# US 8,540,938 B2 · Fluid sample collecting and analyzing apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,938 B2 - Document ID: US8540938B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/621,964 - Filed: 2012-09-18 - Published: 2013-01-17 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-29 - Assignees: Ameditech, Inc. - Applicants: Ameditech, Inc. - Inventors: John Wu; Waiping Ng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540938B2 ## CPC - A61B 10/0051: {for taking saliva or sputum samples (devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00)} - B01L 3/0224: {having mechanical means to set stroke length, e.g. movable stops (B01L3/0231, B01L3/0234 take precedence)} - B01L 3/5029: {using swabs} - A61M 2005/31508: {provided on the piston-rod} - B01L 2300/0825: Test strips - Y10T 436/25: including sample preparation - Y10T 436/25375: Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.] - Y10T 436/2575: Volumetric liquid transfer - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A spongy swab (16) is mounted against the distal face (15) of a piston (14) at the end of a push-rod (12). Once humected with a sample fluid, the swab and piston assembly is inserted into a tubular body (30) like the plunger of a syringe. As the swab is pushed and squeezed against the distal end (20) of the body up to a trippable stop, part of the fluid is excreted into a chromatographic immunoassay testing device (21) through a first aperture (19) in a distal section of the body. The remainder of the sample is kept in a sealed chamber (7) between the piston and the end wall of the tubular body until it is excreted through a second aperture (23) for a secondary test by pushing the piston beyond the trippable stop. That preserves the sample within the spongy swab that has been used to collect it; thus preventing the adsorption of the analytes on the surfaces of the sealed chamber, and to provide a convenient and rapid way to extract the remainder of the specimen in a syringe-like manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A collecting and testing apparatus, for detecting and analyte in a fluid sample, which comprises: a plunger including a push rod, a piston attached to one extremity of said rod, said piston having a distal face, and a spongy swab axially mounted on said distal face; a tubular body open at a first end, closed at an opposite second end, and being dimensioned to be intimately engaged by said piston; said body having at least one exit port proximate said second end; and a trippable barrier positioned to stop said piston distally from said second end; and wherein said swab is dimensioned to be partially squeezed between said distal face and said second end when said distal face reaches a stopping location determined by said barrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises an immunoassay testing device connected to said exit port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said exit port is radially positioned proximately distant from said stopping location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said body has a second exit port located distally from said stopping location; and further includes a breakable stopper closing said second exit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 which further comprises a second immunoassay testing device detachably securable to said second exit port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said trippable barrier comprises at least one radial protrusion on said plunger, said protrusion being positioned to contact said body when said distal face reaches said stopping location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said protrusion is manually removeable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said exit port is axially positioned in said second end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 which further comprises a breakable seal closing said exit port. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said trippable barrier is tripped by increased forced insertion of said plunger into the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said piston comprises a peripheral O-ring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said body has a circumferential inside groove having a hemispherical cross-section commensurate with said O-ring; whereby the engagement of said O-ring into said groove constitutes said trippable barrier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said exit port is radially located within said groove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 which further comprises a threaded coupling between said exit port and said testing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises means for preventing circulation of an amount of said specimen within said body. ### Claim 16 A collecting and testing apparatus, for detecting an analyte in a fluid sample, which comprises: a syringe-like plunger and tubular body assembly, the tubular body having a closed distal end; a spongy swab distally mounted on said plunger; a trippable barrier preventing said swab from being completely squeezed between said plunger and said distal end; and an analyte testing device connected to an exit port in a distal region of said body.