Abstract:
A reagent dispensing apparatus includes a housing having a cavity with an opening and an aperture; and a plunger that includes a first member, that fits through the aperture, that is associated with a first seal. The plunger includes a second member associated with the first seal and a second seal that together form a first chamber, within the cavity, in which a first reagent is stored. The plunger includes a safety mechanism that controls movement of the plunger within the cavity. The apparatus includes a frangible seal that covers the opening and together with the second seal forms a second chamber, within the cavity, that stores a second reagent. When the first end is depressed and the safety mechanism is disengaged, the frangible seal is breached causing the evacuation of the first reagent or the second reagent through the opening.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/199,287, filed Jul. 31, 2015, the entire contents of the provisional application being incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Portable, hand held, and/or disposable devices used to perform real time or near-real time medical, chemical, or biological assays may enable a user of the device, to apply one or more reagents to a sample taken from a subject (e.g., urine, saliva, feces, genitals, ear, wound, etc.). The user may perform an assay on the sample by causing the device to deliver the one or more reagents to the sample (e.g., to test for the presence of certain biological matter, chemicals, contaminants, etc.). However, a device may not properly separate reagents from one another or apply the reagents in a manner and/or order than is intended for the assay. Accordingly, the assay may be performed incorrectly, produce unreliable results, and/or waste a limited number of samples available for testing. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a reagent dispensing apparatus for performing an assay on a sample, taken from a patient, using two or more reagents, the reagent dispensing apparatus may include a housing that includes an internal cavity having a first end with an opening and a second end that is opposite the first end. The second end may include an aperture. The reagent dispensing device may further include a plunger that includes a first member that fits through the aperture, and includes a third end and a fourth end that is opposite the third end. The third may be outside the housing, and the fourth may be located within the internal cavity and is associated with a first seal. The reagent dispensing apparatus may further include one or more safety mechanisms associated with the first member that, when engaged, prevent movement of the first member through the aperture, and, when disengaged, permit movement of the first member through the aperture. The reagent dispensing apparatus may yet further include a second member, that is within the internal cavity, having a fifth end and a sixth end that is opposite the fifth end. The fifth end may be associated with the first seal, and the sixth end may be associated with a second seal. The first seal and the second seal may form a first chamber, within a first portion of the internal cavity, that stores a first reagent. The reagent dispensing apparatus may also include a frangible seal that covers the opening of the internal cavity. The frangible seal and the second seal may form a second chamber, within a second portion of the internal cavity, that stores a second reagent. The frangible seal may be breached when the third end is depressed and the one or more safety mechanisms are disengaged to enable the plunger to move from an undepressed position to a first depressed position and causing the second reagent to exit the chamber through the opening and elute the sample. The first reagent may exit the first chamber, through the opening, to elute the sample when the one or more safety mechanisms are disengaged and the third end is further depressed to enable the plunger to move from the first depressed position to a second depressed position. 
         [0004]    Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a reagent dispensing apparatus that may include a housing that may include an internal cavity having a first end with an opening and a second end that is opposite the first end. The second end may include an aperture. The reagent dispensing apparatus may also include a plunger that moves through the cavity, the plunger may include a first member that includes a third end that is outside of the housing, a fourth end opposite the third end, and two or more safety mechanisms that prevent movement of the first member when the two or more safety mechanisms are engaged, the fourth end being associated with a first seal inside the internal cavity. The reagent dispensing device may also include a second member, inside the cavity, that includes a fifth end that is associated with the first seal and a sixth end, opposite the fifth end, that is associated with a second seal. The first seal and the second seal may form a first chamber, within a first portion of the internal cavity, that stores a first reagent, and the second seal may be associated with a tip. The reagent dispensing apparatus may also include a frangible seal that covers the opening of the internal cavity. The frangible seal and the second seal may form a second chamber, within a second portion of the internal cavity, that stores a second reagent. The frangible seal may be pierced when a first safety mechanism, of the two or more safety mechanisms, is disengaged and the third end is depressed to enable the plunger to move causing the tip to pierce the frangible seal and the second reagent to exit the chamber through the opening. The second seal may be broken when a second safety mechanism, of the two or more safety mechanisms, is disengaged and the third end is further depressed to enable the first reagent to exit the first chamber through the opening. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a reagent dispensing apparatus that may include a housing that includes an internal cavity having a first end with an opening and second end that is opposite the first end, the second end including an aperture. The reagent dispensing apparatus may also include a plunger that is movable within the cavity. The plunger may include a first member that includes a third end, a fourth end opposite the third end, and two or more safety mechanisms. The fourth end may be associated with a first seal. The two or more safety mechanisms may include at least one of a first safety mechanism associated with a first tab that is flexible, the first safety mechanism being disengaged when the first tab is depressed, and a second safety mechanism that corresponds to a keyway associated with the aperture and second tab that is not flexible. The second safety mechanism is disengaged when the second tab is aligned with the keyway. The second member may include a fifth end that is associated with the first seal and a sixth end, opposite the fifth end, that is associated with a second seal. The first seal and the second seal may form a first chamber, within a first portion of the internal cavity, that stores a first reagent. The second seal may be associated with a tip. The reagent dispensing apparatus may also include a frangible seal that covers the opening of the internal cavity. The frangible seal and the second seal may form a second chamber, within a second portion of the internal cavity, that stores a second reagent. The frangible seal may be pierced when one of the two or more safety mechanisms is disengaged and the third end is depressed to enable the plunger to move within the cavity causing the tip to pierce the frangible seal and evacuate the second reagent from the second chamber. The second seal may be broken when a different one of the two or more safety mechanisms is disengaged and the third end is further depressed to enable the first reagent to exit the first chamber through the opening. 
         [0006]    Another object of the present invention may include a method for administering two or more reagents to a sample in a predetermined order. The method may include providing a dispensing apparatus including a housing that includes an internal cavity having a first end with an opening and a second end that is opposite the first end. The second end may include an aperture. The method may further include providing a plunger that includes a first member that includes a third end, a fourth end opposite the third end, and one or more safety mechanisms. The third end, when depressed, may cause the first member to move through the aperture when the one or more safety mechanisms are disengaged. The fourth end may be associated with a first seal. The one or more safety mechanisms, when engaged, may prevent movement of the first member through the aperture and, when disengaged, may permit movement of the first member through the aperture. The plunger may also include a second member that includes a fifth end that is associated with the first seal and a sixth end, opposite the fifth end, that is associated with a second seal. The first seal and the second seal may form a first chamber, within a first portion of the internal cavity, that stores a first reagent. The method may also include providing a frangible seal that covers the opening of the internal cavity. The frangible seal and the second seal may form a second chamber, within a second portion of the internal cavity, that stores a second reagent. The method may also include providing a container containing a sample. The container may be capable of receiving the first reagent and the second reagent from the dispensing apparatus. The method may also include operating the dispensing apparatus to move the plunger from an undepressed position to a first depressed position to apply the second reagent to the sample. Moving the plunger from the undepressed position to the first depressed position may include ensuring the one or more safety mechanisms are disengaged, depressing the third end, breaching the frangible seal, and evacuating the second reagent from the housing through the opening to apply the second reagent to the sample. The method may also include operating the dispensing apparatus to move the plunger from the first depressed position to a second depressed position to apply the first reagent to the sample. Moving the plunger from the first depressed position to the second depressed position may include ensuring the one or more safety mechanisms are disengaged, depressing the third end, and evacuating the first reagent from the housing through the opening to apply the first reagent to the sample. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are diagrams of an example assay device having a container and a dispensing apparatus according to an implementation described herein; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are diagrams of example housings of dispensing apparatuses according to an implementation described herein; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4A  is a diagram of an example plunger apparatus according to an implementation described herein; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4B  is a diagram of an example housing of the dispensing apparatus of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  according to an implementation described herein; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of an example dispensing apparatus in an undepressed position according to an implementation described herein; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of the example dispensing apparatus of  FIG. 5  in a first depressed position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of the example dispensing apparatus of  FIG. 5  in a second depressed position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of an example dispensing apparatus with one chamber according to an implementation described herein; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a diagram of yet another example dispensing apparatus with two chambers according to an implementation described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1-9  are attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference. The following detailed description refers to the accompanying  FIGS. 1-9 . The same reference numbers in different figures may identify the same or similar elements. The components illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9  are provided for explanatory purposes only and the disclosure herein is not intended to be so limited. There may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9 . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of the dispensing apparatus may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of the dispensing apparatus. 
         [0017]    The systems, technologies, apparatus, methods and/or techniques (hereinafter, the “apparatus”) may include a dispensing apparatus that may dispense one or more reagents (e.g., liquid reagents, etc.), in a predetermined order, from one or more chambers associated with the dispensing apparatus. Additionally, or alternatively, the dispensing apparatus may enable the dispense, delivery, application, saturation, etc. of one or more reagents (e.g., stored and/or contained within the apparatus, an insert, etc.) to, for example, a sample for the purpose of performing an assay operation corresponding to a medical, biological, and/or chemical analysis of the sample. The dispensing apparatus may dispense the one or more reagents in a particular order, at a particular time, and/or in a controlled manner. For example, a user may use the dispensing apparatus to dispense a first reagent to a sample by depressing a plunger of the dispensing apparatus into a housing of the dispensing apparatus until the plunger reaches a first depressed position. The user may operate the dispensing apparatus to disengage safety mechanisms (e.g. rotate the plunger and/or housing to align a tab and a key, depress tabs into an aperture in the housing, align safety mechanisms, pulling safety mechanisms, twisting safety mechanisms, etc.) associated with the plunger and/or the housing to allow a user to depress the plunger to the first depressed position. If the safety mechanisms are not disengaged, the user may not be able to depress the plunger to the first depressed position. When the user depresses the plunger to the first depressed position, the dispensing apparatus may apply the first reagent to the sample. The user may then use the dispensing apparatus to dispense a second reagent to the sample by depressing the plunger into the housing to a second depressed position. A second safety mechanism or mechanisms may need to be disengaged to permit the user to depress the plunger to the second depressed position. When the user depresses the plunger to the second depressed position, the dispensing apparatus may apply the second reagent to the sample. 
         [0018]    The dispensing apparatus may be used in the context of human and/or non-human subjects to perform assays on a variety of sample types (e.g., urine, feces, genitals, ear, wound, etc.). For example, the sample to be tested may be obtained from a human, non-human animal, or inanimate objects (e.g., a surface, soil, plant, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, the dispensing apparatus may be made in various sizes and/or shapes to accommodate or house different quantities and/or different types of reagents. The dispensing apparatus may also, or alternatively, operate in a range of environment and/or climates, and/or preserve the sterility the reagents, components that contact such reagents and/or a sample. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are diagrams of an example assay device having a container and a dispensing apparatus according to an implementation described herein. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the assay device  100  may include a group of components, such as a dispensing apparatus  110  and a container  140 . The number of components, illustrated in  FIGS. 1 , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . For example, while container  140  is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as being a connectable to dispensing apparatus, additionally, or alternatively, container may not connect to, attach to or make contact with dispensing apparatus  110 . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of assay device  100  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of assay device  100 . 
         [0020]    Dispensing apparatus  110  may include a housing  120  and a plunger  130 . The housing  120  may store and/or contain one or more reagents in one or more chambers, as further described herein. Plunger  130  may be temporarily or permanently attached to and/or inserted into the housing  120 , may separate two or more reagents stored within and/or partially within the housing  120  and/or may enable the release of one or more reagents from one or more chambers associated with the housing, as further described herein. Container  140  may be connectable to the housing  120  (and/or other component of the dispensing apparatus  110 ), such as by using one or more attachment mechanisms, such as, for example, threaded connection, mechanical fastener, clip, magnet, adhesive, buttons, male-female connections, any combination thereof, or any other mechanism that may enable secure attachment. Additionally, or alternatively, container  140  may not make connect to, or make contact with, dispensing apparatus  100 . In the non-limiting example depicted in  FIG. 2 , container  140  may include threads  241  that may be used to connect container  140  to a gap in the housing  120  as later described herein. Housing  120  may include one or more ridges  221  which may provide a bearing surface and/or increase the grip of a user to assist the user when attaching housing  120  to container  140  or removing housing  120  from container  140 . 
         [0021]    Housing  120  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the plunger  130 , other components, to store reagents and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the housing  120  during packaging, shipment, and/or while using the dispensing apparatus  110 , such as when a plunger  130  is depressed, causing reagent to evacuate dispensing apparatus  110  (as further described herein). Housing  120  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, glass, wood, or some combination thereof. Housing  120  may also, or alternatively, include transparent or translucent material, for example to enable the presence, type, quantity, quality, etc. of a reagent to be observed by a user. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable the housing  120  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to the housing  120  and to be used. The housing  120  may assume any shape or volume such as, for example, a cylinder, cube, orthotope, rectangular cuboid, rectangular parallelepiped, three dimension polygon, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the housing  120  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0022]    Plunger  130  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the housing  120 , other components, to enable reagents to be stored, and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the plunger  130  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 , such as a depression force. Plunger  130  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. Plunger  130  may also, or alternatively, include transparent or translucent material, for example to enable the presence, type, quantity, quality, etc. of a reagent to be observed by a user. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable plunger  130  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to plunger  130  and to be used. Plunger  130  may assume any shape or volume. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the plunger  130  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0023]    Container  140  may be formed by a material of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the housing  120 , other components, to withstand connecting the container  140  to dispensing apparatus  110 , to enable samples and reagents to be stored, and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the container while using the dispensing apparatus  110 , such as a depression force. Container  140  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. Container  140  may also, or alternatively, include transparent or translucent material, for example to enable the presence, type, quantity, quality, etc. of a reagent to be observed by a user or to permit a measuring device (a luminometer, etc.) to analyze the contents of the container. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable container  140  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to container  140  and to be used. Container  140  may assume any shape or volume. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the container  140  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are diagrams of example housings of dispensing apparatuses according to an implementation described herein. As shown in  FIG. 3A , housing  120  may include a cavity  301 , a gap  302 , a frangible seal  303  and one or more protrusions  304 . The number of components, illustrated in  FIG. 3A , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of housing  120  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of housing  120 . 
         [0025]    Cavity  301  may include an interior cavity with a first end, and a second end that is opposite the first end. The first end may be covered with a seal, such as frangible seal  303  (e.g., such as aluminum foil, mylar, polymer film, or some other material that can form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal) (hereinafter, a “first seal”) that does not react with a reagent. The second end may be open to allow a plunger  130  to be inserted through the aperture  200  (e.g., during manufacture, assembly, use, thereafter, etc.). 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the housing  120  may be a cylindrical shape, and the cavity  301  may also be a cylindrical shape and may be formed inside housing  120 . Additionally, or alternatively, housing  120  may assume any shape or volume such as, for example, a cylinder, cube, sphere, orthotope, rectangular cuboid, rectangular parallelepiped, three dimension polygon, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the housing  120  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. Similarly, cavity  301  may assume any shape or volume such as, for example, a cylinder, cube, orthotope, rectangular cuboid, rectangular parallelepiped, three dimension polygon, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the cavity  301  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. Additionally, or alternatively, cavity  301  may be formed in a truncated conical shape in which the cross-sectional area of the cavity  301  increases from one end of the cavity proximate the frangible to an opposite end of the cavity. 
         [0027]    Gap  302  may receive a container, such as container  140 , and/or connect the container to the dispensing device  110  (e.g. threaded attachment, compression fit, adhesives, etc.). Container may surround all or a portion of cavity  301 . Additionally, or alternatively, gap  302  may include one or more protrusions through which a fastener (e.g. screw, rivet, nail, etc.) may be placed to connect a container to housing  120 . Gap  302  may include a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end may be open to allow a container to be inserted into housing  120 . The container, such as container  140  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , may, for example, contain a sample and/or allow insert of a sample into the container  140  such that a reagent may be released from dispensing apparatus  110  into the container  140  and/or applied to the sample. 
         [0028]    Housing  120  may include one or more protrusions  304  which may decrease the diameter of the cavity  301 . Protrusions  304  may be any size or shape (etc. circular, triangular, square, dimples, etc.) and may depend from the cavity  301 . Protrusions  304  may encircle the inner surface of cavity  301 . Additionally, or alternatively, protrusions  304  may take the form of one or more separated indentations within the cavity  301 , which reduce the width of the cavity  301 . Because protrusions  304  decrease the width of the cavity  301 , protrusions  304  increase the force required for a user to operate plunger  130  of a dispensing apparatus  110  from an undepressed position to a first depressed position and/or from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. by increasing the amount of force required to depress the plunger  130 . This increase in force may alert a user that the dispensing apparatus  110  is dispensing and/or will soon dispense a reagent as described herein. Protrusions  304  may be formed as part of housing  120 . Additionally, or alternatively, protrusions  304  may be connected (e.g. by fastening, welding, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, etc.) to housing  120 . 
         [0029]    In an alternative arrangement shown in  FIG. 3B , housing  320  may include a cavity  350  that may include a non-uniform cross section including a first section  351 , a second section  352  and a third section  353 . The number of components, illustrated in  FIG. 3B , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIG. 3B . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of housing  320  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of housing  320 . 
         [0030]    A reagent may reside in the first cavity  351 , second cavity  352  and/or the third cavity  353 . The second section  352  may be narrower than the first section  351 . The third section  353  may be narrower than the section  352 . The force required for a user to operate plunger  130  of a dispensing apparatus  110  from an undepressed position to a first depressed position and/or from a first depressed position to a second depressed position may increase as a seal and/or sealing surface, as later described herein, passes from the first section  351  to the second section  352  and/or from the second section  352  to the third section  353 . This increase in force may alert a user that the dispensing apparatus  110  is dispensing and/or will soon dispense a reagent as described herein. 
         [0031]    Additionally, or alternatively, other implementations need not be so limited. For example, in other implementations the housing need not include protrusions and/or may include a one or more sections of consistent and/or inconsistent cavity diameters. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4A  is a diagram of an example plunger  130 . As depicted in  FIG. 1 , plunger  130  may include a cap  410 , a first member  420 , one or more safety mechanisms  415 , one or more flanges  440  (referred to individually as “flange  440 ” or collectively as “flanges  440 ”), one or more seals  450  (referred to individually as “seal  450 ” or collectively as “seals  450 ”), a second member  460  and a tip  470 . The number of components, illustrated in  FIG. 4A , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIG. 4A . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of plunger  130  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of plunger  130 . 
         [0033]    Cap  410  may provide a bearing surface to a user when the plunger  430  is depressed into a housing  120  and/or retracted from a housing  120 . For example, a user may depress the plunger  130  into housing  120  by placing a finger and/or thumb on the cap and applying a force on an upper surface of the cap, which upper surface resides opposite the first member  420 . 
         [0034]    Cap  410  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support a user depressing cap  410 , to withstand the depression force created by a user when the safety mechanisms are not disengaged, as described later herein, to support the weight of the dispensing apparatus  110  and container  140 , and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the cap  410  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 . Cap  410  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable cap  410  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to cap  410  and to be used. Cap  410  may assume any shape or volume. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the cap  410  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. Cap  410  may be connected (e.g. welded, formed as a part of, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, etc.) to first member  420 . Cap  410  may be connected to first member before or after plunger  130  and housing  120  are assembled. 
         [0035]    First member  420  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the dispensing apparatus  110  and container  140  as well as other components, to withstand connecting the container  140  to dispensing apparatus  110 , to enable samples and reagents to be stored, to withstand the forces associated with engaging and disengaging safety mechanisms  415 , and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on first member  420  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 , such as a depression force. First member  420  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable first member  420  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components, such as safety mechanisms  415 , to be attached to first member  420  and to be used. First member  420  may assume any shape or volume. First member  420  may be shaped to permit first member  420  to move through an aperture located on housing  120 . The contours of first member  420  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0036]    First member  420  may have a first end connected to cap  410  and a second end connected to flange  440 . First member may include one or more safety mechanisms  415 . First member  420  may pass through an opening in housing  120 , such as aperture  400 , when a user operates dispensing apparatus  110  from an undepressed position to a first depressed position and/or from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. 
         [0037]    Safety mechanisms  415  may include one or more safety tabs  430  (hereinafter referred to collectively as “tabs  430 ”, individually as “tab  430 ”, or specifically as tab  430 - 1 ,  430 - 2 , . . .  430 -N, etc.), one or more safety flexible tabs  435  (hereinafter referred to collectively as “flexible tabs  435 ”, individually as “flexible tab  435 ”, or specifically as flexible tab  435 - 1 ,  435 - 2 , . . .  435 -N, etc.), and/or any other mechanism or device that may reside on plunger  130  and/or housing  120  and may prevent dispensing apparatus  110  from being depressed and/or retracted unless safety mechanism is disengaged, as described herein. For example, and not as a limitation, safety mechanisms  415  may include removable pins, flexible tabs, breakable mechanisms, removable rings, etc. Safety mechanisms  415  may control movement of the plunger within the housing, which control may be accomplished through engaging and/or disengaging the safety mechanisms as described herein. Safety mechanisms  415  may prevent a reagent from being evacuated prematurely and/or unintentionally, such as during shipping, handling, etc. (e.g., by preventing the tip  470  from penetrating the frangible seal as later described) by preventing first member  420  from moving through an opening in housing  120 , such as aperture  400 , unless tabs are depressed, properly aligned, and/or otherwise operated to permit first member  420  to pass through an opening in housing  120 , such as keyway  202  of aperture  200 . 
         [0038]    Safety mechanisms  415  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the forces associated with operating (e.g. depressing, aligning, rotating, etc.) safety mechanisms  415 , depressing plunger  130  with and without disengaging safety mechanisms  415 , to withstand connecting container  140  to dispensing apparatus  110  and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on safety mechanisms  415  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 . Safety mechanisms  415  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable safety mechanisms  415  to maintain a basic shape when being used. The plasticity of the material may enable safety mechanisms  415  to be temporarily deformed during use but to return to an original size and shape after use. Safety mechanisms  415  may assume any shape or volume. Safety mechanisms  415  may be shaped to move through an aperture and/or keyway located on housing  120 . Safety mechanisms may be connected to (e.g. weldments, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, press fit, etc.) or formed as part of plunger  130  and/or housing  120 . 
         [0039]    Tabs  430  may be connected to first member  420  and may protrude from a surface of first member  420 . As depicted in  FIG. 4A , a set of tabs may be comprised of one tab, tab  430 - 3 , which resides directly across from another tab, such as  430 - 4 , on opposite sides of first member  420 . Additionally, or alternatively, a set of tabs  430  may be two or more tabs configured to move through a keyway located on housing  120 . Additionally, or alternatively, a set of tabs, such as tab  430 - 1  and tab  430 - 2 , may reside 90 degrees from another set of tabs, tab  430 - 3  and tab  430 - 4 , located on first member  420 . When tabs  430  are located 90 degrees from other tabs on first member  420 , tabs may reside a longitudinal distance D along first member  420  from other tabs  430  on first member  420 . Longitudinal distance D may be greater than or equal to the thickness of an upper surface of housing  120 , such as surface  403  described in  FIG. 4B . Additionally, or alternatively, tabs  430  may be located longitudinal distance D along first member  420  from flange  440 . 
         [0040]    A user may depress, shift or apply force to the tab  430 , housing  120 , container  140  and/or plunger  130  in a manner that causes tabs  430  to align with and/or enter aperture or keyway within housing  120 . When tab  430  is in this position, tabs may be disengaged to enable plunger  130  to further move into and/or enter the cavity, such as cavity  301 , of housing  120 . Thus, tab  430  may prevent tip  470  from inadvertently contacting and/or penetrating frangible seal, may prevent dispensing apparatus  110  from moving from an undepressed position to a first depressed position, may prevent dispensing apparatus  110  from moving from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, tabs  430  may prevent the retraction of plunger  130  from housing  120 . 
         [0041]    Flexible tabs  435  may be connected (e.g. pinned, welded, formed as a part of, fastened, etc.) to first member  420  and may protrude from a surface of first member  420 . A user may depress, shift or apply force to flexible tabs  435 , housing  120 , container  140  and/or plunger  130  in a manner that causes flexible tabs  435  to align with and/or enter aperture or keyway within housing  120  to disengage flexible tabs  435 . Additionally, or alternatively, flexible tabs  435  may include a void within first member  420  into which void flexible tabs  435  may be depressed to disengage flexible tabs. When flexible tabs  435  are disengaged, plunger  130  may be enables to further move into and/or enter the cavity, such as cavity  301 , of housing  120 . Thus, flexible tabs  435  may prevent tip  470  from inadvertently contacting and/or penetrating frangible seal, may prevent dispensing apparatus  110  from moving from an undepressed position to a first depressed position, may prevent dispensing apparatus  110  from moving from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, flexible tabs  435  may prevent the retraction of plunger  130  from housing  120 . 
         [0042]    Flanges  440  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the forces associated with operating (e.g. depressing, aligning, rotating, etc.) safety mechanisms  415 , depressing plunger  130  with and without disengaging safety mechanisms  415 , forces associated with maintaining a barrier between chambers, and any other static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on flanges  440  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 . Flanges  440  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable flanges  440  to maintain a basic shape when being used. The plasticity of flanges  440  may enable flanges  440  to be temporarily deformed during use, such as when moving past protrusions as will be later described, but to return to an original size and shape after use. Flanges  440  may assume any shape or volume. Flanges  440  may expand or contract to conform to a volume within which flanges  440  reside, such as cavity  301 , which may flanges  440  to form a sterile, airtight and/or liquid-tight seal within a cavity of housing  120 . Flanges  440  may be connected to (e.g. weldments, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, press fit, etc.) or formed as part of plunger  130  and/or any component of plunger  130  described herein. 
         [0043]    Flanges  440  may be connected to first member  420  and/or second member  460  and may provide the surface on which seal  450  resides. Additionally, or alternatively, seals  450  may be formed as part of flanges  440 . Additionally, or alternatively, flanges  440  may make contact with an interior surface of a cavity of a housing  120  to form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal, within a cavity, such as cavity  301 , of a housing  120  as described herein when plunger  130  is placed within housing  120 , which eliminates the need for seal  450 . Flange  440  may be designed to fit within a cavity, such as cavity  301  and/or cavity  350  of  FIG. 3 . Flange  440  may be formed (e.g. have a groove, a notch, etc.) to secure a seal  450 . 
         [0044]    Seal  450  may include various types of sealing mechanisms. Seal  450  may make contact with an interior surface of a cavity of a housing  120  to form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal, within a cavity, such as cavity  301 , of a housing  120  as described herein when plunger  130  is placed within housing  120 . Seals  450  may be connected to first member  420 , second member  460  and/or flanges  440  and may be located around the perimeter of flanges  440 . Seals  450  may allow a cavity within a housing  120  to store and/or contain one or more reagents, may prevent the reagents from leaking out of or prematurely exiting the cavity, and/or may separate the cavity  301  into two or more chambers. Seal  450  may be temporarily and/or permanently attached to flange  440 . Seal  450  may be any form or material (e.g., rubber seals, extrusions, lathe-cuts, gaskets, O-rings, packing, Teflon® seals, mechanical seals, graphite, cloth, metal seals, metal rings, oil seals, elastomer seals, piston seals, quad rings, etc.) that may form a seal within a cavity. The configuration and type of seal shown in  FIG. 4A  is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. 
         [0045]    In one non-limiting implementation, when the plunger  130  is depressed into the cavity  301  (e.g., when a user depresses the cap  410  with his or her thumb, forefinger, etc.), by a particular distance, seal  450  may move further through the cavity (of the housing), which may enable the reagent stored within a chamber formed by seals  450  and/or the cavity  301  to move through the cavity. As plunger  130  continues to be depressed into the cavity, tip  470  may pierce through and/or break open the frangible seal, as described later herein. Seals  450  may force a reagent to be evacuated from the dispensing apparatus  110  through the pierced frangible seal (e.g., in a manner similar to how a syringe operates) and/or may enable a second reagent to move from an undepressed position to a depressed position, from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. 
         [0046]    Second member  460  may be formed by a material or materials of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the forces associated with operating (e.g. depressing, aligning, rotating, etc.) the dispensing apparatus  110 , depressing plunger  130  with and without disengaging safety mechanisms  415 , to withstand breaking a frangible seal, and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on second member  460  while using the dispensing apparatus  110 . Second member  460  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable second member  460  to maintain a basic shape when being used. Second member  460  may assume any shape or volume. Second member  460  may be shaped to fit within a cavity and sized to permit a volume of reagent to be stored within a chamber. Second member  460  may be connected to (e.g. weldments, adhesives, mechanical fasteners, press fit, etc.) plunger or formed as part of plunger  130  and/or any of its components described herein. 
         [0047]    Second member  460  may be connected to one or more flanges  440  and tip  470 , and may be longitudinally aligned with first member  420 . When the dispensing device  110  is undepressed, as described herein, second member may reside within cavity  301  of housing  120 . Tip  470  may include and/or form a mechanism that that is sufficiently sharp to easily penetrate and/or break a seal (e.g., frangible seal of  FIG. 3A ). For example, tip  470  may include a point, conical shape, knife, etc. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4B  is a diagram of housing  120  of the dispensing apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Housing  120  may include an aperture  400  formed on an upper surface  403  of the housing  120  through with upper surface  403  a plunger may move. Aperture  200  may be any size and/or shape (e.g. circular, rectangular, pentagon, etc.). Upper surface  403  may define a thickness that is less than or equal to a distance, such as distance D, between sets of safety tabs located on the plunger, as later described. Aperture  200  may include a center  201  and a keyway  202 . Plunger  130  may pass through aperture  200  to move from an undepressed position to one or more depressed position as described herein. Safety mechanisms  415  may be aligned, depressed or otherwise operated to pass through keyway  202  and/or center  201  to move dispensing apparatus  110  from an undepressed position to a first depressed position, from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of an example dispensing apparatus  500  that may include two chambers  510  and may be positioned in an undepressed position. As depicted in  FIG. 5 , dispensing apparatus  500  may include a plunger  530  and a housing  520 . The number of components, illustrated in  FIG. 5 , is provided for explanatory purposes only. In practice, there may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of dispensing apparatus  500  may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of dispensing apparatus  500 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  depicts dispensing apparatus  500  with plunger  130  in an undepressed position, where tip  470  is located inside cavity  501 . In this position, housing  520  in cooperation with plunger  530  form the chambers  510  within which reagents may be stored. A first chamber  510 - 1  may be formed within a portion of cavity  501  between first flange  540 - 1  and second flange  540 - 2 , and a second chamber  510 - 2  may be formed within a portion of cavity  501  between second flange  540 - 2  and frangible seal  303 . The number of chambers formed within a cavity vary depending upon the number of seals  450  and/or flanges  540 . The number of chambers may be equivalent to the number of flanges of a plunger. Alternatively, the number of chambers may be greater than or less than the number of flanges of a plunger. For example, if second flange  542  is removed, then dispensing apparatus would have only one chamber, as depicted in  FIG. 8 . Additionally, or alternatively, if an additional flange is added to the second member between first flange  540 - 1  and second flange  540 - 2 , then dispensing apparatus may have three chambers. 
         [0051]    A first reagent may be stored within in first chamber  510 - 1 , and a second reagent may be stored within second chamber  510 - 2 . First seal  450 - 1  of first flange  540 - 1  may form a barrier between first chamber  510 - 1  and the portion of cavity  501  located opposite first seal  450 - 1  to preclude the first reagent from flowing from the first chamber  510 - 1  to the other side of first seal  450 - 1  and out of aperture  200 . Additionally, or alternatively, an additional frangible seal may be located proximate first seal  450 - 1  to prevent first reagent from flowing from first chamber  510 - 1 . Second seal  450 - 2  may preclude the second reagent from flowing from the second chamber  510 - 2  to first chamber  510 - 1  and/or may preclude the first reagent from flowing from the first chamber  510 - 1  to the second chamber  510 - 2 . Additionally, or alternatively, an additional frangible seal (not shown) may be located proximate second seal  450 - 2  to form a barrier between first chamber  510 - 1  and second chamber  510 - 2 . 
         [0052]    As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the first chamber  510 - 1  and the second chamber  510 - 2  may be longitudinally aligned along plunger  530 . This longitudinal alignment may enable the reagents to be evacuated from the dispensing device  500  in a predetermined order by requiring the reagent in the second chamber  510 - 2  to be evacuated from the dispensing device  500  before the reagent in the first chamber  510 - 1 . 
         [0053]    Protrusion  304  may contact first flange  540 - 1 , second flange  540 - 2  and/or seals  450  and may reduce the width of the cavity  501  which may increase the resistance to depressing plunger  530  from a depressed position to a first undepressed position and/or from a first depressed position to a second undepressed position, as later described herein. A user may be required to apply a force to the plunger to enable the flanges  540  and/or seals  450  to move past the protrusions  304 . In this way, protrusions  304  may prevent the plunger  530  of the dispensing apparatus  500  from accidentally and/or inadvertently moving from the undepressed position to a first depressed position, from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the increased force required for a user to operate the dispensing apparatus  500  due to protrusions  304  may alert the user that dispensing apparatus  500  is moving from the undepressed position to a first depressed position, from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, etc. 
         [0054]    Tabs  430  may preclude plunger  530  from moving through aperture  200  unless tabs  430  are depressed, properly aligned, and/or otherwise operated to allow tabs  430  to pass through aperture  200 . In one embodiment, tabs  430  may be aligned with aperture  200  by rotating plunger  530  and/or housing  520  and/or a container. 
         [0055]    Flexible tabs  435  may preclude plunger  530  from moving through aperture  200  unless flexible tabs  435  are depressed, properly aligned and/or otherwise operated to allow flexible tabs  435  to pass through aperture  200 . By restricting the plunger  130  from being depressed, tabs  430  and flexible tabs  435  may prevent the dispensing apparatus  500  from accidentally and/or inadvertently moving from the undepressed position to a first depressed position, from a first depressed position to a second depressed position, from a second depressed position to a third depressed position (not shown), etc. 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of the example dispensing apparatus  500  of  FIG. 5  in a first depressed position. As depicted in  FIG. 6 , depressing the plunger  530  to a first depressed position may enable the tip  470  to pierce, break, displace, etc. the frangible seal  303 , causing the second reagent in second chamber  510 - 2  to evacuate the second chamber  520  as the second chamber  510 - 2  exits the dispensing apparatus  500  and/or to elute (e.g. applied to, mix with, etc.) a sample. Alternatively, depressing the plunger  530  to a first depressed position may breach (e.g. rupture, disconnect, unseal, burst, pierce with tip  470 , etc.) the frangible seal  303 , even in absence of tip  470 , by compressing the volume of second chamber  510 - 2 , which increases the pressure seen by the frangible seal. Additionally, in the first depressed position, the first reagent in first chamber  510 - 1  is moved along cavity  501  to or near the position occupied by first chamber  510 - 1  when plunger  530  is in the undepressed position. Depressing the plunger  530  from the undepressed position to the first depressed position may require a user to disengage safety mechanisms and/or ensure safety mechanisms are in a disengaged position, which may require a user to operate the plunger  530  to permit tab  430 - 3  and tab  430 - 4  to pass through aperture  200 , which may include a keyway (not shown), and/or may require a user to depress flexible tab  435 - 2  to permit flexible tab  435 - 2  to pass through aperture. Depressing the plunger  530  from the undepressed position to the first depressed position may also require the user to apply sufficient force to plunger  530  to enable first flange  541 , second flange  542  and seals  450  to move past protrusions  304 . The user may determine that the dispensing apparatus  110  is in the first depressed position when the first flange  541  and/or the seal  450 - 1  associated with first flange contacts protrusions  304  and/or when tab  430 - 1 , tab  430 - 2  and/or flexible tab  435 - 1  contacts an upper surface of housing  520 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of the example dispensing apparatus  500  of  FIG. 5  in a second depressed position. As depicted in  FIG. 7 , depressing the plunger  530  to a second depressed position may enable a second reagent to evacuate second chamber  510 - 2  of housing  520  and/or to elute (e.g. applied to, mix with, etc.) a sample. A reagent may evacuate the second chamber  510 - 2  when a seal formed by contact between the internal cavity of the housing and the first seal  450 - 1  is broken (e.g. compromised, lost, becomes unsealed, etc.). Depressing the plunger  530  from a first depressed position to the second depressed position may require a user to disengage safety mechanisms and/or ensure safety mechanisms are disengaged, which may require the user to operate the plunger  530  to permit tab  430 - 1  and tab  430 - 2  to pass through aperture  200 , which may include a keyway (not shown), and/or may require a user to depress flexible tab  435 - 1  to permit flexible tab  435 - 1  to pass through aperture  200 . Depressing the plunger  530  from the first depressed position to the second depressed position may also require the user to apply sufficient force to plunger  530  to enable first flange  540 - 1  and first seal  450 - 1  to move past protrusions  304  (not shown). The user may determine that the dispensing apparatus  110  is in the second depressed position when the cap  410  contacts housing  520 , which may prevent a user from further depressing plunger  530  into housing  520 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of an example dispensing apparatus with one chamber according to an implementation described herein. As depicted in  FIG. 8 , dispensing apparatus  800  may include a plunger  820  and a housing  810 . Dispensing apparatus  800  may be similar to dispensing apparatus  500  depicted in  FIG. 5  except that dispensing apparatus  800  may have one chamber rather than two chambers because the plunger of dispensing apparatus  800  may have only one flange and/or seal. Plunger  820  may include a cap  821 , a first member  822 , tabs  823 , a flange  824 , a seal  825 , a second member  826  and a tip  827 . Housing  810  may include a penetration  811 , a chamber  812 , a protrusion  813 , a gap  814  and a frangible seal  815 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 9  is a diagram of yet another example dispensing apparatus with two chambers according to an implementation described herein. Dispensing apparatus  900  may include a first plunger  920 , a second plunger  910  and a side-by-side housing  930 . First plunger  920  may be depressed into a first chamber  932  of side-by-side housing  930  by a user to evacuate a reagent stored within the first chamber  932  through a frangible seal  940 . Second plunger  910  may be depressed into a second chamber  933  of side-by-side housing  930  by a user to evacuate a second reagent stored within the second chamber  933 . 
         [0060]    First plunger  920  may include a first cap  921 , a first body  922 , a first tab  923 , a pin  924 , first sealing surfaces  925 , and a first tip  926 . First plunger  920  may be formed by a material of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the side-by-side housing  930 , reagents, other components, and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the first plunger  920  while using the dispensing apparatus  900 , such as a depression force. First plunger  920  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. First plunger  920  may also, or alternatively, include transparent or translucent material. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable the first plunger  920  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to the first plunger  920  and to be used. The first plunger  920  may assume any shape or volume. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the first plunger  920  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0061]    A user may apply a force to first cap  921  to depress first plunger  920  into a depressed position. In a depressed position, first plunger  920  is depressed into first chamber  932  until the first cap  921  contacts side-by-side housing  930  and/or until first plunger  920  cannot extend further into first chamber  932 . Also in depressed position, first tip  926  may penetrate and/or break seal  940 , which may enable a first reagent to evacuate first chamber  932 . First plunger may have first tab  923  which may act as a safety mechanism to prevent a reagent from being evacuated prematurely and/or unintentionally, such as during shipping, handling, etc. (e.g., by preventing the first tip  926  from penetrating the seal  940 ) by preventing first plunger  920  from passing through an opening in side-by-side housing  930  unless first tab  923  is depressed, properly aligned, and/or otherwise operated to permit first tab  923  to pass through an opening in side-by-side housing  930 . For example, side-by-side housing  930  may have a keyway, such as keyway  202  of aperture  200  in  FIG. 2 , which may be permit first tab  923  to pass through whenever it is properly aligned with keyway. A user may align first tab  923  with the keyway to depress first plunger  920 . Additionally, or alternatively, user may depress first tab  923  which may allow it to enter first chamber  932  when first plunger  920  is depressed. A user may depress, shift or apply force to first tab  923  in a manner that causes first tab  923  to move to a position where first tab  923  may align with and/or enter a cavity or depression within side-by-side housing  930 . When first tab  923  is in this position, the first plunger  920  may be enabled to further move into and/or enter first chamber  932 . Thus, first tab  923  may prevent first tip  926  from inadvertently contacting and/or penetrating seal  940 , may prevent dispensing apparatus  900  from moving from an undepressed position to a depressed position, and/or may prevent dispensing apparatus  900  from releasing a reagent. 
         [0062]    Pin  924  may extend from first plunger  920  into a slot  914  in second plunger  910 . Pin  924  may prevent second plunger  910  from being depressed until first plunger  920  is depressed. When first plunger  920  is being depressed by a user, pin  924  may move from a first position at one end of slot  914  proximate second cap  911  to a second position at the opposite end of slot  914 . When first plunger  920  is undepressed, pin  924  may reside in first position. When pin  924  is in first position, pin  924  may prevent a user from depressing second plunger  910  by contacting an upper surface of slot  914 . When first plunger  920  is depressed, second plunger  910  may be depressed because pin  924  will no longer contact the upper surface of slot  914 . In this way, pin  924  and slot  914  may prevent a second reagent in second chamber  933  from being evacuated by a user until after a first reagent in first chamber  932  is released. 
         [0063]    First sealing surfaces  925  may be designed to fit within first chamber  932  and may contact an interior surface of first chamber  932  to form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal, within first chamber  932  when first plunger  920  is placed within side-by-side housing  930 . First sealing surfaces  925  may allow first chamber  932  to store and/or contain one or more reagents and prevent the reagents from leaking out of and/or prematurely exiting the chamber. First sealing surfaces  925  may be temporarily and/or permanently attached to first body  922 . First sealing surfaces  925  may be formed from any form or material (e.g., rubber seals, extrusions, lathe-cuts, gaskets, packing, Teflon® seals, mechanical seals, graphite, cloth, metal seals, metal rings, oil seals, elastomer seals, piston seals, quad rings, etc.) that may form a seal within a chamber. First sealing surfaces  925  may be formed as part of the first body  922  or may be a separate component that is temporarily or permanently attached to the first body  922 . 
         [0064]    First tip  926  may include and/or form a mechanism that that is sufficiently sharp to easily penetrate and/or break a seal  940 . For example, second tip  926  may include a point, conical shape, knife, etc. 
         [0065]    Second plunger  910  may include a second cap  911 , a second body  912 , a second tab  913 , a slot  914 , second sealing surfaces  915 , and a second tip  916 . Second plunger  910  may be formed by a material of sufficient rigidity and strength to support the weight of the side-by-side housing  930 , reagents, other components, and/or any static and/or dynamic loads (e.g., forces, torques, tensions, compressions, etc.) imparted on the second plunger  910  while using the dispensing apparatus  900 , such as a depression force. Second plunger  910  may, for example, be made of polymer, metal, composite, wood, or some combination thereof. Second plunger  910  may also, or alternatively, include transparent or translucent material. The strength and/or rigidity of the material may enable the second plunger  910  to maintain a basic shape when being used and/or to enable various components to be attached to the second plunger  910  and to be used. The second plunger  910  may assume any shape or volume. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the second plunger  910  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. 
         [0066]    A user may apply a force to second cap  911  to depress second plunger  910  into a depressed position. In a depressed position, second plunger  910  is depressed into second chamber  933  until the second cap  911  contacts side-by-side housing  930  and/or until second plunger  910  otherwise cannot extend further into second chamber  933 . Also in depressed position, second tip  916  may penetrate and/or break seal  940 , which may cause a second reagent to evacuate second chamber  933 . Second plunger may have a second tab  913  which may act as a safety mechanism to prevent a reagent from being evacuated prematurely and/or unintentionally, such as during shipping, handling, etc. (e.g., by preventing the second tip  916  from penetrating the seal  940 ) by preventing second plunger  910  from passing through an opening in side-by-side housing  930  unless second tab  913  is depressed, properly aligned, and/or otherwise operated to permit second tab  913  to pass through an opening in side-by-side housing  930 . For example, side-by-side housing  930  may have a keyway, such as keyway  202  of aperture  200  in  FIG. 2 , which may be permit second tab  913  to pass through whenever it is properly aligned with keyway. A user may align second tab  913  with the keyway to depress second plunger  910 . Additionally, or alternatively, a user may depress second tab  913  which may allow it to enter second chamber  933  when second plunger  910  is depressed. A user may depress, shift or apply force to second tab  913  in a manner that causes second tab  913  to move to a position where second tab  913  may align with and/or enter a cavity or depression within side-by-side housing  930 . When second tab  913  is in this position, the second plunger  910  may be depressed to further move into second chamber  933 . Thus, second tab  913  may prevent second tip  916  from inadvertently contacting and/or penetrating seal  940  and/or may prevent dispensing apparatus  900  from releasing a reagent. 
         [0067]    Slot  914  may be an indentation in second plunger  910  in which pin  924  may reside. Slot may have a first end and a second end opposite the first end. When first plunger  920  and second plunger are undepressed, as depicted in  FIG. 9 , pin  924  may reside at or near first end of slot  914 . When first plunger  920  is depressed by a user, pin  924  may move from a first position at the first end of slot  914  to a second position at the second end of slot  914 . When pin  924  is in first position, pin  924  may prevent a user from depressing second plunger  910  by contacting an upper surface of slot  914 . When first plunger  920  is depressed, second plunger  910  may be depressed because pin  924  will no longer contact the upper surface of slot  914 . In this way, pin  924  and slot  914  may ensure reagents are dispensed in a predetermined order by preventing a second reagent in second chamber  933  from being evacuated by a user until after a first reagent in first chamber  932  is evacuated. 
         [0068]    Second sealing surfaces  915  may be designed to fit within second chamber  933  and may contact an interior surface of second chamber  933  to form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal, within second chamber  933  when second plunger  910  is placed within side-by-side housing  930 . Second sealing surfaces  915  may allow second chamber  933  to store and/or contain one or more reagents and prevent the reagents from leaking out of and/or prematurely exiting the chamber. Second sealing surfaces  915  may be temporarily and/or permanently attached to second body  910 . Second sealing surfaces  915  may be formed from any form or material (e.g., rubber seals, extrusions, lathe-cuts, gaskets, packing, Teflon® seals, mechanical seals, graphite, cloth, metal seals, metal rings, oil seals, elastomer seals, piston seals, quad rings, etc.) that may form a seal within a chamber. Second sealing surfaces  915  may be formed as part of the second body  912  or may be a separate component that is temporarily or permanently attached to second body  912 . 
         [0069]    Second tip  916  may include and/or form a mechanism that that is sufficiently sharp to easily penetrate and/or break a seal  940 . For example, second tip  920  may include a point, conical shape, knife, etc. 
         [0070]    Side-by-side housing  930  may include separating member  931 , a first chamber  932 , a second chamber  933 , gap  934  and seal  940 . A first reagent may reside within first chamber  931 , and a second reagent may reside within second chamber  932 . First chamber  932  may include an interior cavity with a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end. The first end may be covered with seal  940  (e.g., such as aluminum foil, mylar, polymer film, or some other material that can form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal) that does not react with a reagent. The second end may be open to allow a first plunger  920  to be inserted into first chamber  932  (e.g., during manufacture, assembly, thereafter, etc.). Similarly, second chamber  933  may include an interior cavity with a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end. The first end may be covered with seal  940  (e.g., such as aluminum foil, mylar, polymer film, or some other material that can form a sterile, an airtight, and/or liquid tight seal) that does not react with a reagent. Seal  940  covering the first end of the second chamber  933  may be the same piece of material as the seal  940  covering first end. Alternatively, seal  940  covering the first end of the second chamber  933  may be a separate piece of material from seal  940  covering first end of first chamber  932 . The second end of the second chamber  933  may be open to allow a second plunger  910  to be inserted into second chamber  933  (e.g., during manufacture, assembly, thereafter, etc.). 
         [0071]    In one embodiment, the side-by-side housing  930  may be a cylindrical shape, and the first chamber  932  and second chamber  933  may be half-cylindrical shapes and may fit inside the side-by-side housing  930 . Additionally, or alternatively, side-by-side housing  930  may assume any shape or volume such as, for example, a cylinder, cube, orthotope, rectangular cuboid, rectangular parallelepiped, three dimension polygon, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the side-by-side housing  930  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. Similarly, first chamber  932  and second chamber  933  may assume any shape or volume such as, for example, a cylinder, cube, orthotope, rectangular cuboid, rectangular parallelepiped, three dimension polygon, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, the contours of the first chamber  932  and/or second chamber  933  may be straight and/or curved in a concave and/or convex manner. Additionally, or alternatively, the cross-sectional area of the first chamber  932  and/or the second chamber  933  may increases from one end of the chamber proximate the frangible to an opposite end of the chamber, which may increase the force needed to depress first plunger  920  and/or second plunger  910  into first chamber  932  and second chamber  933 , respectively as the first plunger  920  and second plunger  910  become further depressed. 
         [0072]    Separating member  931  may separate and/or form a barrier between first chamber  932  from second chamber  933 . Separating member  931  may be connected to seal  940  to form a barrier between first chamber  932  and second chamber  933 . Additionally, or alternatively, separating member  931  may be connected to seal  940  so that when first tip  832  pieces the portion of seal  940  covering first chamber  932 , the portion of seal  940  covering second chamber  933  is not pierced. 
         [0073]    Gap  934  may receive a container, such as container  140 , and/or connect the container to the dispensing device  900  (e.g. threaded attachment, compression fit, adhesives, etc.). The container, such as container  140  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B , may, for example, contain a sample and/or allow insert of a sample into the container  140  such that the first reagent may be released from the first chamber  932  and/or the second reagent may be released from the second chamber into the container and/or applied to the sample. 
         [0074]    In an alternative embodiment, the first reagent in the first chamber  932  and the second reagent in the second chamber  933  may be stored in a pierceable insert (e.g., bulb, capsule, tablet, portable reservoir, etc.) that may be pierced when the first plunger and second plunger, respectively, are depressed, which pierces the insert to release reagent contained therein. In this embodiment, a pierceable insert may be inserted into the first chamber and another pierceable insert inserted into the second chamber such that the user of the dispensing apparatus (e.g., via the plunger) may control when the reagent is released and/or applied to a sample in a manner that is appropriate for the assay. For example, depression of a plunger may cause the pierceable insert to be pierced, the first seal (e.g., frangible seal) to be broken, and/or to allow the reagent to evacuate from the chamber. Additionally, or alternatively, in one non-liming implementation, the pierceable inserts may include a piercing component (e.g., sharp element, point, knife, etc.) and/or the pierceable insert-piercing component assembly may be separate from the plunger and/or the member. In this embodiment, the first plunger and second plunger may not have a piercing component. Depression of the plunger may cause the plunger to contact the pierceable insert which may cause the piercing component to pierce the pierceable insert and/or the first seal (e.g., frangible seal) to allow a reagent to evacuate the chamber. 
         [0075]    The foregoing description provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the embodiments. 
         [0076]    It will be apparent that technologies and/or techniques, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual or specialized hardware used to implement these technologies and/or techniques is not limiting of the embodiments—it being understood that hardware can be designed to implement the technologies and/or techniques based on the description herein. 
         [0077]    It should be emphasized that the terms “comprises”/“comprising” when used in this specification are taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 
         [0078]    Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of the embodiments. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, the disclosure of the embodiments includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. 
         [0079]    No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the embodiments unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one” or “more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. 
         [0080]    The number of components illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9  is provided for explanatory purposes only and the disclosure herein not intended to be limited to the components illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9 . There may be additional components, fewer components, different components, or differently arranged components than illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9 . Also, in some implementations, one or more of the components of the dispensing apparatus may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the components of the dispensing apparatus. 
         [0081]    Additionally, alternatively, the embodiments of the dispensing apparatus shown in  FIGS. 1-9  may be combined. For example, the dispensing apparatus may include two or more chambers side-by-side, where each chamber includes sub-chambers that are aligned longitudinally.