US4172446A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for collecting body fluids
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-12-30
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Granted: 1979-10-30
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Expires: 1995-12-30
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for collecting body fluids at an internal cavity of the body of a living being. An enclosure is introduced into a body cavity with the enclosure in a contracted or evacuated condition. The enclosure has structure permitting body fluid to enter into the enclosure but not to flow out of the latter. A suitable triggering structure is provided to respond to the presence of a body fluid in order to trigger the release of the enclosure for collection, whereupon the enclosure sucks body fluid into the interior of the enclosure, with the enclosure having a structure such as a one-way valve which provides conditions permitting the fluid to flow into the enclosure but not to flow out of the latter. Thereafter, the enclosure is removed from the body cavity so that information can be obtained with respect to the fluid which is collected in the enclosure. The enclosure preferably contains an additive for providing a predetermined desired result with respect to a collected body fluid.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Bucalo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/0045; A61M; A61M31/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
For use in connection with collecting fluids from a cavity of a body of a human being or animal, enclosure means having a shape and size for occupying a position in a body cavity with one wall part of said enclosure means situated adjacent a location where the body fluid which is to be collected is situated and with said enclosure means defining a hollow interior closed off from the outer atmosphere at least to an extent sufficient to prevent escape of fluid from the interior to the exterior of said enclosure means, transfer means situated at said one wall part of said enclosure means for automatically transferring a fluid forming a body specimen through and beyond said wall part of said enclosure means from the exterior to the interior of said enclosure means in a manner which is not controlled from the exterior of the body, while the enclosure means is in the body, and trigger means operatively connected with said enclosure means for automatically initiating operation of said transfer means after said enclosure means is situated in a body cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
For use in connection with collecting fluids from a cavity of a body of a human being or animal, enclosure means having a shape and size for occupying a position in a body cavity with one wall part of said enclosure means situated adjacent a location where the body fluid which is to be collected is situated and with said enclosure means defining a hollow interior closed off from the outer atmosphere at least to an extent sufficient to prevent escape of fluid from the interior to the exterior of said enclosure means, transfer means situated at said one wall part of said enclosure means for automatically transferring a fluid forming a body specimen through and beyond said wall part of said enclosure means from the exterior to the interior of said enclosure means in a manner which is not controlled from the exterior of the body, while the enclosure means is in the body, and trigger means operatively connected with said enclosure means for automatically initiating operation of said transfer means after said enclosure means is situated in a body cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein an additive is situated in said enclosure means for favoring a desired result with respect to a collected body specimen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enclosure means is made of elastic material, said trigger means which is operatively connected with said enclosure means maintaining the latter in a contracted condition when introduced into the body cavity, said trigger means being capable of responding to conditions in the body cavity for releasing the enclosure means for expansion in the body cavity, and said transfer means including a passage at said one wall part of said enclosure means through which a body specimen is sucked into said enclosure means upon expansion thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination of claim 3 and wherein a one-way valve means is carried by said enclosure means at said opening thereof for permitting body fluid to enter through said opening while preventing body fluid from escaping out of said enclosure means through said opening thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein a magnetic body is carried by said enclosure means in a wall portion thereof so that the enclosure means will respond to magnetic attraction to be removed from a medium in which the enclosure means may be situated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said trigger means includes at least one band surrounding said enclosure means and maintaining the latter in a compressed condition, said trigger means responding to contact with a body fluid to yield and release said enclosure means for expansion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
116 words
The combination of claim 6 and wherein an outer sleeve means which is made of a material which will absorb body fluid at a relatively slow rate houses said enclosure means together with said trigger means and band, an absorbent means carried by said sleeve means in the interior thereof in engagement with said opening of said enclosure means, said absorbent means having a much faster rate of absorption than said sleeve means and having a free end portion extending outwardly beyond said sleeve for directly engaging a body fluid at an end region of said sleeve, whereby the body fluid must travel through said absorbent means into engagement with the opening of said enclosure means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
143 words
The combination of claim 6 and wherein an outer sleeve means made of material which will not absorb body fluid houses said enclosure means together with said trigger means and band, a wick engaging said trigger means at the exterior of said enclosure means for conveying to said trigger means a body fluid for causing said trigger means to yield so that the latter will release said enclosure means for expansion, and absorbent means carried by said sleeve means in the interior thereof in engagement with said wick and said opening of said enclosure means, said absorbent means having a free end portion extending outwardly beyond said sleeve for directly engaging a body fluid at an end region of said sleeve, whereby the body fluid must travel through said absorbent means into engagement with the opening of said enclosure means and said wick.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said outer sleeve means is substantially rigid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said outer sleeve means has an end cap which is removable from the remainder of said outer sleeve means to give access to said enclosure means, and bayonet-connection means for connecting said enclosure means to said sleeve means releasably in the interior of said sleeve means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said absorbent means is in the form of a sponge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said sleeve is made of a flexible material, and an internal rigid sleeve surrounding said absorbent means with in said flexible sleeve to prevent compacting of said absorbent means in the interior of said flexible sleeve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 12 and wherein an additive is situated in said enclosure means for favoring a desired result with respect to a collected body specimen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein a string is fixed to and extends from said sleeve for facilitating retraction thereof from a body cavity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination of claim 8 and wherein said absorbent means at its end which projects beyond said sleeve bulges outwardly beyond the latter so as to be capable of performing a scraping function when moving along the wall of a body cavity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enclosure means has an evacuated interior, said trigger means which is operatively connected with said enclosure means maintaining the latter in its evacuated condition when introduced into the body cavity, said trigger means being capable of responding to conditions in the body cavity for placing the interior of said enclosure means in a condition for receiving a body specimen, and said transfer means including a passage at said one part of said enclosure means through which a body specimen may be received in said enclosure means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
The combination of claim 16 and wherein said enclosure means is made of a substantially rigid material and has an opening forming said passage, and said trigger means being in the form of a body of material sealing said opening but capable of responding to conditions in the body cavity for releasing said opening to provide communication between the evacuated interior of said enclosure means and the exterior thereof, so that a body specimen will then be sucked into said enclosure means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
149 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enclosure means is made of elastic material, an outer sleeve means made of a material which will not absorb body fluid housing said enclosure means and absorbent means carried by said sleeve means in the interior thereof in engagement with said transfer means and having a free end portion extending outwardly beyond said sleeve for directly engaging a body fluid at an end region of said sleeve, whereby body fluid will travel through said absorbent means into engagement with said transfer means, said sleeve means including a means for rendering the interior thereof accessible for removal of said enclosure means from said sleeve means so that after said enclosure means has initially been contracted and expands to suck a body fluid in from said absorbent means, the enclosure means with the body fluid therein can be removed from said sleeve means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-10-29 | 1983-04-30 | 1983-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-10-29 | 1987-04-30 | 1987-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-10-29 | 1991-04-30 | 1991-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |