Rotatable fluid sample collection device

1. A sample collection device for a fluid sample, the device comprising:

a body including a capillary channel having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to draw the fluid into the channel by capillary action;

an air vent located in the vicinity of the second end and in fluid communication with the capillary channel;

a barrier positioned within the capillary channel to prevent flow of the fluid by capillary action thereacross; and

features on opposing sides of the body to form an axis of rotation, which is substantially perpendicular to the overall direction of the capillary channel from the first end to the second end.

2. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sample collection device is adapted to rotate about the axis of rotation within a cartridge having a sample manipulation device to bring the first end into position with the sample manipulation device.

3. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the capillary channel is non-linear.

4. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a portion of the surface of the capillary channel that is hydrophobic.

5. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the capillary channel is hydrophilic.

6. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first end is provided with a hydrophilic coating.

7. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body has a substantially rectangular shape, and wherein the first end is located at a first shorter dimension of the shape and the second end is located in the vicinity of a second shorter dimension of the shape.

8. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the features on opposing sides of the body are located on the longer dimensions of the substantially rectangular shape.

9. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the features are projections extending outwardly from the body.

10. A sample collection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the barrier is selected from the group consisting of a hydrophobic porous material, geometric features with sharp edges, a hydrophobic surface, or hydrophobic surface coating, whereby the barrier allows air flow to the capillary channel so that the sample in the capillary can be acted upon by applied air pressure.

11. A working element comprising:

a sample collection device as recited in claim 1 ; and

a cartridge having a sample manipulation device, wherein the cartridge has features that correspond to the features on the sample collection device to form the axis of rotation about which the sample collection device rotates, and wherein the sample collection device is adapted to rotate about the axis of rotation to bring the first end into position with the sample manipulation device.

12. A working element as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the sample manipulation device includes at least one filter in fluid communication with the first end of the capillary channel.

13. A working element as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the sample manipulation device is an analytical chamber in fluid communication with the first end of the capillary channel.

14. A working element as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the analytical chamber is provided with an analytical reagent thereon.

15. A working element as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the analytical chamber is a lateral flow assay device.

16. A working element as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the sample collection device is located at a first end of a cartridge housing.

17. A working element as claimed in claim 16 , wherein a portion of the cartridge has a groove which at least partially contains the sample collection device.

18. A working element as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the features of the cartridge that form the axis of rotation are located in the portion of the housing that forms the groove or a recess within the groove, whereby the sample collection device rotates from a position where the first end extends away from the cartridge to a position where the first end is in contact with the sample manipulation device.

19. A working element as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the features of the sample collection device comprise pins and the features of the cartridge housing comprise slots which cooperate with the pins to form the axis of rotation.

20. A method of performing an assay on a liquid sample for the presence or concentration of one or more analyte(s) or control(s), on the assay device according to claim 15 , comprising:

rotating the sample collection device to position the first end in a direction extending away from the cartridge;

bringing the first end into contact with the sample, whereby capillary action draws the sample into the channel and to the barrier;

rotating the sample collection device to position the first end into position with the assay device;

applying air pressure to the air vent to force the sample across the barrier and into contact with a sample addition zone of the assay device;

moving the sample by capillary action through a fluid flow path into a reagent zone where it dissolves one or more reagents;

flowing the sample away from the reagent zone having a dissolved reagent plume containing one or more reagents and into detection zone(s) by capillary action through the fluid flow path, wherein signal(s) representative of the presence or concentration of analyte(s) or control(s) is produced; and

reading the signal(s) that are produced in the detection zones to determine the presence or concentration of the analytes or controls.