Saliva sample collection systems

• US 8,932,539 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pathway Genomics
• Original Assignee: Pathway Genomics
• Inventors: Plante, James, Becker, David, MacBean, Edgar, Elliott, Kathryn J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAVARES, JULIE L
• Application Number:
  US14/137,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• US Class Current: 422/430
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• 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: A61B 2010/0006 involving a colour change
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/18 Transport of container or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• 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: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Saliva sample collection systems are configured with special attention to ease-of-use for the unskilled user and safe transport and delivery by a conventional delivery services such as Federal Express. A sealed cavity is formed by tight coupling of two primary elements: a receiving vessel element and a sealing cap element. The receiving vessel has integrated therewith: a standing means, a fill-line window, a funnel system, a knife, a threadset, and containment tube among others. A complementary cap element includes a cooperating threadset, label receiving surface, gripping surface, seal means and reservoir with piercable thin-film membrane. These two primary elements may be accommodated in an application-specific shipping container which support two shipping modes whereby the system may be shipped safely to and from a donor user each way in a different shipping mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus for collection and conveyance of human saliva including DNA matter, comprising two primary elements:

a receiving vessel and a sealing cap;

wherein

said receiving vessel comprising a rigid body fashioned as an outer concentric cylinder and an inner cylindrical tubular portion, wherein, said rigid body has a slot hole cut therein, the slot hole being operable as a view window whereby a user may view the inner cylindrical tubular portion;

said receiving vessel element and sealing cap element each having integrated therewith a complementary mechanical interlocking system forming a liquid-tight seal therebetween when in a coupled state, whereby

features of the apparatus are directly integrated with either the receiving vessel element or the sealing cap element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said receiving vessel further includes a ridge formed on said cylindrical tubular portion, and wherein the ridge and view window are aligned radially and axially whereby a user may easily view the ridge via said view window.