Culturette safety sleeve

• US 5,425,915 A
• Filed: 06/23/1993
• Issued: 06/20/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Mathis, David M., Phillips, Robert E., Edwards, Ray Jr., Lopez, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheiner, Toni R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Christopher L.
• Application Number:
  US08/081,502
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 128/759, 128/760, 128/763, 128/771, 422/58, 422/61, 422/101, 435/7.1, 435/294-296, 436/805, 436/807, 436/810, 604/1-3
• US Class Current: 604/327
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/06 Tubular C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/32 Frangible parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/38 Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring means
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/00 Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/81 Tube, bottle, or dipstick

Abstract

The present invention includes a sleeve for use with a device for collecting and transporting biological specimens. The sleeve comprises a tubular member for containing the bottom portion of the collection device and a lever so as to exert pressure to the collection device so as to break the ampoule, The sleeve provides an environment to maintain the substantial viability of a specimen during transport in a collection device.

Claims

1. A sleeve for use with a device for collecting and transporting specimens comprising:

a tubular body member having an outer surface and an inner area, and which longitudinally extends from an open forward end extremity to an opposite closed rearward end extremity, said tubular body member having a slot extending a predetermined distance from said open forward end extremity toward said closed rearward end extremity;

said slot providing access from said outer surface into the inner area of the tubular body member; and

a lever longitudinally extending from a forward end to a rearward end, and movably attached within said slot of said tubular body member by at least one flexible connection, whereby said lever when actuated provides vertical downward pressure into the inner area of said tubular body member.

2. The sleeve of claim 1 wherein said lever further comprises a projection on a bottom surface of said lever in proximity with said flexible connection.