Patent ID: 8470268

Claim:
An apparatus for collecting oral fluid, comprising; a vial formed with an inner specimen receptacle for receiving the oral fluid, the vial having an open cylindrical top end formed with threads on a portion of its outer surface adjacent its top end, the specimen receptacle being spaced along the length of its outer surface from the inner surface of the vial and having a closed bottom end and an open top end, the entire periphery of the receptacle top end sealingly secured to the inner surface of the vial proximal to but spaced from the open first end of the vial; a funnel which can be removably placed in the open top end of the vial formed with a wide, open top end narrowing to an inner neck at its bottom end which fits within the open top end of the vial, the specimen receptacle terminating at its open top end below but adjacent to the bottom end of the inner funnel neck, the funnel being formed with an outer neck depending from the funnel to surround the inner neck and extend beyond the inner neck and beyond the threaded portion of the outer surface of the vial to provide protection for the threaded portion of the vial from contamination from collected oral fluid; and a cap for the vial having a closed top end, an open bottom end, and threads on its inner surface to mate with the threads on the outer surface of the vial; whereby when assembled, oral fluid can be directed into the funnel and from there to the receptacle, whereupon the cap can then be threaded onto the receptacle to enclose the oral fluid.