Multi-drug testing device and method

• US 20050009203A1
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PII Evergreen, LLC
• Original Assignee: PII Evergreen, LLC
• Inventors: Wong, Johnson N.S.
• Application Number:
  US10/619,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/518
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0006 involving a colour change
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0663 Whole sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 passive flow or gravitation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00

Abstract

Drugs of abuse test strips are retained on the underside of a closure cap for a fluid sample container. Each strip has a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse. The closure cap is formed to seal the container, and the test strips are arranged so that when the container has a predetermined amount of fluid sample, it can be tilted until the fluid sample contacts the sample receiving portions of the test strips.

Claims

1. A test kit for testing a fluid sample for at least one drug of abuse using at least one drug of abuse test strip having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse, comprising:

a cup-like sample container having an open top end, for containing a predetermined amount of fluid sample to be tested;

a closure cap positionable over the open top end of the container, formed to seal the container; and

structure on the undersurface of the closure cap for retaining said test strip so that when the sample container is tilted in the direction of the bottom end of the test strip, fluid sample will contact the sample receiving portion of the test strip.

2. The test kit of claim 1 including at least one projection on the closure cap or container extending laterally outwardly from a location on the container adjacent the sample receiving portion of the test strip to define a tilt stop for the container to limit the extent of tilting of the container whereby to restrict contact of the fluid sample to said sample receiving test strip portion.

3. The test kit of claim 2 in which there are two of said projections serving as feet to support the container in its tilted position.

4. The test kit of claim 2 in which said projection is on the closure cap.

5. The test kit of claim 4 in which the open top end of the cup-like container is oblong with rounded ends, said projections extending from opposite sides of one of said rounded ends.

6. The test kit of claim 1 including said drug of abuse test strip in said undersurface structure.

7. The test kit of claim 1 in which said undersurface structure comprises at least one longitudinally extending slot in the undersurface of the cap conforming to the longitudinal shape of the test strip and in which the test strip can be retained.

8. The test kit of claim 7 in which the slot has a closed top end and an open bottom end.

9. The test kit of claim 1 in which the structure on the undersurface of the closure cap is formed to retain a plurality of drug of abuse test strips, each having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse.

10. The test kit of claim 8 in which the structure on the undersurface of the closure cap is formed to retain from 4 to 6 of said drug of abuse test strips.

11. The test kit of claim 1 in which the container is substantially transparent or translucent.

12. A test kit for testing a fluid sample for drugs of abuse, comprising:

a plurality of drug of abuse test strips, each having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse

a cup-like substantially transparent or translucent sample container having an open top end, for containing a predetermined amount of fluid sample to be tested;

a closure cap positionable over the open top end of the container, formed to seal the container; and

a plurality of longitudinally extending slots in the undersurface of the cap conforming to the longitudinal shapes of the test strips and in which the test strips are retained on the undersurface of the closure cap so that when the sample container is tilted in the direction of the bottom ends of the test strips, fluid sample will contact the sample receiving portions of the test strips;

said closure cap having a pair of projections extending laterally outwardly from a location on the container adjacent the sample receiving portions of the test strips and serving as feet to support the container in a tilted position to define a tilt stop for the container that limits the extent of tilting of the container whereby to restrict contact of the fluid sample to said sample receiving test strip portion.

13. The test kit of claim 12 in which the slots each have a closed top end and an open bottom end.

14. The test kit of claim 12 in which there are from 4 to 6 of said drug of abuse test strips and 4 to 6 of said slots.

15. A method for testing a fluid sample for at least one drug of abuse, comprising:

providing a cup-like sample container having an open top end and containing a predetermined amount of fluid sample to be tested;

retaining on the undersurface of a closure cap at least one drug of abuse test strip having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse;

sealing the container with the closure cap; and

tilting said container in the direction of the bottom end of the test strip so that the fluid sample contacts the sample receiving portion of the test strip.

16. The method of claim 15 in which there is at least one projection on the closure cap or container extending laterally outwardly from a location on the container adjacent the sample receiving portion of the test strip to define a tilt stop for the container to limit the extent of tilting of the container whereby to restrict contact of the fluid sample to said sample receiving test strip portion.

17. The method of claim 16 in which there are two of said projections serving as feet to support the container in its tilted position.

18. The method of claim 16 in which said projection is on the closure cap.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the open top end of the cup-like container is oblong with rounded ends, said projections extending from opposite sides of one of said rounded ends.

20. The method of claim 15 in which the test strip is retained by at least a longitudinally extending slot in the undersurface of the cap conforming to the longitudinal shape of the test strip.

21. The method of claim 20 in which the slot has a closed top end and an open bottom end.

22. The method of claim 15 in which a plurality of drug of abuse test strips are retained on the undersurface of the closure cap, each test strip having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse.

23. The method of claim 22 in which from 4 to 6 of said drug of abuse test strips are retained on the undersurface of the closure cap.

24. The test kit of claim 15 in which the container is substantially transparent or translucent.

25. A method for testing a fluid sample for drugs of abuse, comprising:

providing a cup-like substantially transparent or translucent sample container having an open top end and containing a predetermined amount of fluid sample to be tested;

retaining on the undersurface of a closure cap a plurality of drug of abuse test strips, each having a bottom end defining a sample receiving portion and having an indicator spaced longitudinally therefrom to visually indicate the presence of a selected drug of abuse, the undersurface of the closure cap having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots conforming to the longitudinal shapes of the test strips and in which the test strips are retained;

sealing the container with the closure cap; and

tilting the container in the direction of the bottom ends of the test strips so that the fluid sample contacts the sample receiving portions of the test strips.

26. The method of claim 25 in which the slots each have a closed top end and an open bottom end.

27. The method of claim 25 in which there are from 4 to 6 of said drug of abuse test strips and 4 to 6 of said slots.