# US 11,299,703 B2 · Portable disposable re-usable culture device for rapid diagnosis of infectious agents > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,703 B2 - Document ID: US11299703B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/131,338 - Filed: 2016-04-18 - Published: 2016-10-20 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-17 - Assignees: Vax-Immune, LLC - Applicants: Vax-Immune, LLC - Inventors: Bhairavi Parikh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299703B2 ## CPC - C12M 41/36: {of biomass, e.g. colony counters or by turbidity measurements (electrooptical investigation of individual particles G01N15/14, flow cytometers G01N15/1404)} - C12M 23/28: {disposable or single use} - C12M 27/16: {Vibrating; Shaking; Tilting} - C12M 33/00: {Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus (chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00)} - C12M 33/02: {by impregnation, e.g. using swabs or loops (fluid transport using swabs B01L3/5029)} - C12M 41/12: {of temperature (controlling the temperature of chemical or physical processes B01J19/0013, heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory use B01L7/00)} - C12M 41/14: {Incubators; Climatic chambers (per se B01L1/00)} - C12M 41/26: {of pH} - C12M 41/34: {of gas} - C12M 41/48: {Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00)} - C12Q 1/04: Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor {(C12Q1/6897 takes precedence)} - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract The present invention is directed to compositions, tools, methods and devices to culture microorganisms and, in particular, to compositions, tools, methods and devices for the detection of microorganisms in biological samples. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable sample evaluation system, comprising: a body having a top and a recess and is sized to be hand-held; and a sample incubating assembly, the sample incubating assembly comprising: a lid; an ampule; a tube coupling the lid to the ample; a sample gathering device extending from an inner portion of the lid and housed within the tube; and a sample conditioning device positioned adjacent to the ampule; wherein the tube, the sample gathering device, the ampule, and the sample conditioning device are housed within the body recess and the lid is removably coupled to and extends above the top of the body; wherein, in a first position, the lid and sample gathering device are removable from the tube and, in a second position, the lid and sample gather device are secured to the body; and a sample conditioning medium housed within the ampule. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample gathering device is a flocked swab. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the flocked swab is coupled to the lid by a rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample conditioning device is one of a fluid agitator or a micro-fluidic device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample gathering device is maintained outside the ampule in the sample gathering position and is forced into the ampule in the sample incubating position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, further comprising a penetrable membrane separating contents of the ampule from the sample gathering device, wherein the penetrable membrane adapted to be pierced by the sample gathering device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch positioned on a surface of the ampule and adapted to activate the sample conditioning device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample is a microorganism or group of microorganisms and the sample conditioning fluid is a culture medium that promotes the proliferation or stabilization of the microorganism or group of microorganisms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample evaluation system is adapted to collect, process, transport, and stabilize the sample for use in biomarker determinations or cancer tissue testing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lid is rotatable between the sample gathering position and the sample incubating position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein as the lid rotates between the sample gathering position and the sample incubating position, the sample gathering device is forced into the ampule. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lid is a screw-down lid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein as the lid is screwed down, the sample gathering device is forced into the ampule. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lid has a fixed portion coupled to the body and a movable portion adapted to engage the fixed portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the movable portion and the sample gathering device are removable from the fixed portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sample evaluation system is a onetime use system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tube, the ampule, and the sample conditioning device are secured within the body recess.