Method and apparatus for the collection, cultivation and identification of microorganisms from body fluid

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTION, CULTIVATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF NICROORGANISMS CONTAINED IN A SPECIMEN OF BODY FLUID, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A CONTAINER HAVING AT LEAST ONE CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END; RESILIENT CLOSURE MEANS CLOSING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER; A NUTRIENT MEDIUM PARTIALLY FILLING SAID CONTAINER AND SUITABLE FOR CULTURING MICROORGNISMS CONTAINED IN SAID SPECIMEN; A GASEOUS ATMOSPHERE FILLING THE SPACE ABOVE SAID NUTRUENT MEDIUM; AND A VENTING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER AND HAVING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHERE AND THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CONTAINER, SAID VENTING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER PASSING THROUGH SAID RESILIENT CLOSURE TO PROVIDE FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GASEOUS ATMOSPHERE OUTSIDE OF SAID THE NUTRIENT MEDIUM AND THE ATMOSPHERE OUTSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID VENTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE BODY PORTION HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END SO THAT THE CLOSURE MEANS FITED IN THE OPEN END OF THE CONTAINER IS CAPED THEREBY; THE CLOSED END OF THE BODY PORTION IS FORMED WITH A HUB HAVING AN AXIAL BORE THERETHROUGH AND SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IS CANNULAR RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN THE AXIAL BORE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID BORE; AND A SHIELD MOUNTED ON THE HUB TO ENCLOSE THE PORTION OF THE CANNULA EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CLOSED END OF THE RIBS WHICH ARE RADIALLY DISPOSED AROUND THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF SO THAT THE SHIELD WHEN MOUNTED ON THE HUB FORMS A PLURALITY OF PASSAGEWAYS FOR THE CIRCULATION OF MICROBIAL GASES FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER TO THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHER AND FOR DIFFUSION OF ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE OF THE CONTAINTER.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTION, CULTIVATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF NICROORGANISMS CONTAINED IN A SPECIMEN OF BODY FLUID, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A CONTAINER HAVING AT LEAST ONE CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END; RESILIENT CLOSURE MEANS CLOSING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER; A NUTRIENT MEDIUM PARTIALLY FILLING SAID CONTAINER AND SUITABLE FOR CULTURING MICROORGNISMS CONTAINED IN SAID SPECIMEN; A GASEOUS ATMOSPHERE FILLING THE SPACE ABOVE SAID NUTRUENT MEDIUM; AND A VENTING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER AND HAVING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHERE AND THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CONTAINER, SAID VENTING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A TUBULAR MEMBER PASSING THROUGH SAID RESILIENT CLOSURE TO PROVIDE FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GASEOUS ATMOSPHERE OUTSIDE OF SAID THE NUTRIENT MEDIUM AND THE ATMOSPHERE OUTSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID VENTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE BODY PORTION HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END SO THAT THE CLOSURE MEANS FITED IN THE OPEN END OF THE CONTAINER IS CAPED THEREBY; THE CLOSED END OF THE BODY PORTION IS FORMED WITH A HUB HAVING AN AXIAL BORE THERETHROUGH AND SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IS CANNULAR RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN THE AXIAL BORE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID BORE; AND A SHIELD MOUNTED ON THE HUB TO ENCLOSE THE PORTION OF THE CANNULA EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE CLOSED END OF THE RIBS WHICH ARE RADIALLY DISPOSED AROUND THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF SO THAT THE SHIELD WHEN MOUNTED ON THE HUB FORMS A PLURALITY OF PASSAGEWAYS FOR THE CIRCULATION OF MICROBIAL GASES FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER TO THE OUTSIDE ATMOSPHER AND FOR DIFFUSION OF ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE OF THE CONTAINTER.