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  Pressure transduced chemical assay and methodUSPTO Application #: 20070248953Title: Pressure transduced chemical assay and method Abstract: An assay system has a chamber that receives a test strip onto which a sample comprising an analyte has been placed. The chamber is in gaseous communication with a piezoelectric material that generates an electrical signal in response to a pressure change in the chamber that is caused by a reaction between the analyte and a reagent. (end of abstract) Agent: Fish & Associates, PC Robert D. Fish - Irvine, CA, US Inventor: Theodore Sand USPTO Applicaton #: 20070248953 - Class: 435005000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Chemistry: Molecular Biology And Microbiology, Measuring Or Testing Process Involving Enzymes Or Micro-organisms; Composition Or Test Strip Therefore; Processes Of Forming Such Composition Or Test Strip, Involving Virus Or Bacteriophage The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070248953. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a divisional application of previously allowed U.S. application Ser. No. 10/479782 filed Feb. 9, 2004 which is a U.S. national phase of PCT/US02/12052 filed Apr. 15, 2002 which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/294861 filed May 20, 2001 all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The field of the invention is test systems for analytes. BACKGROUND [0004] Analysis of an analyte in a sample generally includes detection of the analyte. Detection may be classified as either direct or indirect. Direct detection typically includes observations that are readily apparent without any further chemical reaction. Indirect detection, on the other hand, often requires a chemical reaction before becoming readily apparent. [0005] Indirect detection may include reactions that cause changes in mass. Devices that detect changes in mass, however, are often not amenable to certain types of samples. Another indirect detection involves events measured using labels that are radioisotopes. Such techniques, however, raise safety concerns. [0006] Indirect detection may also include reactions that cause a change in color, fluorescence, and luminescence. Such changes, however, may be so slight that they are not readily detectable by the human eye. Slight changes in color of many known systems may be due to relatively small concentrations of analytes present in the samples. In addition, color changes and other photometric characteristics may be spread over too large an area to be very useful. Although devices and chemical reactions may be used to amplify signals, noise is often amplified as well. [0007] Problems with detection are addressed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,895 issued to Thorpe et al. (May 1996). The '895 patent is directed toward a device and method that detects microorganisms in blood and other body fluids by measuring pressure changes within a sealable container. By measuring pressure changes, the accuracy of the analysis may be increased. Accuracy, however, may be negatively impacted by cleanliness and sterility of the container. Another problem may involve loss of gas caused by not sealing the container quickly enough after adding the reactant that causes the gas to be evolved. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,851 issued to Delwiche et al. (September 2001) teaches a sensor comprising a chamber having an inlet adapted to admit a liquid sample which gets pumped into a reaction cell using a pump. Problems exist in this system generally because it requires that a liquid sample enter the reaction cell. First, a liquid sample may not always be available. Second a sufficient volume of liquid may not be available to enable pumping to occur. Third, the existence of a pump and porous membrane to separate the liquid portion from the gaseous portion adds complexity to the sensor design. [0009] Thus, there is a need for less complicated detection devices and methods, especially for low concentration analytes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention is directed toward analyzing an analyte contained on a collection strip. The analyte generally reacts with a reagent in a chamber. The reaction evolves a gas. A piezoelectric crystal, polymer or other material that produces an electrical signal in response to pressure changes caused by the gas is in gaseous communication with the chamber and the reaction. [0011] There are some apparent disadvantages to using a collection strip. One disadvantage is that the analyte and/or reagent may bind to the strip and thereby distort the analysis. Another disadvantage is that capillary action may distort the analysis because the analyte on the strip may be impeded from wicking across the strip to the area where the reagent exists. Certain analytes may not reach the reagent at all. [0012] The apparent disadvantages of using a collection strip are outweighed by less apparent advantages that result from the use of a collection strip in the inventive assay. [0013] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross section of a further exemplary assay system. [0015] [0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary test strip. [0017] [0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic of an exemplary "sandwich" configuration in an exemplary assay system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0019] In FIG. 1, an assay system 100 generally comprises a base 110 and a housing 120, which forms together with lid 122, a chamber 130. Disposed within the chamber 130 is a strip holder 140 that receives a strip (not shown). Chamber 130 is in gaseous communication with the piezoelectric crystal 160 via gas conduit 150. The piezoelectric crystal 160 produces an electric signal that is processed in a circuitry (not shown) comprising a microprocessor 172 on the circuit board 170. [0020] A test strip generally receives a sample comprising an analyte. As used herein, the term "analyte" refers to the at least one substance of which the presence or concentration is be determined. Therefore, contemplated analytes include single molecules, homo- and heterodimers, -trimers and -multimers, molecular assemblies (e.g., K-ATPase, microtubuli, etc.), molecular superstructures (e.g., biological membranes), and various organisms. Particularly preferred analytes include peptides of various molecular weights, nucleic acids (e.g., RNA, DNA, PNA, etc.), carbohydrates, hormones, pharmaceutical agents, lipids, bacteria, viruses, viroids, mammalian cells, parasites, chelated metal ions, or haptenic organic molecules. Continue reading... Full patent description for Pressure transduced chemical assay and method Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Pressure transduced chemical assay and method patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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