IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0633238
(2003-08-01)
|
등록번호 |
US-7337907
(2008-03-04)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
19 |
초록
▼
A centrifuge tube that is compressively flattenable by manual force exerted on opposing surfaces thereof. The centrifuge tube is formed with integral hinge elements at opposing sides thereof. The centrifuge tube of such configuration may be employed as a component of a kit including one or more swab
A centrifuge tube that is compressively flattenable by manual force exerted on opposing surfaces thereof. The centrifuge tube is formed with integral hinge elements at opposing sides thereof. The centrifuge tube of such configuration may be employed as a component of a kit including one or more swab elements, for collection of specimens, forensic evidence, and the like. The swab element may be subjected to squeeze-out action by withdrawing the swab through the slot formed by compressive flattening of the tube, so that the amount of collected material transferred to the tube for subsequent centrifugation processing is maximized.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A centrifuge tube having a body with a closed distal end, an open proximal end, and integral hinge elements at opposing sides of the body to facilitate compression flattening of at least a portion of the body, wherein the body has a substantially uniform diameter along the op
What is claimed is: 1. A centrifuge tube having a body with a closed distal end, an open proximal end, and integral hinge elements at opposing sides of the body to facilitate compression flattening of at least a portion of the body, wherein the body has a substantially uniform diameter along the open proximal end, and wherein the body comprises concave depressions on an exterior surface of the tube, opposedly facing one another, between the respective integral hinge elements. 2. The centrifuge tube of claim 1 wherein the body has a central axis extending through the closed distal end and the open proximal end, the body has an average cross-sectional area in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, and the open proximal end has a cross-sectional area at least as large as the average cross-sectional area. 3. The centrifuge tube of claim 1, further comprising a cap matably engageable with coupling structure at the proximal end of the centrifuge tube. 4. The centrifuge tube of claim 1, wherein each of the integral hinge elements comprises any of a ridged structure, a corrugated protrusion structure, and a protrusion of generally triangular cross-section. 5. The centrifuge tube of claim 1, formed by a molding technique selected from the group consisting of extrusion blow molding and rotational molding. 6. The centrifuge tube of claim 1, having a generally cylindrical form, an inner diameter of up to about one inch, and a length in a range of from about 3 inches to about 8 inches. 7. The centrifuge tube of claim 1, formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polybutylene and polyurethane. 8. A specimen collection kit comprising the centrifuge tube of claim 1, a cap matably engagable with the proximal end of the centrifuge tube, and a swab article having a swab element adapted to collect a specimen and sized such that the swab element may be inserted through the proximal end into an interior portion of the centrifuge tube. 9. A centrifuge tube having a body with a closed distal end, an open proximal end, and integral hinge elements at opposing sides of the body to facilitate compression flattening of at least a portion of the body, wherein the body has a central axis extending through the closed distal end and the open proximal end, the body has an average cross-sectional area in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, the open proximal end has a cross-sectional area at least as large as the average cross-sectional area, and the body comprises concave depressions on an exterior surface of the tube, opposedly facing one another, between the respective integral hinge elements. 10. The centrifuge tube of claim 9, further comprising a cap matably engageable with coupling structure at the proximal end of the centrifuge tube. 11. The centrifuge tube of claim 9 wherein each of the integral hinge elements comprises any of a ridged structure, a corrugated protrusion structure, and a protrusion of generally triangular cross-section. 12. The centrifuge tube of claim 9, formed by a molding technique selected from the group consisting of extrusion blow molding and rotational molding. 13. The centrifuge tube of claim 9, having a generally cylindrical form, an inner diameter of up to about one inch, and a length in a range of from about 3 inches to about 8 inches. 14. The centrifuge tube of claim 9, formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene. Polyvinylchloride, polybutylene and polyurethane. 15. A specimen collection kit comprising the centrifuge tube of claim 9, a cap matably engagable with the proximal end of the centrifuge tube, and a swab article having a swab element adapted to collect a specimen and sized such that the swab element may be inserted through the proximal end into an interior portion of the centrifuge tube. 16. An analytical method comprising the steps of: providing a swab article having a swab element adapted to collect a specimen; providing a centrifuge tube having a body with a closed distal end, an open proximal end, and integral hinge elements at opposing sides of the body to facilitate compression flattening of at least a portion of the body, wherein the body has a substantially uniform diameter along the open proximal end, and wherein the body comprises concave depressions on an exterior surface of the tube, opposedly facing one another, between the respective integral hinge elements; contacting a specimen with the swab element; inserting the swab element through the open proximal end into an interior portion of the centrifuge tube; compressively flattening at least a portion of the body to contact and compress the swab element to extract at least a portion of the specimen. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of inserting the centrifuge tube into a centrifuge and subjecting the centrifuge tube and its contents to centrifugation. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the body has a central axis extending through the closed distal end and the open proximal end, the body has an average cross-sectional area in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, and the open proximal end has a cross-sectional area at least as large as the average cross-sectional area.
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