Patent ID: 11885722
Assignee: HERO SCIENTIFIC LTD.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  Y | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A sampling device for concentrating a liquid specimen sample, the sampling device comprising:
a filtration assembly, which comprises:
(i) a tubular container, which is shaped so as to define an inner wall and a proximal container opening for receiving the liquid specimen sample;
(ii) a plunger, which comprises a plunger head and a plunger rod, which (1) has a distal end portion to which the plunger head is coupled, and (2) is shaped so as to define an internal plunger space having a plunger-space proximal opening through a proximal end of the plunger rod, wherein the plunger head is shaped so as to define a plunger-head opening through the plunger head and into the internal plunger space;
(iii) a filter, which is removably disposed on a distal end of the plunger head; and
(iv) a filter-withdrawal shaft, which (a) includes a distal portion that is directly or indirectly coupled to the filter, and (b) which is disposed passing through the internal plunger space,

wherein the plunger is insertable into the tubular container via the proximal container opening, thereby inserting the filter into the tubular container and forming a fluid-tight movable seal between a lateral surface of the plunger head and the inner wall of the tubular container,
wherein the filtration assembly is configured such that movement of the plunger head within the tubular container, when the liquid specimen sample is contained in the tubular container and the filter is removably disposed on the distal end of the plunger head in the tubular container, pushes at least a portion of the liquid specimen sample through the filter, and
wherein the sampling device is configured such that while the plunger head is within the tubular container:
proximal withdrawal of the filter-withdrawal shaft out of the internal plunger space pulls the filter into the internal plunger space via the plunger-head opening and out of the internal plunger space via the plunger-space proximal opening, and removes the filter-withdrawal shaft and the filter from the filtration assembly.