Visual indication test kit

Inventors

Foy, Deborah • Locke, Edward • Parker, Julian • Pomozzi, Anthony • Rixon, III, Matthew

Assignees

Morphix Technologies Inc

Abstract

A test kit is provided. The test kit includes a case including a top including a plurality of indicator pads and a crushing plate rotatable between a first position and a second position, the crushing plate including a plurality of crushing ribs. The case further includes a bottom hingedly coupled to the top, the bottom including a plurality of reagent ampoules storing reagents. When the case is closed with the crushing plate in the second position, the plurality of crushing ribs crush the the plurality of reagent ampoules. The test kit further includes a collector including a collector body, a plurality of swabs extending through the collector body, a removable cover covering a first side of the collector body, and a collector handle coupled to the collector body, wherein the collector is nestable within the case.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a visual indication test kit and workflow that enables collecting substances from a substrate with a collector and then performing multiple chemical visual tests using a single analyte extraction. The kit includes a case with a top comprising a plurality of indicator pads and a crushing plate rotatable between a first position and a second position, where the crushing plate includes plurality of crushing ribs. When the case is positioned in a closed position, the crushing ribs align with and contact a plurality of reagent ampoules in the bottom to crush the reagent ampoules and release stored reagents.

The kit further includes a collector nested in the case, where the collector comprises a collector body having first and second sides and a plurality of swabs extending through the collector body from the first side to the second side, with each swab exposed at the second side. A removable cover covers the first side of the collector body, and the collector further includes a collector handle having first and second ends coupled to the collector body. The collector is nestable within the case so that the swabs can be used to collect substances and then be used within the closed case.

In use, the method collects substances from the substrate using the plurality of swabs disposed on the collector, and then the collector is inserted into the top of the case. The crushing plate is rotated from the first position to the second position, and the case is closed such that the crushing ribs align with and contact the reagent ampoules to crush the reagent ampoules and release reagents. The released reagents mix with the substances collected by the plurality of swabs, and the mixtures flow to a plurality of indicator pads in the top of the case, where viewing the indicator pads determines the presence of at least one chemical in the substances.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes two independent claims. Each independent claim is directed to a test kit structure and a corresponding method for testing substances using that kit, including crushing reagent ampoules, mixing with substances collected by swabs, and routing resulting mixtures to indicator pads for viewing.

Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is the combination of a hinged case with a top indicator-pad arrangement and a rotatable crushing plate that crushes reagent ampoules, together with a nested collector having through-body swabs. The method claim further ties these structures together by requiring swab-based substance collection, insertion of the collector into the case, crushing reagent ampoules, mixing with swab-collected substances, and viewing indicator pads after mixtures flow to them to determine presence of at least one chemical.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications