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Publication Number
US-12226084-B2
Publication Date
2025-02-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
A collection device for examining fecal matter to determine whether a patient is afflicted with parasites includes a particle accumulating plug mounted on an end of a collection tube containing a fecal specimen. The particle accumulating plug includes an inner wall that defines an inverted funnel. A pipetting port is formed through the inner wall at the apex of the inverted funnel allowing the tip of a pipette to enter the port and aspirate the ova or eggs, or other parasite cells, that have separated from the fecal specimen. The conical shape of the inner wall of the plug directs the separated parasite ova or eggs towards the pipetting port and to accumulate within the volume of the funnel of the plug so that a desired volume of fluid containing a concentrated quantity of parasite ova or eggs may be aspirated into the pipette tip through the pipetting port.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a fecal parasite testing collection device that separates particles from a sample of matter and concentrates the particles therein for subsequent extraction and analysis. It uses an elongated collection tube for holding an emulsion formed by mixing the sample with a flotation solution that separates particles from the sample, where the particles are suspended in the emulsion. The collection tube defines a tube inner bore and a top opening in communication with the tube inner bore.
A particle accumulating plug is mounted in the tube inner bore at the top opening, with an outer sidewall defining a plug inner bore and an inner wall disposed within the plug inner bore. The inner wall is conically shaped to define an inverted funnel having an apex, where the conically-shaped inner wall converges to the apex and includes a pipetting port formed through the thickness at the apex. The pipetting port is dimensioned to receive the tip of a pipette, and particles rising in the collection tube are directed by the conically-shaped inner wall to accumulate within the funnel to provide a fluid with a concentrated quantity of separated particles.
The plug- and tube-geometry supports aspirating the concentrated particle-containing fluid by inserting the pipette tip into the pipetting port for extraction and analysis. Example embodiments include transparent portions of the collection tube sidewall and transparent portions of the particle accumulating plug to visually view the emulsion level and the funnel region. Additional refinements include a screen positioned in the plug inner bore relative to the funnel apex, and solution-inlet structures such as a fill channel and/or fill port/bore with a notch to allow flotation solution to be introduced into the tube inner bore in fluid communication with the top opening.
Claims Coverage
The document includes four independent claims (1, 12, 23, and 32). Across these claims, the inventive features focus on an elongated tube holding an emulsion with a flotation solution, a particle accumulating plug with a conically shaped inner wall defining an inverted funnel and a pipetting port at the apex, directing rising suspended particles into the funnel to form a concentrated quantity for aspiration, and dependent refinements that add visualization, internal screening, geometric constraints, and flotation solution introduction structures.
Inverted-funnel particle accumulation plug with pipetting port for aspirating concentrated particles
A particle accumulating plug mounted in a tube inner bore at a top opening, having an outer sidewall defining a plug inner bore and an inner wall disposed within the plug inner bore, where the inner wall is conically shaped to define an inverted funnel having an apex and a pipetting port formed through the thickness at the apex dimensioned to receive a pipette tip, so that particles suspended in the emulsion that rise in the collection tube are directed into the funnel to provide a fluid having a concentrated quantity of separated particles that is aspirated into the pipette inserted into the pipetting port.
Flotation-solution emulsion in an elongated collection tube with funnel-directed accumulation
An elongated collection tube for holding an emulsion formed by mixing a sample of matter with a flotation solution used in separating the particles from the sample, defining a tube inner bore and a top opening in communication with the tube inner bore, in which particles suspended in the emulsion rise and are directed by a conically shaped inner wall of a particle accumulating plug into an inverted funnel at the apex to provide a concentrated quantity of separated particles for extraction by aspirating the fluid through a pipetting port.
Fecal specimen parasite ova, eggs or cells concentration for extraction and analysis via aspirating funnel fluid
An elongated collection tube holding a fecal emulsion formed from mixing a fecal specimen with a flotation solution used in separating parasite ova, eggs or cells, where parasite ova, eggs or cells are suspended in the emulsion and are directed by a conically shaped inverted-funnel plug to accumulate within a funnel providing a fluid having a concentrated quantity of separated parasite ova, eggs or cells for extraction by aspirating into a pipette tip inserted into a pipetting port.
Viewable particle accumulating plug and transparent tube sidewall for visual monitoring
A collection device in which at least a portion of the collection tube sidewall is transparent and the particle accumulating plug is viewable through the transparent portion, while particles suspended in the emulsion rise and are directed by the conically shaped inner wall to accumulate within the funnel, providing a fluid having a concentrated quantity of separated particles for extraction by aspirating through the pipetting port.
Screen in plug inner bore positioned to receive separated particles in funnel region
A particle accumulating plug in which the plug comprises a screen within the plug inner bore positioned relative to the conically-shaped inner wall such that it lies opposite the funnel apex to receive separated particles entering the funnel, the screen having multiple through-thickness pores with a general dimension of about 180 microns.
Conical inner-wall angle constraints for the inverted funnel
A particle accumulating plug in which the conically-shaped inner wall defines the inverted funnel, with the inner wall having an angle relative to the longitudinal central axis between about 5 degrees and about 60 degrees, including an embodiment where the conically-shaped inner wall has an angle of about 9.6 degrees relative to the longitudinal central axis.
Fill channel and aligned notch for introducing flotation solution into the tube inner bore
A particle accumulating plug having an outer sidewall with an outer fill channel in fluid communication with the top opening and inner bore of the elongated collection tube to allow addition of flotation solution to the tube inner bore, including an embodiment with a through-thickness notch formed in the plug outer sidewall aligned with and fluidly communicating with the fill channel so that flotation solution flows into the tube inner bore.
Fill port and fill bore in the plug wall fluidly connected to the tube inner bore
A particle accumulating plug comprising a fill port and a fill bore defined by a plug wall, where the fill bore is fluidly connected to the fill port so a flotation solution can be added to the inner bore of a collection tube.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive concept is a collection device and/or a particle accumulating plug that uses an elongated collection tube with a flotation-solution emulsion and a conically shaped inverted-funnel plug whose apex pipetting port receives a pipette tip to aspirate a fluid containing a concentrated quantity of separated particles. Dependent claim features refine this by adding transparency for viewing, optional internal screening with pore sizing, constrained conical inner-wall angles, and specific flotation-solution introduction structures such as fill channels and/or fill ports/bore with notch alignment.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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