Sample collection system including valve assembly

A kit for collecting and preserving a biological sample, comprising:

• a sample collection vessel comprising a sample collection chamber and an opening configured to receive the biological sample into the sample collection chamber;
• and
• a sealing cap configured to removably associate and form a fluid tight connection with the sample collection vessel, the sealing cap comprising:
• a reagent chamber configured to store therein a sample preservation reagent;
• and
• a selectively movable valve coupled to the sealing cap and configured to retain the sample preservation reagent in the reagent chamber when in a closed configuration, wherein the selectively movable valve is configured to associate with the sample collection vessel and comprises:
• a core defining one or more fluid vents and having a flange configured to limit advancement of the core through the opening of the sample collection vessel;
• and
• a collar non-threadedly associated with the core and forming a fluid-tight seal with the core and obstructing the one or more fluid vents when the selectively movable valve is in the closed configuration,
• wherein when the sealing cap is associated with the sample collection vessel and the selectively movable valve is moved into the open configuration by non-threaded movement of the collar relative to the core to at least partially unobstruct the one or more fluid vents, fluid communication from the reagent chamber to the sample collection vessel is enabled via the at least one fluid vent.

A separable two-piece sample collection system, comprising:

• a first piece, comprising a sample collection vessel having an opening for receiving a biological sample;
• and
• a second piece, comprising a sealing cap coupled to a selectively movable valve, wherein the selectively movable valve comprises:
• a collar coupled to an interior portion of the sealing cap;
• and
• a core configured to form a fluid tight connection with the collar when the selectively movable valve is in a closed configuration and a flange configured to limit advancement of the core through the opening of sample collection vessel upon coupling the sealing cap to the sample collection vessel,
• wherein the core defines one or more fluid vents that are obstructed by the collar when the selectively movable valve is in the closed configuration and, by associating the sealing cap with the sample collection vessel, are at least partially unobstructed by the collar when the selectively movable valve is in an open configuration, wherein the one or more fluid vents are configured to permit a sample preservation reagent stored within a reagent chamber of the sealing cap to pass from the reagent chamber and into the sample collection vessel when the selectively movable valve is in the open configuration.