Biological sample material collection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10274402-B2
Application number	US-201414913248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A biological sample collection device 10 is disclosed including a shaped sample collecting tip 20a, said tip at least being formed from a fibrous material mixed with a liquid to form a pulp, said pulp being solidified to form the shape of the tip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rigid biological sample collection device including a shaped sample collecting tip, said tip at least being formed from a fibrous material mixed with a liquid to form a pulp, said pulp being solidified to form the shaped tip having inherent strength for allowing rubbing of the tip on a surface for sample collection, wherein the device further includes a hollow plastic elongate handle portion, and an ejector rod slideable within the hollow handle, the handle, rod and tip forming said rigid collection device, and wherein the tip is releasably held to the handle such that the tip and handle are separable, by forcing the tip off the handle by movement of the rod in the handle and wherein the tip is chemically conditioned.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pulp is solidified by compression, optionally in a mould.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pulp is solidified by drying in an open mould.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pulp is solidified by setting or curing.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is cellulose fibres and the liquid is water.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is glass fibres.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the handle portion is formed also from said solidified pulp.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tip is shaped as a round, triangular, or other polygonal cylinder; or as a wedge.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a chemical composition is applied to the pulp for the chemical conditioning, either before or after it is solidified.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said chemical composition is a solution, including:
(i) a monovalent weak base (such as “Tris”, tris-hydroxymethyl methane, either as the free base or as the carbonate);
(ii) a chelating agent (such as EDTA, ethylene diamine tetracetic acid); and
(iii) an anionic detergent (such as SDS, sodium dodecyl sulphate); and optionally
(iv) uric acid or a urate salt.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said solution is incorporated into or absorbed on the surface of the pulp, by mixing with the pulp prior to solidification, or by spraying the solution onto the solidified pulp, or dipping the solidified pulp into the solution.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tip includes an area of relative weakness, of sufficient weakness that parts of the tip can be separated manually.

Assignees

• Ge Healthcare Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Smith Michael John
• Tatnell Peter James
• Goren Leonard

Classifications

• A61F2013/530007

  being made from pulp · CPC title

• G01N1/10 Primary

  in the liquid or fluent state {(burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00)} · CPC title

• B29C44/10

  Applying counter-pressure during expanding · CPC title

• B29K2105/16

  Fillers · CPC title

• B29K2511/00

  Use of natural products or their composites, not provided for in groups {B29K2401/00 - B29K2509/00,} as filler · CPC title