Patent ID: 8361808

Claim:
A system for performing lateral capillary flow assay, comprising: a sample collection unit to collect a sample liquid; and a sample testing and storing unit to interface with the sample collection unit to test and store the collected sample liquid, the sample testing and storing unit comprising: a sample well to retain at least a portion of the sample liquid, a sample inlet positioned above the sample well and shaped to receive the collected sample liquid from the sample collection unit, a sample housing unit to store a remainder of the sample liquid not retained in the sample well, and an analyte testing unit housing shaped to receive an analyte testing unit to test a presence of a target analyte in the sample liquid, wherein the analyte testing unit housing comprises an analyte testing unit inlet positioned above the sample well to allow a first test strip to drop towards the sample well by gravity and into physical contact with the sample liquid in the sample well, a second test strip, physically separate from the first test strip, positioned within the sample well, the second test strip including a sample receiving area to receive the sample liquid, the second test strip comprising: an indicator holding area comprising at least one type of indicator material that binds with the target analyte in the sample liquid to form an analyte-indicator complex that flows across the analyte testing unit under capillary action, and the first test strip comprising: at least one binding area comprising at least one type of binder material configured to bind with the at least one type of indicator material, wherein a presence of the at least one type of indicator material at the at least one binding area indicates an absence of the target analyte, and a validation area comprising a ligand or the at least one type of binder material that selectively binds to the at least one type of indicator material to confirm that the at least one type of indicator material properly flowed across the analyte testing unit under capillary action.