Collection device including a penetrable cap having an absorbent pile fabric

• US 8,206,662 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carter, Nick M., Kacian, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul, Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US11/926,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20080047371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-100, 422500-503, 206/443, 215/213, 215247-248, 151/040.4, 151/049.2, 152/101, 152/20, 152/181, 152/08, 436/180
• US Class Current: 422/500
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/048 enabling gas exchange, e.g. vents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5029 using swabs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 with means for piercing stoppers or septums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25125 Digestion or removing interfering materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A cap including a penetrable material adapted to be pierced by a fluid transfer device and an absorbent material positioned above the penetrable material. The absorbent material permits passage of the fluid transfer device and absorbs fluid material present on an outer surface of the fluid transfer device as it is being removed from the cap. The cap is useful for accessing the contents of an associated fluid-holding vessel multiple times.

Claims

1. A collection device comprising:

a vessel configured to hold a fluid; and

a cap closing an open end of the vessel, the cap comprising;

an absorbent pile fabric that includes a backing and a plurality of fibers extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the backing is arranged within a cylindrical wall of the cap such that the fibers are generally oriented toward the axis of the cap, and wherein the cap is constructed and configured to be penetrated by a pipette tip;

a seal affixed to a top surface of the cylindrical wall for retaining the pile fabric within the cap.

2. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the vessel contains a fluid comprising a biological specimen.

3. The collection device of claim 2, wherein the biological specimen is blood, urine, sputum, saliva, pus, mucous or cerebrospinal fluid.

4. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an injection molded component that is in threaded engagement with the open end of the vessel.

5. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the fibers are acrylic or polyester fibers.

6. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the pile fabric comprises a wetting agent.

7. The collection device of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a foil layer.

8. A method for accessing a fluid contained in the collection device of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) penetrating the cap with a pipette tip;

(b) drawing at least a portion of the fluid contained in the vessel into the pipette tip; and

(c) removing the pipette tip from the collection device so that fluid on an outer surface of the pipette tip is absorbed by the pile fabric as the pipette tip passes through the cap.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid comprises a biological specimen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the biological specimen is blood, urine, sputum, saliva, pus, mucous or cerebrospinal fluid.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of subjecting a nucleic acid analyte contained in the fluid removed in step (c) to an amplification procedure.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the cap comprises an injection molded component that is in threaded engagement with the open end of the vessel.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the fibers are acrylic or polyester fibers.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the pile fabric comprises a wetting agent.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the seal comprises a foil layer.