JP2013079896A - Sheath pipe for sampling specimen - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means in which a specimen sampling unit is not deformed before use, and does not contaminate surroundings with the specimen after the use.SOLUTION: Provided is a sheath pipe into which an entire specimen sampling unit that is attached to a front edge of a specimen sampling instrument is inserted, and that has a stopper of the specimen sampling unit provided to one end thereof.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheath tube that is mounted on a sample collection portion of a tool for collecting a sample for biochemical examination or the like.

  Conventionally, when investigating infections such as influenza virus, mucus has been collected as a specimen from the nasal cavity and throat using a cotton swab (Patent Document 1). In addition, cotton swabs have been used to collect specimens from various foods, stool and urine for the purpose of testing bacteria and viruses.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7, this cotton swab is used in which a cotton ball portion 10 is formed by winding a thread of hydrophilic short fiber such as cotton or rayon around one end of a shaft 9. There is a problem that the water absorption is high due to the hydrophilic property, and the amount of the collected sample released is small. Therefore, recently, those using hydrophobic short fibers such as polyester have been used. However, since the hydrophobic fiber has a low water absorption rate, the amount of sample collected is small. As means for improving this, it is known to perform an oil removal process (Patent Document 2). In addition, in the production of cotton swabs, sliver processing to make the fiber into a thread shape and crimping processing to wind this yarn around the shaft are performed, but polyester is poor in workability, and as a countermeasure, cotton-like fiber made of polyester A method of fixing the wound state by heat treatment is also developed (Patent Document 3).

  In addition, a cotton ball part that is flocked in order to increase the amount of sample collected is also known (Patent Document 4).

  By the way, these swabs are supplied after being sterilized in a sealed form by putting each one in a sterilization bag in order to prevent contamination by bacteria, viruses, etc. before use. Some are supplied with a cotton swab in a test tube collection container with a lid.

Japanese translation of PCT publication No. 2002-508193 Japanese Patent No. 3845037 JP 2008-275576 A Special table 2007-523663

  Conventional specimen collection tools have a problem in disposal after use. That is, after use, there is a sanitary problem because the cotton ball part, which is a specimen collection part to which nasal mucus, feces, urine, and the like are attached, is exposed. In addition, when the sample collection unit is soft, there is a problem that the sample collection unit is deformed by being compressed at the stage of transfer or storage.

  An object of the present invention is to solve these problems and to provide means for preventing the specimen collection part from being deformed before use and preventing the specimen from being contaminated after use.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and is a sheath in which the entire sample collection unit attached to the tip of the shaft of the sample collection tool is inserted, and a stopper of the sample collection unit is provided at one end. The above-described sheath tube, which is a closed portion provided with a tube and a stopper at the end of the tube, and the above-described sheath tube, wherein the stopper is a protrusion protruding inward in the vicinity of the tube end.

  By using the sheath tube of the present invention, the surroundings are not contaminated with the sample collected in the sample collection tool after use. In addition, the specimen collection unit is not deformed before use.

It is a perspective view of an example of the sheath tube of the present invention. FIG. It is a side view of another example of the sheath tube of this invention. It is sectional drawing of another example of the sheath pipe of this invention. It is sectional drawing of another example of the sheath pipe of this invention. It is a side view of an example of the sample collection tool which covered the sheath tube of FIG. It is a top view which shows the packaging state which accommodated the sample collection tool which covered the sheath tube of FIG. 5 in the bag. It is a top view of an example of the conventional sample collection tool.

  The sample collection tool on which the sheath tube of the present invention is mounted is composed of a sample and a sample collection unit attached to the tip of the shaft.

  Examples of such sample collection tools include those shown in Patent Documents 1 to 4 (including those shown in FIG. 7).

  Furthermore, it can be preferably used for the specimen collecting tool (Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-21500) previously developed by the present inventors.

  This sample collecting tool has a cylindrical cloth attached to the tip of a shaft as a sample collecting portion, and the cloth attached to one end of the shaft is formed from a thread. The fibers forming the yarn are preferably in the middle because the amount of collected specimen decreases when the hydrophilicity is large, whereas the amount of collected specimen decreases when the hydrophobicity is large. Examples of preferred materials include polyester, polyamide, acrylic, polypropylene and the like, and these can be used alone or in a blended manner. Although the thickness of a filament is not specifically limited, For example, about 0.05-20 micrometers may be sufficient. In order to increase the space between the filaments, a thin filament is preferable. The filament is generally circular in cross section and can be used. However, in terms of increasing the space between the filaments, it is also effective to use a deformed filament such as a rhombus or a five-leaf filament, or to make a cloth and then to wind the filament using heat or a chemical. As mentioned above, the filament is preferably intermediate between hydrophilic and hydrophobic, and the polyester is hydrophobic. Therefore, physical treatment such as glow discharge treatment, or the surface of the filament is covered with a surfactant or hydrophilic resin. It is preferable to apply a treatment such as blending with hydrophilic fibers such as rayon.

  The fabric may be a woven fabric such as plain weave, a knitted fabric such as knit, or a non-woven fabric. Various methods, such as knitting into a tube shape, are known as methods for making a fabric into a cylindrical shape. In the present invention, those made into a cylindrical shape by these methods can be used. For example, the bag-shaped one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-304975 and 2010-410 can be used. Alternatively, a rectangular shape or the like may be wound around a shaft to form a cylinder.

  It is desirable to remove the oil to make it easier for the specimen to be taken into the fiber voids. For example, there is a method of removing this detergent by washing with pure water or the like after washing with the same detergent as that generally practiced in the textile industry. Depending on the specimen, a means for washing and removing attached ions with ultrapure water can be used.

  The sample collection part is suitably about 0.5 to 5.0 mmΦ in outer diameter, usually about 1.0 to 3.0 mmΦ, about 5 to 50 mm in length, and usually about 10 to 25 mm.

  As the shaft, paper, wood, metal, plastic, etc., which are generally used for cotton swabs, can be widely used. However, plastic is preferable in terms of forming processing, sterilization, cloth attachment, and the like. Specific examples include vinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polycarbonate, and the like.

  A handle can be provided on the base end side of the shaft for easy holding. The material of the handle may be the same as that of the shaft. The shaft and the handle may be made of different materials, but are preferably the same for manufacturing. The shape is usually a round bar, but it may be bent.

  The shaft may have a diameter of about 0.2 to 2.0 mm, usually about 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and a length of about 50 to 200 mm. The handle may have a diameter of about 1.5 to 2.8 mm and a length of about 30 to 150 mm. When the handle is provided, the total length of the shaft and the handle is suitably about 50 to 200 mm.

  In the sheath tube of the present invention, the entire sample collection part of the sample collection tool is inserted.

  This sheath tube protects the sample collection part to prevent deformation before use of the sample collection tool, and covers the sample attached to the sample collection part so that it does not come into contact with the outside after use.

  The shape of the sheath tube is not limited, but is usually a circular tube, and may be a square tube or the like. Examples of the square tube include a quadrangular tube and a hexagonal tube. The inner diameter of the tube (minimum diameter in the case of a square tube) must be large enough not to deform the sample collection part (it may be smaller than the outer diameter of the sample collection part within a range that can be restored by itself). The outer diameter is about 0.8 to 5 times, preferably about 1.2 to 3 times. Since the specimen collecting tool normally does not apply so much pressure, the thickness does not need to be so thick, and may be about 50 to 1000 μm, usually about 100 to 300 μm. The shortest length is the same as the full length of the sample collection unit, and the longest is about the full length of the sample collection unit, but preferably the full length of the sample collection unit is about 10 to 100 mm, more preferably plus 20 to 60 mm. Degree.

  The sheath tube is in principle a straight tube, but the inlet may be enlarged in a trumpet shape or a large diameter (different diameter tube).

  A stopper of the specimen collection part is provided at one end of the sheath tube. The stopper is not particularly limited as long as it can prevent the specimen collection part from moving forward, but a typical one is closing of one end and forming an inward projection in the vicinity of the one end, and either of them may be used in the present invention.

  Although the closing form in the case of providing a closing part is not ask | required, when a sheath pipe is a plastic, the shape melt-cut, the flat shape crimped | bonded with the heat sealer etc. may be sufficient. The filling may be filled and closed.

  In the case of forming the inward projection, examples thereof include a ring-shaped projection formed in the circumferential direction and about 1 to 6 conical projections.

  The material of the sheath tube is not limited, but plastic is convenient. The kind of plastic is preferably harmless and inexpensive, and examples thereof include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate.

  The sheath tube is supplied in a form in which the sample collection part of the sample collection tool is inserted, and is usually marketed in a form in which one is further sealed in a plastic bag or the like. At the time of use, it removes from a plastic bag, removes a sheath tube, collects a specimen, disperses it in a diluent, and uses this liquid for analysis.

  After use, the sheath tube is attached again to the sample collecting part where the sample remains attached and discarded.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheath tube according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. The sheath tube is a straight polyethylene tube and is formed by closing one end with a heat sealer. The inner diameter is 3.5 mm, the wall thickness is 100 μm, the length is 80 mm including the closing part, and the length of the closing part is 5 mm.

  FIG. 3 shows a side view of a sheath tube according to another embodiment of the present invention. The sheath tube is melted and rounded at the end.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a sheath tube which is still another embodiment of the present invention. This sheath tube is obtained by cutting a straight tube and filling an end with a piece of wood.

  FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a sheath tube which is still another embodiment of the present invention. This sheath tube is formed by projecting two locations 5 mm from the end with heated needles to form projections on the inside.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the sample ceremonial instrument is inserted into the sheath tube of FIG. In this sample collection tool, the sample collection unit 1 is attached to the tip of the shaft 2, and the handle 3 is formed on the tip side of the shaft 2. The total length is 156 mm, the specimen collection part 1 is 2 mm wide and 18 mm long, the shaft part is 153 mm long including the handle part 3, and the thickness is 0.9 mm for the shaft part and 2 mm for the handle part. The specimen collecting part 1 is formed using a braided material made of polyester and nylon and knitted into a tube shape (diameter 2.3 mm, weight 1.13 g / m, length 20 mm), and the tip is rounded. A bag-shaped one was used.

  The state which accommodated this in the 4-way seal bag and packaged is shown in FIG. A flat-type sterilized pouch (width: 50 mm, length: 200 mm) manufactured by Enco Corporation was used for the four-side sealed bag. These were stored for 18 months for those with and without the sheath tube of the present invention. At the start, after 6 months, 12 months and 18 months, the sample collection tool was taken out and the change in the sample collection amount was examined.The sample collection amount was immersed in purified water for 10 seconds and included in the sample collection part. The results obtained are shown in Table 1.

本発明の鞘管を装着しなかったものの採液量の減少は包装袋の復元力による圧迫に起因すると考えられる。

Although the sheath tube of the present invention was not mounted, the decrease in the amount of collected liquid is considered to be caused by the compression due to the restoring force of the packaging bag.

  The sheath tube for a sample collecting tool of the present invention protects the sample collecting portion, and the use portion can prevent the remaining sample from adhering to the surroundings, so that it can be widely used for the sample collecting device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample collection part 2 ... Axis 3 ... Pattern part 9 ... Axis 10 ... Cotton ball part

Claims (3)

  The entire sample collection part attached to the tip of the axis of the sample collection tool is inserted, and a sheath tube provided with a stopper for the sample collection part at one end   The sheath tube according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is a closing portion provided at a pipe end.   The sheath tube according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is a projection protruding inward in the vicinity of the tube end.

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