Patent ID: 11857321
Assignee: MAGNOLIA MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 16:
17. A method for procuring bodily fluid samples with reduced contamination using a fluid control device having a housing, an actuator, and a flow controller, the method comprising:
establishing fluid communication between a bodily fluid source and an inlet of the housing;
coupling a fluid collection device to an outlet of the housing, the fluid collection device exerting a suction force within at least a portion of the housing when coupled to the outlet;
transitioning the flow controller from a first state to a second state in response to the suction force to increase a volume of a sequestration chamber collectively defined by the flow controller and a portion of the housing;
receiving, in response to the increase in volume and into a first portion of the sequestration chamber, a volume of air contained in a flow path defined between the bodily fluid source and the sequestration chamber;
receiving, in response to the increase in volume and into a second portion of the sequestration chamber, an initial volume of bodily fluid; and
transitioning the actuator from a first configuration to a second configuration after receiving the initial volume of bodily fluid in the second portion of the sequestration chamber to (1) sequester the sequestration chamber and (2) allow a subsequent volume of bodily fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet in response to the suction force.