Patent ID: 7449001

Claim:
A sampling device for obtaining samples of internal body substances in the digestive tract of a patient, said device having a shape of a swallowable capsule ( 2 ) which allows a sample of the body substance to enter the capsule through at least one inlet opening ( 18 ) which is opened in a predetermined position of the digestive tract following contact with the body substance to be collected, characterised in that the capsule ( 2 ) comprises two members, a cap member ( 4 ) and a body member ( 6 ), which are permanently joined to each other, a capsule wall ( 3 ) comprising said inlet opening ( 18 ), which initially is sealed and, when the patient has swallowed the capsule ( 2 ), is opened in said predetermined position following contact with the body substance to be collected, an inner chamber ( 5 ), defined by said capsule wall ( 3 ) and disposed to preserve a vacuum or underpressure relative to the environment when the inlet opening ( 18 ) is sealed, and a separate blocking member ( 12 ) disposed within the inner chamber ( 5 ) adjacent to and spaced from the inlet opening ( 18 ) in the capsule wall ( 3 ), said blocking member ( 12 ) being flexible and having at least one laterally located aperture ( 16 ) for a through-flow of body substance into the inner chamber ( 5 ), said blocking member having a configuration, such that, when the inlet opening ( 18 ) has been opened following contact with said body substance, the blocking member ( 12 ) has a flow permitting configuration which admits a flow of body substance into the inner chamber ( 5 ) as long as a there is a pressure difference between the inner chamber ( 5 ) and the external environment of the capsule ( 2 ) and a flow preventing configuration which blocks the inlet opening ( 18 ) from the inside of the chamber ( 5 ) when said pressure difference has been equalised by the flow of body substance into the capsule ( 2 ).