Patent ID: 7645608

Claim:
A three-piece interlocking specimen storage, rehydrating, transfer, and streaking device comprising: a storage vial for storing a bacterial specimen having a cylindrical side wall with an open top end and a closed bottom end; a compressible hydrating capsule comprising a socket at a proximal end, and a sealed reservoir storing a rehydrating fluid at a distal end, said sealed reservoir having a frangible membrane retaining said rehydrating fluid therein; and an elongate adapter disposed between said hydrating capsule and said storage vial and adapted to be coupled to said storage vial and to said hydrating capsule in a fluid-tight relationship, said adapter including an internal, longitudinally extending lumen defining a fluid path between said rehydrating capsule and said storage vial, said adapter further comprising an elongate inoculating tip adapted to streak said specimen in a culturing medium wherein, after said frangible membrane is ruptured, and upon compression, said hydrating capsule is capable of withdrawing fluid from said storage vial through said lumens of said adapter and, upon further compression, is capable of expelling fluid through said lumens and out of said inoculating tip.