Liquid collection device

A pen format liquid collection device, comprising:

• an elongate generally tubular housing able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end;
• a plurality of capillary liquid take-up elements in said housing comprising respective capillaries, which capillaries are, positionable, by hand manipulation of the housing, to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a predetermined total volume of a sample of the liquid to be analysed, wherein each capillary is dimensionally configured to define a predetermined liquid collection volume therein as determined by the internal dimensions of the capillary such that each capillary is configured to take-up by capillary action, a respective sample portion being of said predetermined liquid collection volume, to fill the capillary, and notwithstanding gravity to retain the sample portion in any orientation thereof, and wherein the capillaries collectively take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample;
• and
• at least one retention element supported in said housing positionable to contact the capillaries, whereupon said contact, the at least one retention element is adapted to in turn take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample from the capillaries and retain the predetermined total volume of the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing, wherein the capillaries each have a liquid collection volume in the range 1 to 10 μL.

A pen format liquid collection device for collecting a sample of a liquid to be analysed, the collection device comprising:

• an elongate generally tubular housing able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end;
• at least one liquid take-up element comprising a capillary mounted in said housing, the at least one liquid take-up element positionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of the liquid to be analysed, the capillary being dimensionally configured to define a predetermined liquid collection volume therein as determined by the internal dimensions of the capillary, such that the capillary is configured to thereby take-up by capillary action, the sample of said predetermined liquid collection volume, to fill the capillary and notwithstanding gravity, to retain the sample in any orientation of the capillary, and
• at least one retention element supported in said housing;
• wherein the at least one capillary and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact;
• whereupon said contact, the at least one retention element is adapted to in turn take-up the predetermined liquid collection volume of the sample and retain the predetermined liquid collection volume of the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing;
• wherein the at least one retention element is an absorbent body selected to absorb the whole of the sample from the at least one capillary upon said contact.

A pen format liquid collection device, comprising:

• an elongate generally tubular housing able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end;
• a plurality of capillary liquid take-up elements in said housing comprising respective capillaries, which capillaries are, positionable, by hand manipulation of the housing, to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a predetermined total volume of a sample of the liquid to be analysed, wherein each capillary is dimensionally configured to define a predetermined liquid collection volume therein as determined by the internal dimensions of the capillary such that each capillary is configured to take-up by capillary action, a respective sample portion being of said predetermined liquid collection volume, to fill the capillary, and notwithstanding gravity to retain the sample portion in any orientation thereof, and wherein the capillaries collectively take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample;
• and
• at least one retention element supported in said housing positionable to contact the capillaries, whereupon said contact, the at least one retention element is adapted to in turn take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample from the capillaries and retain the predetermined total volume of the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing,
• wherein the at least one retention element is an absorbent body selected to absorb the whole of the sample from the at least one capillary upon said contact.

A pen format liquid collection device for collecting a sample of a liquid to be analysed, the collection device comprising:

• an elongate generally tubular housing able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end;
• at least one liquid take-up element comprising a capillary mounted in said housing, the at least one liquid take-up element positionable by hand manipulation of the housing to contact a volume of the liquid to be analysed, the capillary being dimensionally configured to define a predetermined liquid collection volume therein as determined by the internal dimensions of the capillary, such that the capillary is configured to thereby take-up by capillary action, the sample of said predetermined liquid collection volume, to fill the capillary and notwithstanding gravity, to retain the sample in any orientation of the capillary, and
• at least one retention element supported in said housing;
• wherein the at least one capillary and the at least one retention element are arranged whereby they are relatively movable into contact;
• whereupon said contact, the at least one retention element is adapted to in turn take-up the predetermined liquid collection volume of the sample and retain the predetermined liquid collection volume of the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing;
• wherein the housing includes a spring structure to bias the at least one retention element into said contact with the at least one capillary while allowing for transverse variation in the relative positions thereof.

A pen format liquid collection device, comprising:

• an elongate generally tubular housing able to be held by hand and having an opening at one end;
• a plurality of capillary liquid take-up elements in said housing comprising respective capillaries, which capillaries are, positionable, by hand manipulation of the housing, to contact a volume of liquid to thereby take-up a predetermined total volume of a sample of the liquid to be analysed, wherein each capillary is dimensionally configured to define a predetermined liquid collection volume therein as determined by the internal dimensions of the capillary such that each capillary is configured to take-up by capillary action, a respective sample portion being of said predetermined liquid collection volume, to fill the capillary, and notwithstanding gravity to retain the sample portion in any orientation thereof, and wherein the capillaries collectively take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample;
• and
• at least one retention element supported in said housing positionable to contact the capillaries, whereupon said contact, the at least one retention element is adapted to in turn take-up the predetermined total volume of the sample from the capillaries and retain the predetermined total volume of the sample or a component thereof for in situ analysis or later recovery while protected within the housing,
• wherein the housing includes a spring structure to bias the at least one retention element into said contact with the at least one capillary while allowing for transverse variation in the relative positions thereof.