, reservoir sealed by a removable cap, and an axially extending channel in a lower cavity divided by a wall. Independent claim 16 covers a system that pairs a wrapped hematocrit tube with an apparatus channel having defined inner-diameter relationships and a shoulder, including stated dimensional constraints between tube outer diameters and channel inner diameters.
Upright housing with divided internal cavity
A housing having an upright orientation, a central axis, a top end, a bottom end, and side walls defining an internal cavity; and a wall having an upper surface and a lower surface that divides the internal cavity into an upper cavity and a lower cavity.
Upper reservoir sealed by removable cap between open and closed positions
A reservoir in the upper cavity; and a removable cap for sealing the reservoir, the cap being movable between open and closed positions.
Axially extending channel within lower cavity to the wall
A channel within the lower cavity and extending axially to the wall.
Wrapped hematocrit tube with different OD1 and OD2 and plasma-storing apparatus
A wrapped hematocrit tube having a first outer diameter OD1 of the unwrapped portion and a second outer diameter OD2 of the wrapped portion; and an apparatus for storing the plasma from said hematocrit tube, comprising a housing with an upright orientation, a wall dividing an internal cavity into an upper cavity and a lower cavity, a reservoir in the upper cavity, and a removable cap for sealing said reservoir movable between open and closed positions.
Channel geometry with ID1, larger ID2, and shoulder interface
A channel within said lower cavity and extending axially to said wall, the channel having an upper portion with an inner diameter ID1 and a lower portion with an inner diameter ID2, which is larger than ID1, and a shoulder formed at the interface between said upper and lower portions of the channel.
Dimensional relationship between tube OD1/OD2 and channel ID1/ID2
Wherein OD1 and OD2 are slightly smaller than ID1 and ID2, respectively.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on an upright housing with an internal cavity divided by a wall into an upper reservoir region and a lower channel region, a removable cap sealing the reservoir with open/closed movement, and a channel having an upper inner diameter ID1, a larger lower inner diameter ID2, and a shoulder, with explicit OD/ID dimensional relationships for the wrapped hematocrit tube.
Stated Advantages
Avoids storing plasma in larger unlabeled vials by applying a standard laboratory identification label directly to the apparatus.
Provides visually monitored plasma expelling and monitoring through an observation slit.
Documented Applications
Collecting and storing blood plasma from a subject using a wrapped hematocrit tube and the disclosed plasma-storage apparatus.
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