Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100074803 | BUFFY COAT SEPARATOR FLOAT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A tube and float system for use in separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat includes a transparent or semi-transparent, flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The float includes a main body portion of reduced diameter to provide a clearance gap between the inner wall of the sample tube and the float. One or more protrusions on the main body portion serve to support the flexible tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force causes the diameter of the flexible tube to expand and permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. The float further includes a pressure relief system to alleviate pressure build up in the trapped red blood cell blood fraction below the float, thereby preventing red blood cells from being forced into the annular gap containing the buffy coat layers. | 03-25-2010 |
20110165672 | BUFFY COAT SEPARATOR FLOAT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A tube and float system for use in separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat includes a transparent or semi-transparent, flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The float includes a main body portion of reduced diameter to provide a clearance gap between the inner wall of the sample tube and the float. One or more protrusions on the main body portion serve to support the flexible tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force causes the diameter of the flexible tube to expand and permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. The float further includes a pressure relief system to alleviate pressure build up in the trapped red blood cell blood fraction below the float, thereby preventing red blood cells from being forced into the annular gap containing the buffy coat layers. | 07-07-2011 |
20110171680 | BUFFY COAT TUBE AND FLOAT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A tube and float system for use in separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat is provided. The system includes a transparent, or semi-transparent, flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The sample tube has an elongated sidewall having a first cross-sectional inner diameter. The float consists of a main body portion and one or more support members protruding from the main body portion to engage and support the sidewall of the sample tube. The main body portion and the support members of the float have a cross-sectional diameter less than that of the first cross-sectional inner diameter of the tube when the sample tube is expanded, such as by centrifugation. The main body portion of the float together with an axially aligned portion of the sidewall define an annular volume therebetween. The support members protruding from the main body portion of the float traverse said annular volume to produce one or more analysis areas. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force enlarges the diameter of the tube to permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. Thereafter, the centrifugal force is reduced to cause the tube sidewall to return to its first diameter, thereby capturing the float and trapping the buffy coat constituents in the analysis area. The bully coat constituents can then be evaluated or measured. | 07-14-2011 |
20120164683 | BUFFY COAT SEPARATOR FLOAT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A tube and float system for use in separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat includes a transparent or semi-transparent, flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The float includes a main body portion of reduced diameter to provide a clearance gap between the inner wall of the sample tube and the float. One or more protrusions on the main body portion serve to support the flexible tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force causes the diameter of the flexible tube to expand and permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. The float further includes a pressure relief system to alleviate pressure build up in the trapped red blood cell blood fraction below the float, thereby preventing red blood cells from being forced into the annular gap containing the buffy coat layers. | 06-28-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100128944 | CYTOLOGICAL IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention relates to the analysis of specimens. Specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for reviewing specimen slides, including apparatus for holding the slides. The invention also relates to an automatic focusing method for an imaging system and methods for accommodating vibration in the imaging system. In particular, the methods and apparatus may be applied to the automated analysis of cytological specimen slides. | 05-27-2010 |
20120077217 | BUFFY COAT TUBE AND FLOAT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system for separating and axially expanding the buffy coat is provided that includes a flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float. The sample tube has a sidewall with a first cross-sectional inner diameter. The float includes a main body portion and one or more support members protruding from the main body portion. The float has a cross-sectional diameter less than that of the first cross-sectional inner diameter when the sample tube is expanded. The main body portion of the float and the sidewall define an annular volume therebetween. The support members traverse said annular volume to produce one or more analysis areas. During centrifugation, centrifugal force enlarges the diameter of the tube to permit density-based axial movement of the float. The centrifugal force is reduced to return the tube to its first diameter, thereby capturing the float and trapping the buffy coat constituents in the analysis area. | 03-29-2012 |
20120282681 | Rapid Identification of Organisms in Bodily Fluids - There is provided a device that retains a collected sample for on-demand testing of a small portion of the collected sample while the rest of the sample remains for optional additional analysis. The on-demand test provides relatively immediate information about aspects of the sample, e.g. presence of microbes, chemistry, nutritional condition, presence of contaminants. | 11-08-2012 |
20130017130 | BUFFY COAT SEPARATOR FLOAT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Tube and float systems for separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat are provided. Generally, the systems include a flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The sample tube has an elongated sidewall having a first cross-sectional inner diameter. The float has a main body portion and one or more support members protruding from the main body portion to engage and support the sidewall of the sample tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force enlarges the diameter of the tube to permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. After centrifugation is ended, the tube sidewall returns to its first diameter, thereby capturing the float and trapping the buffy coat constituents in an annular volume. Several different systems for capturing and retrieving the buffy coat constituents are described. | 01-17-2013 |
20130084579 | DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY USING RARE CELL DETECTION SYSTEM - Methods for determining the efficacy of a given drug for a specific patient with cancer in vitro prior to, or after, the initiation of treatment of the patient are disclosed. Blood from the cancer patient is separated into an assay test tube and a control test tube. The blood in the assay test tube is exposed to a cancer drug. The two test tubes are then visually examined and compared to determine the effect of the cancer drug on cancer cells, other rare cells in the blood, or on normal constituents of the blood of a cancer patient. | 04-04-2013 |
20130084594 | DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY USING RARE CELL DETECTION SYSTEM - Methods for determining the efficacy of a given drug for a specific patient with cancer in vitro prior to, or after, the initiation of treatment of the patient are disclosed. Blood from the cancer patient is separated into an assay test tube and a control test tube. The blood in the assay test tube is exposed to a cancer drug. The two test tubes are then visually examined and compared to determine the effect of the cancer drug on cancer cells, other rare cells in the blood, or on normal constituents of the blood of a cancer patient. | 04-04-2013 |
20130095007 | BUFFY COAT SEPARATOR FLOAT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Tube and float systems for separation and axial expansion of the buffy coat are provided. Generally, the systems include a flexible sample tube and a rigid separator float having a specific gravity intermediate that of red blood cells and plasma. The sample tube has an elongated sidewall having a first cross-sectional inner diameter. The float has a main body portion and one or more support members protruding from the main body portion to engage and support the sidewall of the sample tube. During centrifugation, the centrifugal force enlarges the diameter of the tube to permit density-based axial movement of the float in the tube. After centrifugation is ended, the tube sidewall returns to its first diameter, thereby capturing the float and trapping the buffy coat constituents in an annular volume. Several different systems for capturing and retrieving the buffy coat constituents are described. | 04-18-2013 |