Sample collection apparatus
AssigneeRapid Biosensor Systems Limited
InventorsElaine Marie McCash, Nicol John Murray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sample collection apparatus which measures biological samples and can be used to provide the early detection of respiratory diseases, for example tuberculosis induced by the pathogen mycobacterium tuberculosis. The sample collection apparatus has a sample collection unit and a corresponding complementary reader unit. The collection unit collects a sample exhaled from the user through a collection vessel with an optical interrogation region. The sample is spread on the inside of the vessel over the interrogation region and subsequently analyzed. The test results are displayed via the reader unit.
Claims10
A sample collection apparatus comprising:
- a collection vessel comprising a lid having an inside face and a body having a recessed portion for receipt of a sample, which recessed portion defines an optical interrogation region in said body;
- a hinge connecting said lid and said body, said lid being able to pivot about said hinge from an open position to a closed position relative to said body, wherein in said open position, said recessed portion is exposed to receive a sample and in said closed position, said lid engages said body and encloses said recessed portion to enclose the sample;
- and
- a spreader which is located on said inside face of said lid and which is elastically deformable, said spreader being positioned to spread the sample over said optical interrogation region as said lid is pivoted from said open position to said closed position.
A method of detecting at least one pathogen in at least one sample from a subject comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a sample collection apparatus comprising a collection vessel comprising a lid having an inside face and a body having a recessed portion for receipt of a sample, which recessed portion defines an optical interrogation region in said body;
- a hinge connecting said lid and said body, said lid being able to pivot about said hinge from an open position to a closed position relative to said body, wherein in said open position, said recessed portion is exposed to receive a sample and in said closed position, said lid engages said body and encloses said recessed portion to enclose the sample;
- and a spreader which is located on said inside face of said lid and which is elastically deformable, said spreader being positioned to spread the sample over said optical interrogation region as said lid is pivoted from said open position to said closed position;
- (b) collecting said sample in the collector;
- (c) spreading said sample over said interrogation region;
- (d) optically labeling a pathogen present in said sample;
- (e) optically interrogating the pathogens to achieve an optical response;
- and
- (f) determining from the optical response of said sample whether or not a pathogen is present in said sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.