Fluid-transfer collection assembly and method of using the same

• US 20030186456A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NESS Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: David Karl Stroup
• Inventors: Stroup, David Karl
• Granted Patent: US 6,660,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/165
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2035/351 Sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/55 the materials to be mixed being contained in a flexible bag submitted to periodical deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7137 Piercing, perforating or melting membranes or closures which seal the compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0605 check valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly includes a base and a test media, an inlet check valve, and an outlet check valve carried by the base. A bladder containing a fluid and a flexible member are carried by the base between the check valves and are separated by a membrane. The flexible member is depressable to cause a pointed member extending from the flexible member to rupture the membrane, releasable to draw a sample fluid into an interior of the flexible member through the inlet check valve to mix with the fluid from the bladder, and depressable again to pump the mixed fluids out of the interior of the flexible member through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.

Claims

1. A fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly, comprising:

a base;

a test media carried by the base;

an inlet for receiving a first fluid, the inlet including an inlet check valve;

an outlet including an outlet check valve;

a bladder carried by the base between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior with a second fluid therein; and

a depressable, flexible member carried by the base between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior, a membrane separating the interior of the bladder from the interior of the flexible member, the flexible member including an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a pointed member extending from the interior surface of the flexible member, the flexible member depressable to cause the pointed member to rupture the membrane, releasable to draw the first fluid into the interior of the flexible member through the inlet check valve to mix with the second fluid, and depressable again to pump the mixed first and second fluids out of the interior of the flexible member through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.

2. The fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly of claim 1, further including a sample tube having a proximal end connected to the inlet and a distal end that communicates with the first fluid to draw the first fluid into the interior of the flexible member.

3. The fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly of claim 1, wherein the inlet check valve only allows fluid into the flexible member and the outlet check valve only allows fluid out of the flexible member.

4. The fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly is an assay test device, the first fluid is a sample fluid including an analyte of interest for assay testing, the second fluid is a reagent, and the test media visually indicates the presence or absence of an analyte of interest.

5. A method of using a fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly, comprising:

providing a fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly including a base, a test media carried by the base, an inlet for receiving a first fluid, the inlet including an inlet check valve, an outlet including an outlet check valve, a bladder carried by the base between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior with a second fluid therein, and a depressable, flexible member carried by the base between the inlet and the outlet, the flexible member including an interior, a membrane separating the interior of the bladder from the interior of the flexible member, the flexible member including an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a pointed member extending from the interior surface of the flexible member;

depressing the flexible member to cause the pointed member to rupture the membrane;

releasing the flexible member to draw the first fluid into the interior of the flexible member through the inlet check valve to mix with the second fluid;

depressing the flexible member to pump the mixed first fluid and second fluid out of the interior of the flexible member through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly further includes a sample tube having a proximal end connected to the inlet and a distal end, and the method further includes communicating the distal end of the sample tube with the first fluid to draw the first fluid into the interior of the flexible member.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the inlet check valve only allows fluid into the flexible member and the outlet check valve only allows fluid out of the flexible member.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the method is an assay test method, the first fluid is a sample fluid including an analyte of interest for assay testing, the second fluid is a reagent, and the test media visually indicates the presence or absence of an analyte of interest.

9. A fluid-transfer collection assembly, comprising:

an inlet for receiving one or more fluids, the inlet including an inlet check valve;

an outlet including an outlet check valve;

a test media; and

a depressable, flexible member located between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior, the flexible member depressable to cause one or more fluids to exit the interior of the flexible member through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media and releasable to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the flexible member through the inlet check valve.

10. The fluid-transfer collection assembly of claim 9, further including a sample tube having a proximal end connected to the inlet and a distal end that communicates with one or more fluids to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the flexible member.

11. The fluid-transfer collection assembly of claim 9, wherein the inlet check valve only allows one or more fluids into the flexible member and the outlet check valve only allows one or more fluids out of the flexible member.

12. The fluid-transfer collection assembly of claim 9, further including a base that carries the flexible member, inlet check valve, outlet check valve, and test media, the test media visually indicating the presence or absence of an analyte of interest.

13. A method of using a fluid-transfer collection assembly, comprising:

providing a fluid-transfer collection assembly including an inlet for receiving one or more fluids, the inlet including an inlet check valve, an outlet including an outlet check valve, a test media, and a depressable, flexible member located between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior;

depressing and releasing the bulb pump to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the bulb pump through the inlet check valve;

depressing the bulb pump again to cause the one or more fluids in the interior of the bulb pump to exit the interior of the bulb pump through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid transfer and mixing collection assembly further includes a sample tube having a proximal end connected to the inlet and a distal end, and the method further includes communicating the distal end of the sample tube with one or more fluids to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the flexible member.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the inlet check valve only allows fluid into the flexible member and the outlet check valve only allows fluid out of the flexible member.

16. The method of claim 13, further including a base that carries the flexible member, inlet check valve, outlet check valve, and test media, the test media visually indicating the presence or absence of one or more target objects in the one or more fluids, and the method further includes transferring the one or more fluids from the interior of the flexible member to the test media to determine the presence or absence of one or more target objects.