Specimen cup including test card slot and method of use thereof

A specimen collection cup has a container. The container has a wall and a floor and is configured for receiving and retaining a specimen. A section of the wall is transparent. Further, the container has a tab coupled to an inside surface of the wall that creates a slot for receiving a test card having a reagent pad affixed thereto. The tab is coupled to the inside surface of the wall such that when the test card is inserted in the slot indicia on the test card is aligned with the transparent section.

BACKGROUND

There are a variety of tests that may be used to test whether a donor has partaken in any number of drugs. There are urine tests in which a donor deposits his/her urine into a cup, and test strips that are submerged in the urine. The test strips have drug indication lines that appear or do not appear based on the presence or absence of drugs in the urine.

SUMMARY

A specimen collection cup has a container. The container has a wall and a floor and is configured for receiving and retaining a specimen. A section of the wall is transparent. Further, the container has a tab coupled to an inside surface of the wall that creates a slot for receiving a test card having a reagent pad affixed thereto. The tab is coupled to the inside surface of the wall such that when the test card is inserted in the slot indicia on the test card is aligned with the transparent section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1depicts a perspective view of a specimen collection cup1in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The specimen collection cup1comprises a container3and a corresponding lid2.

The container3, lid2, and tab4may be made of any type of durable plastic material. In one embodiment, they are made of polyethylene.

In one embodiment, the lid2is attached to the container3via a tab4. In such an embodiment, the tab4is flexible such that the lid2may be rotated relative to the container3and coupled to an open end21of the container3.

In the exemplary embodiment depicted inFIG. 1, the container3comprises a wall22. In one embodiment, as shown, the wall22comprises an arcuate, e.g., arched, curved, or section22athat is contiguous with a linear section22b. Further, the container3comprises a floor15that is contiguous with the wall22. The arcuate section22aand the contiguous linear section22bforming a semicircle-shaped chamber for collecting a specimen (not shown), e.g., bodily fluid, from a donor.

In one embodiment, the lid2is semicircle-shaped and comprises a groove24. When coupling the lid2to the container3, the groove24receives and engages a rim25. In such an embodiment, the lid2snaps onto the container3via mating of the groove24and the rim25, and the container3contains the specimen once deposited in the container3.

In one embodiment, the lid2comprises an opening30. The opening30may be used to access the specimen once the lid2has been attached to the container3. Such access may allow all or a portion of the specimen to be removed without removing the lid2. In addition, the opening30may allow objects, e.g., test strips, to be inserted into the container3so that it may contact specimen contained in the container3. Further, the lid2is attached to a top31that may be coupled to the opening30to further retain the specimen within the container3when the lid2is coupled to the container3. Note that in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1the top31is coupled to the lid2via a tether32; however, the top31need not be attached to the lid2or other types of attachment mechanisms may be used in other embodiments. Note that the openings30and31may be present in exemplary embodiments. However, such openings30and31may also be removed in other embodiments.

The container3further comprises two tabs6and7that are coupled to an inside surface of the wall22. As will be shown with reference toFIG. 2, the tabs6and7are coupled to the wall22such that slots are formed for receiving a test strip card20, which is described further herein. To minimize cost and interference with the specimen and to allow a portion of the specimen to contact necessary portions of the test strip card20, the tabs6and7are spaced apart a distance d1. Thus, specimen retained in the container3may react with the necessary portions of the test card20and provide test results identifying the presence/absence of chemicals in the specimen.

FIG. 2depicts a top view of the specimen collection cup1when the lid2is not coupled to the container3, i.e., the specimen collection cup1is in an open position.

In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2, edges40and41of the tabs6and7, respectively, are coupled to an inside surface60of the arcuate section22aof the wall22. The tabs6and7are coupled to the inside surface60of the arcuate section22aof the wall22at distances d2and d3, respectively, from an inside surface15of the linear section22bof the wall22. Thus, slot11is formed between the tab6and the inside surface14of the linear section22b, and slot12is formed between the tab7and the inside surface14of the linear section22b.

FIG. 3depicts a front view of the specimen collection cup1when a card20is inserted into the slots11and12and retained within the container3. Note that in one embodiment, the linear section22b(FIG. 2) of the wall22is transparent and flat. Thus, when the card20is inserted within the slots11and12, indicia printed on the card20that is adjacent the linear section22bis readily visible through the flat, transparent wall22. Thus, when a user of the specimen collection cup1desires to view results of a test of a specimen contained in the container3, the user does not have to open the lid2. Instead, the user need only look at the linear section22bof the wall to see results of a drug screening.

FIG. 4depicts a front view of the specimen collection cup1. The test strip card20has been inserted into the slots11and12(FIG. 2) and retained within the container3. As noted hereinabove, in one embodiment, the linear section22bof the wall22is transparent. Thus, once a specimen is deposited within the container3, the user may view results of a drug screening through the transparent linear wall22b.

Note that the test strip card20may comprise an area36and37for noting an identifier and/or a date, respectively, associated with the donor who is depositing the specimen. In addition, the test strip card20comprises one or more test strips50that comprise chemical pads or reagent pads51that react with chemicals present in the specimen contained within the container3. In this regard, each strip50is associated with a particular chemical that may be found in the specimen within the container3.

In operation, as the donor's specimen saturates the reagent pad51, the specimen is absorbed by the test strips50. As the specimen is absorbed by the strip50, the strip50may change colors, e.g., pink. If the drug(s) is detected, a line52will not appear for the drug that is being tested. If a drug(s) is not detected, a line will appear for the drug(s) that is being tested. There may also be control lines at an end of the strip50that appear to indicate that the test ran properly.

FIG. 5depicts a flowchart for an exemplary method in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In step500, a user, e.g., a test facilitator notes identifying indicia of the donor on a test strip card20(FIG. 4). Such identifying indicia may include an identification number or a donor's name. In addition, the test facilitator may note a date on the test strip card30.

In step501, the test facilitator inserts the test strip card20within slots11and12(FIG. 2) that are coupled to an inside surface60(FIG. 2) of an arcuate section22a(FIG. 2) of a wall22(FIG. 2) of a container3(FIG. 2). Such test strip card20is inserted within the slots11and12such that the indicia and test strip50are visible through the transparent linear section22b(FIG. 2) of the wall22.

In step502, a donor deposits a specimen, e.g., urine, within the container3. Thus, the retainer3receives the specimen such that the specimen contacts reagent pad51on the test strip card20. In one embodiment, the donor may deposit a specimen prior to the card being inserted. In such an embodiment, once the donor has made the deposit of the specimen, the facilitator may take possession of the specimen collection cup1(FIG. 1) and inserts the test strip card20.

In step503, the test facilitator or the donor closes the lid2(FIG. 2) thereby retaining the specimen within the container3. In step504, the test facilitator (or the donor) observes the test strip50on the test card20to determine the presence/absence of particular chemicals within the deposited specimen.