CONTROLLED TRANSFER BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE COLLECTION DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING SUCH DEVICES

• US 20160302775A1
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare UK Limited (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Evans, Jared William Harris, Sweeney, Sean Robert, Potts, Cheryl Louise, Tatnell, Peter James, Seymour, Geraint, Pierce, Alan Stuart, Smith, Michael John, Ogden, Samantha Jane, Williams, Neil John, Burrows, Christopher, Bryant, Ashley Edward
• Granted Patent: US 10,085,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/24 Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/30 Staining; Impregnating ; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis

Abstract

A controlled transfer biological sample material collection device is disclosed which comprises: a body; and a sample collection member for collecting the biological sample material (not shown), the body housing a sample storage medium for generally dry storage of the biological material, the collection member being moveable from an exposed position (shown in FIG. 8) where collection of a biological sample is possible, to a transfer position (shown in FIG. 9) which effects transfer of at least a portion of the collected sample to said medium. The device is characterised in that the body slideably supports the sample collection member, and in that the body or collection member include a ramp-like projection portion (116 FIG. 10) operable to force the collection member into the transfer position against the medium and to effect said transfer as the collection member slides within the body.

Claims

1. A controlled transfer biological sample material collection device, comprising:

a body; and

a sample collection member for collecting the biological sample material, the body housing a sample storage medium for generally dry storage of the biological material, the collection member being moveable from an exposed position where collection of a biological sample is possible, to a transfer position which effects transfer of at least a portion of the collected sample to said medium, the device being characterised in that the body slideably supports the sample collection member, and in that the body or collection member include a projection operable to force the collection member into the transfer position against the medium and to effect said transfer as the collection member slides within the body.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is a ramp-like projection.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collection member includes a slot and the projection is accommodated within the slot until the collection member is in the transfer position, whereat the projection abuts the collection member and causes said forcing.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said movement is sliding movement effected by manual operation of a button projecting from the body.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collection member includes a portion slideable within the body which slideable portion carries the medium.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the collection member further includes an arm hinged to the slideable portion, which arm carries a resilient pad for sample collection, wherein the slideable portion and the arm are foldable together to provide a folded together position, to slide within the body to effect the transfer under the influence of the projection.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the projection is formed on the body, and the arm includes a release slot, which slot accepts the projection thereby to separate the medium and the pad following the transfer.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the slideable portion and medium are positionable within the body so as to be substantially enclosed by the body, and when in that position, the arm is able to adopt said exposed position, and the slideable portion and medium are further positional so as to be only partially within the body but able to adopt said folded together position with the arm, for collective reinsertion into the body and to effect said transfer.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extent of movement of the collection member is limited by complementary stop features on the body and on the member.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the medium is removable from the slideable portion.

13. A method for of collecting a biological sample, including the steps of:

a) collecting a biological sample on a collection member of the device claimed in claim 1;

b) transferring at least a portion of the collected sample onto the storage medium within the housing said housing substantially surrounding the collection medium.

11. A method for controlled transfer biological sample material collection, the method including the steps of:

i) providing a device, comprising;

a body and a sample collection member for collecting the biological sample material, the body housing a sample storage medium for generally dry storage of the biological material,

ii) exposing the collection member and collecting a biological sample on the collection member;

iii) moving the collection member from an exposed position where collection of a biological sample is possible, to a transfer position which effects transfer of at least a portion of the collected sample to said medium,

iv) providing a projection on the body or on the collection member, and sliding the collection member relative to the body to said transfer position, whereat the projection forces the collection member against the medium.

12. A device or method substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.