DEVICE FOR COLLECTING A BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE
A device for collecting a biological sample in a patient includes a collection portion having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion. The second axial end portion has a collapsed position and an expanded position. The second axial end portion moves in an axial direction relative to the first axial end portion when the second axial end portion moves between the collapsed position and the expanded position. The second axial end portion extends axially into the first axial end portion and has a concave shape when in the collapsed position. The second axial end portion is convex when in the expanded position.
1 . A device for collecting a biological sample in a patient, the device comprising
a collection portion provided with a size and shape sufficiently dimensioned to be swallowed by the patient, and
wherein the collection portion includes a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, and
wherein the first axial end portion is harder than the second axial end portion.
2 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second axial end portions are integrally formed as one-piece.
3 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second axial end portions are formed as separate pieces and connected together.
4 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second axial end portions are connected by a circumferentially extending hinge.
5 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 1 ,
wherein upon application of a pressurized fluid to the collection portion, the second axial end portion is configured to be actuated from a collapsed position having a first radius to an expanded position having a second radius, and
wherein the first axial end portion has a substantially fixed radius.
6 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 5 , wherein upon application of a vacuum pressure to the collection portion, the second axial end portion is configured to be actuated from the expanded position having the second radius to the collapsed position having the first radius.
7 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the second axial end portion is inverted, at least partially, within the first axial end portion in the collapsed position.
8 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second axial end portion includes a plurality of tissue collecting projections.
9 . A biological sample collection device for collecting a biological sample in a lumen of a patient, the device comprising
a collection portion provided with a size and shape sufficiently dimensioned to be swallowed by the patient,
wherein the collection portion includes a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, the first axial end portion is more rigid than the second axial end portion such that the first axial end portion has a fixed radial extent.
10 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second axial end portions are integrally formed as one-piece.
11 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second axial end portions are formed as separate pieces and connected together.
12 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first and second axial end portions are connected by a circumferentially extending hinge.
13 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second axial end portion has an outer surface facing radially outwardly when the second axial end portion is in an expanded position, the outer surface facing radially inwardly when the second axial end portion is in a collapsed position.
14 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second axial end portion includes a plurality of tissue collecting projections.
15 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 14 wherein at least one of the plurality of tissue collecting projections has a V-shape.
16 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 14 , wherein circumferentially extending ribs extend between adjacent tissue collecting projections.
17 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tissue collecting projections includes at least one circumferentially extending rib.
18 . A biological sample collection device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the second axial end portion moves relative to the first axial end portion as the second axial end portion moves between a collapsed position and an expanded position.
19 . A device for collecting a biological sample in a patient, the device comprising
a collection portion provided with a size and shape sufficiently dimensioned to be swallowed by the patient, the collection portion having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion;
wherein the first axial end portion is more stiff than the second axial end portion such that the first axial end portion is less deformable than the second axial end portion upon application of a fluid pressure or vacuum to an interior of the collection portion.
20 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 19 wherein the second axial end portion has an outer surface facing radially outwardly when the second axial end portion is in an expanded position, the outer surface facing radially inwardly when the second axial end portion is in a collapsed position.
21 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 19 wherein the second axial end portion includes a plurality of tissue collecting projections.
22 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first and second axial end portions are integrally formed as one-piece.
23 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first and second axial end portions are connected by a circumferentially extending hinge.
24 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 19 wherein the second axial end portion moves relative to the first axial end portion as the second axial end portion moves between a collapsed position and an expanded position.
25 . A device for collecting a sample in a lumen of a patient, the device comprising
a collection portion configured to be swallowed by the patient, the collection portion having a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion,
wherein the first axial end portion has a first durometer and the second axial end portion has a second durometer.
26 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the first durometer is greater than the second durometer.
27 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 25 , wherein
the first axial end portion has a fixed radial extent, and the second axial end portion having a collapsed position having a first radius and an expanded position having a second radius, and
the fixed radial extent is larger than the first radius, and the fixed radial extent is smaller than the second radius.
28 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 27 wherein upon application of a pressurized fluid to the collection portion, the second axial end portion is configured to be actuated from the collapsed position having the first radius to the expanded position having the second radius.
29 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 28 , wherein the first axial end portion maintains the fixed radial extent upon application of the pressurized fluid to the collection portion and upon application of a vacuum to the collection portion.
30 . A device for collecting a biological sample as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the second axial end portion includes a plurality of tissue collecting projections.