Sampling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017252016-A1
Application number	US-201515511136-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 11, 2015
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Sep 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sampling device 100 . The sampling device 100 comprises a separate compartment 110 that is ejected creating an increased space or volume for a sample to be stored The sampling device 100 of the present invention is suitable for collecting a sample in an aquaculture environment, enclosed system or in the gastrointestinal tract of a human or an animal. The invention also relates to a method of orally administering the device to an animal and recovering the device 100 and/or separate compartment 110 to carry out analysis on the collected sample for diagnosing the health of the gastrointestinal tract and determining nutrient absorption and digestibility.

First claim

1 . A sampling device comprising a housing, wherein the housing comprises a chamber, at least an opening, an actuation means and a separate compartment, wherein the separate compartment is releasably retained within the housing and is ejectable and wherein the actuation means enables an internal substance to be drawn in through the opening into the chamber and simultaneously pushes the separate compartment along the housing until the separate compartment is ejected from the housing of the sampling device, thereby creating an increased space or volume for receiving and storing a sample within the chamber of the sampling device.

2 . The sampling device of claim 1 , further comprising a retention means which releasably retains the separate compartment within the housing of the sampling device.

3 . The sampling device of claim 2 , wherein the retention means is an interlocking mechanism between the housing and the separate compartment.

4 . The sampling device of claim 2 , wherein the retention means (i) is a material that reacts to the changes in the external environment of the device, and/or (ii) is a fastening means.

5 . The sampling device of claim 3 , wherein the interlocking mechanism is fastened and/or released by rotatory, radial or linear motion or means.

6 . The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the rotatory interlocking mechanism is a bayonet mount.

7 . The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the radial interlocking mechanism is a rubber O-ring washer.

8 . The sampling device of claim 5 , wherein the linear interlocking mechanism is a pin that pushes the separate compartment into place.

9 . The sampling device of any one of claims 2 to 8 , wherein the retention means is activated by a trigger means selected from an electromagnetic or piezoelectric means, a shape memory alloy, muscle wire or a sacrificial fuse.

10 . The sampling device of any one of claims 2 to 9 , wherein the retention means is released in response to a release parameter.

11 . The sampling device of claim 10 , wherein the release parameter is a change in pH, a change in temperature, a change in moisture, a change in solute concentration, a change in enzyme concentration or a change in light and/or is activated at a pre-determined time and/or at a pre-determined pH and/or at a pre-determined temperature and/or pre-determined moisture level and/or pre-determined solute concentration and/or pre-determined enzyme activity or concentration.

12 . The sampling device of any one of claims 2 to 11 , wherein the retention means and/or the trigger means are activated automatically, pre-programmed and/or activated remotely.

13 . The sampling device of any one of claims 10 to 12 , wherein the release parameter reacts to changes in the external environment of the device and is a material that is degradable, digestible or soluble by reacting to pH, temperature, light, solute concentration or an enzyme.

14 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the retention means is a bayonet mount that is activated by a trigger means.

15 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the retention means is a rubber O-ring washer that is activated by a trigger means.

16 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the at least one opening is an inlet and/or an outlet.

17 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the opening is a one-way valve.

18 . The sampling device of any one of claims 2 , 4 (ii), 9 to 17 , wherein the retention means is a fastening means, the actuation means is tethered to a closure means and the movement of the actuation means results in the closure means blocking the opening, optionally wherein the fastening device is also tethered to the closure means.

19 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the actuation means comprises at least a plunger.

20 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the actuation means is a spring and a plunger arrangement.

21 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the actuation means is coupled at one end of the housing of the sampling device and the separate compartment is releasably retained by a retention means within the housing at the opposing end of the sampling device.

22 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the retention means is activated, the separate compartment is at least partially released and at least partly disengaged from the actuating means.

23 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the actuation means is prevented from ejecting from the housing by a stopper means at the end of the housing from which the separate compartment is ejected from the sampling device.

24 . The sampling device of claim 23 , wherein the stopper means is a lip, pin, lug or protrusion.

25 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the separate compartment comprises of at least a battery, a sensor and a microprocessor.

26 . The sampling device of claim 25 , wherein the sensor is a pH sensor and/or temperature sensor.

27 . The sampling device of claim 25 or 26 , wherein the separate compartment further comprises a pressure switch.

28 . The sampling device of claim 27 , wherein the pressure switch is adapted to record the timing at which the separate compartment is ejected from the housing of the sampling device.

29 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the device is reusable.

30 . The sampling device of any one of the previous claims, wherein the device is for sampling internal substance from the gastrointestinal tract of an animal.

31 . A method of obtaining a sample of the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, comprising the following steps, orally administering the device as claimed in any one of the previous claims to the animal and recovering the device.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the animal is a human, a companion animal, a farm animal or a production animal such as a dog, cat, horse, cow, sheep and/or chicken.

Assignees

• Mars Inc

Inventors

• Wrigglesworth David
• Bradley William James

Classifications

• A61B5/6861 Primary

  Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting · CPC title

• A61B5/14539

  for measuring pH · CPC title

• A61B10/0045 Primary

  Devices for taking samples of body liquids · CPC title

• A61B5/7285

  for synchronizing or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal · CPC title

• A61B2010/0061

  Alimentary tract secretions, e.g. biliary, gastric, intestinal, pancreatic secretions · CPC title