CH712580A2 - Device and method for urine collection - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for collecting urine comprising a container (1) for collecting urine (9) from a user, a filter (2) for filtering the urine (9) contained in the container (1) and comprising first fastening means for removably attaching the filter (2) to the container (1), an opening (23) for exhausting filtered urine (90) out of the device by the filter (2). A method for collecting urine (9) using such a device and comprising depositing urine into the container, filtering urine (9) collected with the aid of the filter (2), evacuating out of filtered urine device (90) through the opening (23).

Description

Description: [0001] The present invention relates to a device for collecting urine. The present invention relates in particular to a device for avoiding contamination before analysis of the harvested urine, for example during its transport and / or storage at room temperature.

Urine tests are frequently performed for example on the sidelines of sports events to detect possible cases of doping. An athlete puts his urine in a container, such as a cup. The urine thus harvested is generally distributed by simply transferring into one or more bottles that can be closed hermetically and intended for example to be sent to a laboratory and to be subjected to various tests.

The analysis laboratories are generally far from the place of harvest, for example the place of the sports event, the urine samples are transported, generally at room temperature, in their closed bottle for several hours, or even a few days. Bacteria develop in the samples during transport and / or storage, so that the assays are then performed on contaminated urine. The results of the analyzes may be disturbed by certain bacteria that have metabolized certain compounds in the urine.

A solution to improve the quality of results is to treat the urine in the laboratory just before their analysis to minimize or eliminate the effects of contamination. Another solution is to stabilize the samples shortly after harvest by adding bacteriostatic agents.

These solutions, however, have the major disadvantage that they involve the addition of one or more products in the samples, which can also disrupt the results of the analyzes.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device and a method for urine collection that do not have the disadvantages of the devices and methods set forth above.

An object of the present invention is in particular to provide a device and a method for collecting urine samples that allow the transport and / or storage of samples of urine collected without risk of significant contamination. .

These and other advantages are achieved by the device and the method according to the corresponding independent claim.

These objects and other advantages are achieved in particular by a device for collecting urine comprising a container for collecting urine from a user, a filter for filtering the urine contained in the container and comprising first fastening means for releasably securing the filter to the container, an opening for evacuation from the device of the urine filtered by the filter.

The filter is for example a membrane filter, comprising for example a membrane whose pores have a diameter of 0.2 microns. The membrane is, for example, polyethersulfone (PES).

According to some embodiments, the device further comprises means for applying a vacuum between the filter and the opening.

According to some embodiments, the device further comprises second attachment means for removably attaching the device to a vial to collect filtered urine discharged from the device through the opening.

According to some embodiments, the opening is closed non-permanently, for example with the aid of a detachable lid.

According to some embodiments, the container is a flexible bellows container that can be at least partially folded in a frame of the filter.

These abutments and other advantages are also achieved by a method for collecting urine using the device of the invention, the method comprising the removal of urine in the container, the filtration of the urine collected at Using the filter, evacuation out of the device filtered urine through the opening.

According to certain embodiments, the filtration step further comprises the application of vacuum between the filter and the opening to suck urine through the filter.

According to some embodiments, the method further comprises closing the container after the step of depositing urine and before the filtering step, by attaching the filter to the container.

According to certain embodiments, the method further comprises opening the opening before the filtration step, for example by detaching a lid closing the opening non-permanently.

According to some embodiments, the method further comprises attaching a vial for transporting and / or storing filtered urine to collect filtered urine discharged from the device through the opening.

According to the invention, the urine is filtered after harvesting, preferably immediately after harvesting, using a filter, for example a membrane filter, to retain bacteria that could contaminate the plant. urine collected if they developed. The urine thus filtered is then practically sterile. The device of the invention thus makes it possible to stabilize the urine harvested by a solely mechanical process, without the addition of products and without additional chemical or biological treatment of the samples.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, illustrated by the figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic section of a device according to an embodiment of the invention seen from the side; fig. 2 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1; fig. 3 is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 1; fig. 4 illustrates the filtration of urine collected using the device of FIG. 1.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the device of the invention comprises a container 1 for collecting urine from a user, for example an athlete, and a filter 2, for example a membrane filter, for filtering the urine collected. .

According to the illustrated embodiment, the container 1 is for example a flexible bellows container, for example with a capacity of 200 ml. An advantage of the flexible container 1 bellows is its small size when folded, facilitating for example the storage and / or transport in large quantities of the device of the invention. The container 1 comprises for example a hook 10 on its bottom to facilitate its unfolding and / or for suspending upside down, for example during the filtration of the urine that it contains. Other types of container are however conceivable. within the scope of the invention.

The filter 2 is for example a membrane filter whose membrane 20 is stretched between the inner walls of a cylindrical frame 21. The pores of the membrane 20 are preferably of a diameter of 0.2 microns in order to filter effectively. any bacteria that may contaminate the urine collected, while minimizing the risk of clogging of the pores with filter residues. The material of the membrane 20 is preferably selected to withstand the aggressiveness of the urine and the vacuum that can be applied to one side of the filter 2. The membrane is for example a polyethersulfone membrane (PES).

The filter 2 preferably comprises first fastening means 22 on a first side of the cylindrical frame 21 to removably attach the filter 2 to the container 1. The first fastening means 22 are for example a screw thread formed on the periphery of the cylindrical frame 21 and allowing the attachment of the filter 2 on the container 1 in the manner of a lid. The cylindrical frame 21 is for example dimensioned so that at least part of the container 1 is housed in the cylindrical frame 21 when the filter 2 is fixed on the container 1 and the container 1 is folded.

The filter 2 comprises an opening 23 on a second side of the cylindrical frame opposite the first side to allow the evacuation, after its filtration by the filter 2, urine contained in the container 1. The opening 23 is preferably closed non-permanently, for example with the aid of a lid 24. The opening 23 is then opened, for example by removing the lid 24, before the filtration of the urine using the device of the invention to allow the evacuation of filtered urine, for example in a transport bottle and / or storage. The closure of the opening 23, for example with the aid of the lid 24, before the use of the filter 2 makes it possible to avoid any contamination of the filter 2 and the container 1 fixed to the filter 2, for example during transport, storage or any other manipulation of the device of the invention. This makes it possible to keep the device of the invention sterile before use.

According to certain embodiments, the filter 2 comprises second fixing means 25, for example a screw thread formed at the periphery of the outlet 23, to allow the fixing, preferably removable, of the filter 2 to a container, for example to a transport and / or storage bottle.

According to certain embodiments, the device of the invention further comprises means for applying vacuum on the side of the filter 2 facing the opening 23 in order to force the urine contained in the container 1 through the filter 2. These means comprise for example a pipe 29 connected on the one hand to the filter 2, between the membrane 20 and the opening 23, and intended to be connected on the other hand to a vacuum pump, for example a pump manual, an electric pump, a water pump, etc., to or any other device adapted to create a sufficient depression. According to one embodiment shown in the figures, the opening 23 comprises for example a central pipe 26 allowing the evacuation of the filtered urine out of the filter 2, and a vacuum chamber 27 around the central pipe 26. The pipe 29 is then directly connected to the vacuum chamber 27.

The container 1 and / or the filter 2 are preferably sterile and disposable.

According to other embodiments, the container 1 and / or the filter 2 are reusable. The container 1 and / or the filter 2, in particular the frame 21, are then in one or more materials allowing their sterilization, for example by autoclave, without risk of deformation or other damage.

According to the invention, when the urine of a user, for example an athlete, must be harvested, for example for the purpose of an anti-doping test, the container 1 is unfolded if necessary and unscrewed from the filter 2 The user then deposits urine in the container 1 and the container 1 is closed, for example by fixing the filter 2 therein.

The closed device containing the urine collected is then for example transmitted to an operator for the filtration of urine. The device is for example connected to a vacuum pump, for example by connecting the pipe 29 to a pipe

Claims (15)

flexible pump. The opening 23 is open and a bottle 3 for collecting the filtered urine is preferably fixed, for example screwed, to the device of the invention. The container 1 is then for example suspended by the hook 10 or otherwise held in the inverted position. The vacuum is applied in the device, for example in the vacuum chamber 27, then in the bottle 3 and the central pipe 26, and thus draws the unfiltered urine 9 contained in the container 1. The forced urine through the filter 2 falls into the bottle 3 through the central conduit 26. Once collected the desired amount of filtered urine 90, the application of vacuum is stopped, the bottle 3 is detached from the device and preferably quickly closed with a lid for avoid any contamination of its contents. A new bottle can then be fixed again to the device for example to take a second sample of the same urine. In order to avoid any contamination of the filtered urine 90, you or the bottles 3 for transport and / or storage are sterilized beforehand and then hermetically sealed once filled. The filtered urine 90 having been sterilized by filtration through the filter 2, the bottles 3 hermetically sealed and containing the urine samples can then be transported for example at room temperature or frozen, stored, etc., without risk of contamination by the growth of unwanted bacteria. The vials 3 are then preferably opened immediately before the analysis of their contents, so that the results obtained are optimal because there has been no metabolization of certain compounds of the urine collected due to the bacteria. claims A device for collecting urine comprising: - a container (1) for collecting urine (9) from a user; - a filter (2) for filtering the urine (9) contained in said container (1) and comprising first fixing means for fixing said filter (2) removably said container (1); - An opening (23) for discharging out of said device filtered urine (90) by said filter (2). 2. Device according to the preceding claim, said filter (2) being a membrane filter (20). 3. Device according to the preceding claim, said filter (2) comprising a membrane (20), the pore diameter of said membrane (20) being 0.2 microns. 4. Device according to one of claims 2 or 3, said membrane (20) being polyethersulfone (PES). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising means for applying a vacuum between said filter (2) and said opening (23). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, said filter (2) further comprising second attachment means for removably attaching said device to a vial (3) to collect the filtered urine (90) discharged through said opening (23). 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, said opening (23) being closed non-permanently. 8. Device according to the preceding claim, said opening (23) being closed by a cap (24) detachable. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, said container (1) being a flexible container (1) bellows can be at least partially folded in a frame (21) of said filter (2). 10. A method for collecting urine (9) using a device according to one of the preceding claims, said method comprising: - depositing urine in said container (1); - filtering the urine (9) harvested using said filter (2); - Evacuation from said device filtered urine (90) through said opening (23). 11. Method according to the preceding claim, said filtering step further comprising the application of vacuum between said filter (2) and said opening (23) for sucking urine (9) through said filter (2). 12. Method according to one of claims 10 or 11 further comprising closing said container (1) after the step of depositing urine (9) and before the filtration step, by fixing said filter (2) on said container (1). 13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising opening the opening (23) before said filtration step. 14. Method according to the preceding claim, the opening of said opening (23) comprising the detachment of a lid (24) closing the opening (23) non-permanently. 15. Method according to one of claims 10 to 15, further comprising fixing a vial (3) for transporting and / or storing filtered urine (90) to collect the filtered urine (90) evacuated by said opening (23).