Abstract:
A sample collection assembly provides for the collection, transport and dispensing of a plurality of discrete biological samples. The assembly includes a sample tray which supports sample wells in spaced apart registration. The sample wells are provided for the collection of the discrete biological samples. The sample tray including the sample wells is supported in a sample tray case which encloses the sample tray. The sample tray is movably accommodated within the case for movement between a first position enclosing the sample wells to a second position rendering exteriorly accessible one of the sample wells to permit dispensement of the sample well from the tray.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an assembly for the collection, transport and dispensing of discrete biological samples. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved packaging which provides for accommodation of wells containing biological samples which permits the individual dispensement of the biological sample into an assay vessel. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In clinical diagnostic settings, it is often been necessary to collect various biological specimens such a whole blood, plasma, serum, CFS, feces, urine, cultured cells, saliva, cervical or urethral swab, sputum and other biological fluids. Multiple individual samples are collected and transported to a laboratory where personnel conduct specific tests on the samples. It is imperative that the biological samples be properly contained, enclosed and identified to permit the safe transport of the sample from the collection location to the laboratory. 
     Currently, blood and other biological fluid samples are collected on paper substrates. This procedure involves dotting the sample fluid onto a card or dipping a paper strip into a bulk sample of the fluid. The sample on the card or the paper strip is then dried. The dried sample is then punched or cut from the remainder of the card or strip manually. Typically, a punch or other cutting device is used to cut the individual dotted sample from the remainder of the card or strip. However, in order to prevent cross-contamination between adjacent samples on the same card or strip, the mechanical punch or cutting device must be decontaminated between samples. This increases the time and cost involved in obtaining discrete samples. 
     Perforated cards or strips are also used which permit the technician to rip or tear a portion of the card or strip from the remainder thereof. While this eliminates the need for a separate punch, in most laboratory settings these perforated strips are awkward to use. 
     The sample cards used to obtain the samples are typically exposed to the environment during collection, testing and transporting. This increases the risk of contamination of the samples. Such contamination risk is especially significant in DNA testing where minute amounts of contamination from such sources as dust, hair, skin tissue and the like may jeopardize the integrity of the test. 
     Thus, collected samples must be adequately isolated, packaged and identified to permit the safe, efficient and identifiable transport of the samples to the laboratory while preventing contamination of the samples. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved packaging which allows for the collection transport and dispensing of individual discrete samples from a plurality of collected samples. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a sample collection assembly for collection, transport and dispensing of a plurality of discrete biological samples. The collection assembly includes a plurality of sample wells for collecting individual biological samples. The sample wells are supported in a sample tray in spaced apart registration. The sample tray is supported within a case which encloses the sample tray and allows the safe and efficient transport of the sample wells. The sample tray is movably accommodated within the case for movement between a first position enclosing the plurality of sample wells, to a second position rendering exteriorly accessible one of the sample wells so that the sample can be manually dispensed from the tray. 
     It is contemplated that the sample wells may be in the shape of open ended cup-like members which may include therein solid phase material used for sample testing. The tray may be formed of a planar member having the sample wells formed therein. The individual cup-like wells may be manually deformed so as to dispense the solid phase material including the biological sample from the wells. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the case is generally in the shape of open-ended parallelepiped and the tray is rectangular. The tray is slidably movable with respect to the case through the open end so as to sequentially render accessible one of the wells to permit dispensement of the sample contained therein. The case in the tray may include cooperating indexing means to allow the tray to be supported at an indexed location, with each well being sequentially accessible at each indexed location. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the case is generally cylindrical and the tray is generally circular. The tray is rotatably movable within the case. The case includes cut out portions along a circumferential edge thereof so as to sequentially render accessible one of the wells upon rotative movement of the tray with respect to the case. 
     The case may include identification indicia such as, for example, bar coding to enable the proper identification of the samples in the case. 
     It is contemplated that the present invention may be used to collect various biological specimens such as whole blood, plasma, serum, CFS, feces, urine, cultured cells, saliva, cervical or urethral swab, sputum and any other biological fluids. While collection of these biological fluids are all within the contemplation of the present invention, preferred embodiments will be described with respect to the collection of discrete blood samples. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sample collection assembly of the present invention including a sample tray enclosed within a sample case. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sample collection assembly of FIG. 1 showing the sample tray removed from the sample case. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sample collection assembly of FIG. 1 taken through the lines  3 — 3  thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the sample collection assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the sample tray of the collection assembly of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the sample collection assembly of FIG. 4 taken through the lines  6 — 6  thereof. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the sample collection assembly of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a sample collection assembly  10  of the present invention includes a sample collection tray  12  and a sample collection case  14  which insertably accommodates sample collection tray  12 . Sample collection case  12  includes a parallelepiped shaped housing  16  having upper and lower rectangular shaped planar walls  18  and  20  separated by a perimetrical side wall  22  extending about three sides thereof. Housing  16  includes an open transverse end  24  which permits the insertable slidable accommodation of tray  12  into an interior  26  of housing  16 . Housing  16  may be formed of any suitable material including plastic, cardboard, paper stock and the like. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, sample tray  12  includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced blister depressions forming specimen collection wells  34 . Sample tray  12  may be formed of a suitably deformable plastic material commonly manufactured from blister packaging. Wells  34  have a bottom  36  and an open end  38 . Wells  34  are constructed to have sufficient depth so as to retain a suitable volume of a fluid sample. Wells  34  may each accommodate therein a sample disk  40  for retaining the fluid sample. Sample disks  40  may be formed of solid phase materials such as paper or fritted glass. Disks  40  accommodate a fluid biological sample such as blood which is dotted thereon. The blood sample is then dried on the disk to permit safe transport to the laboratory. 
     Upon collection of blood samples on disks  40  within wells  34 , tray  12  is inserted into open end  24  of housing  16  and then within interior  26  until all wells  34  are enclosed by case  14 . 
     Once tray  12  is positioned within case  14 , a tamper evident label or seal  44  is placed over open end  24  of case  14  to close open end  24  securely retaining tray  12  within interior  26  and also to prevent nonevident removal of the tray therefrom. Case  14  may further include an appropriate identification device such as a bar code  50  thereon so as to provide identification of the samples contained within tray  12 . 
     Sample collection assembly  10  is then transported to a laboratory where appropriate testing can be conducted on the discrete blood samples contained within wells  34  of tray  12 . In order to conduct such testing, a laboratory technician removes the tamper evident seal  44  and removes tray  12  from its enclosed position within case  14  to a position where each of the wells  34  are progressively exposed. 
     The removal of tray  12  from case  14  is facilitated by a cut out portion  52  through a transverse edge of upper and lower planar walls  18  and  20  adjacent open end  24 . Cut out portion  52  enables the technician to manually grasp an edge  54  of the tray contained within case  14 . The laboratory technician then withdraws tray  12  from its fully enclosed initial position to a further position where the first well  34  of the tray is exposed externally of case  12 . The technician then inverts the sample collection assembly and manually dislodges disk  40  in first well  34  from tray  12 . Such dislodgement is achieved by depressing bottom  36  of well  34  to dispense the disk  40  containing the blood sample. Disks  40  are frictionally retained in wells  34  and may be removed by such manual dislodgement. Thereafter, the technician further extracts tray  12  from case  14  to a position which renders accessible the next adjacent well  34  for removal of the next disk therefrom. 
     Case  14  provides indexed movement of tray  12  whereby lower planar wall of housing  16  may include an inwardly directed raised edge  56  adjacent open end  24  which engages, in an interference manner, lower surfaces  36  of wells  34  as the tray is moved with respect to housing  16 . Raised edge  56  temporarily holds the tray in position to permit the individual dispensement of disks  40  therefrom. 
     While tray  12  of the present invention is shown having a single row of wells  34  formed therein, the present invention contemplates that the wells may be provided in any number or any array desirable for a particular testing situation. 
     A further embodiment of the invention, sample collection assembly  100  is shown in FIGS. 4-6. Sample collection assembly  100  includes a sample collection tray  102  and a case  104  for supporting tray  102 . Case  104  is a cylindrical housing having an upper and a lower circular wall  108  and  110  separated by an annular sidewall  112 . Upper and lower walls  108  and  110  as well as side wall  112  include an arcuate cut out portion  114  extending therethrough. Cut out portion  114  allows the sample wells of tray  102  to be exposed for collection and dispensing. 
     Tray  102  is a circular planar member having opposed an upper and a lower surface  118  and  120 . A plurality of blister like depressions define wells  122  therein. Wells  122  are arranged circularly about the circumference  124  of tray  102 . The wells may be uniformly spaced about circumference  124  with at least one extended location  126  including no well. Tray  102  is rotatably supported within case  104  in a manner which permits wells  122  to be sequentially and selectively exposed at cut out portion  114  of case  104 . 
     Sample collection assembly  100  further includes a dial  130  and an axis  132  for rotatably coupling tray  102  to case  104 . Dial  130  rotates about axis  132 . Dial  130  may be externally accessed to permit manual rotation of the tray with respect to the case. 
     In use, wells  122  are selectively rotated to a position adjacent cut out  114  where a fluid biological sample may be collected on a disk  140  that is frictionally held within wells  122 . Once the sample is collected in each of wells  122 , tray  102  is rotated to a position where extended location  126  is aligned with cut out portion  114 . A tamper evident seal  150  may be positioned over cut out portion  114  of case  104  to secure tray  102  within the case to provide tamper indication. 
     Sample collection assembly  100  is then transported to a laboratory for testing purposes. The laboratory technician removes tamper evident seal  150  and selectively rotates the tray by using dial  130  to sequentially access each well  122 . Then, case  104  is inverted and wells  122  are depressed from an under surface  152  thereof to dispense biological dotted disk  140  therefrom. Tray  102  is continually rotated until each of the desired disks are dispensed from the tray. 
     FIG. 7 is a further embodiment of the invention that includes many components which are substantially identical to the components of FIGS. 4-6. Accordingly, similar components performing similar functions will be numbered identically to those components of FIGS. 4-6, except that a suffix “a” will be used to identify those similar components in FIG.  7 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7, sample collection assembly  200  includes case  104   a  having a cut out portion  202  diametrically spaced from first cut out portion  114   a  which permits manual access to tray  102   a.  Cut out portion  202  extends through opposed upper and lower circular walls  118   a  and  120   a.  Cut out portion  202  extends a sufficient arcuate extent to permit extended manual access to tray  102   a.  The circumferential edge  124   a  of tray  102   a  may be knurled so as facilitate manual rotation of tray  102   a  with respect to case  104   a.  While cut out  202  is sufficient to provide access to the knurled edge of tray  102   a,  cut out portion  114   a  is sufficiently shallow to prevent exposure of wells  122   a.