DEVICES AND METHODS FOR COLLECTING AND ANALYZING FLUID SAMPLES FROM THE ORAL CAVITY

• US 20120021375A1
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Binner, Curt, Fougere, Richard J., Fusi, Robert W. II, McDonough, Justin E., Nicholson Tomishima, Karin Lynne, Reddy, Megha
• Granted Patent: US 9,308,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0087 Breath samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150045 for blood from vagina, placenta, colon or mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0205 Container filling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0208 combined with means providing suction A61C17/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0211 specially adapted for rinsing the teeth of at least one jaw simultaneously A61C17/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/028 with intermittent liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/06 Saliva removers; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/065 characterised by provisions for processing the collected matter, e.g. for separating solids or air

Abstract

Devices for collecting a fluid sample from the oral cavity, the device including a mouthpiece that includes a chamber, the chamber including front and rear inner walls; and means for collecting the fluid sample from the oral cavity; and methods of collecting and analyzing samples of fluid from the oral cavity, including the steps of placing the device in the oral cavity, collecting the fluid sample and conducting an analysis of the fluid sample.

Claims

1. A device suitable for collecting samples of a fluid from the oral cavity of a mammal, comprising:

a mouthpiece comprising a chamber defined by front and rear inner walls and a base inner wall of said mouthpiece, said base wall extending between said front and rear inner walls; and

means for collecting said fluid sample from said oral cavity.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of a gas, gingival crevicular fluid, blood and saliva.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said mouthpiece is suitable for directing a liquid onto a plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity, said front and rear inner walls of said chamber comprise a plurality of openings, said mouthpiece further comprising,

a first manifold for containing a first portion of said liquid and providing said first portion to said chamber through said openings of said front inner wall,

a second manifold for containing a second portion of said liquid and providing said second portion to said chamber through said openings of said rear inner wall,

a first port for conveying said first portion of liquid to and from said first manifold, a second port for conveying said second portion of liquid to and from said second manifold, and

means for providing an effective seal of said mouthpiece within said oral cavity.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for collecting said fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of a manifold dedicated to collection of said fluid, an orifice and a plurality of nozzles placed at spaced intervals about said mouthpiece.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said means for collecting fluid samples comprise said openings in at least one of said inner walls, at least one of said first and second manifolds and at least one of said first and second ports.

6. The device of claim 1 comprising a compartment for storage of said fluid sample.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said compartment is detachable from said device.

8. A method for collecting and analyzing a sample of a fluid from the oral cavity of a mammal, said method comprising:

placing a device suitable for collecting said sample of said fluid in said oral cavity of said mammal, said device comprising;

a mouthpiece comprising a chamber defined by front and rear inner walls and a base inner wall of said mouthpiece, said base wall extending between said front and rear inner walls; and

means for collecting said fluid sample from said oral cavity,

collecting said fluid sample from said oral cavity; and

conducting an analysis of said fluid sample.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said mouthpiece is suitable for directing a liquid onto a plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity, said front and rear inner walls of said chamber comprise a plurality of openings, said mouthpiece further comprising,

a first manifold for containing a first portion of said liquid and providing said first portion to said chamber through said openings of said front inner wall,

a second manifold for containing a second portion of said liquid and providing said second portion to said chamber through said openings of said rear inner wall,

a first port for conveying said first portion of liquid to and from said first manifold, a second port for conveying said second portion of liquid to and from said second manifold, and

means for providing an effective seal of said mouthpiece within said oral cavity.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said collection is conducted simultaneously with directing said liquid onto said plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity of said mammal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said collection is conducted prior to directing said liquid onto said plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity of said mammal.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said collection is conducted after directing said liquid onto said plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity of said mammal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said collection is conducted prior to and after directing said liquid onto said plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity of said mammal.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said collection is conducted prior to, simultaneously with and after directing said liquid onto said plurality of surfaces of said oral cavity of said mammal.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein analysis of said fluid sample is conducted by a method selected from the group consisting of lateral flow technology, microfluidic immunoassay, DNA-DNA hybridization, color metrics, photoimaging, gas chromatography, zinc oxide semiconductor sensors, quantitative light fluorescence and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein said means for collecting said fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of a manifold dedicated to collection of said fluid, an orifice and a plurality of nozzles placed at spaced intervals about said mouthpiece, said openings in at least one of said inner walls, at least one of said first and second manifolds and at least one of said first and second ports.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein said means for collecting said fluid sample is selected from the group consisting of said openings in at least one of said inner walls, at least one of said first and second manifolds and at least one of said first and second ports.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of a gas, gingival crevicular fluid, blood and saliva.

19. The method of claim 8 further comprising introducing an agent selected from the group consisting of a fluid sample stimulating agent, a conglomeration agent and a coagulation agent.