Patent ID: 8632733

Claim:
A device ( 10 ) for collecting body fluids, comprising: a body fluid collection portion ( 12 ) comprising a body fluid absorbing material; a first ( 14 ) and a second ( 16 ) support panel hingedly connected to the body fluid collection portion ( 12 ); and a base panel ( 18 ) hingedly connected to the first support panel ( 14 ) or the second support panel ( 16 ); wherein said first support panel, second support panel and base panel have similar dimensions and the device ( 10 ) is configured to be arranged: (i) in a first folded condition, wherein the body fluid collection portion ( 12 ) is sandwiched between the first support panel ( 14 ) and the second support panel ( 16 ) in a face contacting relationship; (ii) in a second folded condition, wherein the body fluid collection portion ( 12 ) is exposed and the first support panel ( 14 ) and the second support panel ( 16 ) define a handle so that by grasping the handle formed by the first support panel ( 14 ) and the second support panel ( 16 ) the body fluid collection portion ( 12 ) can be inserted into a sample container containing a body fluid to be sampled; and (iii) in a triangle configuration, wherein the first support panel ( 14 ), the second support panel ( 16 ) and the base panel ( 18 ) form the three sides of a triangle such that the body fluid collection portion ( 12 ) can be suspended above base panel ( 18 ) from its hinged connection with the first ( 14 ) and second ( 16 ) support panels and can be arranged in the space defined by the first and second support panels ( 14 , 16 ) and the base panel ( 18 ).