Patent US4092113A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4092113A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Preparation of blood plasma and serum samples
Assignee: Aesculapius Scientific Ltd
•
Filing: 1976-09-16
•
Granted: 1978-05-30
•
Expires: 1996-09-16
Abstract
Abstract In a method of preparing a plasma sample, blood from a donor is placed in the inner of two concentric tubes which are releasably connected together. The outer sample tube is labelled with data relating to the blood sample. After the concentric sample tubes have been centrifuged to separate out plasma from the blood, the outer tube is disconnected from the inner tube so that plasma can be poured into the outer tube. The outer tube, which carries the label, is then retained for analysis. As an alternative to centrifuging, a leakage path which is permeable to plasma but not blood cells can be provided at the base of the inner tube and plasma forced into the outer tube by application of external pressure.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley Matthias Hardy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:39
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5021; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/15; A61B5/150007; A61B5/150015; A61B5/15003; A61B5/150206; A61B5/150213; A61B5/150305; A61B5/150351; A61B5/150755; A61B5/150763; A61B5/15077; A61B5/150778; A61B5/150885; A61B5/150893; A61B5/153; B04; B04B; B04B5/00; B04B5/04; B04B5/0407; B04B5/0414; B04B5/0421; G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/49; G01N33/491; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375; Y10T436/255
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of preparing a labelled sample of blood plasma or blood serum comprising the steps of taking a sample of blood from a donor; placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels which are releasably connected together one inside the other; labelling the outer of the two vessels with data relevant to the identity of the blood sample; separating and conveying plasma constituent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two vessels; and retaining the labelled outer vessel containing the plasma for subsequent analysis.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of preparing a labelled sample of blood plasma or blood serum comprising the steps of taking a sample of blood from a donor; placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels which are releasably connected together one inside the other; labelling the outer of the two vessels with data relevant to the identity of the blood sample; separating and conveying plasma constituent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two vessels; and retaining the labelled outer vessel containing the plasma for subsequent analysis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1 comprising the further step prior to disconnection of the two vessels of checking indicator means actuable on disconnection of the vessels, to determine whether the vessels have been used before.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in a generally cylindrical sample tube having a closed end which is sufficiently outwardly convex for the sample tube to be unstable if balanced on that end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in the inner of two concentric sample tubes connected together by means releasable upon relative rotation of the two tubes, the tubes having a screw threaded cap adapted to seal the inner sample tube and so arranged that removal of the cap requires less torque than the torque required to separate the two sample tubes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of labelling the outer of the two vessels, data relevant to the identity of the blood sample is written upon an area of the external surface of the outer vessel which has been treated to receive ink.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in the inner of two sample vessels which are formed of translucent plastics material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of separating and conveying plasma constituent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two vessels comprises the steps of centrifuging the two sample vessels releasably connected together one inside the other to separate plasma constituent of the blood sample; disconnecting the outer from the inner of the two sample vessels; and transferring plasma constituent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two sample vessels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of placing a quantity of plastics beads in the inner vessel before said separating and conveying step, the plastics beads being adapted upon subsequent centrifuging to form a barrier between the plasma or serum constituent of the blood sample; and wherein the step of transferring plasma or serum constituent of the blood sample comprises the step of pouring plasma or serum from the inner to the outer of the two vessels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in the inner of two sample vessels which are releasably connected together by means of a bayonet fitting having pins projecting radially from one of the sample vessels for cooperation with respective slots formed in the other one of the sample vessels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the slots of the bayonet fitting are adapted to provide a snap engagement between the two vessels.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in the inner of two vessels releasably connected together by means of a pawl resiliently connected to one vessel and cooperable with notch means formed on the other vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the pawl is adapted to undergo a permanent deformation or to fracture upon disconnection of the vessels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels which are releasably connected together one inside the other, comprises the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner sample vessel which includes a leakage path communicating between the two vessels permeable to blood plasma but not to blood cells; and the step of separating and conveying plasma or serum constituent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two vessels comprises the step of applying a pressure difference across said leakage path to force plasma or serum constitutuent of the blood sample from the inner to the outer of the two vessels.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said leakage path comprises an aperture in the inner vessel covered by a porous filter having a mean pore size between 3 and 5 microns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in the step of applying a pressure difference across said leakage path, inert fluid is injected into the inner vessel through an aperture in a cap sealing the inner vessel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two sample vessels, the sample is placed in the inner of two generally cylindrical and concentric sample tubes provided with means for maintaining a seal between the tubes upon an initial axial separation of tubes and wherein the step of applying a pressure difference across said leakage path comprises the step of axially separating the two tubes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said means for maintaining a seal comprises an O-ring positioned between the sample tubes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein in the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner of two vessels, the sample of blood is placed in the inner of two generally cylindrical sample tubes, the inner sample tube being positioned in parallelism within the outer sample tube with the opening of the inner tube adjacent the opening of the outer tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein the outer sample tube is provided with means engageable with a cap to effect sealing of the outer tube.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein the inner sample tube projects through the opening in the outer sample tube and is engageable with a screw threaded cap to effect sealing of the inner tube.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein the outer tube is provided with screw thread means engageable with a cap, said means being arranged so as not to be engageable with a screw threaded cap engageable with the inner tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein the inner sample tube is provided with an abutment which projects radially outward from the inner tube and which engages the open end of the outer tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein said abutment comprises a circumferentially extending shoulder which serves to seal the opening of the outer tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein the inner sample tube has an external coaxial annular sleeve which is formed integrally with the shoulder and which extends in a direction away from the opening in the inner tube, the open end of the outer tube being located inside the sleeve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 24, comprising the further step subsequent to the step of placing the sample of blood in the inner sample tube, of engaging a screw threaded cap with the inner sample tube to seal the opening therein, the cap having an annular skirt adapted to cover the sleeve of the inner sample tube.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for use in the preparation of a labelled blood plasma or serum sample, comprising an inner blood sample vessel adapted to receive a sample of blood and contained within an outer plasma or serum sample vessel which is provided with an area adapted to enable labelling and which is adapted to receive a sample of blood plasma or serum derived from blood contained within the inner blood sample vessel; and means for releasably connecting together the two vessels; the two sample vessels each comprising a generally cylindrical sample tube having an opening at one end thereof, the inner sample tube being positioned in parallelism within the outer sample tube with the opening of the inner tube adjacent the opening of the outer tube, and wherein the inner sample vessel has a leakage path communicating between the two vessels permeable to blood plasma and blood serum but not to blood
Claim 28
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for use in the preparation of a labelled blood plasma or serum sample, comprising an inner blood sample vessel adapted to receive a sample of blood and contained within an outer plasma or serum sample vessel which is provided with an area adapted to enable labelling and which is adapted to receive a sample of blood plasma or serum derived from blood contained within the inner blood sample vessel; and means for releasably connecting together the two vessels; the two sample vessels each comprising a generally cylindrical sample tube having an opening at one end thereof, the inner sample tube being positioned in parallelism within the outer sample tube with the opening of the inner tube adjacent the opening of the outer tube, and wherein the inner sample vessel has a leakage path communicating between the two vessels permeable to blood plasma and blood serum but not to blood
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the leakage path comprises an aperture in the inner vessel covered by a porous filter having a mean pore size between 3 and 5 microns.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the inner vessel is provided with a cap having a sealable aperture through which fluid may be injected into the inner vessel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in claim 26 wherein the device further comprising means for maintaining a seal between the inner and outer tubes during an initial axial separation of the tubes.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for maintaining a seal comprise an O-ring positioned between the sample tubes.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for sealing comprise a circumferentially extending radial projection formed integrally with the inner tube at a location spaced from the opening thereof and engaging the inner cylindrical surface of the outer tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-29 | 1981-11-28 | 1982-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-29 | 1985-11-28 | 1986-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-29 | 1989-11-28 | 1990-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |