Patent ID: 9726581
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: B01L,G01N

Claim:
1. A lateral flow capillary device comprising: a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, said housing comprising an upper portion coupled to a lower portion, the lower portion of the housing comprising a base; a capillary flow matrix positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing; a reservoir located at the upper portion of the housing proximate the proximal end of the housing, the reservoir having an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end being located adjacent a proximal end portion of the capillary flow matrix, the reservoir being configured to introduce fluid to the proximal end portion of the capillary flow matrix; and a support system disposed between the base of the lower portion of the housing and the capillary flow matrix, the support system comprising at least one elastically compressible member and a rigid plate, a portion of the capillary flow matrix being supported on the rigid plate, and the at least one elastically compressible member being in an elastically compressed position in which the rigid plate exerts a biasing force on said portion of the capillary flow matrix, said biasing force pressing said portion of the capillary flow matrix against the outlet end of the reservoir; and wherein the capillary flow matrix comprises a flow portion and an absorption portion, and the portion of the capillary flow matrix supported on the rigid plate is the flow portion of the capillary flow matrix, and further comprising a second support system disposed between the base of the lower portion of the housing and the capillary flow matrix, the second support system comprising a second elastically compressible member and a second rigid plate, the absorption portion of the capillary flow matrix being supported on the second rigid plate, and the second elastically compressible member being in an elastically compressed position in which the second rigid plate exerts a biasing force on the absorption portion of the capillary flow matrix, said biasing force pressing said absorption portion of the capillary flow matrix toward the distal end of the upper portion of the housing.