JP6883703B2 - Specimen container and sample suction device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sample container and a sample suction device.

A fecal occult blood test is known to test for bleeding from the large intestine. In the fecal occult blood test, a sample collection kit for collecting feces, which is a sample, is used. The sample collection kit includes, for example, a stool collection tool for collecting a sample from the surface of stool and a sample container for accommodating a sample collected using the stool collection tool (see Patent Document 1). As described in Patent Document 1, for example, a stool collecting tool is known to have a collecting portion provided at the tip of a rod-shaped main body extending in the longitudinal direction. Such a stool collection tool is also called a stool collection stick or the like.

The sample container includes a tubular container body in which the diluent in which the sample is suspended is stored. The container body is provided with a first opening into which a stool collecting tool is inserted at one end in the longitudinal direction. The stool collection tool is inserted into the sample container from the collection unit side through the first opening, and the collection unit to which the sample is attached is housed in the sample container. The first opening is closed by a cap with the stool collection tool inserted.

In addition, the sample container includes a movable filter arranged so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction in the container body. The filter moves through the suspension, which is the diluent in which the sample is suspended, to filter the suspension. The filter is press-fitted into the container body so that the outer peripheral surface of the filter and the inner wall surface of the container body are in pressure contact with each other.

In the initial state, the filter is arranged at the other end of the container body opposite to the first opening. In the container body, a second opening is provided at the other end on the side where the filter is arranged. The second opening is watertightly sealed in the initial state, but when the filter is moved, it is opened to receive a pressing portion that presses the filter.

When collecting stool using such a sample collection kit, first, the surface of the stool is scraped off with a stool collection tool to attach the stool to the collection part. After that, the collecting portion to which feces are attached is inserted into the container body through the first opening. As a result, the sampling unit is immersed in the diluent. The first opening is closed by a cap with the sampling section immersed in the diluent.

The sample container with the first opening closed is set in the set portion of the sample analyzer with the first opening side facing down and the filter facing up. The sample analyzer is provided with a sample suction device. The sample suction device is provided with a suction nozzle for sucking the sample. The sample suction device inserts a suction nozzle through the second opening. The suction nozzle functions as a pressing part and presses the filter. When the filter is pressed, the filter moves toward the first opening side. This moves the filter through the suspension to filter the suspension. The suspension containing the sample is aspirated using a suction nozzle that presses the filter. The sample sucked by the sample suction device is analyzed by the sample analyzer.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-059052

When filtering the suspension, the filter moves while sliding in contact with the inner wall surface in the container body. At this time, the suspension passes through the pores in the filter and is filtered. In general, the higher the filtration capacity, the harder the filter. When the filter is hard, if the peripheral wall of the container body is not flexible, the filter cannot be smoothly slid in the container body when filtering the suspension.

On the other hand, it is not preferable for the filter to move carelessly in the container body before filtration, so the filter needs to be securely held in the initial position. For that purpose, the peripheral wall of the container body needs to be hard.

In this way, in order to use a filter with high filtration capacity for the sample container, the container body is required to have a high holding capacity to hold the filter in the initial position before starting filtration, and at the same time, it is smooth during filtration. High slidability is required to slide the filter. The holding capacity of such a filter and the slidability of the filter are contradictory performances.

However, the conventional sample container described in Patent Document 1 is not sufficient to exhibit the performance required when a filter having a high filtration capacity such as holding capacity and slidability is used, and there is room for improvement. It was. Further, due to the nature of a disposable sample container, it is not possible to adopt a complicated structure that is costly to satisfy the required performance. Therefore, it is required to meet the required performance with a simple structure at low cost.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sample container having a simple structure and capable of using a movable filter having a high filtration capacity, and a sample suction device used for the sample container.

The stool collection tool of the present invention can immerse at least a part of the stool collection tool to which the stool as a sample is attached, and in a tubular container body in which a diluent in which the sample is suspended is stored, and in the container body. A movable filter that is movably arranged in the longitudinal direction, and moves in a suspension that is a diluent in which a sample is suspended while sliding against the inner wall of the container body to filter the suspension. A movable filter and a part of the peripheral wall of the container body, which is formed at the initial position where the filter is set before the filtration starts, and comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter to initialize the filter by frictional force. The thick part to be held at the position and a part of the peripheral wall of the container body, which is formed within the moving range where the filter moves from the initial position to the moving destination during filtration, and is larger than the thick part. It is provided with a thin-walled portion having a thin thickness.

The thickness of the thick portion is preferably within twice the thickness of the thin portion.

The thickness of the thick portion is preferably 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the thin portion is preferably 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

In the container body, the outer dimension of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the thick portion is preferably larger than the outer dimension of the cross section of the thin wall portion.

It is preferable that the outer dimensions of the cross section of the container body continuously change at the boundary between the thick portion and the thin portion.

In the container body, the inner dimension of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the thin-walled portion is preferably smaller than the inner dimension of the cross section of the thick-walled portion.

It is preferable that the internal dimensions of the cross section of the container body continuously change at the boundary between the thick portion and the thin portion.

The filter has a stepped shape having at least two portions, a wide portion and a narrow portion, which have different outer dimensions in the cross-sectional direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the filter has a narrow portion on the thin-walled portion side at the initial position. It is preferable that the position is arranged.

The filter is preferably composed of a sintered body obtained by sintering a particulate or fibrous resin.

The pore size of the filter is preferably in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm.

The material of the container body is preferably any one of ABS resin, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

It is preferable that an outer cylinder is provided to cover the outer circumference of the container body.

In the container body, an opening formed at one end in the longitudinal direction for inserting a filter from the end, and an opening that is heat-welded to the end when not in use to form an opening. A seal for sealing is provided, and the initial position of the filter is preferably set at a position where a gap is formed between the end face of the filter and the seal at the end portion.

The sample suction device of the present invention enters the set portion for setting the sample container and the sample container set in the set portion, abuts on the end face of the filter, and pushes the filter into the thin portion from the initial position. A pressing portion for moving the filter and a suction nozzle provided separately from the pressing portion and entering the sample container to suck the suspension filtered by the filter are provided.

Another sample suction device of the present invention has a tubular container body in which a suspension in which stool as a sample is suspended is stored, and a movable movable device arranged so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction in the container body. A sample suction device that is a filter and is used for a sample container having a movable filter that moves in the suspension and filters the suspension, and sucks a sample from the sample container, and sets the sample container. The set part to be used and the pressing part that enters the sample container set in the set part to press the end face of the filter to move the filter, and the pressing part are provided separately and enter the sample container. A suction nozzle for sucking the filtered suspension is provided.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sample container having a simple structure and capable of using a movable filter having a high filtration capacity, and a sample suction device used for the sample container.

It is an external view of the sample container of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the sample collection kit which consists of a stool collection tool and a sample container. It is explanatory drawing which shows the use example of the stool collection tool. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a sample container. It is an enlarged view of the main part of a thick part and a thin part. It is explanatory drawing of the sample analyzer. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the sample container before suction. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state that the filter was pushed by the pressing part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of performing the suction by the suction nozzle. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sample container of the modification of 1st Embodiment. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sample container of 2nd Embodiment. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the stepped filter of 3rd Embodiment. It is an external perspective view of the filter of a stepped shape.

[First Embodiment]
The sample collection kit 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a sample container 16 and a stool collection tool 11. The sample container 16 stores feces as a sample. The sample container 16 includes a container body 17 and a cap 18. The container body 17 has an elongated shape as a whole, and the cross-sectional shape of the cross section (XY plane) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (Z direction) is rectangular. Here, a cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is referred to as a cross section.

The container body 17 stores a diluent in which the sample is suspended, and is made of a transparent material so that the inside can be visually recognized from the outside. Examples of the transparent material are transparent resins such as ABS (Acrylonitrile, Butadinee, Styrene) resin, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

The container body 17 has a double structure having an inner cylinder 21 for storing the diluent and an outer cylinder 22 for covering the inner cylinder 21. The double structure increases the strength of the container body 17 and prevents crushing and deformation. The shape of the cross section of the inner cylinder 21 is a cylindrical shape, and the shape of the cross section of the outer cylinder 22 is a rectangular shape. The inner cylinder 21 is formed so as to penetrate the container body 17 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, a first opening 17A and a second opening 17B are formed at both ends of the container body 17, respectively.

The first opening 17A is sealed with a cap 18. The second opening 17B is sealed with a seal 23. The seal 23 is formed of a thin film of metal or resin. The seal 23 is attached to the container body 17 by, for example, heat welding.

In the inner cylinder 21, the filter 24 is arranged in the vicinity of the second opening 17B. The filter 24 filters the inside of the suspension 30 (see FIG. 4), which is a diluent in which the sample is suspended. The filter 24 is a movable filter that can move along the longitudinal direction. As will be described later, the movement of the filter 24 is performed by the sample suction device 62 of the sample analyzer 61. The second opening 17B functions as an entrance for the suction nozzle 64 of the sample suction device 62 to enter.

The cap 18 includes a grip portion 18A and a stopper portion 18B. The grip portion 18A has a rectangular cross-sectional shape similar to the outer shape of the outer cylinder 22. The plug portion 18B has a cylindrical shape like the inner cylinder 21. The plug portion 18B enters the inner cylinder 21 from the first opening 17A, fits with the inner cylinder 21, and closes the first opening 17A watertightly. The outer diameter of the plug portion 18B is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the inner cylinder 21. The plug portion 18B is press-fitted into the inner cylinder 21 while contracting the outer circumference, and fits with the inner cylinder 21. As a result, the first opening 17A is watertightly sealed. The form of the plug portion 18B may be, for example, a form having a ridge portion in a form of spirally winding around the outer periphery. In this case, the plug portion 18B is press-fitted into the inner cylinder 21 so as to compress the ridge portion, and the first opening 17A is watertightly sealed.

Further, the plug portion 18B has a tubular shape, and a part of the stool collecting tool 11 is fitted and connected to the lower end. That is, the plug portion 18B functions as a connecting portion that connects the cap 18 and the stool collection tool 11. As a result, the cap 18 and the stool collection tool 11 are handled as one.

The stool collection tool 11 is used for collecting stool as a sample. The stool collecting tool 11 is a rod-shaped body extending in the longitudinal direction (Z direction), and a collecting portion 11B is provided at a tip portion 11A which is one end in the longitudinal direction. The collection unit 11B is a portion where the stool is brought into contact with the surface of the stool to attach the stool. The sampling unit 11B has, for example, a plurality of grooves formed along the circumferential direction around the axis on the outer peripheral surface, and the surface has an uneven shape.

Here, the rod-shaped body includes a rod-shaped body having a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal direction having a circular or elliptical shape, and a polygonal body such as a quadrangle or a hexagon. The stool collection tool 11 of this example is a rod-shaped body having a circular cross-sectional shape. The stool collection tool 11 is made of, for example, plastic. The stool collection tool 11 is not limited to a rod-shaped body, and may be formed of, for example, a flat plate-shaped elongated plate such as a spatula.

In the stool collection tool 11, the plug portion 18B is fitted to the base end portion 11C on the side opposite to the tip portion 11A in the longitudinal direction. The grip portion 18A functions as a grip portion of the cap 18 and also functions as a grip portion when operating the stool collection tool 11.

The stool collection tool 11 preferably has a straight shape extending linearly in the longitudinal direction when no external force is applied, and has flexibility to bend and bend when an external force is applied. This is because if the stool collection tool 11 has flexibility, the tip portion 11A having the collection portion 11B can be easily brought into contact with the surface of the stool 41 by bending and bending the stool collection tool 11.

Specifically, it is as follows. Bleeding from the large intestine is considered to be most attached to the surface portion of the stool 41. Therefore, when collecting stool, it is preferable that the surface of the collecting unit 11B and the surface of the stool 41 are brought into contact with each other in a parallel state as much as possible. When the stool 41 is located at the bottom of the toilet bowl 31 as shown in FIG. 3, the approach direction to the stool 41 is limited to the direction of approaching from above the toilet bowl 31. Even in that case, if the stool collection tool 11 has flexibility, the stool collection tool 11 can be bent and bent, and as a result, the tip portion 11A having the collection portion 11B is placed on the surface of the stool 41. Can be contacted.

Further, in collecting stool, it is preferable to bring the collection unit 11B into contact over a wide area on the surface of the stool 41 and attach the stool 41 as a sample to the collection unit 11B from a wide area. When the stool collection tool 11 has flexibility, such sample collection is easy.

The stool collecting tool 11 is inserted into the inner cylinder 21 from the tip end portion 11A side through the first opening 17A and is housed in the container body 17. As described above, the first opening 17A is watertightly closed by the stopper 18B of the cap 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the sample container 16 is set in the sample analyzer 61 described later, the end portion on the seal 23 side that seals the second opening 17B is in an upward position in the vertical direction. It is set with. A frayed portion 26 is provided at a substantially central position in the inner cylinder 21. The frayed portion 26 removes excess sample adhering to the collecting portion 11B. Further, the frayed portion 26 functions as a partition between the first chamber 27 on the first opening 17A side of the inner cylinder 21 and the second chamber 28 on the second opening 17B side when the collecting portion 11B is not inserted. To do.

When the stool collection tool 11 is inserted into the inner cylinder 21, the tip portion 11A inserts the frayed portion 26. The frayed portion 26 has a wide opening diameter on the front side (lower side in FIG. 4) of the insertion direction when viewed from the insertion direction of the stool collection tool 11 (direction from bottom to top in FIG. 4), and the frayed portion 26 has a wide opening diameter on the back side (FIG. 4). It has an inverted conical shape with a narrow opening diameter (upper side). The opening on the back side of the frayed portion 26 is closed when the sampling portion 11B is not inserted, and also functions as a check valve.

The tip portion 11A of the stool collecting tool 11 enters the second chamber 28 while expanding the opening on the back side of the frayed portion 26. At this time, the frayed portion 26 and the outer peripheral surface of the collecting portion 11B are in sliding contact with each other, and the frayed portion 26 scrapes off the excess feces 41 adhering to the collecting portion 11B.

When the sampling unit 11B enters the second chamber 28, the sampling unit 11B to which the sample is attached is immersed in the diluted solution in the second chamber 28. As a result, the sample attached to the collection unit 11B is suspended in the diluent, and the diluent becomes the suspension 30 in which the sample is suspended.

The filter 24 is arranged in the inner cylinder 21 in the second chamber 28 in which the suspension 30 is stored. More specifically, the filter 24 is arranged in the second chamber 28 at the end on the side where the second opening 17B is formed. The end on the second opening 17B side is the initial position of the filter 24.

The filter 24 moves in the suspension 30 along the longitudinal direction in the second chamber 28 from the initial position toward the sampling portion 11B through which the frayed portion 26 is inserted.

The filter 24 is made of, for example, a sintered body obtained by sintering a particulate or fibrous resin. The resin is, for example, polyethylene. The filter 24 made of such a sintered resin has a higher filtration capacity than a filter made of a sponge. The filtration capacity increases as the diameter of the pores formed in the material (pore diameter) becomes smaller. In the case of a sponge having a relatively low filtration capacity, the pore diameter is on the order of several hundred μm. On the other hand, the pore diameter of the resin sintered body is on the order of several tens of μm in the case of the fiber sintered body obtained by sintering the fibrous resin, and the particle sintered body obtained by sintering the particulate resin. In the case of, it is on the order of several μm. Such a filter 24 having a high filtration capacity has a higher hardness than a filter having a relatively low filtration capacity.

The outer dimension of the cross section of the filter 24 is slightly larger than the inner dimension of the inner cylinder 21. In this example, since the cross-sectional shapes of the filter 24 and the inner cylinder 21 are circular, the outer dimension of the filter 24 is the outer diameter of the filter 24, and the inner dimension of the inner cylinder 21 is the inner diameter of the inner cylinder 21. The outer diameter of the filter 24 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the inner cylinder 21. Therefore, the filter 24 is press-fitted into the inner cylinder 21 while compressing the outer diameter.

Then, the filter 24 moves in the longitudinal direction in the second chamber 28 while sliding the outer peripheral surface of the filter 24 and the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 21. When the filter 24 moves in the suspension 30 along the longitudinal direction, the suspension 30 enters the pores from the lower surface of the filter 24, passes through the filter 24, and exits to the upper surface of the filter 24. As the suspension 30 passes through the filter 24, unnecessary substances in the suspension 30 are adsorbed on the filter 24. As a result, the suspension 30 is filtered. When the filter 24 moves from the initial position, in the second chamber 28, the filtered suspension 30 is extracted to the second opening 17B side opposite to the sampling unit 11B side with the filter 24 sandwiched between them. , Stored.

As shown in FIG. 5, a part of the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21 is a thick portion 21A, and the other part is a thin portion 21B which is thinner than the thick portion 21A. The thick portion 21A is formed at the initial position of the filter 24.

Specifically, the initial position where the thick portion 21A is formed is a position in the container body 17 that is set before the filter 24 starts filtration. The thick portion 21A comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter 24 and holds the filter 24 in the initial position by frictional force.

Further, the thin-walled portion 21B is formed within a moving range RG (see also FIG. 4) in which the filter 24 moves from the initial position toward the moving destination during filtration.

Here, the moving range RG is determined according to the amount of the suspension 30 filtered by the filter 24. The larger the amount of suspension 30 to be filtered, the longer the length of the moving range RG. As shown in FIG. 4, the moving range RG of this example is a range from the initial position of the filter 24 to the time and effort required for the filter 24 to come into contact with the tip portion 11A. Of course, the range up to the position where the filter 24 comes into contact with the tip portion 11A may be the moving range RG.

The thin portion 21B is preferably formed over the entire moving range RG. However, as in this example, the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B may be included in a part of the moving range RG. Further, in this example, on the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21, all the portions other than the thick portion 21A and the boundary 21C have the same thickness as the thin portion 21B. It should be noted that all the portions do not have to have the same thickness, and the portions other than the moving range RG may be thicker than the thin portion 21B for the purpose of ensuring strength.

The thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is thinner than the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A, that is, T1 <T2. The thick portion 21A needs to hold the filter 24 in the initial position so that the filter 24 does not move carelessly when not in use. Therefore, the thickness T2 is formed to be relatively thick. As described above, the filter 24 has a high filtration capacity and a high hardness. By increasing the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A, deformation of the thick portion 21A is prevented. As a result, the holding force required to hold the filter 24 in the initial position is secured.

On the other hand, in the thin portion 21B, it is necessary to move the filter 24 smoothly. The filter 24 slides in contact with the inner peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21. If the hardness of the filter 24 is high during sliding, the filter 24 is less likely to be deformed. Therefore, if the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21 in contact with the filter 24 is not easily deformed, neither the filter 24 nor the peripheral wall is deformed, so that the sliding resistance of the filter 24 becomes large. In order to reduce this sliding resistance, the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is thinner than the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A. By reducing the thickness T1, the flexibility of the thin portion 21B is improved. As a result, the sliding resistance is reduced and good slidability is ensured. Further, when the sliding resistance is reduced, the pressing force when moving the filter 24 is also reduced.

The sample container 16 has, for example, a length of about 100 mm in the longitudinal direction and a width of about 20 mm. Considering the manufacturing cost of the sample container 16 having such a size, it is preferable that the container body 17 is integrally molded with resin.

In this case, the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B are made of the same material. As specific values, for example, the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is about 0.8 mm, and the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is about 1.2 mm. The specific numerical range of the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is, for example, 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm, and the specific numerical range of the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is, for example, 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. Is. This is due to the following reasons.

Regarding the thickness T2, first, if the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is made too thick, the holding force at the initial position of the filter 24 becomes too strong, and the sliding resistance when starting the movement of the filter 24 increases. There is a concern that it will grow. As described above, in order to achieve both the two contradictory requirements of ensuring the holding force of the filter 24 at the initial position and ensuring the smooth slidability of the filter 24, a hard filter 24 having a high filtration capacity can be adopted. This is an important condition related to the effect of the present invention. Therefore, in order to further enhance the effect of the present invention, it is preferable to keep the decrease in the slidability of the filter 24 to a minimum while ensuring the holding force of the filter 24. Therefore, from the viewpoint of minimizing the decrease in slidability, the thickness T2 is preferably in the above range.

Second, the thicker the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A, the thickness of the entire outer shape of the container body 17, specifically, the short axis direction in the cross section of the container body 17 (X direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). Increases the thickness of. The sample container 16 is often exchanged between the sample provider and the sample testing institution by mail using an envelope or the like. Considering the correspondence to such mailing, there is a limit to increasing the thickness of the entire outer shape of the container body 17. Under these circumstances, the specific numerical value of the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is preferably in the above range.

On the other hand, there is also a limit to reducing the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B. This is because if the thickness T1 of the thin-walled portion 21B is made too thin, the deformation of the thin-walled portion 21B during sliding of the filter 24 becomes too large, and there is a concern that the sliding resistance of the filter 24 may increase. is there. As described above, in order to further enhance the effect of the present invention, it is preferable to minimize the decrease in the slidability of the filter 24. The specific numerical value of the thickness T2 of the thin portion 21B is preferably in the above range.

Further, by setting a specific value of the thickness T1 of the thin-walled portion 21B within the above range, it is possible to obtain the merit that the container body 17 can secure the minimum strength required as a container for accommodating a sample.

The relationship between the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A and the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is that the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is within twice the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B, that is, T2 ≦ 2T1. preferable. This is because if the difference between the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A and the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B is too large, there is a concern that the filtration capacity of the filter 24 cannot be fully utilized even if the filter 24 having a high filtration capacity is used. Because.

For example, if the difference between the thickness T2 and the thickness T1 is too large, the filter 24 passes through a point where the wall thickness is greatly reduced when moving in the inner cylinder 21. In this case, the holding force acting on the filter 24 from the inner wall of the inner cylinder 21 sharply decreases. The filter 24 is suddenly released from a state in which the holding force is very large, and the outer shape of the filter 24 is greatly deformed in the direction of expansion. When the filter 24 is greatly deformed in this way, a gap is likely to occur between the outer peripheral surface of the filter 24 and the inner wall of the inner cylinder 21. If a gap is created, the gap becomes a passage for the suspension, and there is a concern that the filtration capacity of the filter 24 cannot be fully utilized.

If the filtration capacity of the filter 24 cannot be fully utilized, the effect of the present invention that a hard filter 24 having a high filtration capacity can be adopted is also reduced. Therefore, in order to prevent a decrease in the effect of the present invention, the relationship between the thickness T2 and the thickness T1 is preferably T2 ≦ 2T1.

Further, when the container body 17 is integrally molded, molding defects called sink marks are likely to occur where the change in thickness is large. When the relationship between the thickness T2 and the thickness T1 is set to the above relationship, there is also an advantage of preventing such molding defects.

In the inner cylinder 21 of this example, the inner diameter Wi of the cross section is the same as the inner diameter Wi2 of the thick portion 21A and the inner diameter Wi1 of the thin portion 21B, and the outer diameter Wo2 of the cross section of the thick portion 21A is the thin portion 21B. It is larger than the outer diameter Wo1 of the cross section of. That is, by making the outer diameter Wo2 of the thick portion 21A larger than the outer diameter Wo1 of the thin portion 21B, the thickness T2 of the thick portion 21A is made thicker than the thickness T1 of the thin portion 21B.

Further, at the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B, the outer diameter of the cross section of the inner cylinder 21 continuously changes in the longitudinal direction (Z direction). That is, the boundary 21C is a tapered surface so that the outer diameter changes continuously. As a result, there is no step at the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B. As a form of continuously changing the diameter, the diameter may be changed linearly like the tapered surface of this example, that is, the rate of change of the diameter may be constant, or the tapered surface may be provided with a curvature. Therefore, the diameter may be changed in a curved line, that is, the rate of change in the diameter may be changed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the container body 17, when the second opening 17B is directed upward, a gap 34 is provided between the upper surface (end surface) of the filter 24 at the initial position and the seal 23. .. When the seal 23 is heat-welded to the end where the second opening 17B is formed as in this example to seal the second opening 17B, the initial position of the filter 24 is such that at the end. It is preferable to set the position where the gap 34 is generated. This is because it is considered that the seal 23 is heat-welded after the filter 24 is set in the initial position at the time of manufacturing the sample container 16. Then, heat is transferred to the filter 24 at the time of heat welding. When the heat transferred to the filter 24 becomes high, the filter 24 may be deformed. By providing the gap 34, the heat transferred to the filter 24 during heat welding is reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the filter 24 from being deformed by the heat during heat welding.

The sample analyzer 61 shown in FIG. 6 extracts the collected sample from the sample container 16 and analyzes the extracted sample. The sample analyzer 61 includes a set unit 66 in which the sample container 16 is set, and a sample suction device 62. The set portion 66 has a posture in which the longitudinal direction (Z direction) of the sample container 16 and the vertical direction coincide with each other, and in the vertical direction, the end portion where the filter 24 is located is located above and the end portion where the cap 18 is located is located below. Hold the sample container 16 in a posture located at. The sample suction device 62 sucks the suspension 30 containing the sample from the sample container 16. The sample suction device 62 includes a pressing unit 63, a suction nozzle 64, and a driving unit 62A that drives them.

The drive unit 62A drives an elevating actuator that independently raises and lowers the pressing unit 63 and the suction nozzle 64 in the Z direction, a suction pump that generates a suction force in the suction nozzle 64, and the elevating actuator and the suction pump. It is composed of a control unit that controls. The pressing portion 63 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction, and the suction nozzle 64 is a tubular member extending in the vertical direction. The pressing portion 63 and the suction nozzle 64 are provided in the sample analyzer 61 so as to be able to move up and down along the vertical direction.

When the pressing portion 63 descends, the lower end portion breaks through the seal 23 and enters the inner cylinder 21 through the second opening 17B. Then, the end face of the filter 24 is pressed to move the filter 24 from the initial position in the longitudinal direction (Z direction). The suction nozzle 64 enters the inner cylinder 21 and sucks the suspension 30 filtered by the filter 24. The suction nozzle 64 can be raised and lowered independently of the filter 24, and starts lowering after the timing at which the pressing portion 63 starts pressing the filter 24. Therefore, the suction nozzle 64 does not need to press the filter 24, so that the lower end of the suction nozzle 64 does not come into contact with the filter 24.

Hereinafter, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9 in addition to FIGS. 1 to 6. As shown in FIG. 3, first, stool 41 is excreted in the toilet bowl 31 in preparation for collecting stool. The user uses the stool collection tool 11 to bring the collection unit 11B into contact with the stool 41 in the toilet bowl 31 to collect a sample.

Specifically, the user rubs the collection unit 11B against the surface of the stool 41 to attach a part of the stool 41 to the collection unit 11B. Bleeding from the large intestine is considered to be most attached to the surface portion of the stool 41. Therefore, when collecting stool, it is preferable to bring the collection unit 11B into contact over a wide area on the surface of the stool 41 and attach the stool 41 as a sample to the collection unit 11B from a wide area.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stool collection tool 11 to which the sample is attached is housed in the container body 17 through the first opening 17A. The first opening 17A is watertightly closed by the cap 18.

After that, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sample container 16 is set in the set portion 66 of the sample analyzer 61 with the filter 24 facing upward in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the sample analyzer 61, the pressing portion 63 and the suction nozzle 64 are located above the second opening 17B of the set sample container 16. The drive unit 62A first lowers the pressing unit 63 in order to filter the suspension 30 by the filter 24.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the pressing portion 63 descends, it breaks through the seal 23 at the lower end and enters the inner cylinder 21 through the second opening 17B. When the pressing portion 63 is further lowered, the pressing portion 63 presses the end face of the filter 24 to lower the filter 24. The filter 24 moves in the suspension 30 from the initial position toward the destination while sliding in contact with the inner wall surface of the inner cylinder 21 in the inner cylinder 21.

As the filter 24 moves through the suspension 30, the suspension 30 passes through the pores of the filter 24. The filter 24 adsorbs unwanted substances in the suspension 30 that pass through the pores. The suspension 30 from which unnecessary substances have been removed by filtering with the filter 24 is extracted on the upper surface side of the filter 24 in the second chamber 28.

As shown in FIG. 9, after the filter 24 descends in the inner cylinder 21 and moves to the target destination, the drive unit 62A starts descending the suction nozzle 64. When the suction nozzle 64 starts descending, it enters the inner cylinder 21 through the second opening 17B while expanding the hole of the seal 23 formed by the pressing portion 63 at the tip portion. When the tip of the suction nozzle 64 reaches a position close to the upper surface of the filter 24, the drive unit 62A stops the suction nozzle 64 from descending.

In this state, the drive unit 62A drives a suction pump (not shown) to start suction of the suspension 30 through the suction nozzle 64. In the second chamber 28, the filtered suspension 30 containing the sample is extracted above the filter 24. The suspension 30 is sucked by suction through the suction nozzle 64. The sample analyzer 61 executes a process of analyzing the sample contained in the suspension 30 sucked by the sample suction device 62, and outputs the analysis result.

The sample container 16 of this example has the following effects. First, the sample container 16 is shipped from the factory until it is set in the sample analyzer 61 (specifically, during transportation to a sales route after factory shipment or during handling by a user). A shock or a large vibration may be applied to the container. At the time of shipment of the sample container 16, the filter 24 is set to the initial position. At the initial position, the filter 24 is held by the thick portion 21A. Therefore, even if vibration is applied to the sample container 16, the filter 24 is unlikely to move carelessly.

Further, the filter 24 has high hardness because it has high filtration performance. However, on the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21, most of the moving range RG of the filter 24 is formed by the flexible thin portion 21B. Since the thin portion 21B is easily deformed when the filter 24 slides in the inner cylinder 21, the filter 24 can smoothly move in the moving range RG. Moreover, since the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B can be formed only by changing the thickness of the peripheral wall of the inner cylinder 21, the structure is simple. Therefore, the sample container 16 of this example can adopt a movable filter 24 having a simple structure and high filtration performance.

Further, the sample suction device 62 of this example is separately provided with a pressing portion 63 for pressing the filter 24 and a suction nozzle 64 for sucking the suspension 30. Therefore, it has the following effects. First, since the suction nozzle 64 only plays a role of sucking the suspension 30, it is possible to reduce the risk of damage to the suction nozzle 64 by pressing the filter 24 with the suction nozzle 64.

Further, when the suction nozzle 64 is also used as the pressing portion as in the conventional technique shown in Patent Document 1, the suction nozzle 64 is in contact with the filter 24 while the filter 24 is being pushed, so that the suction nozzle 64 is suspended in that state. The turbid liquid 30 cannot be sucked.

However, if the pressing portion 63 is provided separately from the suction nozzle 64 as in this example, the suspension 30 can be sucked by the suction nozzle 64 even when the filter 24 is pressed by the pressing portion 63. it can. As described above, since the filter 24 can be pushed by the pressing portion 63 even while the suspension 30 is being sucked by the suction nozzle 64, the filter 24 can be fixed at a predetermined position, and the filter during suction can be fixed. It is possible to prevent the inadvertent movement of the 24.

In this example, the suction nozzle 64 is started to be lowered after the pressing portion 63 has completely pushed the filter 24, but the suction nozzle 64 is started to be lowered while the pressing portion 63 is pushing the filter 24. You may let me. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the time lag from the completion of pushing to the start of the suction operation by the suction nozzle 64.

"Modified example of the first embodiment"
In the sample container 16 of the above example, the example in which the seal 23 is used as the sealing member for sealing the second opening 17B has been described, but the portion corresponding to the seal 23 is integrally formed with the container body 17. May be good. The example shown in FIG. 10 is an example in which the container body 17 and the seal portion 123 corresponding to the seal 23 are integrally molded with the resin material of the container body 17. Since the other configurations are the same as those in the above example except for the seal portion 123, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The thickness of the seal portion 123 is thinner than that of other portions of the container body 17. As shown in FIG. 7 of the above example, the pressing portion 63 of the sample suction device 62 breaks through the sealing portion 123 and enters the second opening 17B. Therefore, the seal portion 123 needs to be thick enough to allow the pressing portion 63 to break through. According to the example shown in FIG. 10, there is no concern that the seal portion 123 will be peeled off as compared with the case where the seal 23 which is separate from the container body 17 is used. Therefore, when the container body 17 is not in use, the second opening 17B can be reliably sealed by the sealing portion 123. Further, since it is not necessary to provide a seal separately from the container body 17, the number of parts is reduced.

"Second embodiment"
In the sample container 216 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11, in the container main body 217, the inner diameter Wi1 of the cross section of the thin portion 21B is smaller than the inner diameter Wi2 of the cross section of the thick portion 21A. Further, at the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B, the inner diameter of the cross section of the inner cylinder 21 is continuously changed. That is, the boundary 21C has a tapered surface so that the inner diameter of the inner wall also changes continuously. As a result, at the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B, there is no step on the inner wall.

Regarding the outer diameter Wo1 of the thin-walled portion 21B and the outer diameter Wo2 of the thick-walled portion 21A, the outer diameter Wo1 is smaller than the outer diameter Wo2 as in the first embodiment.

In the initial position, the filter 24 is firmly held by the thick portion 21A. However, if a strong impact is applied to the container body 17, the filter 24 may fall from the thick portion 21A toward the thin portion 21B. Even in such a case, in the second embodiment, since the inner diameter Wi1 is smaller than the inner diameter Wi2, it is possible to prevent the lower end of the filter 24 from staying at the position of the boundary 21C and further moving toward the thin portion 21B. To.

Further, as in the sample container 216 of this example, the chamfered portion 17C may be formed on the inner peripheral edge of the second opening 17B. The chamfered portion 17C has a form in which the corner of the inner peripheral edge of the second opening 17B is scraped off. When the filter 24 is inserted into the inner cylinder 21 from the second opening 17B at the time of manufacturing the sample container 216, if there is such a chamfered portion 17C, it is less likely to be caught and the filter 24 can be easily inserted.

"Third embodiment"
The third embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is an example of the stepped filter 224. The filter 224 has two portions, a wide portion 225 and a narrow portion 226, which have different outer diameters in the cross section. The wide portion 225 and the narrow portion 226 are connected so as to be stacked so as to be stacked in the longitudinal direction of the container body 17. The stepped shape refers to a shape such as a filter 224 in which a step is formed on the outer peripheral surface by connecting at least two parts having different outer dimensions of the cross section so as to be stacked. In FIG. 12, the container body 17 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

The use of such a stepped filter 224 has the following effects. First, by forming the filter 24 into a stepped shape, the surface area of the filter 24 in contact with the suspension 30 is increased. As the surface area of the filter 24 increases, the path through which the suspension 30 passes increases. As the number of paths increases, the amount of the suspension 30 passing through the filter 24 per unit area is relatively reduced, so that the clogging of the pores of the filter 224 is reduced. As a result, deterioration of the filtration performance of the filter 24 is prevented.

Further, the stepped filter 224 of the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 may be provided in the sample container 216 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. In this case, the following effects can be obtained by using the stepped filter 224. That is, when the filter 224 moves from the thick portion 21A toward the thin portion 21B having a smaller inner diameter, the filter 224 enters the portion where the inner diameter of the inner cylinder 21 is narrow from the narrow portion 226 side. become. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the pushing load of the filter 224 when the filter 224 starts moving from the initial position toward the moving destination.

In each of the above embodiments, the shape of the cross section of the inner cylinder has been described with the example of a circle, but the shape may not be a circle, and may be an ellipse, an oval, a rectangle, or the like. In this case, the outer and inner dimensions of the cross section of the inner cylinder are the major axis and the minor axis if they are elliptical, and the widths in the long side direction and the short side direction if they are rectangular.

In each of the above embodiments, the diameter changes continuously at the boundary 21C between the thick portion 21A and the thin portion 21B, but the diameter may be changed stepwise.

Further, as the container body, a container body in which an inner cylinder having a circular cross-sectional shape and an outer cylinder having a rectangular cross-sectional shape are combined as an example has been described. The combination of is not limited to this example, and other combinations may be used. For example, the container body may have both circular shapes and a double circular structure, or may be composed of a combination of a circular inner cylinder and an elliptical or oval outer cylinder. Further, as the container body, a container body having a double structure of an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder has been described as an example, but the container body does not have to have a double structure and may be formed of a single tubular body.

Further, as the material of the filter 24, an example of being composed of a resin sintered body obtained by sintering a particulate or fibrous resin has been described, but the material of the filter 24 may be a sponge. Even if it is a sponge, the present invention is effective as long as it is a relatively hard sponge in which sliding resistance with the inner wall surface of the inner cylinder 21 becomes a problem.

Further, the sample suction device of the above embodiment includes a movable filter even if it is a sample container other than the sample container of the present invention, specifically, a sample container that does not have a thick portion and a thin portion. It can be applied to the sample container.

In addition to the above, it goes without saying that various configurations can be adopted by making various improvements and modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention.

10 Specimen collection kit 11 Stool collection tool 11A Tip part 11B Collection part 11C Base end part 16 Specimen container 17 Container body 17A 1st opening 17B 2nd opening 17C Chamfering part 18 Cap 18A Grip part 18B Plug part 21 Inner cylinder 21 Thin wall Part 21A Thick part 21B Thin part 21C Boundary 22 Outer cylinder 23 Seal 24 Filter 26 Frayed part 27 First room 28 Second room 30 Suspension 31 Toilet 34 Gap 41 Feces 61 Specimen analyzer 62 Specimen suction device 62A Drive unit 63 Pressing part 64 Suction nozzle 66 Set part 123 Seal part 216 Specimen container 217 Container body 224 Filter 225 Wide part 226 Narrow part RG Movement range Wi Inner diameter Wi1 Inner diameter Wi2 Inner diameter Wo1 Outer diameter

Claims (14)

A tubular container body in which at least a part of a stool collection tool to which stool as a sample is attached can be immersed and a diluent in which the sample is suspended is stored,
A movable filter arranged so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction in the container body, and while sliding contact with the inner wall of the container body, the inside of the suspension which is the diluted solution in which the sample is suspended is squeezed. A movable filter that moves to filter the suspension,
A part of the peripheral wall of the container body, which is formed at an initial position set before the filter starts the filtration, and comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the filter to bring the filter into the initial position by frictional force. Thick part to hold in position and
A part of the peripheral wall of the container body, the filter is formed within a moving range in which the filter moves from the initial position toward the moving destination during the filtration, and is thinner than the thick portion. Thin-walled part and
Specimen container provided with. The sample container according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thick portion is within twice the thickness of the thin portion. The sample container according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of the thick portion is 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the thin portion is 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. The sample according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the container body, the outer dimension of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the thick portion is larger than the outer dimension of the cross section of the thin portion. container. The sample container according to claim 4, wherein the outer dimensions of the cross section of the container body continuously change at the boundary between the thick portion and the thin portion. The sample according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the container body, the inner dimension of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the thin-walled portion is smaller than the inner dimension of the cross section of the thick-walled portion. container. The sample container according to claim 6, wherein the internal dimensions of the cross section of the container body continuously change at the boundary between the thick portion and the thin portion. The filter has a stepped shape having at least two portions, a wide portion and a narrow portion, which have different outer dimensions in the cross-sectional direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the filter has the thin portion at the initial position. The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is arranged in a posture in which the narrow portion is located on the side. The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the filter is made of a sintered body obtained by sintering a particulate or fibrous resin. The sample container according to claim 9, wherein the pore diameter of the filter is in the range of 1 μm to 100 μm. The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the material of the container body is any one of ABS resin, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein an outer cylinder covering the outer periphery of the container body is provided. An opening formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body, and an opening for inserting the filter from the end.
When not in use, a seal that is heat-welded to the end to seal the opening,
Is equipped with
The sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the initial position of the filter is set at a position where a gap is formed between the end face of the filter and the seal at the end portion. A set unit for setting the sample container according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a set unit.
A pressing portion that enters the sample container set in the set portion, comes into contact with the end face of the filter, pushes the filter from the initial position into the thin-walled portion, and moves the filter.
A suction nozzle provided separately from the pressing portion, which enters the sample container and sucks the suspension filtered by the filter.
Specimen suction device equipped with.

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