Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090157023 | Urine Volume Hydration Test Devices - In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for quantitatively or semi-quantitatively determining the volume of a test sample of urine is provided. The method includes contacting the test sample with a fluidic medium of a lateral flow device having a volume indicator disposed thereon and determining the volume of urine in the test sample based on the distance traveled by the volume indicator along the fluidic medium, the distance traveled by the volume indicator corresponding to the volume of urine in the test sample. | 06-18-2009 |
20090314946 | Membrane-Based Assay Devices that Utilize Time-Resolved Fluorescence - A membrane-based assay device for detecting the presence or quantity of an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The device utilizes time-resolved fluorescence to detect the signals generated by excited fluorescent labels. Because the labels can have relatively long emission lifetime, short-lived background interference can be practically eliminated through delayed fluorescence detection. In addition, the resulting fluorescent reader can have a simple and inexpensive design. For instance, in one embodiment, the reader can utilize a silicon photodiode and a pulsed light-emitting diode (LED) to accurately excite labels and detect fluorescence on a membrane-based assay device without requiring the use of expensive components, such as monochromators or narrow emission band width optical filters. | 12-24-2009 |
20100015658 | Meter Strip and Method for Lateral Flow Assay Devices - A diagnostic method and associated test kit for detecting an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The kit includes a housing, and a membrane disposed within the housing having a detection region and a collection region. A blood sample meter is provided having a first end for absorption of a blood sample, a filtering section adjacent to the first end that filters red blood cell components from the blood sample, and a storage section adjacent to the filtering section that receives plasma or serum from the filtering section. An opening in the housing is sized for insertion of the sample meter into the housing such that the storage section of the sample meter is disposed in fluid communication with the collection region of the membrane. The plasma or serum is transferred from the storage section of the sample meter to the collection region of the membrane for subsequent migration to the detection region. | 01-21-2010 |
20100062543 | Polyelectrolytic Internal Calibration System of a Flow-Through Assay - A flow-through assay for detecting the quantity of an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The flow-through assay contains a porous membrane that is in fluid communication with probe conjugates that contain a specific binding member and a detectable probe. The porous membrane also defines a detection zone and a calibration zone. The calibration zone contains a polyelectrolyte substantially non-diffusively immobilized on the porous membrane. The polyelectrolyte is capable of generating a detectable calibration signal that can be readily compared (visually, quantitatively, and the like) to a detection signal to determine the amount of analyte in the test sample. | 03-11-2010 |
20100081146 | METHOD OF REDUCING THE SENSITIVITY OF ASSAY DEVICES - A flow-through assay device for detecting the presence or quantity of an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The device utilizes a scavenging zone that contains a capture reagent for the analyte of interest. The capture reagent may capture a quantity of the analyte that is less than or equal to a predefined base quantity of the analyte, such as a quantity considered “normal” for a particular test sample. Thus, the capture reagent is able to prevent some of the analyte from being detected. In this manner, the sensitivity of the assay device may be reduced in a simple, inexpensive, yet effective manner. | 04-01-2010 |
20100120644 | Single Phase Color Change Agents - There is provided a color change composition that remains stable in a single phase and that contains an indicator that produces an observable color change after a period of time to show that sufficient cleaning has been done or to indicate the thoroughness of the cleaning. This use indicating color change is useful for, for example, in soap for teaching children to wash their hands for a sufficient period of time. This composition may be added to many different base materials to indicate time of use or as a way to introduce enjoyment to the activity. | 05-13-2010 |
20100248299 | Microbial Detection and Quantification - Suitable dyes are used herein to indicate the presence of microbial contamination by spraying them onto surfaces in the form of an aqueous solution. The dye solution may also be allowed to dry, thus producing the dried residue of an aqueous solution. It's believed that these dyes change color in response to a change in polarity of the environment. Since water is a polar solvent and most bacteria are made from non-polar substances, the presence of bacteria changes the polarity of the environment, triggering a change visible by the unaided eye. | 09-30-2010 |
20100323392 | Metering Technique for Lateral Flow Assay Devices - A diagnostic test kit for detecting an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The kit employs a lateral flow device that contains a membrane. A metering channel is formed in the membrane that is capable of delivering a controlled volume of the test sample to a detection zone upon initiation of the assay. Such a metering channel is particularly effective for embodiments in which the test sample has a relatively low volume, such as less than about 100 microliters, in some embodiments from about 0.5 to about 25 microliters, and in some embodiments, from about 1 to about 10 microliters. For example, whole blood drops obtained from patients with a lancet typically have a volume of less than about 3 microliters. Despite their low volume, the present inventors have discovered that the blood drops may still be accurately analyzed for the presence of an analyte using lateral flow detection techniques. | 12-23-2010 |
20120042722 | Dehydration Sensors with Ion-Responsive and Charged Polymeric Surfactants - A lateral flow assay device for determining the relative ionic strength of urine is described. The device includes a buffering zone having a polyelectrolyte disposed therein, and an indicator zone having a pH indicator non-diffusively immobilized therein, the indicator zone being separate from the buffering zone and positioned adjacent to and in fluid communication with the buffering zone. A detection zone is part of the buffering zone, and has a buffering component comprising a weak polymeric acid and weak polymeric base with a pKa≦10 | 02-23-2012 |
20120046628 | DEHYDRATION SENSORS HAVING BUFFERED INKS - A dehydration sensor having a stable, printable, buffered-ink composition that enables one to miniaturize the detection zone and permits both buffer and indicator dye to be applied in the same area of a detection zone, without need for a conventional, large buffer pad region. | 02-23-2012 |
20120143159 | DEHYDRATION SENSORS HAVING POLYMERIC BASE-BUFFERED INKS - A dehydration sensor having a stable, printable, buffered-ink composition that enables one to miniaturize the detection zone and permits both buffer and indicator dye to be applied in the same area of a detection zone, without need for a conventional, large buffer pad region. The ink composition includes a weak polymeric base as its primary buffering agent. | 06-07-2012 |
20120150134 | Wetness Sensor for Use in an Absorbent Article - A wetness sensor for an absorbent article that is formed from an ink is provided. The ink includes a proton-accepting chromogen and a proton-donating agent (or color developer). Prior to use, the ink is generally dry and in a protonated form so that it has a visible color. However, upon contact with bodily fluids (e.g., urine, fecal matter, mucus, menses, vaginal fluid, etc.), water in the fluid can lead to deprotonation of the chromogen, thereby resulting in a shift of the absorption maxima of the chromogen towards either the red (“bathochromic shift”) or blue end of the spectrum (“hypsochromic shift”). To increase the rate of the color change during use, the present inventors have discovered that a specific type of proton-donating agent may be employed. More particularly, the proton-donating agent is an aliphatic carboxylic acid that is highly soluble in the bodily fluid (e.g., urine), and therefore results in a color change that is very rapid and may be detected within a relatively short period of time. The extent of the color change is also generally sufficient to provide a “real-time” indication of wetness on the absorbent article. | 06-14-2012 |
20130066289 | Wetness Indicator Having Varied Hues - A wetness indicator material may be used on a substrate to form a wetness sensor. The sensor may show either the presence or absence of an aqueous-based fluid or water-containing medium, such as vaginal fluid or urine in a personal hygiene article. The wetness sensor may be incorporated into the article. The wetness indicator material includes a standard colorant that does not change color when wetted. The standard colorant increases the range of hues exhibited by the wetness indicator material. | 03-14-2013 |
20130116644 | Non-Tacky Wetness Indicator Composition for Application on a Polymeric Substrate - The invention describes a color-developing composition that contains at least three major components: (1) a leuco dye or a combination of leuco dyes, (2) an color-developer or a combination of color-developers that can form colored complexes with the leuco dyes, and (3) a desensitizer to temporarily remove the effect of the developer so the leuco dye appears in its colorless form. An optional binder may be included so that the composition may be applied to a substrate as an ink. The ink composition may be applied to synthetic polymeric substrates and other substrates that are incorporated into absorbent articles or personal care products. | 05-09-2013 |
20130144237 | Sensor Products Using Wicking Materials - An absorbent article includes a chassis including a bodyside liner, an outer cover having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and an absorbent structure positioned adjacent the interior surface of the outer cover, the chassis including an insult zone and a crotch region positioned in between a front region and a back region, the front region and the back region defining a waist region therebetween. The absorbent article also includes a sensor element disposed in or on the chassis, the sensor element extending from a proximal end in the waist region to at least the insult zone and in fluid communication with the insult zone, the sensor element including a multi-layer wicking material. | 06-06-2013 |
20130289508 | Dryness Indicator For An Absorbent Article - A dryness indicator includes a wicking strip continuous between a reservoir end and an opposed open end; a liquid-impermeable top layer disposed on one side of the wicking strip; and a liquid-impermeable bottom layer disposed on the opposite side of the wicking strip, wherein the top layer is affixed to the bottom layer to at least partially enclose the wicking strip, and wherein the indicator is configured such that the open end of the wicking strip can be placed in liquid communication with an object or surface. The dryness indicator also includes a reservoir including an oil-based colorant with the potential to be in liquid communication with the reservoir end of the wicking strip, wherein the wicking strip is configured such that colorant wicking from the reservoir end and an unreacted water-based fluid wicking from the open end meet to define a timing line. | 10-31-2013 |
20140066870 | Color-Changing Composition And Material - The present disclosure relates to a color-changing composition and to a substrate having the color-changing compositions disposed thereon. The color-changing composition includes a leuco dye, a color-developer and a desensitizer. The color-changing composition changes from a colorless or largely colorless composition to color upon being wetted with an aqueous liquid. The color-changing composition remains colorless or largely colorless prior to exposure to high relative humidity conditions. | 03-06-2014 |