Fluid-transfer collection assembly and method of using the same

Abstract

A method of using a fluid-transfer collection assembly includes providing a fluid-transfer collection assembly including an inlet for receiving one or more fluids, the inlet including an inlet check valve, an outlet including an outlet check valve, a test media, and a depressable, flexible bulb pump located between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior; depressing and releasing the bulb pump to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the bulb pump through the inlet check valve; and depressing the bulb pump again to impart a positive pressure in the interior of the bulb pump to cause one or more fluids in the interior of the bulb pump to exit the interior of the bulb pump through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of using a fluid-transfer collection assembly, comprising: 
 providing a fluid-transfer collection assembly including an inlet for receiving one or more fluids, the inlet including an inlet check valve, an outlet including an outlet check valve, a test media, and a depressable, flexible bulb pump located between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior;    depressing and releasing the bulb pump to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the bulb pump through the inlet check valve;    depressing the bulb pump again to impart a positive pressure in the interior of the bulb pump to cause one or more fluids in the interior of the bulb pump to exit the interior of the bulb pump through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test media is removable with respect to the fluid-transfer collection assembly, and the method further includes removing the test media from the fluid-transfer collection assembly, replacing the test media with a replacement test media, and depressing the bulb pump again to impart a positive pressure in the interior of the bulb pump to cause one or more fluids in the interior of the bulb pump to exit the interior of the bulb pump through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the replacement test media.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-transfer collection assembly includes a sample tube movable between an out-of-the-way position and deployed position, and the method further includes deploying the sample tube from the out-of-the-way position to the deployed position, and one or more fluids are drawn into the interior of the bulb pump through the deployed sample tube.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet includes a locking mechanism to lock the inlet check valve in a closed condition and the outlet includes a locking mechanism to lock the outlet check valve in a closed condition, and the method further includes locking the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve with the locking mechanisms to prevent fluid flow through the check valves.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further including transferring the fluid-transfer collection assembly to a lab for further processing of one or more fluids therein after locking the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve with the locking mechanisms.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the test media is removable with respect to the fluid-transfer collection assembly, and the method further includes removing the test media from the fluid-transfer collection assembly and replacing the test media with a replacement test media after locking the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve with the locking mechanisms.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the inlet includes an unlocking mechanism to unlock the inlet check valve from the closed condition and the outlet includes an unlocking mechanism to unlock the outlet check valve from the closed condition, and the method further includes unlocking the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve with the unlocking mechanisms to allow fluid flow through the check valves.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-transfer collection assembly further includes a sample tube having a proximal end connected to the inlet and a distal end, and the method further includes communicating the distal end of the sample tube with one or more fluids to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the bulb pump.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet check valve only allows fluid into the bulb pump and the outlet check valve only allows fluid out of the bulb pump.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-transfer collection assembly further includes a base that carries the bulb pump, inlet check valve, outlet check valve, and test media, the test media visually indicating the presence or absence of one or more target objects in the one or more fluids, and the method further includes transferring the one or more fluids from the interior of the bulb pump to the test media to determine the presence or absence of one or more target objects.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid-transfer collection assembly further includes a bladder carried by the base between the inlet and the outlet and including an interior with a bladder fluid therein, a membrane separating the interior of the bladder from the interior of the bulb pump, the bulb pump including an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a pointed member extending from the interior surface of the flexible member, and depressing and releasing the bulb pump to draw one or more fluids into the interior of the bulb pump through the inlet check valve includes depressing the bulb pump to cause the pointed member to rupture the membrane and releasing the bulb pump to draw an external fluid into the interior of the bulb pump through the inlet check valve to mix with the bladder fluid, and depressing the bulb pump again includes depressing the bulb pump to impart a positive pressure in the interior of the bulb pump to cause mixed first fluid and second fluid to be pumped out of the interior of the bulb pump through the outlet check valve and be transferred to the test media.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is an assay test method, the external fluid is a sample fluid including an analyte of interest for assay testing, the bladder fluid is a reagent, and the test media visually indicates the presence or absence of an analyte of interest.