Abstract:
The present invention is a device for assaying and collection of biological and other specimens and is especially designed for the collection and determination of the presence of chemical constituents in clinical chemistry, drugs of abuse testing, pregnancy, urinalysis, infectious disease testing, and other fields of analysis of fluids.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention is a method that relates to assaying and collecting biological and other specimens and is especially designed for the collection and determination of the presence of chemical constituents in drugs of abuse, urinalysis, infectious disease, pregnancy, fertility, clinical chemistry and other areas of analysis  
           [0003]    The collection devices of the prior art for urine for example were not designed to be used for analysis. These devices were strictly designed to collect urine on the ward of a hospital and then sent to the laboratory for testing. Or, the nurse would collect a urine and take it back to the nurse&#39;s station and test the urine commonly with a urine dipstick. There are several drawbacks to this. First the nurse will have to have an open urine container at the nurses station. This presents a biological hazard that the nurse, doctors, patients, and passerby&#39;s would be exposed to. The chances are spillage of the urine specimen or any liquid for that matter is high when ever you have an open container present. With this specimen now present at the nurses station after collection the pressure to test and dispose of the specimen is increased for workload, safety and storage area (clutter) reasons alone. The next step for the nurse would be to take the urine specimen and dip a dry chemistry test strip into the urine and analyze for urine analytes of interest (constituents). The constituents that are commonly analyzed in urine specimens are glucose, pH, specific gravity, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrite, protein, red blood cells (hemoglobin), ketones, and white blood cells (human leukocyte esterase). Once the test strip has been removed from the specimen it needs to be compared to a color chart to determine the concentration of the urinary constituents. The nurse will then wait the pre-required time to read each and every color pad as designated by the package insert for the test strip by the manufacturer. After analysis the nurse does not want to lay this strip on the counter for contamination reasons. The nurse may possibly use a paper towel to lay the strip on. Once the results are recorded the nurse will then properly dispose of the test strip and urine specimen and container. Resulting in an inordinate amount of risk, time, and labor.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    The present is device that is designed to collect and assay the presence of urinary constituents (analytes of interest) in a biological urine specimen. This specimen could come from humans, animals or other sources submitted for analysis of the analyte of interest. That is to say for example that the present device (invention) is designed to be used for the collection and detection of glucose in the urine specimen or the device is used to collect urine and detect virulent disease causing viruses such as HIV, proteins, viruses, drugs of abuse, drug metabolites, clinical analytes of interest, and therapeutic drugs.  
           [0006]    There is no prior that produces the unexpected results of the present device and the answers to a solution to that was never before even recognized that the present art provides. The prior art teaches away from the present art in that it goes in a completely different direction. That is to say that the collection devices of the past for urine were not designed to be used for analysis but strictly collection. For example these devices were strictly designed to collect urine on the ward of a hospital and then be sent to the laboratory for testing. The collection device was designed to collect urine and test however these devices are cumbersome, expensive, and not designed for the specific purpose of testing biological constituents. These some devices are designed to perform analysis of certain constituents but in a cumbersome and messy manner and these devices were not designed to collect urine for any period time and have numerous drawbacks and limitations when related to the advance that the present device brings to the art.  
           [0007]    A thorough search of patents, publications, and research revealed no relative art (i.e., prior art) showing any direct correlation to this novel invention. The search included the USPTO (United States Patent Office) data base with no patents issued for a device designed specifically for biological specimen or other fluid collection and testing that is unique this device. However, the following art will be mentioned to further illustrate the novelty of the present art and the obvious advancement to the current art. The following patents, without exception do not mention the use of a cup for collection and analysis of biological specimens for detecting specific analytes of interest.  
           [0008]    It is known in the art that the urine matrix is very complex and consists of many urinary constituents which create strong buffering and interference problems (e.g. cannibal-like enzymes such as protease) that have to be overcome to provide a method that can be used for the general population with precision and accuracy. Simply because a technique can accommodate a liquid sample does not imply that it can be successfully used with any liquid test matrix. Such successful adaptation of test techniques to accurately deal with specific sample matrices aren&#39;t often “obvious” to any scientist. The same can be said of certain types of techniques used to analyze urine. For instance, the art is replete with examples of devices that provide dry chemistry dipsticks for dipping into a urine container and reading the result. However these dipsticks devices have crossover contamination problems from reaction pad to reaction pad because the dipstick is covered with urine and the urine from back and forth from reaction pad to reaction pad. However, the present art will demonstrate in detail the techniques developed that will overcome these type of interferences and issues with the prior art.  
           [0009]    The number of collections of biological specimens is very large in the United States and worldwide. The numbers are in the hundreds of thousands of specimens per day collected in urine containers for drugs of abuse screening, adulteration testing, urinalysis, infectious disease testing, clinical chemistry and other testing. Since very large numbers collected are involved it is very important to the art for a device designed to answer the problems of the current art that will be effective, safe, simple, and cost effective. No current device in the art solves these problems until this invention.  
           [0010]    Specimens collected for drugs of abuse testing sometimes require that the specimen integrity and chain of custody be validated. The adulteration of samples submitted for drug testing is unacceptable. The assay run on any specimen submitted for any analysis is only as good as the specimen collected.  
           [0011]    Also with the onset of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), STD&#39;s (sexually transmitted diseases), hepatitis and other infectious diseases the health risk associated with the handling of body fluids has increased exponentially over the last few years. Therefore, if a device is invented that can provide added safety it is very likely that it will save lives.  
           [0012]    The multiple steps of specimen collection as required with the prior art are hazardous with regards to infectious diseases. First the sample is collected in a container then the specimen is transferred to another container for testing in a device, test tube, or instrument. In the case of drugs of abuse testing the sample has to be split to another container before it is tested so that the original container is not contaminated with the test device (in case of cross contamination from the test device). These multiple steps procedures of potentially infectious material have required the manual use of test tubes, pipettes, syringes, or other devices used in the transfer of specimens from collection device to the final container use for analysis. Then of course after the assay is completed the assay container and or the specimen has to be discarded.  
           [0013]    Another issue with the prior art is the possible misidentification or mislabeling of the specimen collected anytime the specimen has to be removed from the original container. This could in an erroneous result for the original specimen. Imagine a urine submitted for an HIV test and it was mix up with another specimen because of mislabeling and as erroneous result was reported. The implications are grave.  
           [0014]    Different attempts at providing an effective collection device have been attempted but all have failed fro multiple reasons. U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,551 to Galloway, describes a cup for collecting and analyzing a specimen but this device has multiple drawbacks. The device requires that the user to invert the container prior to analysis. When the container is inverted it leaks quite profusely. Which does not answer the contamination problem. The device is assay part of the device is attached to the collection cup and is not part of the cup and requires a number of chambers, channels, and other means that add to the cost and complexity of the device. In addition, the Galloway device requires the use of a plenum (a space in which a gas, usually air, is contained at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. In, addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,096,813 and 4,769,215 to Ehrenkranz provides drug testing urine collector type devices that includes perhaps the most complex devices ever designed for urine collection. The complexity of the devices alone would raise the cost of the devices to a level that it would infeasible to market and sell the devices. The devices have almost as many problems as the Galloway device. They actually has adulteration detection reagents in the reservoir. This is a major problem with regard sample contamination. The complexity of manufacturing and the contamination issues from the adulteration detection reagents to name a few are major drawbacks to these devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,813 to Krumhar is a device designed specifically to for storage and the detection of oxygen and has no relative bearing on the present invention. It is however, a device used for storage and by no means can be compared to the present device which can analyze a specimen at the point of collection, without tilting the cup, or pouring into another device, etc.  
           [0015]    While the prior art provides certain devices for the collection of fluids or other types of samples the prior art however suffers from a certain number of drawbacks.  
           [0016]    The inflation, insertion, and closure of the prior art devices all require multiple steps and are not simple efficient method to collect and analyzed urine without the risk or contamination, spillage, or other problems. All of the prior art requires tedious and complex methods for use. For instance, the one prior requires that certain the cup be tilted prior to analysis increasing the risk of leakage and contamination as the specimen leaks out of the container. Another device requires the use of a plunger (syringe) for use and yet another requires the use of tilting and a plenum. These are just some, not all, of the limitations of the prior art.  
           [0017]    The present device is designed for the analysis of biological specimens on site. That is to say the device can be used for the collection and analysis of the specimen within the container without removal of the specimen and without have to adjust the lid of the container, use a plunger, a plenum, or other multiple steps as required by the prior art. The specimen can be analyzed immediately at the point of collection or sent to the lab and tested the next day. The device can be used for long storage of a specimen before testing and/or for immediate analysis. This removes the risk of contamination, mislabeling, chain of custody, and cross over contamination.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    The present invention is designed to advance the art of urine collection and on site (at the point of collection) analysis past the prior arts drawbacks and provide a collection and analyzing cup that is simple to use, requires minimal instruction, has the minimum number of parts, and is cost effective. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method that allows for an easily automated process and readable.  
           [0019]    Correspondingly, another advantage of the present art is to provide a collection and analyzing device that will allow the user to collect the specimen in the cup, place the lid on the cup to prevent any biohazard accidents or contamination, analyze the specimen without having to further manipulate the cup like tilting, using a plunger, a plenum, etc. This is truly a one step process which is not currently known in the art.  
           [0020]    It has been found that the foregoing objects of the present art are accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing a collection and analyzing cup that is designed to collect the specimen and immediately have the lid secured onto the top of the cup.  
           [0021]    The present invention provides a method of specimen collection and analysis as defined above, and the method being characterized by the following steps:  
           [0022]    a) collecting the specimen in the cup;  
           [0023]    b) and recording the results of the analysis without the use of a plunger or the requirement of tilting the specimen.  
           [0024]    Other aspects and advantages of the present invention appear more clearly from reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Such as the determination of exactly how the device works. A thorough search of the literature reveals no relative art resembling this technology; therefore, this invention is clearly a novel in creation, and is not obvious to anyone skilled in the art, in fact the prior art devices teaches away from the present art in that the prior art requires that the cup be tilted in order for the device to be used (this is not a requirement of the present device in fact the present device is a teaching of simplicity with no manipulation of the cup as a requirement) and the prior art devices teach away from the present device in that some prior art require that the lid be off the container to activate, and the prior art teaches away from the present device in that the prior teaches the use and requirement of a plenum which is a pressurized space, etc. There are certain aspects of the present art that can be found in the prior art (e.g. the use of a cup) but no prior has advanced the art of specimen collection and analysis as much as the present art. This art solves an unrecognized problem that was never before even recognized. Specifically this allows for the user the unexpected results of using a device that is simple, efficient and cost effective that only utilizes a cup and activation device without the use of plungers, plenums, tilting, etc., for a much more effective and safe method of collection and analysis of a specimen.  
           [0025]    The collection and assaying device, in accordance with the present device, for both collecting and analyzing specimens, includes a container (cup) having an opening for collection of the specimen and a chamber for storing the collected specimen. A cap provides a means for sealing the container opening and an assay means which is not attached but integrated into the container providing for chemically analyzing the specimen.  
           [0026]    The specimen can be a biological sample (urine, etc.) or other type of fluid.  
           [0027]    It important that the means are provided for introducing a portion of the collected specimen within the chamber into the assay means when the cap on the container. However, this device and testing means does not require that the cap be in place. By placing the cap into position there is no requirement for removing the sample from the assaying device in order to conduct chemical analysis.  
           [0028]    Therefore, the apparatus of the present device (invention) totally removes the need to transfer the collected sample from the device in order to conduct a chemical analysis as is the case with prior art devices. As mentioned this has a significant importance with regard to safety, biohazard, time and savings.  
           [0029]    Additionally, one embodiment of the present device is particularly suitable for Infectious disease, Pregnancy (HCG), Fertility, Clinical Chemistry, Drugs of Abuse, and Urinalysis Testing of biological fluids, which includes a means for preventing premature or inadvertent entry of the specimen into the assay means (because of the special design of the activation means). And, since the fluid specimen never leaves the device, if a positive test for HIV (infectious disease), or drug, etc., is indicated, the entire device may be removed or shipped to the laboratory or other facility for further or confirmation testing.  
           [0030]    Additionally, the present device, the assay means may include chromatograph, thin layer chromatography and dry chemistry hybrid, dry chemistry test pads attached to lateral flow device or other material assay means integrated in the container for enabling direct visual observation of the assay results. Therefore, no additional steps are necessary for affecting an analysis of a biological specimen.  
           [0031]    Additionally, the present device (Test Cup), the assay means may be made from an assortment of materials to include plastic, acrylics, polymers, glass and or other material that would make it possible to read the results for the chemistry pads/strips inserted into the device for analysis. These assay strips are well known and may be made up of but not limited to chromatograph, thin layer chromatography and dry chemistry hybrid, dry chemistry test pads attached to lateral flow device or other material assay means integrated in the container for enabling direct visual observation of the assay results. The strips that can be inserted into the slots in the “Test Cup” are usually made up of a solid support which includes an absorbent material capable of transporting a liquid by capillary action or wicking (e.g. nitrocellulose 5.0 u, S&amp;S brand; paper/cotton/glass fiber wicks, etc.) in this example having dimensions of approximately 3 mm wide by 70 mm long and can be backed by or in contact with strips of glass fiber (e.g. Whatman GF/A) to aid in controlling the wicking action.  
           [0032]    As described above, the assaying means may contain a plurality of separated thin layer chromatograph strips with each strip comprising means for chemically analyzing the biological fluid for a different analyte, or chromatograph, or thin layer chromatography and dry chemistry hybrid, or dry chemistry test pads attached to lateral flow device or other material assay means.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0033]    Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become obvious from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 1 is a side plan view of one embodiment of the Test Cup made in accordance with this invention generally showing the container and the collection chamber;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1 prior to placing a lid onto the container generally looking down into the container from the top;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of FIG. 1 from the bottom of the Test Cup;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 4 is a side plan view of FIG. 1 looking down into the cup from an angle;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 1 looking down into the cup from an angle with the cup shaded in accordance with this invention generally showing the container, activation device, and assaying means.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0039]    The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the present art invention are shown. It is understood from the embodiments that a person skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such as changing the size or shape of a Test Cup, the optional addition of a wick, or the addition of a magnifying side wall to allow for easier reading and automation of the assaying mean results.  
         [0040]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIG. 4, there is shown the collection and assaying device  10  (Test Cup), in accordance with the present invention. The device generally includes an opening  16 , which provides a means for collecting the biological fluid and a chamber  32 , which provides a means for storing the collected fluid.  
         [0041]    The device  10  may be formed, or molded, from any suitable clear (allowing for reading of the assay means from the outside of the container) material such as plastic, polymers, glass etc., and may include screw threads  11  at the top of the container  17  formed into the top  17  of the side walls  20  of the container opening  16  and are sized to for accepting a cap. A cap if used can be screwed onto the threads  11  provides a means for sealing the device  10  opening  16 . For typical biological collection to include urinalysis (UA), drug screening, pregnancy, clinical chemistry, etc., the typical device (Test Cup)  10  capacity of about 25 to 100 mLs to accommodate split specimen requirement and additional testing.  
         [0042]    The assaying device means  10  as shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate the channels that extend from the upper part of the device  10  all the way to the bottom  18  as clearly illustrated in the FIG. 4. The channels that are formed from the left and right angle flange(s)  22  that are juxtaposed to each other and attached to the inner side wall  23  of the device  10  fixing their position so that the flange(s)  22  are immovable. These flanges(s)  22  are separated by 1 to 3 mm as necessary to accommodate the with of an assay means (e.g. test strip, lateral flow device, etc.) which obviously would slide into the inside of the flange(s) against the inner side wall  23  of the device  10  with the readable portion (in the form of a line, color, etc.) of the assay means facing the outside of the device  10  allowing interpretation of the test result.  
         [0043]    It should be acknowledge that any number of concurrent assay means to include analyte specific tests may be performed with the device  10  of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2 the device can have as little as one set of flange(s)  22  making up one assay means channel or the device  10  can have as many 20 of 30. This is determined (and only limited) by the circumference of the Test Cup device  10 . Obviously, the container needs to be made up of a clear plastic, polymer, glass material, etc., in order for the assay means test results to visible from the outside of the device  10 .  
         [0044]    This detailed description as provided allows for a marked advance in the art of Test Cup. The steps are as follows:  
         [0045]    a) collecting the specimen in the cup;  
         [0046]    b) and recording the results of the analysis without the use of a plunger, plenum, or the requirement of tilting the specimen.  
         [0047]    The simplicity and novelty of the invention is unmatched in the art. In fact the use of a lid is not necessary as is required from some of the prior art. Again this device excludes the need from lid, plunger, plenum, inserts, and tilting. All this device requires is that a specimen (biological fluid of some type) be added to the device and the reading of the assay strips once the analysis is complete. This device could be easily automated and include a magnifying plastic lens that would increase visibility of the assay means results. This invention is going to save the clinical diagnostics, drug of abuse testing, and other industries millions of dollars in analysis time, safety prevention and accident control, time (labor), and cost through the novel simplicity of the present invention.  
         [0048]    To briefly explain the above specification the Test Cup device for collecting a fluid specimen and analyzing a portion of the specimen is a said device comprising a collection means, having an opening, for collecting a specimen, and a chamber, for storing said specimen and channel means for holding the assay means, integrated into the said container means, said assay means being positioned to face toward the outside wall of the container means for enabling direct visual observation of the test result through the side walls of the Test Cup.  
         [0049]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment and the operation thereof and it is understood that variations, modifications, and substitution of equivalent means can be effected and still remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. And all such modifications and variations are to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.