Apparatus for collection, separation and isolation of blood

Claim 1

Apparatus for the collection, separation and isolation of serum or plasma from capillary blood, which comprises; a first tubular body having a fixedly closed end and an open end, said open end having a greater width than said closed end, said body and said open and closed ends together defining a blood collection reservoir with the capacity of from about 200 to about 1,000 microliters of blood; b. a first flange disposed about the outer periphery of said open end; c. a movable first closure member adapted to nest in and to seal said open end, said closure member comprising; i. a second tubular body having open upper and lower ends and which defines a sealant holding chamber, the opening in said lower end being of a dimension which is insufficient to permit the passage of a thixotrope under the force of one gravity but sufficient to permit the passage of said thixotrope under a centrifugal force; ii. a second flange disposed about the outer periphery of said upper end; iii. a second movable closure member for sealing said upper end, said second movable closure having means formed therein for releasably engaging said second flange in a fluid tight sealing association; iiii. a thixotrope sealant held in said sealant chamber, said thixotrope having a specific gravity within the range of from 1.03 to 1.09; d. means formed on said second flange for releasably engaging said first flange in a fluid tight association; and e. means of movably attaching said first closure to said first tubular body; whereby when both of said means for releasably engaging said second flange are engaged, the contents of said apparatus are hermetically sealed therein.