APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR BODILY FLUID SAMPLE COLLECTION

1 . A bodily-fluid diversion device, comprising:

a housing,

a sampling channel disposed within and extending through the housing,

wherein the sampling channel is defined by an inlet port at a proximate end of the housing and an outlet port at a distal end of the housing,

wherein the inlet port is fluidly coupled a proximal end of a needle having a distal end configured to penetrate a patient to acquire a body fluid sample,

wherein the sampling channel extends between the inlet port and the outlet port and extends through the housing, and

wherein the sampling channel receives and transfers portions of the body fluid sample received from the needle from the inlet port to the outlet port of the housing;

a diversion chamber body portion directly secured to the housing; and

a diversion chamber disposed within the diversion chamber body portion,

wherein the diversion chamber extends from a proximal end to a distal end,

wherein the proximal end of the diversion chamber is in fluid communication with the sampling channel, and

wherein the distal end of the diversion chamber terminates before an exterior end of the diversion chamber body portion,

wherein an initial first portion of the body fluid received from the needle at the inlet port of the housing is transferred through the sampling channel inlet port and into the diversion chamber,

wherein, after the diversion chamber is filled with the initial first portion of the body fluid, a subsequent second portion of the body fluid received from the needle is communicated through the sampling channel to the outlet port while the initially received first portion of the body fluid is retained in the diversion chamber, and

wherein the subsequently received second portion of the body fluid exits the outlet port for collection into a collection device while the initially received first portion of the body fluid is retained in the diversion chamber.

2 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a one-way valve disposed within the diversion chamber,

wherein the one-way valve is proximate to a junction where the proximal end of the diversion chamber joins with the diversion chamber,

wherein the initially received first portion of the body fluid passes through the one-way valve into the diversion chamber, and

wherein the one-way valve, after the diversion chamber is filled with the initially received first portion of the body fluid, closes to prevent the initially received first portion of the body fluid collected in the diversion chamber from exiting the diversion chamber as the subsequently received second portion of the body fluid is passing through the sampling channel.

3 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a surface modification disposed within at least one of the sampling channel and the diversion chamber proximate to a junction where the proximal end of the diversion chamber joins with the diversion chamber,

wherein the surface modification facilitates communication through the sampling channel and into the diversion chamber.

4 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , wherein the diversion chamber is a first diversion chamber, and further comprising:

a second diversion chamber having a proximal end in fluid communication with the sampling channel,

wherein the first diversion chamber and the second diversion chamber cooperate to collect and retain the initial first portion of the body fluid.

5 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 4 , wherein the second diversion chamber is located adjacent to and downstream from the first diversion chamber, and wherein the second diversion chamber has a length and diameter that is the same as a length and a diameter of the first diversion chamber.

6 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 ,

wherein the diversion chamber is a first one of a plurality of diversion chambers each having a proximal end in fluid communication with the sampling channel,

wherein the plurality of diversion chambers are located adjacent to each other and are arranged downstream from a preceding diversion chamber, and

wherein the plurality of diversion chambers cooperatively collect and retain the initial first portion of the body fluid.

7 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier located at the distal end of the diversion chamber,

wherein air initially occupying the diversion chamber exits through the air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier as the initial first portion of the body fluid is collected into the diversion chamber, and

wherein the air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier is impermeable to the initial first portion of the body fluid.

8 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an air tank located proximate to the distal end of the diversion chamber,

wherein air initially residing within the diversion chamber is displaced by the initially received first portion of the body fluid, and

wherein the displaced air exits the diversion chamber and enters into the air tank.

9 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier located at the distal end of the diversion chamber,

wherein air initially occupying the diversion chamber exits through the air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier and into the air tank as the initial first portion of the body fluid is collected into the diversion chamber, and

wherein the air permeable and liquid impermeable barrier is impermeable to the initial first portion of the body fluid.

10 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a one-way valve located in the sampling channel,

wherein the subsequently received second portion of the body fluid passes through the one-way valve and out through the outlet port of the housing, and

wherein the one-way valve prevents the subsequently received second portion of the body fluid collected in the sampling channel from exiting back through the inlet port of the housing.

11 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , wherein the diversion chamber is positively charged to attract bacterial having a negatively charged cell membrane.

12 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 11 , wherein the diversion chamber comprises:

a positively charged polymer coating disposed along a portion of the diversion chamber.

13 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 11 , wherein the diversion chamber comprises:

a positively charged insert molding that is inserted into a portion of the diversion chamber.

14 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 11 , wherein a positive charge is applied to the diversion chamber by an electrical charging device.

15 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the sampling channel preceding a juncture between the diversion chamber and the sampling channel is negatively charged, wherein the negatively charged cell membrane of the bacteria is repelled from the negative charged portion of the sampling channel.

16 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , wherein the initial first portion of the body fluid is drawn into the diversion chamber by capillary action.

17 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 , wherein the diversion chamber is disposed in the diversion chamber body portion extending perpendicularly outward from the sampling channel.

18 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 ,

wherein the diversion chamber body portion is secured to the housing after the diversion chamber has been disposed into the diversion chamber body portion, and

wherein a distal surface of the diversion chamber body portion is secured to an outside surface of the housing using a securing means.

19 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 18 ,

wherein the diversion chamber is drilled into the diversion chamber body portion prior to securing the diversion chamber body portion to the housing.

20 . The bodily-fluid diversion device of claim 1 ,

wherein the diversion chamber body portion and the housing are fabricated together as a single unibody piece.