Patent ID: 6976398

Claim:
A valve assembly for a liquid sample collection device including a container having a interior reservoir for receiving the liquid sample from a flow of liquid, the valve assembly comprising: a valve housing couplable to the container for channeling the flow of liquid into the reservoir of the container, said valve housing having an inlet for exposure to the flow and an outlet in communication with the reservoir; a valve located within said valve housing and operable between open and closed conditions, said open condition permitting liquid to pass through said valve housing, said closed condition preventing the passage of liquid through said valve housing; and a separator cooperating with said valve housing inlet and configured to direct liquid through said valve housing via said inlet and to divert particulate material outwardly of said inlet of said valve housing; said separator including a surface spaced above and extending at least entirely over said valve housing inlet; said surface including a peripheral surface region extending downwardly and inwardly above said valve inlet such that liquid falling on said surface flows along said peripheral surface region and then into said valve inlet.