Apparatus for testing a liquid specimen

This is a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 11,161,117, filed on Mar. 27, 2017 (issued); which is a national stage of PCT/GB2015/000285, filed on Oct. 10, 2015; which cites the priority of United Kingdom Patent Number GB1419133 (abandoned).

This invention relates to apparatus for testing a liquid specimen.

Apparatus for testing liquid specimens is well known. If the liquid specimen is in the form of urine, then a dipstick is usually used to test the urine. The testing of urine with a dipstick is carried out many times a day in medical practices clinics and hospitals around the world. The testing of the urine is essential in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections, for screening for protein and blood in the urine, and for the diagnosis of many other conditions.

The standard way in which the urine is tested with a dipstick involves a patient filling a container with urine, and then handing the container to an authorised person such for example as a nurse, a technician or a doctor. The authorised person is required to dip the dipstick into the urine in the container, wiping off excess urine on the rim of the container. The dipstick has response portions which are contacted by the liquid specimen, which become differently coloured to indicate different characteristics, present in the urine, and which are read at predetermined time periods. The response portions are read against a result chart at predetermined time intervals of up to two minutes. The entire procedure may take a minimum of three minutes to perform effectively. The procedure is unhygienic and is prone to error if the response portions are read at incorrect time intervals.

WO 2011/157981 A1 addresses the above problems. More specifically, WO 2011/157981 A1 discloses apparatus for testing a liquid specimen, with the apparatus comprising a container for the liquid specimen, a response chart which is operable in response to contact with the liquid specimen, and a result chart for use with the response chart. The apparatus is such that the response chart is in the container. In normal use, the container is provided to a patient. A problem can arise in that the containers are used in large quantities due to there being large numbers of patients. It often happens that patients mislay the containers and require further containers. Whilst the containers are not overly expensive in themselves, the mislaying of substantial numbers of containers represents a significant cost to a medical practice. This cost would best be avoided.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, the present invention for provides apparatus for testing a liquid specimen, which apparatus comprises:

The apparatus of the present invention is advantageous in that only the container and the lid need to be provided in bulk to patients. The cost of the container and the lid is relatively inexpensive when compared with the container with its response chart as disclosed in WO 2011/157981 A1. With the apparatus of the present invention, the test capsule is the significant part of the cost of the entire apparatus, and this test capsule is able to be retained by a medical practice, hospital or other organisation. Thus the test capsule is not sent to patients and is thus not subject to being lost. Cost saving are thus able to be made.

The first securing means may be a screw-operated first securing means. Other types of first securing means may be employed so that, for example, the first securing means may be a push fit first securing means.

The second securing means may be a push fit securing means. Other second securing means may be employed so that, for example, the second securing means may be a screw fit second securing means.

Preferably, the second securing means causes the test capsule to be permanently secured to the lid in order to minimise the possibility of spillage of the liquid specimen.

The second securing means may comprise an outwardly extending formation on the container, and an inwardly extending formation on the test capsule. The outwardly extending formation on the container may be a lip which is angled outwardly away from a top of the container. Other types of outwardly extending formation may be employed.

The inwardly extending formation on the test capsule may be an inclined bead formation. Other types of inwardly extending formation may be employed.

The openable portion of the lid may be a foil or a membrane. Other types of openable portion may be employed.

The opener means of the test capsule may be a puncturing formation for puncturing the openable portion of the lid. The puncturing formation may be a cylindrical formation having a free end which extends at an angle to the openable portion of the lid. Other puncturing formations may be employed so that, for example, the puncturing formation may be one or more pins. The cylindrical formation with the free end which extends at an angle to the openable portion of the lid is preferred because the free end forms a point for opening purposes. The part opposite the free end has a flat section which prevents the formation of a complete cut circle. This flat section causes a hinge to be created in the punctured openable portion. This flat section also passes through the, openable portion and holds open the punctured portion of the openable portion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the test capsule, thereby ensuring that the openable portion does not interrupt the urine flow.

The apparatus may include a result chart for use with the response chart. In this case, the result chart is preferably outside of the test capsule. The result chart may fit on the test capsule. When the result chart fits on the test capsule, then the apparatus may be one in which the result chart has a central aperture, in which the test capsule has a reduced portion and a shoulder, and in which the result chart fits over the reduced portion and abuts against the shoulder.

The apparatus may be one in which the result chart comprises result sectors, each result sector is for indicating the result of a different test for the liquid specimen, and each result sector has a plurality of differently coloured result portions, and the different colours of the result portions in each result sector indicate different degrees of result for the test afforded by the result sector. The result sectors may be arranged in a circle. The result sectors may be otherwise arranged if desired.

As an alternative to the apparatus including a result chart for use with the response chart, the apparatus of the present invention may be one in which the results are obtained electronically, for example using digital read-out result means.

The apparatus may be one in which the container is a tube of a diameter for fitting into laboratory test equipment. In this case, the tube may be a test tube or a primary tube. A primary tube is a test tube but with a screw thread for receiving a lid.

The apparatus may be one in which the response chart comprises response portions which are contacted by the liquid specimen, which become differently coloured to indicate different characteristics present in the liquid specimen, and which are read at predetermined time intervals. The response portions may be arranged in a circle. The response portions may be arranged other than in a circle if desired.

The apparatus may be one in which the response chart is inside the test capsule such that the response chart is in a test chamber.

The apparatus may include aligning means for aligning one of the result sectors with one of the response portions such that each one of the result sectors has it own one of the response portions.

The apparatus may be one in which the cylinder has a diameter such that when the test capsule is secured to the lid, walls defining the cylinder are adjacent walls defining the container, whereby the opener means opens the openable portion over substantially the entire diameter of the container and thereby allows maximum flow of the liquid specimen from the container into the test capsule.

The apparatus of the present invention may be used for testing a wide variety of liquid specimens. Usually the liquid specimens will be body fluid liquid specimens but other liquid specimens may be tested. Where the liquid specimens are body fluid liquid specimens, then the liquid specimens may be urine, blood or spinal fluid.

Referring to, there is shown apparatusfor testing a liquid specimen. The apparatuscomprises a containerfor the liquid specimen. The apparatusalso comprises a lidfor closing the containerafter the liquid specimen has been provided in the container. First securing meansenables the lidto be secured to the container.

The apparatusfurther comprises a test capsulefor securing to the lidwhen the lidis on the container. The second securing meansenables the test capsuleto be secured to the lid.

The apparatusfurther comprises a response chartwhich is operable in response to contact with the liquid specimen. A result chartis provided for use with the response chart.

The apparatusis such that the lidhas an openable portionwhich when opened permits the liquid specimen in the containerto enter the test capsule. The test capsulehas opener meansfor opening the openable portionon the lidwhen the test capsuleis secured to the lid. The response chartis inside the test capsuleand is contacted by the liquid specimen when the liquid specimen enters the test capsule. The result chartis outside of the test capsule.

The first securing meansis a screw-operated first securing meansand, as shown, comprises internal threads on the lidand external threads on the container. Thus the lidscrews to a topof the container.

The second securing meansis a push fit securing means. Thus the second securing meansis a push fit over the lidas shown in.

The openable portionof the lidis a foil. The openable portionmay alternatively be a membrane or other member.

The opener meansof the test capsulehas a puncturing formation for puncturing the openable portionof the lid. The puncturing formation is a cylindrical formationhaving a free endwhich extends at an angle to the openable portionof the lidas shown. The free endprovides a focussing opening force at a point to puncture the openable portionof the lid. The partopposite the free endhas a flat section which prevents the formation of a complete cut circle. This flat section causes a hinge to be created in the punctured openable portion. This flat section also passes through the openable portionand holds open the punctured portion of the openable portionparallel to the longitudinal axis of the test capsule, thereby ensuring that the openable portiondoes not interrupt the urine flow.

The result chartfits on the test capsule. This can best be appreciated from a comparison of. The result charthas a central aperture. The test capsulehas a reduced portionand a shoulder. The result chartfits over the reduced portionand abuts against the shoulder.

The containermay be a test tube or what is known as a primary tube in the field of medical diagnostics.

The response chartcomprises response portionswhich are contacted by the liquid specimen, which become differently coloured to indicate different characteristics present in the liquid specimen, and which are read at predetermined time intervals.

Referring to, there is shown a preferred result chart. The result chart shown incomprises result sectorsfor indicating the result of a different test for the liquid specimen. Each result sectorhas a plurality of differently coloured result portions. The different colours of the result portionsin each result sectorindicate different degrees of result for the rest afforded by the result sector.

The apparatusincludes aligning means (not shown) for aligning one of the result sectorswith one of the response portionssuch that each one of the result sectorshas its own one of the response portions.

The response chartis inside the test capsulesuch that the response chartis in a test chamber. The response portionsare arranged in a circle. The result sectorsare arranged in a circle.

show a test capsulehaving result portionsmounted on conical pins.

show a test capsulewith result portionssupported by cross-shaped pins.

show a test capsulewith result portionsmounted on conical pinsextending into a troughin a top partof the test capsule.

The apparatusmay be such that the test capsuleincludes all appropriate parts as disclosed in WO 2011/157981 A1.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the containermay be shorter and of a larger diameter than the containershown. The first securing meansand the second securing meansmay be different from those shown. Other types of response chartand result chartmay be employed. Instead of using the result chart, results may be obtained electronically for example using digital read-out result means. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.