JP-2026514214-A - Sample holder equipped with a conduit for receiving samples

Abstract

A sample holder for collecting liquid samples such as blood is provided. The holder may comprise a container, a conduit having a proximal end extending from the container and a distal end positioned within the container, and a cap configured to engage with the container and generate pressure to move the liquid sample in the conduit from the proximal end to the distal end. A desiccant can be used to dry the blood sample during storage. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

• クルス，アモス，ジー．
• ドゥオン，ミン
• オキーフ，ジョナサン
• ワトソン，アンネマリー
• オグニベネ，エドワード
• トーマン，ウルリッヒ
• ダビソー，エウジェーニオ

Assignees

• コバリス，エルエルシー

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20240429

Priority Date

20230501

Claims (20)

1. A container having walls that define the internal space and an opening to the internal space, A conduit having a distal end located in the internal space and a proximal end extending from the internal space, configured to receive a liquid sample at the proximal end of the conduit, A cap configured to engage with the container, wherein the movement of the cap from a first position to a second position relative to the container creates a pressure difference between the proximal end and the distal end of the conduit that is appropriate for moving a liquid sample from the conduit to the internal space, A sample holder equipped with the following features.
2. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to generate a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure of the internal space in response to the movement of the cap relative to the container.
3. The sample holder according to claim 2, wherein a pressure lower than the ambient pressure is suitable for moving the liquid sample from the conduit to the internal space via the distal end.
4. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to generate the pressure difference in response to the rotation of the cap relative to the container.
5. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to generate the pressure difference in accordance with the linear movement of the cap relative to the container.
6. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to engage airtightly with the outer surface of the wall of the container.
7. The sample holder according to claim 6, wherein a portion of the outer surface of the wall is provided with a channel that serves as a vent for the internal space when the cap is in the first position.
8. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to engage airtightly with the inner surface of the wall of the container.
9. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the inner surface of the wall is provided with a channel that serves as a vent for the internal space when the cap is in the first position.
10. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a capillary tube configured to aspirate a blood sample by bringing blood into contact with the proximal end.
11. The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the conduit is fixed to the cap.
12. The sample holder according to claim 11, wherein the cap and the conduit are removable from the container by moving the cap from a first position to a second position.
13. The sample holder according to claim 12, further comprising a cover configured to engage with the container, thereby closing the opening and sealing the internal space, when the cap and conduit are removed from the container.
14. The sample holder according to claim 13, further comprising a desiccant associated with the cover, capable of being placed in the internal space, and configured to dry the blood sample sealed in the internal space.
15. The sample holder according to claim 14, wherein the desiccant extends from the cover and is configured to be placed in the internal space with the cover engaged with the container.
16. The conduit extends from the upper side of the cap, The sample holder according to claim 1, wherein the cap comprises a guard extending from the upper side of the cap adjacent to the proximal end of the conduit.
17. The sample holder according to claim 1, further comprising a holder configured to engage with the container and hold the container in an upright position on its surface, such that the proximal end of the conduit extends upward from the container.
18. The sample holder according to claim 17, wherein the holder and the container are provided with complementary engaging features that allow the container to be detachably engaged with the holder.
19. The sample holder according to claim 17, wherein the cap and the holder are configured to support the container and conduit in a horizontal position on the surface, so that the conduit extends horizontally.
20. A cap that engages with a container and a conduit having its distal end in the internal space of the container, wherein the container has walls that define the internal space, Bringing the blood into contact with the proximal end of the conduit and drawing the blood into the conduit, The cap is removed from the container to create a pressure difference between the proximal and distal ends of the conduit that is suitable for moving the blood from the conduit to the internal space of the container, A method for collecting blood samples, including [specific details omitted].

Description

(Related applications) This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority under U.S. Patent Application No. 63/499,280, filed on 1 May 2023 under Section 119(e) of the U.S. Patent Act. The entire contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference. Methods and apparatus for sample holders. Sample holders equipped with tubes or containers are widely used in laboratories and other settings to collect, hold, and/or process liquid samples, such as whole blood samples, for diagnostic testing and research. These containers are used to subject samples to a variety of different treatments, including exposure to acoustic energy and heating/cooling cycles used in PCR processing. In some embodiments, the sample holder comprises a container having walls that define an internal space. This container may be configured to accept and hold any suitable type of sample, including liquid samples such as blood. In some cases, the container may have immobilizers, such as chemical materials and/or physical structures, suitable for interaction with liquid samples such as blood, which can help, for example, maintain the sample within a desired area of the container and/or treat the sample for processing such as preservation. In some embodiments, the sample holder comprises a container having walls defining an internal space and an opening to the internal space. For example, this container may be designed as a tube having any preferred cross-sectional shape such as circular, rectangular, or elliptical, and may be made of any preferred material such as polymer, metal, or composite material. The conduit may have a distal end located in the internal space and a proximal end extending from the internal space, and may be configured to receive a liquid sample at the proximal end of the conduit. As an example, the conduit may comprise a capillary tube configured to draw in or receive a liquid sample such as blood by bringing the proximal end into contact with a collection object such as a small drop of liquid material such as blood. The cap may be configured to engage with the container, and moving the cap from a first position to a second position relative to the container creates a pressure difference between the proximal and distal ends of the conduit that is suitable for moving the liquid sample from the conduit to the internal space. For example, when the cap is moved relative to the container, an attractive force or relatively low pressure is generated in the internal space of the container, drawing or moving the liquid sample in the conduit toward the distal end, so that the sample is received into the container. In some cases, the cap may be configured to generate a pressure lower than the ambient pressure in the internal space in response to the movement of the cap relative to the container. In some embodiments, a pressure lower than the ambient pressure may be suitable for moving the liquid sample from the conduit into the internal space via the distal end. The movement of the cap relative to the container may be in any preferred relative direction; for example, the cap may be configured to generate a pressure difference in response to rotation and/or linear movement of the cap relative to the container. The cap may engage airtightly with one or more parts of the container to facilitate the creation of a pressure difference. For example, the cap may be configured to engage airtightly with the outer surface and/or inner surface of the container wall. In some cases, the internal space of the container may be ventilated at at least several positions of the cap relative to the container, allowing, for example, easier movement of a sample from the conduit to the container. In some cases, parts of the outer and/or inner surfaces of the container wall may have channels, which serve as vents to the internal space when the cap is in a first position, for example, when the cap and container are fully engaged with each other. In some cases, the conduit may be fixed to the cap, for example, so that if the cap is moved relative to the container, the conduit moves with the cap. In some configurations, the conduit may extend from the top of the cap, and the cap may be provided with a guard that extends from the top of the cap adjacent to the proximal end of the conduit. Extending the conduit from the top of the cap makes the proximal end of the conduit more accessible to the user, and the guard, for example, one or more walls adjacent to the proximal end, can help prevent accidental and/or unwanted contact with the conduit. In some embodiments, the cap and conduit may be removable from the container, for example, by moving the cap from a first position to a second position. As described above, such movement allows a sample, such as blood, to be moved from the conduit to the internal space of the container, so that the user can move the sample from the conduit to the container and remove the cap and conduit from th