Funnel with extension tube to augment blood collection device

Inventors

Johnson, Brandon T. • Morgan, Daniel

Assignees

Nightingale Health Oyj

Abstract

A funnel-shaped extension attachment is provided for a blood collection device. The attachment provides a larger area for collecting a fingertip blood sample from a patient than the collection device itself would otherwise provide. The funnel is preferably easily removable from the collection device after the blood sample is taken. Optional trenches running down one or more corners of the attachment may be used to encourage pulling blood drops from the finger tip through capillary action. A tube may also provide another location to encourage pulling blood drops from the finger tip through capillary action. The funnel attachment may be mated with the collection device at a point of manufacture, or separately shipped and installed over the collection device at a point of use.

Core Innovation

A biological sample collection device includes a housing having a first portion and a second portion, where one portion is slidable to transition the housing from an open position to a closed position. The device includes a sample collection port for receiving a biological sample in the open position, and a sample collection media in fluid communication with the sample collection port. The device further includes a mechanically actuated fluid controller comprising a plunger that dispenses the biological sample onto the sample collection media when the housing transitions from the open position to the closed position.

The device also includes a removable extension fitted adjacent to the sample collection port, where the removable extension provides a larger area for collecting the biological sample compared to a collection area of the sample collection port. The removable extension is configured to prevent actuation of the mechanically actuated fluid controller when the removable extension is fitted adjacent to the sample collection port. The removable extension may further include capillary-promoting trenches and/or a central extension tube in fluid communication with a funnel bowl bottom opening to encourage capillary wicking of biological sample droplets into the device’s sample port.

In a related method, a sample collection device is provided with the slidable housing, sample collection media and port, and the mechanically actuated plunger fluid controller. The method includes introducing the biological sample into the removable extension, removing the removable extension from the sample collection device, and transitioning the housing from the open position to the closed position to dispense the biological sample onto the sample collection media. The biological sample may be processed by drying, treating with a reagent, and separating plasma from the biological sample, and the sample collection media is described as supporting storage and remote testing.

Claims Coverage

Two independent claims are identified. Each claim centers on a slidable open/closed housing with a mechanically actuated plunger fluid controller and a removable extension adjacent the sample collection port that changes collection area while preventing actuation when fitted.

Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is the combination of a slidable open/closed housing with a mechanically actuated plunger that dispenses onto sample collection media, together with a removable extension adjacent the sample collection port that increases the collection area and prevents actuation while fitted. The method claim adds the sequence of introducing sample into the removable extension, removing it, and then closing the housing to dispense.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications