US20030087423A1 — Method and basket apparatus for transporting biol…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 184 words

1 . A container assembly for storing a biological sample, said assembly comprising: a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, said container having a dimension to contain a volume of a reagent sufficient to treat a biological sample; a closure cap for coupling to said open top end of said container; and a sample holder coupled to said cap and being positioned to be received in said container, said sample holder having an internal cavity with a dimension for receiving a biological sample, said holder having a plurality of fluid openings into said cavity to enable free flow of said reagent into said cavity while retaining said biological sample in said cavity, said sample holder having a dimension to fit between said bottom and side of said container and said cap and to immerse said cavity in said reagent, said cavity of said sample holder having a volume to limit the size of said biological sample to maintain a predetermined ratio of an amount of said biological sample to an amount of said reagent to treat said biological sample.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 184 words

1 . A container assembly for storing a biological sample, said assembly comprising: a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, said container having a dimension to contain a volume of a reagent sufficient to treat a biological sample; a closure cap for coupling to said open top end of said container; and a sample holder coupled to said cap and being positioned to be received in said container, said sample holder having an internal cavity with a dimension for receiving a biological sample, said holder having a plurality of fluid openings into said cavity to enable free flow of said reagent into said cavity while retaining said biological sample in said cavity, said sample holder having a dimension to fit between said bottom and side of said container and said cap and to immerse said cavity in said reagent, said cavity of said sample holder having a volume to limit the size of said biological sample to maintain a predetermined ratio of an amount of said biological sample to an amount of said reagent to treat said biological sample.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

2 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sample holder has a bottom wall and a side wall defining said cavity, said bottom wall including a permeable member defining said fluid openings.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

3 . The container assembly of claim 2 , wherein said side wall includes a permeable member to allow free flow of said reagent into said sample holder.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 56 words

4 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sample holder includes a base member having a dimension to displace a predetermined portion of said reagent in said container and to reduce a head space above said reagent in said container and to maintain said cavity of said sample holder immersed in said reagent.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

5 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sample holder includes a bottom, a side wall, an open end and a closure member for closing said open end.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 37 words

6 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said closure member is coupled to said sample holder and is pivotable about an axis oriented in a plane parallel to a plane of said side wall.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

7 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said closure member includes a porous material to enable the flow of said reagent into said sample holder.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

8 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said closure member is coupled to said sample holder and pivotable about an axis oriented in a plane perpendicular to a plane of said side wall.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

9 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said side wall and said bottom include a porous material to enable said treating liquid to flow into said sample holder.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

10 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said sample holder includes a base, and wherein said base is coupled to said cap for spacing said sample holder from said cap and immersing said sample holder in said reagent.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 48 words

11 . The container assembly of claim 9 , wherein said base comprises an annular wall having an axial dimension and width defining a volume to displace a portion of air and said reagent in said container to immerse said cavity of said sample holder in said reagent.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 47 words

12 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said container has an internal volume and said sample holder has an internal volume, and wherein the ratio of said internal volume of said container and said internal volume of said sample holder is at least 5:1.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

13 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein said closure member of said sample holder includes a top face and a handle member extending from said top face.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 62 words

14 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said cap has an axial dimension including a top wall lying in a plane, said top wall having a body portion extending outwardly from said top wall, said body portion having a dimension sufficient to displace a volume of air from said container and to reduce a head space above said reagent.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 69 words

15 . The container assembly of claim 14 , wherein said body portion of said top wall includes an annular side wall extending in an axial direction with respect to said top wall and having an end wall coupled to an outer end of said side wall, and wherein said sample holder includes a base member having an annular wall coupled to said side wall of said body portion.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

16 . The container assembly of claim 15 , wherein said base member of said sample holder has a dimension to displace a portion of said reagent from said container.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 46 words

17 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sample holder comprises a first member and a second member pivotally coupled together and defining a substantially spherical shape, and wherein said first member and said second member include at least one liquid permeable section.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 42 words

18 . The container assembly of claim 17 , wherein said sample holder further includes a base member extending from said first member, said base member having an outer end coupled to said cap for spacing said sample holder from said cap.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 59 words

19 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sample holder comprises an annular side wall, a bottom wall and an open top, a plurality of legs coupled to said side wall and a base member coupled to said legs, wherein said base member is coupled to said cap whereby said cavity is spaced from said cap.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 42 words

20 . The container assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a closure member pivotally coupled to said side wall of said sample holder to close said open end, and wherein said side wall and closure include at least one porous portion.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 54 words

21 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein said container contains a reagent in an amount sufficient to treat a biological sample, and wherein said reagent is included in an amount to provide a ratio of a volume of said reagent to a volume of a biological sample of at least 10:1.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 176 words

22 . A container assembly, comprising: a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, and being dimensioned to contain a biological sample treating reagent in a volume sufficient to treat a biological sample; a closure cap removably coupled to said container and closing said open top end, said closure cap having an outer face and an inner face; a sample holder coupled to said inner face of said cap, said sample holder having an internal cavity for receiving a biological sample, and at least one fluid opening into said cavity, said sample holder having a dimension to fit within said container to completely immerse said cavity in said reagent, said sample holder being positioned with respect to said inner face of said cap to substantially prevent linear movement of said sample holder in said container; and a body extending from said inner face of said closure cap and having a dimension to displace a portion of said air and reagent in said container to completely immerse said sample holder in said reagent.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 176 words

22 . A container assembly, comprising: a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, and being dimensioned to contain a biological sample treating reagent in a volume sufficient to treat a biological sample; a closure cap removably coupled to said container and closing said open top end, said closure cap having an outer face and an inner face; a sample holder coupled to said inner face of said cap, said sample holder having an internal cavity for receiving a biological sample, and at least one fluid opening into said cavity, said sample holder having a dimension to fit within said container to completely immerse said cavity in said reagent, said sample holder being positioned with respect to said inner face of said cap to substantially prevent linear movement of said sample holder in said container; and a body extending from said inner face of said closure cap and having a dimension to displace a portion of said air and reagent in said container to completely immerse said sample holder in said reagent.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 38 words

23 . The container assembly of claim 22 , wherein said body is integrally formed with said cap and extends from said inner face in a substantially axial direction with respect to a center axis of said cap.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

24 . The container assembly of claim 22 , wherein said body is integrally formed with said sample holder and wherein said body is coupled to said cap.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 42 words

25 . The container assembly of claim 24 , wherein said sample holder includes a side wall extending axially from said body, said side wall having at least one open area and a porous member closing said at least one open area.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

26 . The container assembly of claim 25 , wherein said side wall of said sample holder includes an open end, and a closure member for closing said open end.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 31 words

27 . The container assembly of claim 26 , wherein said closure member of said sample holder includes at least one open area and a porous member closing said open area.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

28 . The container assembly of claim 22 , wherein said body is integrally formed with said cap, and wherein said sample holder includes a base having a side wall coupled to said body of said cap.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 33 words

29 . The container assembly of claim 28 , wherein said base of said sample holder has a dimension to displace air from said container and reduce a head space above said reagent.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 30 words

30 . The container assembly of claim 22 , wherein said body of said cap has a recess and wherein said sample holder includes a base received in said recess.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 53 words

31 . The container assembly of claim 30 , wherein said sample holder includes a side wall and a plurality of legs coupled to a bottom end of said side wall, and wherein said base is coupled to an outer end of said legs, whereby said internal cavity is spaced from said cap.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 33 words

32 . The container assembly of claim 22 , wherein said sample holder includes a post having an outer end coupled to said cap, whereby said sample holder is spaced from said cap.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 135 words

33 . A method of treating biological samples with a treating reagent comprising: providing a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, said container containing a tissue treating liquid including a reagent; placing a biological sample in a sample holder, said sample holder having an internal cavity for receiving said biological sample and having a fluid opening into said cavity; and positioning said sample holder in said container and completely immersing said internal cavity and biological sample in said reagent, and closing said container with a closure cap, said closure cap cooperating with said sample holder to position said biological sample and to limit movement of said sample holder within said container to retain said internal cavity and biological sample immersed in said reagent regardless of the orientation of said container.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 135 words

33 . A method of treating biological samples with a treating reagent comprising: providing a container having a bottom, a side and an open top end, said container containing a tissue treating liquid including a reagent; placing a biological sample in a sample holder, said sample holder having an internal cavity for receiving said biological sample and having a fluid opening into said cavity; and positioning said sample holder in said container and completely immersing said internal cavity and biological sample in said reagent, and closing said container with a closure cap, said closure cap cooperating with said sample holder to position said biological sample and to limit movement of said sample holder within said container to retain said internal cavity and biological sample immersed in said reagent regardless of the orientation of said container.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 70 words

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said cap includes an inner face having a body portion extending in a substantially axial direction and having a dimension to displace a volume of air and said reagent in said container, said method comprising coupling said cap to said container to displace a portion of said reagent and to raise the fluid level of said reagent above said sample holder.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 17 words

35 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said reagent is a nucleic acid stabilizing agent.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 25 words

36 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said reagent is a sulfate salt that is able to precipitate nucleic acid and cellular proteins.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 27 words

37 . The method of claim 33 , wherein said reagent is an aqueous solution having a salt concentration of about 0.10 g/ml to about 1.5 g/ml.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 32 words

38 . The method of claim 33 , further comprising positioning said sample holder in a central portion of said container and providing a flow of said reagent through said sample holder.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 27 words

39 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the ratio of a volume of said reagent to a volume of said internal cavity is about 10:1.

Method and basket apparatus for transporting biological samples

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