Reagent dispenser and related test kit for biological specimens
First Claim
1. A reagent dispenser for dispensing multiple reagents, comprising:
- a cap assembly defining a first chamber accommodating a first reagent, a second chamber accommodating a second reagent, and an outlet port communicating at least one of said first and second chambers to the exterior of said cap assembly; and
closure means in said cap assembly for normally separating said chambers and for normally sealing said outlet port;
said cap assembly being sufficiently deformable to open said closure means to permit flow of the first and second reagents through said outlet port to the exterior of said cap assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reagent dispenser is provided for dispensing multiple reagents particularly for use in analyzing biological specimens and the like. The dispenser includes a pair of reagent chambers with selected reagents therein, and a dual nib for hermetically sealing the reagent chambers. A portion of the dispenser is deformable to break or otherwise to displace the nib in a manner permitting the two reagents to flow together and mix within one of the reagent chambers. The deformable portion or the dispenser can then be squeezed to express the mixed reagents for delivery to contact a specimen to be analyzed. In a preferred form, the dispenser is cap assembly for removable mounting onto an open-ended tubular housing to cooperatively define a specimen chamber within the housing for receiving the specimen on a swab or the like.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A reagent dispenser for dispensing multiple reagents, comprising:
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a cap assembly defining a first chamber accommodating a first reagent, a second chamber accommodating a second reagent, and an outlet port communicating at least one of said first and second chambers to the exterior of said cap assembly; and closure means in said cap assembly for normally separating said chambers and for normally sealing said outlet port; said cap assembly being sufficiently deformable to open said closure means to permit flow of the first and second reagents through said outlet port to the exterior of said cap assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A reagent test kit, comprising:
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a cap assembly defining a first chamber for receiving a first reagent, a second chamber for receiving a second reagent, a passage connecting said first chamber to said second chamber, and an outlet port communicating said second chamber to the exterior of said cap assembly; closure means for normally closing and sealing said passage to maintain said first and second chambers sealed from each other, and for normally closing and sealing said outlet port; and a hollow housing having an open rear end and adapted for assembly with said cap assembly for cooperation therewith to define a specimen chamber, said second chamber of said cap assembly being positioned with said outlet port for flow communication with said specimen chamber when said cap assembly and said housing are assembled together and when said outlet port is opened by said closure means; at least one of said cap assembly and said housing being sufficiently deformable to displace said closure means relative to said cap assembly to open said passage and permit mixing of the first and second reagents, and to open said outlet port for flow of mixed reagents from said second chamber to said specimen chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A multichamber dispenser, comprising:
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a cap assembly defining a first chamber for receiving a first agent, a second chamber for receiving a second . agent, and a passage interconnecting said first and second chambers; and closure means for normally closing and sealing said passage to maintain said first and second chambers sealed from each other, said closure means defining a fluid inflow path extending from the exterior of said cap assembly and through said second chamber into said first chamber; said cap assembly being sufficiently deformable to permit vacuum drawing of the first agent through said fluid inflow path into said first chamber, and cap assembly further being sufficiently deformable to displace said closure means relative to said cap assembly to open said passage and permit mixing of the first agent with the second agent in said second chamber, said cap assembly further includes a seal member having an outlet port formed therein for passage of the mixed first and second agents from said second chamber to the exterior of the cap assembly, said closure means extending through said outlet port for normally closing and sealing said second chamber from the exterior of said cap assembly, said cap assembly being sufficiently deformable to displace said closure means relative to said seal member to open said outlet port. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A reagent dispenser for dispensing multiple reagents, comprising:
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a cap assembly defining a first chamber for receiving a first reagent, a second chamber for receiving a second reagent, a passage interconnecting said first and second chambers, and means defining an outlet port leading from one of said first and second chambers to the exterior of the dispenser; and closure means for normally closing and sealing said passage to maintain said first and second chambers sealed from each other, and for normally closing and sealing said outlet port; said cap assembly being sufficiently deformable to displace said closure means relative to said cap assembly to open said passage and permit mixing of the first and second reagents, and further to open said outlet port to permit the mixed first and second reagents to be expressed through said outlet port to the exterior of the dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A handheld dispenser for storing first and second reagents and actuatable by finger pressure to dispense the reagents, said dispenser comprising:
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a hollow housing enclosing an internal volume, said housing including a peripheral wall with at least a portion thereof deformable by finger pressure from a normal nondeformed position to a deformed position, said housing further defining an outlet port communicating with said internal volume; a closure member sealing the outlet port when said deformable housing portion is in the normal position and opening said outlet port when said deformable housing portion is in the deformed position; and a partition separating said internal volume into first and second chambers when said deformable housing portion is in the normal position and communicating said first and second chambers when said deformable housing portion is in the deformed position. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification