Diagnostic testing device and method of use thereof
First Claim
1. A specimen collecting and testing device comprising:
- an elongate, hollow housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
at least one test membrane or sample collecting strip positioned within the housing, the test membrane carrying diagnostic test chemistry;
a fluid chamber, for holding specimen, positioned adjacent to the test membrane or sample collecting strip;
at least one elongate handle member, having a proximal end and a distal end, slidably received in the housing; and
a foam member, for collecting specimen, extending from the proximal end of the handle whereby, when the handle is drawn through the housing, collected specimen is deposited from the foam member into the fluid chamber and onto the test membrane or sample collecting strip.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A specimen collecting and testing device has a housing containing a test membrane. An elongated handle having a foam member is slidably received in the housing. Once the foam member obtains a specimen, the device is held vertically with the foam member pointing upwards and the handle with the foam member is drawn through the housing. In so doing, specimen is expelled from the foam member and delivered to a fluid chamber positioned along the test membrane. The device is then positioned horizontally and specimen that collects in the fluid chamber passes through an aperture in the fluid chamber and onto the test membrane located beneath the aperture. The test membrane may then be observed for optical changes in the case of an instant-type test, or removed for further processing. The device is particularly useful for collecting samples of urine or oral fluid for use in drug testing, pregnancy testing and the like; for testing of specimen for any of a variety of analytes such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc.; and, for collecting samples of DNA for PCR testing.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A specimen collecting and testing device comprising:
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an elongate, hollow housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
at least one test membrane or sample collecting strip positioned within the housing, the test membrane carrying diagnostic test chemistry;
a fluid chamber, for holding specimen, positioned adjacent to the test membrane or sample collecting strip;
at least one elongate handle member, having a proximal end and a distal end, slidably received in the housing; and
a foam member, for collecting specimen, extending from the proximal end of the handle whereby, when the handle is drawn through the housing, collected specimen is deposited from the foam member into the fluid chamber and onto the test membrane or sample collecting strip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of collecting a sample of fluid specimen for diagnostic testing, the method comprising:
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providing a specimen collecting and testing device including;
an elongate, hollow housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
at least one test membrane or sample collecting strip positioned within the housing, the test membrane carrying diagnostic test chemistry;
a fluid chamber, for holding specimen, positioned adjacent to the test membrane or sample collecting strip;
an aperture in the fluid chamber positioned adjacent to the test membrane or sample collecting strip;
at least one elongate handle member, having a proximal end and a distal end, slidably received in the housing; and
a foam member, for collecting specimen, extending from the proximal end of the handle;
wetting the foam member with specimen;
positioning the device vertically with the foam member extending upwards;
sliding the handle member through the housing, thereby drawing the wetted foam member across the fluid chamber and delivering the collected specimen to the fluid chamber; and
positioning the device horizontally so as to level off the specimen in the fluid chamber and allow the specimen to flow through the aperture and onto the test membrane or sample collecting strip. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification