EP2812423A1

EP2812423A1 - Container for accommodating nutrient media

Info

Publication number: EP2812423A1
Application number: EP14709539.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rolf Mueller
Original assignee: Pharmamedia Dr Mueller GmbH
Current assignee: Pharmamedia Dr Mueller GmbH
Priority date: 2013-02-21
Filing date: 2014-01-24
Publication date: 2014-12-17
Also published as: DE102013204148A1; WO2014127774A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for accommodating nutrient media (3), in particular a Petri dish, contact plate, or sedimentation plate, for cultivating microorganisms, cell cultures, bacteria, etc. comprising a main body (1), which has a peripheral wall (4), and a bottom plate (2), and a base surface (1) which has a peripheral wall. The main body (1) and the bottom plate (2) form a dish. The dish is used for filling with nutrient solution, for storage, and for transport. The main body (1) is placed or inserted into the peripheral wall of the bottom plate (6) with at least a slight distance from the base surface of the bottom plate (5). On the side facing away from the bottom plate (2), the main body (1) has a closure, which is attached after the main body (1) has been filled with nutrient medium (3) and closes the main body (1) containing the nutrient medium (3).

Description

ASSORTMENT FOR THE ADMISSION OF FOOD MEDIA

The invention relates to a container for holding nutrient media, in particular petri dish, contact plate or sedimentation plate, for the cultivation of microorganisms, cell cultures, bacteria, etc.

Containers for receiving nutrient media are well known in practice. For example, reference is made to DE 10 2007 027 273 A1. From this document, a so-called contact plate or Abklatschplatte is known, namely a Petri dish, which is filled with solidified nutrient medium. To handle the Petri dish in the sense of a contact plate, the shell is filled so that the nutrient medium, regularly agar, protrudes at least slightly beyond the peripheral side wall of the shell. To clot, the container is gripped on the peripheral wall of the shell and the supernatant surface of the nutrient medium is pressed onto the surface to be "clipped." Contaminants, especially bacteria, adhere to the surface of the solidified nutrient medium, providing an ideal breeding ground for bacterial cultures.

After wiping off the contaminated surface of the nutrient medium is covered or the shell is closed with a lid which is at least slightly spaced from the surface of the nutrient medium, with the bacteria adhering there. Between the inner wall of the lid and the surface of the nutrient medium remains a sufficiently large space, so that in the prevailing atmosphere, the cell cultures can develop. There are aerobic and anaerobic embodiments of such contact plates known, as needed and objective with respect to the bacterial cultures. In other words, the lid can air or gas-tight or ventilated attach to the shell body.

For further printed prior art, reference is additionally made to DE 44 06 725 A1 and US Pat. No. 6,602,704 B1. Both publications show contact plates of the type in question here. The known contact plates are problematic in several respects. First, there is a problem in the provision of the effect that at high humidities and a dew point below in the temperature of the nutrient medium and / or the container condensate inside the container, namely between the surface of the nutrient medium and the inner wall of the lid forms, not least also because of the airspace available there.

A second problem arises from the necessity of the at least slight supernatant of the nutrient medium relative to the wall of the shell. This supernatant is regularly achieved in that the shell is almost overfilled with liquid nutrient medium, just so strong that the nutrient medium does not overflow due to the specific surface tension, and forms at least a slight supernatant. This requires considerable precision during filling and is therefore expensive.

The present invention is based on the object, a container of the generic type to design and further develop that eliminates the above problems, but at least are significantly reduced. Specifically, condensation in the area above the nutrient medium - before use - should be avoided. The filling of the container should be possible with simple means in a very short time. The handling both during filling and in the application should be as simple as possible.

The above problem is solved by a container having the features of claim 1. Thereafter, the container for receiving nutrient media, in particular petri dish, contact plate or sedimentation, for culturing microorganisms, bacteria, etc., comprises a base body with circumferential wall and a bottom plate with a base and peripheral wall. The main body and the bottom plate form a shell. For filling the shell with nutrient medium, for storage and transport of the main body is inserted into the peripheral wall of the bottom plate, wherein the wall of the body at least slightly to the base of the bottom plate is spaced. In other words, the base body can be inserted or inserted into the base plate, such that when pouring in the nutrient medium, it protrudes from the peripheral wall of the base body. It is essential that the nutrient medium is poured into the base body from the back and terminates with the inner wall of the bottom plate. After the pouring of the nutrient medium, any space between the main body and the bottom plate is filled, so that the previously available air space on the surface of the supernatant medium is eliminated. A condensation is therefore excluded there.

The exclusion of condensation is of particular importance in order to avoid soiling, especially smear infections. In particular, it is about contamination of user equipment.

In addition, the container according to the invention has the advantage that when pouring the nutrient medium no air bubbles on or on the contact surface arise because these, namely, if present, during filling and immediately afterwards in the nutrient medium rise up, namely from the contact surface (Abklatschfläche ) remove. Since any bubbling does not present any problems insofar as the bubbles do not form on the surface used for culturing, the filling with nutrient medium can be accelerated once again. This is of special importance.

On the side facing away from the bottom plate, namely on the rear side, a closure is attached after filling the body with nutrient medium, so that the container is closed on the Abklatschseite by the bottom plate and on the Abklatschseite facing away from the filling through the closure. In this state, filled with nutrient medium, the container is transported as a contact plate or Sedimentationsplatte and stored or provided for use.

It should be noted at this point that the container according to the invention implies a very special method, namely a method for filling such a container, after which by the base body and the bottom plate formed shell is filled from the back with liquid nutrient medium, and wherein a distance of the peripheral wall of the base body relative to the base of the bottom plate ensures a supernatant of the nutrient medium on the circumferential wall of the body out. At the same time the usual air space between the surface of the nutrient medium and the inner wall of a lid is avoided. Condensation can therefore not take place there.

After the back filling of the container, namely from the contact surface of the culture medium side facing away, the container is closed on the back, including a special closure is used, which can also be equipped with sealing film.

The spacing of the wall of the main body from the base surface of the bottom plate is realized by a step formed near or at the base surface, preferably inwardly encircling step, groove or the like. By this measure, the base body according to the dimensions of the step, fillet or the like. Not a total plug in the wall of the bottom plate, but with a small distance to the base of the bottom plate. This distance ensures when pouring the nutrient medium required for Abklatschen supernatant of the nutrient medium.

The step, groove or the like can be performed circumferentially. It is also conceivable that this measure is provided for example at three or more locations, namely to define the distance of the circumferential wall of the base body relative to the base surface of the bottom plate. The step, groove or the like may have a height in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, so that in fact the nutrient medium protrudes sufficiently beyond the edge region of the main body.

After removal of the bottom plate, the solidified nutrient medium is at least slightly exposed to the circumferential wall in accordance with the spacing of the wall of the base body to the bottom plate, resulting in the usability of the filled container as a contact plate. The achieved It is necessary to bring the nutrient medium into contact with the surfaces to be tested or contaminated. At this point it becomes clear that a contact plate is a "crowded" petri dish, namely a Petri dish filled with nutrient medium, in which the nutrient medium protrudes beyond the edge area of the dish.

As already stated above, the main body forming the shell has, on the side facing away from the contact surface, namely on the filling side, a closure in the sense of a removable cover. This cover is attached after filling the body or the shell for closing the container. This may be, for example, a film laid over the edge, in particular additionally glued thereto, or the like.

Advantageously, the cover is designed as a lid with circumferential wall, which encompasses the base body. When filled, the container consists of the base body, a contact surface covering the bottom plate and a filler-side lid. The bottom plate with the circumferential wall and the lid, also with a circumferential wall, engage over the central body, wherein a reverse arrangement or design is conceivable, namely that one of the closures or both closures engage in the body. In any case, it is essential that, when the nutrient medium is filled in, it has a supernatant relative to the peripheral wall of the container and that the bottom plate directly covers the contact surface of the nutrient medium. On the opposite side of the main body or the shell is closed on the back by a lid.

The wall of the lid is designed in a particularly sophisticated manner and dimensioned so that it is after removal of the bottom plate instead of this on the wall of the shell, this cross-over, can be placed and thereby for spaced closing of the shell, forming a space above the nutrient solution, serves. This space is necessary for the cultivation of microorganisms, because there is a certain airspace or a certain atmosphere for To be provided for transport and storage of the container with filled culture medium, before use, to be avoided.

Accordingly, it is of further advantage if the wall of the bottom plate is designed and dimensioned such that the bottom plate after removal of the cover instead of this on the wall of the shell, this cross-over, can be placed. In other words, the cover and the bottom plate, due to their specific design, can optionally be attached to both sides of the body, wherein for providing the contact plate with nutrient medium, the bottom plate sits directly on the contact surface of the nutrient medium, namely due to the special filling according to the foregoing ,

After removing the seated directly on the contact surface of the nutrient medium bottom plate and after the Abklatschen an air space above the abgeklatschten surface of the nutrient medium is generated, namely the fact that the originally arranged on the back lid is placed on the contact side of the container or the shell. Due to its dimensions and an outside stop the lid can only be plugged onto the base body so far that an air space remains between the contact surface of the nutrient medium and the inner wall of the lid. The lifted off the contact side of the nutrient medium or removed bottom plate is placed on the back instead of the lid on the container so that after the Abklatschen and for culturing the microorganisms, the position of the bottom plate and lid are reversed.

It should be noted that the container can also be used as a sedimentation plate, regardless of the above.

Previously, it has been mentioned that the base body on the outside of its wall may have a stop for the wall of the bottom plate and / or for the wall of the lid, whereby the attachment of the bottom plate and lid is limited or defined. It should be taken into account the situation that the circumferential wall of the bottom plate and the lid differently are executed high, namely the different spacing from the edge of the container.

The main body has either as a common stop for the bottom plate and the lid or in the middle between the stops for the bottom plate and the lid a preferably circumferential, projecting from the outer wall handling area for gripping the body. This handling area can be designed as a circumferential ring, which can be an integral part of the outer wall of the base body. It is also conceivable that a ring area is pushed onto the base body. This can be a ring region made of the same material as the main body or, for example, rubber or the like.

A further measure which favors handling is to be seen in that the basic body preferably comprises anchoring means extending through the interior of the basic body in a central or lower area. These anchoring means are surrounded during filling with nutrient medium and serve to hold the poured nutrient medium, on the one hand when lifting or removing the bottom plate and on the other hand in the process of Abklatschens. In any case, the anchoring means favor the "holding" of the nutrient medium in the main body or in the shell formed by the main body. Specifically, the anchoring means may be struts or a lattice-like structure, so that unintentional slipping out of the nutrient medium from the main body is effective is avoided.

As stated previously, the bottom plate forms the shell together with the base body. When pouring the nutrient medium this contacts the inner wall of the bottom plate. Due to adhesion, it may take a certain amount of effort to lift the base plate from the body or deduct. The removal of the base plate from the base body favoring measures can be provided, for example to the effect that by turning, preferably by sliding along a ramp, the bottom plate of the main body and thus of the solidified nutrient medium can be lifted or is removable. The lifting of the bottom plate can also be favored in that an at least slight tilting of the bottom plate relative to the base body is possible, whereby the inner wall of the bottom plate can be lifted off the surface of the nutrient medium and thus removed.

Finally, it should be noted that the bottom plate and / or the cover or the lid can be connected by any connection mechanisms with the body / can, for example by Stülp-, screw or bayonet connection. It is also conceivable that the individual components are locked against each other or with each other.

There are now various possibilities for designing and developing the teaching of the present invention in an advantageous manner. For this purpose, on the one hand to the claims subordinate to claim 1 and on the other hand to refer to the following explanation of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. In conjunction with the explanation of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing, generally preferred embodiments and developments of the teaching are explained. In the drawing show

Fig. 1 in a schematic side view, cut, an embodiment of a container according to the invention with filled nutrient medium and the rear side lid and

2 is a schematic plan view of an insight into the interior of the main body, which has in a central area an integral grid structure for anchoring the poured-in nutrient medium.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a container according to the invention for receiving nutrient media, wherein it is in concrete terms a contact plate, which also as Use sedimentation plate. The container is used for the cultivation of microorganisms, bacteria, etc.

The container shown in Figure 1 comprises a base body 1 and a bottom plate 2, wherein the base body 1 and the bottom plate 2 together form a shell, namely for filling with nutrient medium 3. The nutrient medium 3 may be, for example, agar.

The base body 1 consists essentially of a peripheral wall 4. The bottom plate 2 consists of a base 5 and a peripheral wall 6, so that the bottom plate 2 with respect to the base body 1 in the sense of a closure, lid 9 or the like. Is executed.

FIG. 1 clearly shows that the base body 1 is set or plugged into the base plate 2 or its circumferential wall 6. A kind of spacer 7 in the form of a step, fillet or the like. Ensures that the wall 4 of the body 1 is positioned at a small distance to the base 5 of the bottom plate 2, so that when filling the nutrient medium 3 on the base 5 of the bottom plate 2 comes to rest and thereby protrudes at least slightly beyond the wall 4 of the base body 1. As a result, the function is guaranteed as a contact plate.

On the side facing away from the nutrient medium 3, the bottom plate 2 has feet 8 or the like, which serve for positioning or parking the container.

On the opposite side of the nutrient medium 3, i. on the filling side of the main body 1, this is closed by a cover 10, which is similar to the bottom plate 2 attached to the outer wall of the base body 1. A stop 1 1 defines the degree of Aufsteckens both the bottom plate 2 and the lid 10 on the outer wall 4 of the main body. 1

For use, ie for Abklatschen surfaces to be examined, the bottom plate 2 is removed so that the solidified nutrient medium 3 is freely accessible, namely at least slightly over the wall 4 of the body. 1 protrudes. The use as a contact plate is ideally possible. After the Abklatschen it is necessary to cover the surface of the nutrient medium 3 with the contaminant located there at a distance. For this purpose, the lid 10, which can be taken from the side facing away from the nutrient medium 3, from the filling side of the main body 1, is ideally suited. Due to the higher-trained wall 12 and on the basis of the stop 1 1, the lid 10 can be attached with considerable spacing to the surface of the nutrient medium 3 from the Abklatschseite on the base body 1, as indicated in Figure 1. The then existing space 13 between the surface of the nutrient medium 3 and the inner wall of the lid 10 ensures a cultivation of microorganisms located on the surface, cell cultures, bacteria, etc. The bottom plate 2, which has originally covered the surface of the nutrient medium 3 without gap can on the back, ie on the filling side of the base body 1, are plugged onto the wall 4. In this state, the container can be used for culturing the microorganisms or the like., For example, under tempered conditions.

FIG. 1 further shows that the stop 1 1 can be part of a handling area 14, for example in the form of a circumferential annular area on the wall 4 of the base body 1. This handling area 14 serves to grasp the base body 1 and thus to provide ideal handling.

Within the base body 1 anchoring means 15 are provided, which extend approximately centrally or in a lower region through the base body 1 therethrough. The anchoring means 15 serve to hold the infused into the base body 1 nutrient medium 3, so that it can not slide out of the main body 1 during handling of the container. A secure holding of the nutrient medium 3 within the body 1 is thus ensured.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the embodiment of the anchoring means 15 in the sense of a grid structure 16, this being an advantageous embodiment of the anchoring means 15. The individual components of the container can be made of plastic, preferably by injection molding technology. It is advisable to use an at least partially transparent plastic material. Both the main body 1 and the bottom plate 2 and the lid 10 may be directly labeled or be labeled in the course of handling. It is also conceivable that labels are applied to local areas, namely to document the location of the sample taken.

With regard to further advantageous embodiments of the container according to the invention, reference is made to avoid repetition to the general part of the specification and to the claims.

Finally, it should be expressly understood that the above-described embodiment of the container according to the invention is only for the purpose of discussing the claimed teaching, but does not limit this to the embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 main body

2 base plate

3 nutrient medium, agar

4 wall of the main body,

outer wall

5 base of the bottom plate

6 wall of the bottom plate

7 Spacer, step, groove (in the bottom plate)

8 feet (under the bottom plate)

9 cover (= bottom plate)

10 lid (filling side)

11 stop

12 wall of the lid 10

13 space (between the surface of the nutrient medium and the inner wall of the lid

14 Handling area (outside of the main body

15 anchoring means (within the body

16 grid structure (anchoring means)

Claims

1. container for receiving nutrient media (3), in particular Petri dish, contact plate or sedimentation plate, for the cultivation of microorganisms, cell cultures, bacteria, etc., with a base body (1) with circumferential wall (4) and with a base and a peripheral wall (4) comprise base plate (2), wherein the base body (1) and the bottom plate (2) form a shell, wherein for filling the shell with nutrient solution, for storage and transport, the base body (1) in the circumferential wall of the bottom plate (6) with at least slight spacing from the base surface of the bottom plate (5) can be inserted or inserted therein, and wherein the base body (1) or the shell on the side facing away from the bottom plate (2), after filling, has a closure ,

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacing of the wall of the base body (4) to the base surface of the bottom plate (5) by a near or on the base surface (5) formed, preferably inner circumferential step, groove or the like. 7) is realized.

3. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the step, groove or the like. (7) has a height in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

4. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that after removal of the bottom plate (2) the solidified nutrient medium (3) corresponding to the spacing of the wall of the base body (4) to the bottom plate (2) at least slightly opposite the peripheral wall ( 6) is exposed, namely for use as a contact plate.

5. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the closure of the shell or the base body (1) is a removable cover.

6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover is preferably laid over the edge, especially there glued film or the like. Run.

7. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover is designed as a cover (10) with circumferential wall (12) which surrounds the base body (1) over /.

8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that the wall of the lid (12) is designed and dimensioned such that it after removal of the bottom plate (2) instead of this on the wall of the shell, this cross-over, can be placed, and thereby spaced closing of the shell, forming a space above the nutrient solution (3), is used.

9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the wall of the bottom plate (6) is configured and dimensioned such that the bottom plate (2) after removing the cover instead of this on the wall of the shell, this cross-over, placed is.

10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the base body (1) on the outside of the wall has a stop (10) for the wall of the bottom plate (6) and / or for the wall of the lid (12) , whereby the attachment of the bottom plate (2) and lid (9) is limited or defined.

1 1. Container according to claim 10, characterized in that the base body (1) either as a common stop (1 1) or centrally between the stops (10) has a preferably circumferential, projecting from the outer wall handling area (14) for gripping the body ( 1).

12. Container according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that the base body (1), preferably in a central region, extending through the interior of the base body (1) anchoring means (15) for Um- pouring with nutrient medium (3) and keeping the infused nutrient medium (3).

13. Container according to claim 12, characterized in that the anchoring means (15) are designed as struts or grids.

14. Container according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the bottom plate (2) by turning or the like., Preferably by the sliding along a ramp or the like, of the base body (1) and thus of the solidified nutrient medium (3) can be lifted or removed.

15. Container according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the bottom plate (2) and / or the cover or the cover (9) by Stülp-, screw or bayonet connection to the base body (1) is connected / are ,