Cassette apparatus utilizing electric energy for processing of blood to neutralize pathogen cells therein
View Patent ↗An operational unit for locating and neutralizing pathogen cells in blood. A cassette has a plurality of thin holding chambers that are filled with blood drawn from a patient. A light source illuminates each of the holding chambers and passes light to an underlying sensor array such that the cells in the blood produce shadow images of the cells in the sensor array. A processor performs pattern recognition to identify and locate the pathogen cells by use of an image library. After the pathogen cells are located, the pump is operated to move the identified cells to a processing zone. When each identified cell reaches the processing zone, electric energy is applied to destroy the identified pathogen cells. A pump refills the cassette holding chambers, returns the neutralized-pathogen blood to the patient, and the process is repeated for a treatment time period.
1 . A cassette for use in the treatment of blood for neutralization of the pathogen cells therein, comprising:
said cassette having therein at least a chamber which has an interior space, an input port and an output port, said chamber input and output ports positioned at opposite ends of said chamber,
said cassette input port coupled via a distribution line to said chamber input port for transporting said blood from said cassette input port to said chamber, said cassette having an output port coupled via a collection line to said chamber output port for transporting said blood from said chamber to said cassette output port,
a plurality of parallel channels within said chamber, said parallel channels extending from said input port of said chamber to said output port of said chamber,
each of said parallel channels having (a) an identification segment extending from the input port of said chamber to (b) a processing segment which extends from the corresponding identification segment to the output port of said chamber, each said identification segment of said parallel channels having opposing walls that are transparent to at least one band of light, and each said processing segment of said parallel channels having opposing walls, a first electrode and a second electrode, said first and said second electrodes coupled respectively to said processing segment opposing walls of said corresponding processing segment channel, and
each of said plurality of parallel channels comprising a fluid flow path from said chamber input port through said channel identification segment of the corresponding channel and through said channel processing segment of the corresponding channel to said chamber output port.
2 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of optical markers in a surfaces of said channels, said optical markers at least partially non-transparent to said light.
3 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 including an electronic driver electrically coupled to each of said electrodes.
4 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 wherein said electrodes in each said processing segment are arranged in pairs, the electrodes in each said pair of electrodes positioned on opposed sides of a corresponding one of said channels.
5 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 including a plurality of electrical insulators respectively for said electrodes, each of said electrical insulators positioned to electrically insulate a one of said electrodes from an interior of the corresponding one of said channels.
6 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 wherein said cassette has a rectangular configuration with four edge surfaces and wherein said cassette input port and said cassette output port pass through the same one of said edge surfaces.
7 . A cassette as recited in claim 1 wherein within each said channel, the corresponding identification segment is longer than the corresponding processing segment.
8 . A cassette for use in the treatment of blood for neutralization of the having pathogen cells therein, comprising:
said cassette having therein a plurality of chambers, each said chamber having an input port and an output port,
said cassette having an input port coupled via a distribution line to each of said chamber input ports for transporting said blood from said cassette input port to each of said chambers, said cassette having an output port coupled via a collection line to said chamber output ports for transporting said blood from said chambers to said cassette output port,
a plurality of parallel channels within each of said chambers, said parallel channels within each said chamber extending from said corresponding chamber input port to said corresponding chamber outport port,
within each said chamber, each of said parallel channels having a first segment extending from the input port of the corresponding chamber to a transition point of the parallel channels, each said channel having a second segment of said parallel channels extending from said transition point in the corresponding chamber to the output port of the corresponding chamber,
each said first segment of said parallel channels in each of said chambers having walls thereof which permit the passage therethrough of light at least in a predetermined band,
each said second segment of said parallel channels in each of said chambers having a plurality of electrically conductive elements corresponding respectively to each of said channels in said second segment of said parallel channels in each of said chambers and
electrical power source mounted to said cassette and electrically coupled to said electrically conductive elements.
9 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 wherein said electrically conductive elements in each of said second segments of each of said channels comprise pairs of said electrically conductive elements positioned on opposing sides of the corresponding channel.
10 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 wherein within each said channel, the corresponding first segment is longer than the corresponding second segment.
11 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 wherein said cassette has a planar rectangular configuration with four edge surfaces and wherein said cassette input port and said cassette output port pass through the same one of said edge surfaces.
12 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 including a plurality of optical markers in a surfaces of said channels, said optical markers at least partially non-transparent to said light.
13 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 wherein said cassette has a plurality of said chambers therein, said distribution line comprises an input manifold having the input thereof coupled to said cassette input port and a set of multiple outputs thereof coupled respectively to the input ports of said plurality of chambers, and said collection line comprises an output manifold having a set of inputs thereof coupled to respective said output ports of said plurality of chambers and an output of said output manifold coupled to said cassette output port.
14 . A cassette as recited in claim 8 including a plurality of electrical insulators positioned respectively on each of said electrically conductive elements to electrically isolate the corresponding electrically conductive element from the interior of the corresponding channel.
15 . A cassette for use in the treatment of blood for neutralization of the pathogen cells therein, comprising:
said cassette having therein at least a chamber having an interior space, an input port and an output port, said chamber having a plurality of channels within said chamber, said channels extending longitudinally between said chamber input port and said chamber output port, each said channel in said chamber having a first segment and a second segment, each said first segment having a fluid input proximate said chamber input port and each said second segment having a fluid exit proximate said chamber output port, said cassette having an input port coupled via a distribution line to said chamber input port for transporting said blood from said cassette input port to said chamber, said cassette having an output port coupled via a collection line to said chamber output port for transporting said blood from said chamber to said cassette output port, said first segments of said channels transparent to at least a selected band of light, each said first and second segment of each said channel forming a fluid flow path from said chamber input port to said chamber output port, each of said second segments proximate a plurality of electrodes within said chamber, said electrodes for each said second segment within each said second segment, said electrodes spaced apart within the corresponding second segment, and a plurality of linear electrical conductors respectively connected electrically to said electrodes, said linear electrical conductors positioned perpendicular to said channels.
16 . A cassette as recited in claim 15 including a plurality of optical markers in a surfaces of said channels, said optical markers at least partially non-transparent to said light.
17 . A cassette as recited in claim 15 including an electronic driver having a plurality of outputs respectively electrically coupled to said linear electrical conductors, said electronic driver mounted to said cassette.
18 . A cassette as recited in claim 15 wherein said first segment of each said channel is longer than the second segment of the corresponding channel.
19 . A cassette as recited in claim 15 including an insulator for each of said electrodes, each said insulator positioned between the corresponding electrode and an interior of the corresponding second segment having the corresponding electrode therein.
20 . A cassette as recited in claim 15 wherein said cassette has a planar rectangular configuration with four edge surfaces and wherein said cassette input port and said cassette output port pass through a one of said edge surfaces.