Patent ID: 11937791
Assignee: BIOME OXFORD LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A device for sampling gastro-intestinal material, comprising:
a capsule body comprising a sample input valve, the sample input valve comprising a one-way valve;
a suction mechanism configured to generate a partial vacuum; and
an actuator configured to actuate the suction mechanism, wherein:
the actuator comprises a dissolvable element and is configured so that the dissolvable element dissolves in a predetermined region of the gastro-intestinal tract and the dissolving of the dissolvable element causes actuation of the suction mechanism;
the suction mechanism comprises a biasing member restrained by the dissolvable element prior to actuation of the suction mechanism;
the dissolving of the dissolvable element releases the biasing member;
the biasing member is configured to expand a sample chamber within the capsule body, on release of the biasing member, such that the outer shape and size of the device is the same after expansion of the sample chamber as the outer shape and size of the device prior to expansion of the sample chamber and thereby generate the partial vacuum within the sample chamber and draw gastro-intestinal material into the sample chamber through the sample input valve; and
the sample input valve is configured to allow a pressure gradient driven passage of the gastro-intestinal material from the outside of the capsule body into the sample chamber through one or more sample collection openings, and, in the absence of a pressure gradient, to be driven to seal the one or more sample collection openings by the absence of the pressure gradient; and the capsule body comprises an actuator opening via which the gastro-intestinal material can contact the dissolvable element and dissolve the dissolvable element, wherein the dissolvable element is positioned to fully seal the actuator opening prior to expansion of the sample chamber, wherein the biasing member forces a movable element to push the dissolvable element through the actuator opening during expansion of the sample chamber, and wherein upon pushing the dissolvable element through the actuator opening the movable element is positioned to fully seal the actuator opening such that only the dissolvable element exits through the actuator opening during expansion of the sample chamber, and wherein the one or more actuator openings are separated from the one or more sample collection openings.