Patent Publication Number: US-2021186333-A1

Title: Test device for body fluid analysis

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a test device for a body fluid, and more particularly, to a test device for analyzing a body fluid allowing a user to directly test a body fluid without restriction of place or time and check an analysis result of the body fluid through a user terminal. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In general, people have to visit a specialized medical institution to check their health or physical condition. However, in order to visit a specialized medical institution for a check-up, it is necessary to break down a busy daily schedule and perform a complicated procedure, which may incur much time and high cost. For this reason, most people tend to live with decent discomfort and use specialized medical institutions only when encountering pain or discomfort to a degree that is difficult to bear. In order to alleviate such inconvenience, technologies have been developed to frequently check a physical condition using various high-tech equipment and transmit a corresponding result to specialized medical institutions through a network to check, but such technologies have rarely commercialized and used actually. 
     Rather, simple testing devices that have been used from the past has been steadily increasingly used, and in particular, utilization thereof in younger generations has further increased because of its convenient usage, low cost, and alleviation of discomfort in case of using specialized medical institutions. 
     Such a test device detects biochemical substances such as hormones released in specific situations using secretions or body fluids, such as saliva, urine, sweat, blood or sperm, discharged from the human body, which has advantages of relatively high accuracy and ease of use and is mainly used as a test means such as pregnancy diagnosis, diabetes diagnosis, or blood sugar check. 
     In recent years, as the marriage age increases and stress increases, sterility and infertility couples are increasing, and due to this, the use of a pregnancy test device is on the rise. Such a pregnancy diagnosis test device may only determine a pregnancy status and is not helpful for users suffering from sterility and infertility. Moreover, even such a pregnancy test device may only determine a woman&#39;s pregnancy, and matters such as a woman&#39;s possibility of pregnancy and a man&#39;s ability to fertilize may be limitedly verified at specialized medical institutions. 
     In particular, a sperm test to check man&#39;s fertilizing power requires a man to ejaculate a semen sample in a laboratory, which may make him feel ashamed shy, and if he collects a sperm sample at home, he may be requested to quickly bring it a laboratory, which may risk sperm death during transport 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     An aspect of the present disclosure provides a test device for body fluid analysis that the user may simply carry around and use conveniently, so that the user may directly perform a body fluid test at a desired place and time and immediately check an analysis result of a body fluid through a user terminal. 
     In addition, the present disclosure includes any other objects that may be achieved from the configuration of the present disclosure described later, in addition to the explicitly mentioned object. 
     Technical Solution 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a test device for a body fluid analysis, including: a first assembly having a magnifying lens for magnifying and observing a target body fluid; a second assembly configured to be coupled to the first assembly and having a lens transmission hole for concentrating light; and an observation sheet for receiving the target body fluid between the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein the observation sheet includes a body part disposed inside the first assembly and the second assembly and a handle part extending from the body part. 
     The first assembly may include a first assembly body, a seating recess formed on an inner side of the first assembly body allowing the observation sheet to be seated therein, a through hole formed in the seating recess and penetrating the first assembly body, and at least one coupling recess formed on an upper surface of the first assembly body so as to be assembled with the second assembly. 
     The handle part may be disposed in an outer space of the first assembly and the second assembly. 
     The first assembly may further include a first communication hole connecting the seating recess and the external space. 
     The magnifying lens may be installed in the seating recess. 
     The first assembly may further include a first circumferential step formed along an outer edge of the first assembly body to guide assembly according to coupling with the second assembly. 
     The second assembly may further include a second assembly body and at least one coupling protrusion formed on a lower surface of the second assembly body so as to be coupled with the at least one coupling recess. 
     The second assembly may further include a second communication hole formed in the second assembly body so that the handle part of the observation sheet is disposed in an external space. 
     The lens transmission hole may penetrate from an upper side to a lower side of the second assembly body. 
     The second assembly may further include a second circumferential protrusion formed to be stepped along an outer edge of the second assembly body to guide assembly according to coupling with the first assembly. 
     The body part may include a body fluid input part formed to allow the target body fluid to be injected thereinto and a body fluid guide part configured to guide the target body fluid injected into the body fluid input part so as to be observed in a field of view of the magnifying lens. 
     The body fluid input part may include at least one body fluid guide recess formed in the body part to guide injection of the target body fluid. 
     The first assembly may be detachably attached to a camera of a user terminal. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     As described above, the test device for a body fluid analysis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be simply carried around and conveniently used by the user and easily detachably attached to a camera portion of a user terminal. Therefore, the user may directly perform a test at a desired place and time and immediately check an analysis result of a body fluid through a user terminal. 
     In addition, the test device for a body fluid analysis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be used by both women and men. That is, women may check their ovulation period to check a time with a high chance of pregnancy and men may check their sperm status, thereby increasing a likelihood of pregnancy. 
     In addition, in using the test device for a body fluid analysis in a user terminal, the test device for a body fluid analysis may be easily attached and may be uniformly attached around a camera. 
     In addition, since the handle part that may be gripped by the user is provided on the observation sheet accommodating the body fluid, contamination of the body fluid by the user may be prevented and the observation sheet may be easily seated inside the test device for a body fluid analysis and separated therefrom. 
     Meanwhile, the effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those described above and other effects that may be derived from the configuration of the present disclosure described later are included in the effects of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of a test device for a body fluid analysis mounted on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a test device for a body fluid analysis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3A  is a plan view of a first assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A shown in  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4A  is a plan view of a second assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of an observation sheet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure 
     
    
    
     BEST MODES 
     Terms or words used in the specification and claims should not be limited and construed as common or dictionary meanings, and should be construed as meanings and concepts according to the technical spirit of the present invention based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of each term for describing the invention in the best way. 
     The embodiment described in the present disclosure and the configuration illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, rather than representing all the technical concepts of the present invention, so the present invention is meant to cover all modifications, similarities and alternatives which are included in the spirit and scope of the present invention at the time of filing of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a view of a test device for a body fluid analysis mounted on a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a test device for a body fluid analysis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a test device  1  for a body fluid analysis may image a target body fluid through a camera  11  of a user terminal  10  to generate a body fluid image, and a result of analyzing the body fluid image may be checked through the user terminal  10 . The user terminal  10  may analyze the body fluid image through a pre-installed analysis program or analysis application and output the analyzed result so that the analyzed result may be provided to a user or may be transferred to a professional examination institution. 
     The test device  1  for a body fluid analysis includes a first assembly  100  detachably installed to the camera  11  of the user terminal  10 , a second assembly  200  coupled to the first assembly  100 , and an observation sheet  300  accommodating a target body fluid between the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 . 
     The first assembly  100  is detachably installed to the camera  11  of the user terminal  10  and is configured so that the camera  11  may image the target body fluid. Here, the first assembly  100  may be attached to a portion near the camera  11  of the user terminal by an adhesive or may be selectively attached to or removed from the user terminal  10  through a separate mounting member formed in the form of a clip. Here, the mounting member is not limited to the clip form and may have any other various forms that may be attached to the user terminal  10 . 
       FIG. 3A  is a plan view of a first assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and  FIG. 3B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3A . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the first assembly  100  may include a first assembly body  110  as a flat plate, a seating recess formed to allow the observation sheet  300  to be seated on an inner side of the first assembly body  110 , a through hole  130  formed in the seating recess  120  and penetrating the first assembly body  110 , a first communication hole  140  connecting the seating recess  120  and the external space, and at least one coupling recess  150  formed on an upper surface of the first assembly body  110  so as to be assembled with the second assembly  200 . 
     The first assembly body  110  may protect the target body fluid from an external shock or contamination and may be formed of a material which is strong against an external impact and light in weight, such as synthetic resin or a metal so that the camera  11  of the user terminal  10  may stably image the target body fluid. In addition, an outer surface of the first assembly body  110  may be colored with non-transmissive paint or formed of an opaque material so that light may be transmitted only in a limited portion. The seating recess  120  may be formed as a recess having a certain width at the center of an upper surface of the first assembly body  110 . In particular, the seating recess  120  may be formed as a recess having a shape corresponding to the observation sheet  300 , thereby stably supporting the observation sheet  300  and fixing the observation sheet  300  not to wobble, when the observation sheet  300  is seated therein. The through hole  130  is formed at the center of the seating recess  120  and penetrates the first assembly body  110 . When attached to the user terminal  11 , the test device  1  for a body fluid analysis may be located in a direction facing the camera  11  to image the target body fluid accommodated in the observation sheet  300  through the through hole  130 . The first communication hole  140  may be formed to pass through an edge portion of the first assembly body  110  to connect the seating recess  120  and an external space. The first communication hole  140  may allow the handle part  320  of the observation sheet  300  to be described below to be seated therein and may have a shape corresponding to a cross section of the handle part  320 . At least one coupling recess  150  may be formed on an upper surface of the first assembly body  110  and may be coupled with a coupling protrusion  240  of the second assembly  200  to be described below to assemble the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 . For example, in case where two coupling recesses  150  are provided, the two coupling protrusions  240  may be provided on left and right sides of an upper surface of the first assembly body  110  and may be coupled with two coupling protrusions  240  provided at the second assembly  200 , respectively. 
     In addition, the first assembly  100  may further include a magnifying lens  160  installed at the center of an inner side of the first assembly body  110 , in particular, at the center of the seating recess  120  in which the observation sheet  300  is seated. When the target body fluid is observed through the magnifying lens  160 , a pinhole effect may be obtained because the target body fluid may be magnified. Here, the pinhole effect is a phenomenon in which an object is visible relatively clearly when viewed through a small hole, and since light entering through the lens transmission hole  220  of the second assembly  200  to be described below enters in a straight line without having to be collected to one place, an exact image may be formed so that the target body fluid may be observed clearly. In this manner, the magnifying lens  160  compensates for an insufficient magnification ratio in the camera  11  of the user terminal  10  so that the target body fluid may be sufficiently magnified to be observed. 
     In addition, the first assembly  100  may further include a first circumferential step  170  formed to be stepped along an outer edge of the first assembly body  110  to guide assembly according to coupling with the second assembly  200 . Accordingly, reinforcing may be provided in response to horizontal pushing when the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  may are assembled, and since positions of the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  according to coupling may be easily secured, assembling may be easily performed. 
       FIG. 4A  is a plan view of a second assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 4B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B shown in  FIG. 4A . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the second assembly  200  may be configured to be assembled to an upper side of the first assembly  100  and may include a second assembly body  210  as a flat plate, a lens transmission hole  220  for concentrating light, a second communication hole  230  formed at the second assembly body  210 , and at least one coupling protrusion  240  provided on a lower surface of the second assembly body  210  so as to be coupled with the coupling recess  150  of the first assembly  100 . 
     The second assembly body  210  may protect the target body fluid from an external impact or contamination and may be formed of a material which is strong against an external impact and is light in weight such as a synthetic resin or a metal to stably image the target body fluid. In addition, an outer surface of the second assembly body  210  may be colored with non-transmissive paint or formed of an opaque material so that light may be transmitted only in a limited portion. 
     The lens transmission hole  220  may be a narrow vertical hole and may penetrate from an upper center of the second assembly body  210  to a lower side, and a periphery of the upper surface of the penetrated second assembly body  210  may be coated in black. Accordingly, more light may be absorbed to the narrow hole under the influence of black which absorbs light well. 
     The second communication hole  230  may be formed at a position corresponding to the first communication hole  140  and penetrates an edge portion of the second assembly body  210 . That is, the second communication hole  230  may be formed in the second assembly body  210  so that the handle part  320  of the observation sheet  300  is disposed in an external space. Specifically, the second communication hole  230  may be configured to allow the handle part of the observation sheet  300  to be described below to be seated therein and may have a shape corresponding to a cross-section of the handle part  320 . At least one coupling protrusion  240  may be formed to protrude from a lower surface of the second assembly body  210  and may be coupled to at least one coupling recess  150 . That is, in case where two coupling protrusions  240  are provided, the two coupling protrusions  240  may be provided on left and right sides of a lower surface of the second assembly body  210  and installed at positions corresponding to the coupling recesses  150 , so that the coupling protrusions  240  may be inserted into the coupling recesses  150 , respectively, when the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  are coupled. 
     In addition, the second assembly  200  may further include a second circumferential protrusion  250  formed to be stepped along an outer edge of the second assembly body  210  to guide assembly according to coupling with the first assembly  100 . Here, since the first circumferential step  170  installed on the edge of the first assembly  100  and the second circumferential protrusion  250  installed on the edge of the second assembly  200  may be installed to be coupled to correspond to each other, the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  may be easily assembled without adjusting a position according to the coupling of the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 . 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of an observation sheet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the observation sheet  300  serves as a stage which a target body fluid to be inspected is applied to and which allows the camera  11  of the user terminal  10  to image the target body fluid. To this end, the observation sheet  300  may include a body part  310  accommodating the target body fluid and a handle part  320  extending from the body part  310 . The body part  310  may accommodate a certain amount of the target body fluid and may be formed as a thin plate. The body part  310  may be formed of a transparent material, such as a synthetic resin material including polycarbonate, polyethylene, or acrylic material or a glass material in order to allow light to be transmitted therethrough and to obtain a clear image. In addition, the body part  310  may be colored with a single color or a complementary color of the target body fluid so that the target body fluid may be clearly observed, or a film may be attached to one surface thereof. 
     The body part  310  may include a body fluid input part  311  allowing the target body fluid to be injected therein and a body fluid guide part  312  guiding the target body fluid injected into the body fluid input part  311  to be observed in the field of view of the magnifying lens  160 . The body fluid input part  311  may include at least one body fluid guide recess  311   a  and  311   b  formed in the body part  310  to guide the input of the target body fluid. For example, the body fluid input part  311  may include a pair of body fluid guide recesses  311   a  and  311   b  respectively formed on left and right sides of the body part  310 . 
     The body fluid guide part  312  may be inserted as a flat plate into the center of the body part  310  so that the target body fluid permeates an inner side of the center so as to be observed in the field of view of the magnifying lens  160 , while protecting the target body fluid injected into the body fluid inlet  311 . In addition, the body fluid guide part  312  may be formed higher than a bottom of the body fluid input part  311  and maintain a certain distance from the lens transmission hole  220  of the second assembly  200 . When the target body fluid is dropped into the pair of body fluid guide recesses  311   a  and  311   b , the target body fluid may permeate the inner side of the center of the body fluid guide part  312  from the body fluid guide recesses  311   a  and  311   b . Here, an upper surface of the body fluid guide part  312 , which is as a surface capable of absorbing a liquid, may be formed of a material such as paper or a porous synthetic resin, so that a predetermined amount of the target body fluid may be absorbed thereto. 
     The handle part  320  may extend from the body part  310  and may be disposed at an outer space of the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 . The handle part  320  may be configured to be gripped by a user to easily insert the body part  310  into or remove the body part  310  from the seating recess  120  of the first assembly  100 . Here, the handle part  320  may be formed of the same material as the body part  310 , but is not limited thereto. In this manner, by implementing the handle part  320  on the observation sheet  300 , the target body fluid may be prevented from being contaminated by the user and the observation sheet  300  is easily seated inside the test device  1  for a body fluid analysis or separated therefrom. 
     In addition, a direction indicator may be provided on the handle part  320  so that the user may easily check an input direction of the observation sheet  300 . 
     Meanwhile, the handle part  320  may be disposed in an internal space of the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 . That is, when the seating recess  120  is formed to have the same shape as a plane of the observation sheet  300 , the handle part  320  may be seated inside the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  together with the body part  310 . In this manner, when the body part  310  and the handle part  320  are disposed at the internal space of the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200 , the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  may not have the first communication hole  140  and the second communication hole  230 . 
     Meanwhile, the first assembly  100  may be installed so that the through hole  130  is located in a direction facing the camera  11  of the user terminal  10  and light is controlled to be concentrated through the lens transmission hole  220  of the second assembly  200 , whereby the target body fluid accommodated in the observation sheet  300  may be clearly observed through the magnifying lens  160 . 
     That is, since light is concentrated through the lens transmission hole  220 , clarity and brightness of the target body fluid observed in the observation sheet  300  may be increased with light that enters the magnifying lens  160 , and thus a clear image may be displayed on the user terminal  10 . 
     Hereinafter, a process of testing a target body fluid using the test device for a body fluid analysis according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described by way of example. 
     First, the first assembly  100  of the test device  1  for a body fluid analysis is mounted or attached to an upper side of the camera  11  of the user terminal  10 , and the observation sheet  300  is subsequently seated in the seating recess  120  of the first assembly  100 . 
     Next, a target body fluid may be dropped onto the body fluid input part  311  of the observation sheet  300  seated in the first assembly  100 , and the second assembly  200  is subsequently coupled to an upper side of the first assembly  100 , thereby finishing assembling. Alternatively, the observation sheet  300  in which the target body fluid is accommodated may be first seated in the seating recess  120  of the first assembly  100 , the first assembly  100  in which the observation sheet is seated and the second assembly  200  may be coupled to be assembled, and thereafter, the test device for a body fluid analysis to which the first assembly  100  and the second assembly  200  may be mounted on or attached to the user terminal  10 . 
     Thereafter, a program or application dedicated to a body fluid analysis test of the user terminal  10  may be executed to observe and image the target body fluid accommodated in the observation sheet  300  through the camera  11 , thereby performing the body fluid analysis test process. 
     In this manner, the test device  1  for a body fluid analysis may be simply carried around by the user and collect only a target body fluid and apply the collected target body fluid to the test device, and thus the user may directly perform the body fluid test, and since the user may immediately check a result of analyzing the body fluid through the user terminal, user convenience may be improved and an accurate test result may be provided to the user. 
     The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto and various variants and modifications by a person skilled in the art using a basic concept of the present disclosure defined in claims also belong to the scope of the present disclosure.