DE10338424B3 - Cooling medium container for cryocontainer for storing chemical or biological laboratory samples provided with retractable handles - Google Patents

Abstract

The cooling medium container (1) has a cover (6) provided with a pair of handles (4), each attached to a spring (3) enclosed by a sleeve (2) secured to the base (5) of the container at each of its ends, for providing a spring bias holding the handle against the cover when not in use. The sleeves may have a hydraulic and/or pneumatic device for movement of the handle.

Description

The invention relates to retractable Handles for receptacles of coolants according to claim 1.

From the DE 197 25 768 A1 a container for storage at low temperatures is known which contains cooling containers which are used in particular for the storage of ampoules with material to be chemically examined. These so-called cryoracks can take on different geometries. So go out of the DE 197 25 768 A1 exemplary cooling containers, which have a pie-like geometry and form a circle in a composite manner. These elements have drawers in which the ampoules can be stored. These samples can be, for example, environmental samples that consist of biological material or rock samples that are to be sent to the chemical analysis. These samples must be protected against external contamination in a special way if they are to be used for trace analysis. To protect them from chemical changes, they are stored in the container mentioned at the beginning for storage at low temperatures. These cryogenic containers for storing the samples, which are almost completely filled with cryoracks, have rollers in part, which means that all of the samples in this container can be transported. However, their useful volume is usually limited to less than 100 l. Containers with a useful volume of 200 l, for example, cannot easily be transported from laboratory to laboratory, since they are usually connected to a refrigerant supply system and are intended for the stationary storage of samples. However, the samples often have to be transported from these stationary containers to the laboratories in order to be analyzed. For this purpose, according to the prior art, transport containers are often used which have insulating properties, for example by being lined with styrofoam on the inside, which has insulating properties. The cooling containers are equipped with a vessel that can be filled with coolant and is variable in height so that the cooling time can be adapted to different requirements. The vessel preferably has the same geometry and size as the cross section of the cooling container and has a lattice strut at the open end. A disadvantage of the previously known vessels, which are used to hold solid and liquid coolants, are the lack of handles, which enable the vessels to be transported and lifted out of the cooling containers. From the DE 199 10 836 C2 known to provide the lid of the cryorack with handles. However, the stability of these handles is not sufficient to safely lift the entire cryorack out of the cryobasket when it is filled with coolants, but merely serves to lift the lid off the cryorack.

It is therefore the object of the invention a receptacle for receiving of coolants to create which is stable and easy to handle removed from the cooling container can be, the vessel according to the invention should have no means which An additional Space requirement in the cooling container in Claim.

Starting from the preamble of claim 1 the object is achieved with the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

With the handles according to the invention of the vessel this is easy to handle and can be stably removed from cryos without that the additional Handles when using the cryo container space need, who else for the ones to be cooled Samples can be used.

Advantageous further developments of Invention are in the subclaims specified.

The drawings show examples versions of the present invention.

1 shows the vessel according to the invention 1 in side view, which is an example of a handle 4 has at its handle base 7 with feathers 3 comes into contact, causing the handle 4 can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. The handles 4 and the springs are inside sleeves 2 that with the floor 5 of the vessel 1 are firmly connected. The lid 6 of the vessel 1 points at the point where the handles 4 protrude, openings open and closes with the handle 4 fits so that the handle 4 only up to the handle base 7 from the lid 6 can be pulled out.

2 shows an example of a handle according to the invention ( 4 ) with the handle base ( 7 ).

3 shows an example of the lid 6 of the vessel according to the invention 1 with the lid openings 8th for the handles according to the invention 4 ,

The invention is described in more detail below by way of example become.

To remove the vessel with the coolants from the cryocontainer are in an advantageous embodiment of the vessel 1 two handles 4 available (see 3 ). Depending on the application, four to eight handles can also be used 4 be present, the easy removal and accessibility from all sides of the vessel 1 enable. Every grip 4 is in an advantageous embodiment by two cylindrical sleeves 2 on the bottom of the vessel 5 fixed in the handles 4 can be sunk. These pods 2 can, for example, by screw threads in the bottom of the vessel 5 be fixed so that they wear out, change from worn springs 3 or can simply be removed, exchanged or removed when not in use.

A smooth spring 3 that are below the handle base 7 in the sleeve 2 ensures that the handles 4 in the unloaded state the lid 6 protrude and are therefore accessible to the user. It is also conceivable that instead of a spring 3 that the handle 4 through a sleeve 2 presses upwards, a hydraulic / pneumatic device or a combination of both takes over this function. When loaded, that is, when objects to be cooled are placed on the lid 6 the handles sink 4 in the sleeves 2 , The lid 6 When used in a cryocontainer, the vessel according to the invention simultaneously serves, for example, as an intermediate floor on which the objects to be cooled are placed.

The handles 4 are in an advantageous embodiment of the vessel 1 attached so that when lifting and inserting the vessel 1 the acting forces are evenly distributed in the cryocontainer. The feathers 3 In an advantageous embodiment, the material properties and dynamic behavior can be such that their function is not restricted even at very low temperatures. The inner volume of the sleeve 2 should not freeze to ensure trouble-free handling of the handles 4 to guarantee. This is achieved through the opening 8th of the lid 6 through which the handle 4 is transported upwards, very tightly and precisely on the handle 4 is applied. Exist lid 6 and handles 4 made of an alloy, so the edges of the lid openings should be avoided to avoid friction losses 8th preferably coated with Teflon. The handles 4 should protrude so far that one hand has a handle 4 can enclose and so far apart that they are ergonomically optimal handling when lifting and carrying the vessel 1 guarantee.

The basic shape of the vessel advantageously corresponds to the basic shape of the respective cooling vessel (cryocontainer). The geometry and height of the vessel are completely variable. As materials for the vessel according to the invention 1 plastics such as Teflon or alloys such as stainless steel are preferably used. The vessel can be single or double-walled. For vessels made of stainless steel or other alloys, insulation with styrofoam or cork or another heat-insulating material or a composite material made of synthetic and / or natural components can be advantageous. Vacuum insulation is also possible with double-walled vessels. These measures have the advantage that the vessels themselves have to be cooled less intensively, which reduces the consumption of coolants. As a result, less energy is consumed overall without the cooling of the samples decreasing within a certain temperature interval. This measure increases the energy efficiency of the cooling system.

The container 1 can, for example, a hinged lid and mechanically supported by springs 6 have the point where the handles 4 protrude, 2 Has openings. The design of the lid 6 can be configured in an advantageous embodiment such that two semicircular openings are provided on the side, which serve to allow cooling medium to evaporate. The lid 6 can on the edges of the vessel 1 lie freely and be opened when the cooling vessel is filled.

It is advantageous with this construction that not only liquid media, such as liquefied gases (nitrogen, helium, argon, etc.), but also other cooling media (e.g. dry ice, etc.) can be used as coolants, since the cover 6 of the vessel 1 can be opened. Conventional cooling systems are not able to do this because the lids of the vessels with the coolants are rigidly and inflexibly installed in the cooling containers or, as in DE 199 10 836 A1 described, there is no lid on the vessel.

In addition to the retractable handles according to the invention 4 can e.g. B. on the short sides of a rectangular shaped vessel 1 additional handles can be attached outside. They are attached to the top of the vessel with clamps in the middle and hang down vertically. In order to better grip the handles with protective gloves, the clamps to which the two handles are attached are underlaid with spacers.

1st embodiment:

Cryoracks, in which samples are located, are to be DE 199 10 836 A1 described transport container can be transported to a laboratory. The samples to be analyzed require a cooling temperature during transport that corresponds to that of dry ice.

The vessel according to the invention which is equivalent in the geometry of the transport container 1 is filled with dry ice for this purpose and placed in the transport container as a cooling vessel. Use a trowel or pliers to hold the container 1 filled up with dry ice and the lid 6 then closed again.

Now the user grabs the one from the vessel with both hands 1 outstanding handles 4 and put the vessel 1 to the bottom of the cryocontainer. Through cryoracks on the lid 6 of the vessel 1 the handles 4 sunk and thus do not take up any useful volume within the cryocontainer.

When the transport and sampling has been completed, the cryoracks and the container are removed 1 can be emptied or new with dry ice or a liquid cooling medium, e.g. B. Liquid nitrogen can be filled. When using liquid nitrogen, the vessel 1 first carefully filled with this coolant because the vessel 1 itself must first be cooled down in order to avoid sudden evaporation of the coolant.

Then the vessel 1 slowly filled up and placed in the cryocontainer.

2nd embodiment:

In a biological laboratory for a Experiment an enzyme can be used to make a chemical change before the start of the experiment, to be excluded at a temperature <–40 ° C temporarily chilled becomes. The maximum achievable temperature in a commercially available Chiller is around –40 ° C.

In order to be able to reach a lower temperature, the vessel according to the invention 1 , which in this case has a rectangular shape, is filled with dry ice. Then the vessel according to the invention 1 with the help of the handles according to the invention 4 be transported to the chiller. After opening the door of the chiller, the vessel is opened 1 pushed by means of handles located on the short sides of the vessel to the bottom of the refrigerator, partially or completely from the inventive vessel 1 is covered. The height of the vessel 1 can extend up to the first sample position in the refrigerator. The electric cooling unit should continue to run normally.

When most of the dry ice has evaporated, pull out the jar by the side handle and pull it out by the opposite second handle to securely set the jar down. The container is then gripped by the handles according to the invention 4 that are easily accessible from the lid 6 of the vessel 1 protrude, and transports it away for refilling with dry ice. After filling, it can be used again in the refrigerator in the manner described above.

There is also the option of placing a sample directly in the container filled with dry ice 1 and put it on the floor in a chiller. The transition of the dry ice from the solid to the gaseous state slows down at an ambient temperature of e.g. B. -40 ° C clearly compared to room temperature. For physical reasons, there is the advantage that the sample can be cooled over dry ice significantly longer than at refrigerator or room temperature.

The container 1 can be used in work areas in which samples have to be cooled that are to be characterized and analyzed in the original chemical state. These include chemical, industrial, forensic, clinical, pharmaceutical, biochemical and biological laboratories. In particular, microbiological and physical influences can change the chemical composition of samples sustainably. For this reason, these sensitive samples must be stored and transported at low temperatures. If possible, the cold chain should not be interrupted until chemical analysis. The cooling temperature should be kept constant within a certain temperature interval.

In the context described under certain circumstances also be very important, e.g. B. forensic samples at low temperatures in the subject of the invention to cool or to transport. Is z. B. suspects that a Person who has died of heavy metal poisoning must be ensured that existing heavy metals in tissue samples in their original Binding form present in an analysis.

This is the only way to metabolize wanted elements in the body understand and only in this way can it be reliably determined whether a toxic heavy metal for the Death of the organism was jointly responsible. These results can also provide clues give up on the administered form of the poison.

This approach to an analytical Problem leaves apply not only to heavy metals, but also to others Substance classes. Likewise must Preserved samples in the industrial and pharmaceutical sector become. The subject of the invention let yourself thus versatile use such. B. in cryosystems, the purpose serve the chemical state of samples during transport or the temporary To get storage.

The object according to the invention can not only be viewed from the point of view of use as a coolant vessel in a cryocontainer, but can also be represented in a generalized manner and also used as a cold accumulator. If, for example, you want to cool samples at low temperatures in laboratory freezers or chillers, which may only reach a temperature of 0 to –40 ° C, you can temporarily use the containers filled with dry ice 1 generate a temperature of <–40 ° C in the electrically operated cooling systems. The vessels according to the invention can be used flexibly and are suitable with regard to the storage of sensitive samples (eg clinical, biological or environmental samples) at temperatures of <-40 ° C.

Claims (5)

Vessel ( 1 ) for holding coolants with a cover ( 6 ) and at least two handles ( 4 ), characterized in that the handles ( 4 ) on their handle base ( 7 ) with feathers ( 3 ) come into contact, whereby the springs ( 3 ) inside sleeves ( 2 ) and can be moved up and down in the vertical direction, the sleeves ( 2 ) with the floor ( 5 ) of the vessel ( 1 ) are firmly connected. A vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid openings ( 8th ) very closely the handles ( 4 ) and are smaller than the handle base ( 7 ). Vessel according to claim 1 to 2, characterized in that the sleeves ( 2 ) by screw thread in the bottom ( 5 ) of the vessel ( 1 ) are fixed. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sleeves ( 2 ) a hydraulic and / or pneumatic device for moving the handles ( 4 ) in the vertical direction. Vessel according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lid ( 6 ) Has openings for evaporating the cooling medium.