Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7648680?dq=5,583,822
Timestamp: 2014-03-16 05:11:50
Document Index: 516087306

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 08159282', 'Application No. 00930691', 'Application No. 00930691', 'Application No. 00930691', 'Application No. 04024555', 'Application No. 08159282', 'Application No. 48468', 'Application No. 48468']

Patent US7648680 - Method for accessing the contents of a closed vessel containing a specimen ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsMethod for obtaining a fluid sample from a collection device which includes assembling cap and fluid-holding vessel components of the collection device to contain and isolate a specimen retrieval device adjacent a side wall of the vessel. The position of the specimen retrieval device within the collection...http://www.google.com/patents/US7648680?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7648680 - Method for accessing the contents of a closed vessel containing a specimen retrieval deviceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7648680 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/973,521Publication dateJan 19, 2010Filing dateOct 26, 2004Priority dateMay 14, 1999Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS6716396, US6723289, US6806094, US7276383, US7309469, US7435389, US7708951, US7795036, US7927549, US8038967, US8206662, US8211710, US8334145, US8535621, US8573072, US20010039058, US20010041336, US20030207463, US20040105786, US20040151634, US20040152205, US20050059161, US20080047371, US20080110846, US20080118988, US20080118989, US20080134808, US20080152545, US20080245163, US20080274514, US20080305010, US20090301230, US20100203547, US20110236888Publication number10973521, 973521, US 7648680 B2, US 7648680B2, US-B2-7648680, US7648680 B2, US7648680B2InventorsBruce W. Anderson, Nick M. Carter, Mordi I. Iheme, Daniel L. KacianOriginal AssigneeGen-Probe IncorporatedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (108), Non-Patent Citations (21), Referenced by (2), Classifications (23), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod for accessing the contents of a closed vessel containing a specimen retrieval deviceUS 7648680 B2Abstract Method for obtaining a fluid sample from a collection device which includes assembling cap and fluid-holding vessel components of the collection device to contain and isolate a specimen retrieval device adjacent a side wall of the vessel. The position of the specimen retrieval device within the collection device is such that the specimen retrieval device does not substantially interfere with the movement of a fluid transfer device into or out of the assembled collection device. The fluid transfer device is used to draw and remove a fluid substance from the collection device for analysis.
1. A method for accessing the fluid contents of a vessel, the method comprising the following ordered steps:
(a) providing a specimen retrieval device to the vessel;
(b) closing an open end of the vessel with a cap, the cap having a tapered inner wall that is configured to position the specimen retrieval device along a side wall of the vessel, whereby an upper end of the specimen retrieval device is positioned adjacent the tapered inner wall of the cap and laterally spaced from the axis of the vessel;
(c) piercing the tapered inner wall of the cap with a fluid transfer device;
(d) moving the fluid transfer device into the vessel along a fluid transfer device pathway that is laterally spaced from the upper end of the specimen retrieval device;
(e) drawing at least a portion of the fluid contents into the fluid transfer device; and
(f) removing the fluid transfer device from the vessel.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap and vessel include mated threads for fixedly associating the cap and vessel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (b) provides a substantially leak-proof seal between the cap and vessel.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cap and vessel are each formed of an injection molded plastic.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specimen retrieval device is a swab.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the swab includes a score line to facilitate snapping-off an upper portion of the swab above the score line.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of snapping-off and removing the upper portion of the swab prior to step (b).
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer device is a plastic pipette tip.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) requires applying a force of less than about 8 pounds to the cap.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the tapered inner wall of the cap comprises a plurality of radially extending striations.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid contents of the vessel contain a nucleic acid analyte.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of amplifying a nucleic acid sequence contained in the nucleic acid analyte.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the amplifying step is performed using a polymerase chain reaction procedure.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the amplifying step is performed using a transcription-mediated amplification procedure.
15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of detecting the presence of the nucleic acid analyte in the fluid contents of the vessel.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of detecting the presence of the target nucleic acid analyte in the fluid contents of the vessel.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inhibiting the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the closed vessel after step (c).
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inhibiting step is carried out using a wick contained within the cap or an overcap.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wick is a pile fabric.
20. The method of claim 12 further comprising, after step (c), the step of inhibiting the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the closed vessel.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the inhibiting step is carried out using a wick contained within the cap or an overcap.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cap or overcap includes a seal for retaining the wick within the cap or overcap.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the wick is a pile fabric.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the tapered inner wall is a generally conical inner wall.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/715,639, filed Nov. 17, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,469, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/821,486, filed Mar. 29, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,806,094, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/704,210, filed Nov. 1, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,396, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/675,641, filed Sep. 29, 2000, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/570,124, filed May 12, 2000, now abandoned, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/134,265, filed May 14, 1999, each of which applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
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No. 10/715,639, Mar. 22, 2006.* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS20090048534 *May 2, 2006Feb 19, 2009Daniele TrivaDevice for the Withdrawal, collection and Transport of Biological SpecimensUS20110236888 *Jun 3, 2011Sep 29, 2011Gen-Probe IncorporatedMethod for accessing the contents of a closed vessel containing a specimen retrieval device* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification422/501International ClassificationB01L99/00, B01L3/14, G01N35/10, B01L3/02, B01L3/00Cooperative ClassificationB01L2300/0609, B01L2300/046, B01L3/5029, B01L3/0275, G01N35/1079, B01L2300/048, B01L2300/042, B01L2300/047, B01L2300/044, B01L2200/141, B01L2300/069, B01L2200/026, B01L2200/0684, B01L3/50825European ClassificationB01L3/50825, G01N35/10P, B01L3/02ELegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 14, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Aug 1, 2012ASAssignmentEffective date: 20120801Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:HOLOGIC, INC.;BIOLUCENT, LLC;CYTYC CORPORATION;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:028810/0745Owner name: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, NEW YORKRotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google