# US 10,871,427 B2 · Biological liquid collection vessels, systems, and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,427 B2 - Document ID: US10871427B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/418,844 - Filed: 2013-08-01 - Published: 2015-07-30 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-02 - Assignees: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. - Applicants: Alex Hsu; Scott Salmon; Radu Saftoiu - Inventors: Alex Hsu; Scott Salmon; Radu Saftoiu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871427B2 ## CPC - G01N 1/34: Purifying; Cleaning {(processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003)} - A61B 5/150343: {Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes (sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045)} - A61B 5/150755: {Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing} - A61B 5/150786: {Optical identification systems, e.g. bar codes, colour codes} - A61B 5/154: {Devices} using pre-evacuated means - B01L 3/5021: {Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes} - A61B 5/15003: {for venous or arterial blood} - A61B 5/150351: {Caps, stoppers or lids for sealing or closing a blood collection vessel or container, e.g. a test-tube or syringe barrel} - A61B 5/153: {Devices} specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2300/0854: Double walls - B01L 2300/0858: Side walls - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A biological liquid collection vessel is adapted to contain a biological liquid to be centrifuged. The collection vessel has a vessel body having an open upper end and a closed lower end, a continuous wall, a target area at the upper end, and a solids area at the lower end that is connected to the target area. The target area is extended in length. In some embodiments, a volume capacity of both of the target area and the solids area are configured so that a red blood cell portion of the centrifuged biological liquid (e.g., blood) is substantially contained in the solids area, and the serum or plasma portion of the centrifuged biological liquid is substantially contained in the target area. Methods of and systems using the liquid collection vessels are provided, as are other aspects. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A biological liquid collection vessel, comprising: a single-piece tube having an open end, a cap-receiving portion at the open end, a closed end, and a continuous inner wall extending from the open end to the closed end, the continuous inner wall adapted to be in contact with a biological liquid and to maintain a same shape, size, and volume capacity with and without the biological liquid in contact therewith, the continuous inner wall having an inner transverse dimension that continuously varies along at least half of a length of the continuous inner wall extending from the cap-receiving portion to the closed end, the inner transverse dimension having a minimum dimension located in between the open end and the closed end; and an outer sleeve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 1, wherein the biological liquid collection vessel is adapted to contain a biological liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 1, wherein the single-piece tube has an outer dimension at a lower end between 10 mm and 20 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 1, comprising: a target area of a first average transverse dimension and adapted to contain a serum or plasma portion; and a solids area connected to and adjacent the target area having a second average transverse dimension larger than the first average transverse dimension and adapted to contain a red blood cell portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 1, comprising a vacuum within a receiving cavity to allow collection of a biological liquid. ### Claim 6 A biological liquid collection vessel, comprising: an inner liner having an upper end that is open and a lower end that is closed, a continuous inner wall extending from the upper end to the lower end that maintains a same shape, size, and volume capacity with and without a serum, plasma, or red blood cell portion in contact therewith, and a target area and a solids area; and an outer sleeve; wherein: the target area has a first average transverse dimension and is open at the upper end and is adapted to contain a serum or plasma portion, the continuous inner wall having an inner transverse dimension that continuously varies along its length in the target area; and the solids area is connected to and adjacent the target area, has a second average transverse dimension larger than the first average transverse dimension, is closed at the lower end, and is adapted to contain a red blood cell portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, wherein the solids area and the target area are adapted to contain a total volume, and a volume of the solids area comprises 40% to 80% of the total volume. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 7, wherein the volume of the solids area comprises 50% to 70% of the total volume. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, wherein the solids area and the target area are adapted to contain a total volume, and a volume of the target area comprises 20% to 60% of the total volume. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 9, wherein the volume of the target area comprises 30% to 50% of the total volume. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, comprising an inner taper formed along greater than half a length of the target area, the inner taper having a wider dimension adjacent to the upper end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 11, wherein the inner taper comprises a taper angle of between about 0.25 and about 30 degrees. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 11, wherein the inner taper comprises a taper angle of between about 0.25 and about 15 degrees. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, comprising a reverse taper formed along an upper portion of the solids area wherein the reverse taper has a minimum dimension adjacent to the target area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, comprising a cap-receiving portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, comprising a total volume capacity of the solids area plus the target area of less than or equal to 3 mL. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 16, comprising a total volume capacity of the solids area plus the target area of less than or equal to 2 mL. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 16, comprising a total volume capacity of the solids area plus the target area of less than or equal to 1 mL. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a first volume capacity V1, the inner liner comprises a second volume capacity V2, and V2 is less than V1. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 19, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a first volume capacity V1, the inner liner comprises a second volume capacity V2, and a ratio of V2/V1 is between about 0.167 to about 0.8. ### Claim 21 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, comprising volume capacities of both of the target area and the solids area being sized so that a centrifuged biological liquid having a red blood cell portion and a serum or plasma portion, when contained in the biological liquid collection vessel, the red blood cell portion is substantially contained in the solids area, and the serum or plasma portion is substantially contained in the target area. ### Claim 22 (depends on 6) The biological liquid collection vessel of claim 6, containing a centrifuged biological liquid having a red blood cell portion and a serum or plasma portion, comprising the red blood cell portion being substantially contained in the solids area, and the serum or plasma portion being substantially contained in the target area. ### Claim 23 A biological liquid collection vessel containing a centrifuged biological liquid, comprising: an inner liner having an upper end that is open and a lower end that is closed, a single-piece, continuous inner wall extending from the upper end to the lower end that maintains a same shape, size, and volume capacity with and without the centrifuged biological liquid in contact therewith, and a target area and a solids area; and an outer sleeve; wherein: the target area is open at the upper end and has a continuously varying inner transverse dimension, the solids area is connected to and adjacent the target area and closed at the lower end, and volume capacities of both of the target area and the solids area are positioned so that a red blood cell portion of the centrifuged biological liquid is substantially contained in the solids area, and a serum or plasma portion of the centrifuged biological liquid is substantially contained in the target area. ### Claim 24 A liquid centrifugation method, comprising: providing a biological liquid collection vessel having an inner liner comprising an open upper end, a closed bottom end, a cap-receiving portion having a first length extending from the open upper end, a target area of a first average transverse dimension-having a second length longer than the first length and located proximate the open upper end, and a solids area connected to and adjacent the target area and having a second average transverse dimension larger than the first average transverse dimension and extending to the closed bottom end, the solids area and the target area containing blood, the biological liquid collection vessel also having a continuous inner wall of constant thickness extending from the open upper end to the closed bottom end that maintains a same shape, size, and volume capacity with and without the blood in contact therewith, and an outer sleeve; and centrifuging the biological liquid collection vessel containing blood to separate the blood into a serum or plasma portion and a red blood cell portion, wherein the target area contains substantially the serum or plasma portion, and the solids area contains substantially the red blood cell portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, comprising: inserting a probe into the target area of the biological liquid collection vessel containing substantially the serum or plasma portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, comprising: aspirating with the probe inserted into the target area, at least some of the serum or plasma portion. ### Claim 27 A biological liquid collection vessel, comprising: an inner liner comprising: an open upper end; a closed bottom end; a cap-receiving portion proximate the open upper end; a target area having a constant first transverse dimension located proximate the cap-receiving portion; and a solids area connected to and adjacent the target area, having a second transverse dimension larger than the constant first transverse dimension, and extending to the closed bottom end; and a continuous, single-piece inner wall of a constant thickness extending from the open upper end to the closed bottom end that maintains a same shape, size, and volume capacity with and without serum or plasma or red blood cells in contact therewith; and an outer sleeve.