FR2861702A1 - Flask for holding a biological sample comprises cap enclosing color-coded identification and electronic label with memory and contact-less emitter - Google Patents

Abstract

A flask comprising a container (1) with a removable transparent or translucent cap (5) containing a color-coded identification (11) and an electronic label (13) incorporating an electronic circuit with a contact-less emitter, where the color-coded identification is in the form of a component that slides inside the cap and holds the disc-shaped electronic circuit in place, is new.

Description

The invention relates to the field of bottles, and in particular the

plastic bottles,

  for the production of a bottle adapted to receive a biological sample, in particular for the purpose of ensuring traceability of cryo-preserved bio-medical products.

  The object of the invention is to propose a simple, reliable and efficient solution making it possible to produce such a bottle, adapted to its purpose and making it possible, for limited costs, to increase the safety and the performance of the bottles and the conditions in i5. which samples are tracked, stored and analyzed.

  To achieve at least part of the intended aims, it is proposed here that the bottle, which comprises a container and a stopper for selectively blocking the container, is such that the stopper contains a color identification code and an electronic tag (advantageously a molded plastic chip) incorporating an electronic circuit including a memory and a non-contact emitter.

  A corollary aspect of realization of the bottle also taken into account concerns the safety and reliability of use of the electronic label, with regard to the biological sample contained in the bottle, a sample whose characteristics must also be preserved the most. possible against any risk of tampering, especially inside the bottle.

  For these security issues, both vis-à-vis the electronic label and the contents of the bottle, but also for issues of simplicity of manufacture and implementation, it is further advised that the color code is materialized on a insert, slid into the hollow interior of the cap, away from a connection zone with the container, the label being doc, in turn, advantageously constituted by a pellet held in place in the hollow interior of this plug via said insert.

  Typically, the color-coded patch will itself be held in the cap by friction, due to a relatively tight fit, both pieces being plastic and slightly elastically deformable.

  In the alternative, for the same purposes as those stated above (in particular the safety aspect), it is furthermore recommended that the pellet be stuck to the bottom of the hollow interior of the plug, behind the insert, which itself is thus kept in place. this cap.

  Still for reasons of cost, ease of manufacture and implementation, in connection with the safety aspects already mentioned, it is furthermore advised that the insert is substantially like a hollow cylinder whose bottom has an outer face substantially plane against which rests the pellet which is substantially like a flat disc interposed closely between the two substantially flat surfaces formed by the inner bottom of the plug and the outer face of the insert.

  In connection again with the safety of use of the bottle, but also ease of identification of this bottle and its contents, another characteristic considered favorable advises that: at least the cap is transparent or translucent, so that the at least one color can be distinguished from its outside wall, along the direction in which the cap and the container can be joined, by their respective bonding areas, the color code and the label. electronics are offset longitudinally away from these so-called connection areas, so that at this point and once the closed cap on the container can be distinguished at least the color code through the part of the wall of the plug located at the distance from the container.

  In order to favor mass production at a controlled cost and to limit the time it takes to put the parts into the tubes, it is also anticipated that the electronic label could be overmolded on the color identification code, especially if, as if already indicated, the color code is materialized on an insert slid into the hollow interior of the plug, away from a connection zone with the container, and if the electronic tag is constituted by a chip (memory chip + antenna embedded in a plastic coating compatible with the color code material).

  An even more detailed description of the invention will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded overall view of the bottle, FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically illustrate, in longitudinal central section, two embodiments of the plug containing an identification color code and an electronic tag, Io according to the invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bottle 1 comprises a container 3 which can be closed by a stopper 5.

  The container 3 has a shape longitudinally elongate along the axis 7 with, at one end, a bottom 3a and, at the opposite longitudinal end, a wide opening 3b through which the sample is placed or removed and which is adapted for be closed selectively by the plug 5.

  For this, the plug 5 has a connecting zone 5a. This is a thread adapted to cooperate with a tapping 9 formed in the inner wall of the container, in the immediate vicinity of the opening 3b.

  It will be noted in the figures that, along the longitudinal axis 7, the plug 5 is advantageously extended beyond the connection zone 5a by a rear portion 5b which is located outside the container 3, in the closed state of the bottle.

  Typically, the outer wall (which can be fluted) of the rear zone 5b of the plug may come substantially in the continuity of the wall of the container 3, in its closed state, as schematically the mixed lines of Figure 3.

  The plug 5 contains an identification color code 11 and an electronic tag 13.

  As roughly diagrammed in FIG. 2, the tag 13, which is advantageously a pellet, incorporates an integrated circuit defining a memory 15 and a contactless emitter 17.

  Typically, the dimensions of this pellet, the manufacture of which is known, can be the following diameter of the order of 9 to 10 mm, thickness of the order of 0.5 to 1 mm. The operating frequency can be 13.56 MHz and the detection distance of a few centimeters, up to ten centimeters.

  The storage memory can be EEPROM type, for example 2Kbits. The operating temperature that the chip must withstand is expected to range from about -8 ° C to + 85 ° C.

  The electronic tag 13 is typically provided for storing the information necessary for the registration of the biological sample to be contained in the vial, patient information, product identification and treatments applied to the sample, in particular. Storage, data exchange and therefore traceability are provided by the so-called RFID technique (Radio Frequency Identification), an automatic identification technology that allows contactless reading. three components: an antenna as a means of field detection and data transmission, a station base that emits radio waves, and an electronically programmed transponder.These are therefore wireless identification systems; has an antenna that emits a radio signal to activate and identify the chip or electronic tag and to register or read data on it.The RFID systems are often made of an antenna part (which is copper in our case ) and a silicon chip).

  It is a priori not foreseen that there is a coupling between the label 3.3 (or its content in terms of data processing) and a remote biological analysis apparatus and to which the data (or certain data ) contained in the tag 13 could be transmitted via an autonomous reading system that can be connected to a computer (transmitter / receiver for example of the radio-frequency type).

  Typically, the electronic tag 13 will be in the form of a cylindrical disk (flat disk) molded of plastic (for example polypropylene) incorporating in the plastic mass a circuit comprising the transmitter and the memory, the radio-frequency circuit which can be formed by an integrated or hybrid circuit included in the plastic mass at the time of molding.

  Typically, the container 3 and the stopper 5 are made of the same plastic material compatible with the destination of the bottle and will advantageously have a transparent or translucent wall, particularly at the location of the zone 5b of the stopper.

  In the figures, it can further be seen that the color code 11, rather than being integrated (for example, during molding) into the material of the cap 5 as a drowned coating, is here materialized on an insert, as in this case a substantially hollow cylindrical part, slid into the hollow interior 19 of the plug, preferably away from the connecting zone 5a.

  Thus, as can be seen particularly in FIG. 3, the insert 11 (having a color marked with respect to that transparent or translucent of the zone 5b of the plug) is situated opposite this zone 5b and is therefore visible from the outside, easily, even when the cap is engaged locally in the container.

  In both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the insert 11 is held inside the plug by jamming, having been engaged "by force" in the hollow interior 19 along the axis 7.

  In FIG. 2, the electronic chip 13 is interposed between the bottom 23 of the plug and the transverse bottom wall 21 of the part 11, these two bottom walls being advantageously substantially planar, like the opposite faces of the chip 13, for good to press and maintain it tightly in the space thus reserved, because of the established maintenance of the part 11.

  In FIG. 3, the electronic chip 13 is housed inside, towards the bottom, of the insert 11, which is engaged to the bottom of the inner volume 19 of the plug and is therefore substantially pressed against the inner bottom wall. 23, always being held by a tight engagement inside this cap.

  A flange or a few lugs, schematized at 25 in FIG. 3, project internally to the lateral wall of the insert 11 to hold the pellet 13 at the bottom of this piece 11, after having authorized its forced engagement. to this location, along axis 7.

  Optionally, alternatively the color code 11 could consist of a local colorization (reported or not) of the material of the plug, during molding.

  Also, the electronic tag 13 could be made as a thin sheet molded (or over-molded) locally by being integrated into the material of the insert 11. The solution "pellet" could also be molded in one piece with the room 11.

  In this case, the tube and the color code will advantageously be made of a same plastic material, in particular polypropylene. And it will then be advantageous to make the electronic pellet 13 in the same material, or in a chemically compatible material favorable to overmolding.

  The final size of the set 13 chip / color code 11 will be that typically that of the chip, see a little more: diameter 8.5 to 9.5 mm; thickness from 0.5 to 1 mm.

Claims (6)

R E V E N D I C A T IO N S   1. Vial adapted to receive a biological sample, the vial comprising: - a container (3), - a stopper (5), for selectively closing the container, characterized in that the stopper contains an identification color code (11). ) and an electronic tag (13) incorporating an electronic circuit comprising a memory (15) and a non-contact emitter (17).   2. Bottle according to claim 1 characterized in that the color code is materialized on an insert (11) slid into the hollow interior of the plug (5), away from a connecting zone (5a) with the container, the electronic tag being constituted by a pellet (13) held in place in the hollow interior (19) of this plug via said insert (11).   3. Bottle according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, the color code being materialized on an insert (11) slid into the hollow interior of the plug (5) and the electronic tag being constituted by a pellet (13), it is stuck to the bottom of the hollow interior (19) of the plug (5), behind the. insert that is itself held in this plug.   4. Bottle according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that the insert (11) is substantially like a hollow cylinder, the bottom (21) has a substantially flat outer surface against which the pad (13) ) which is substantially like a flat disc interposed closely between the two substantially flat surfaces formed by the inner bottom of the plug and the outer face of the insert.   5. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: - at least the cap (5) is transparent or translucent, so that we can at least distinguish a color through its wall, from the outside along the direction (7) in which the stopper and the container (3) are adapted to be assembled via their respective connecting regions (5a, 9), the color code (11) and the electronic label (13) are offset longitudinally away from said connection areas, so that at this point and once the closed cap on the container, we can distinguish at least the color code (11) through the part (5b) of the wall of the plug located away from the container.   6. Bottle according to one of claims 1 or 2, or according to claim 5 attached to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the electronic label (13) is overmolded on the color code identification (11).