SPECIMEN OBSERVATION, COLLECTION, STORAGE AND PRESERVATION DEVICES AND METHODS OF USE

摘要

The devices and methods taught in this disclosure are directed to facilitate the observation, collection, transportation, storage, and preservation of specimens possibly containing DNA, said specimens potentially constituting evidence of sexual assault. The devices and methods described further allow for a means of minimizing the possibility of specimen contamination, dilution, or degradation during the collection and storage processes. The disclosed devices may contain electrical components that provide for the generation and recordation of information (specifically, times, dates, and locations) related to circumstances surrounding the collection of such specimens. This information may serve as evidence corroborating the circumstance of specimen collection, it may help to maintain a known and identifiable Chain of Custody (CoC), and it may additionally be used for unique device identification (UDI), inventory control, and current procedural terminology (CPT) coding purposes.

主权项

1. A specimen-collection device for observing, collecting, securing, and preserving DNA-containing material potentially constituting evidence of a sexual assault, said device comprising:
an outer sheath for insertion into a human body cavity, said an outer sheath having an oblong shape, an interior volume, and a longitudinal axis; an inner sheath for retaining a specimen collector and specimen in a sealed environment, disposed within said inner volume of said outer sheath, said inner sheath having an interior volume, wherein said inner sheath is movable along said longitudinal axis into and from said interior volume of said outer sheath; a specimen collector for collecting specimens comprising DNA-containing material, said specimen collector disposed within said interior volume of said inner sheath, wherein said specimen collector is movable along said longitudinal axis into and from said interior volume of said inner sheath; a cap for preventing exposure of said interior volume of said inner sheath to a volume exterior to said specimen-collection device when said cap is in a closed configuration, said cap coupled to an end of said inner sheath, wherein said cap is openable to accommodate passage of said specimen collector to said volume exterior to said specimen-collection device when said specimen collector is in an extended position, and wherein said cap is closeable to prevent exposure of said specimen collector to the volume exterior to said specimen-collection device when said specimen collector is in a retracted position; an actuation mechanism for moving said inner sheath into and from said interior volume of said outer sheath, for moving said specimen collector into and from said interior volume of said inner sheath, and for opening and closing said cap to accommodate movement of said specimen collector, said actuation mechanism being arranged relative to said actuator, said cap, said specimen collector, said inner sheath, and said outer sheath; an actuator for operating said actuation mechanism, wherein said actuator is coupled to said actuation mechanism, whereby actuation of the actuator engages said actuation mechanism moves said specimen collector along said longitudinal axis, between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said inner and outer sheaths; a circuit for identifying information related to use of said specimen-collection device, said information comprising one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of:
a time for establishing the time when said specimen-collection device is used to collect a specimen;a location for establishing the location of said specimen-collection device when said specimen-collection device is used to collect a specimen;a date value for establishing a year, month, and day when said specimen-collection device is used to collect a specimen; andsecurity information for determining whether a specimen collected by said specimen-collection device has been accessed, or otherwise tampered with, after its collection; a memory for recording said information related to use of said specimen-collection device identified by said circuit; a processor for transferring said information related to use of said specimen-collection device from said circuit to said memory; a switch for triggering said circuit to identify said information related to use of said specimen-collection device, and for triggering said information related to use of said specimen-collection device to be recorded in said memory; and a power source for supplying electrical power to said circuit, said processor, and said memory, said power source being electrically connected to said circuit, said processor, and said memory.