FR2613071A1 - DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING AND CLOSING TUBES FOR IMMUNOLOGICAL ASSAYS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO AN ADAPTABLE DEVICE FOR OPENING TEST CONTAINERS 1, SUCH AS TESTS, USEFUL IN PARTICULAR FOR IMMUNOLOGICAL ASSAYMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION, THE DEVICE CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF CAPS 3 INTENDED TO CLOSE THE OPENING 5 OF THE SAID CONTAINERS 1, THE CAPS BEING CONNECTED TO ONE TO THE OTHERS BY A BRIDGE OF MATERIAL 4. ADVANTAGEOUSLY, THE PLUGS 3 AND THE BRIDGE OF MATERIAL 4 ARE MADE IN THE SAME MATERIAL. ADVANTAGEALLY, THE MATERIAL BRIDGE 4 IS MADE IN A SOFT ELASTIC MATERIAL OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL TYPE.

Description

The present invention relates to

  test vessels, eg test tubes,

  intended to be used in particular for immunoassay

  of antigens and antibodies.

  More specifically, the present invention relates to an adaptable device on said containers

  allowing among other things their closure and assembly.

  When these tubes, usually of a length of about ten centimeters, are delivered in the assay kits, they are packaged most often by a dozen in closed bags protecting the tubes of all impurities. This protection is particularly necessary when the tubes are coated with substances, for example monoclonal antibodies adsorbed on their inner wall. of the

  loss of immunoreactivity may result from their

  in the open air or even the stalling of substances

  adsorbed on the walls of the tube can intervene.

  The opening of the bag to remove a tube inevitably causes pollution of all other tubes, which can become particularly troublesome

  if they are not used simultaneously or quickly.

  On the other hand, these tubes are often used

  series, all tubes in the series to be

  well ordered in relation to each other.

  To do this, it is useful to be able to

  keep them connected to each other in a de-

  completed, for example to make inscriptions on their outer wall or collages labels and, in general, to identify them during their

  use for the actual dosages.

  In addition, these tubes covered with an antibody of a specific specificity are sometimes delivered with

  balls inserted inside said tubes and

  of an antibody with another specificity, to allow the simultaneous assay of two analytes through a single tube. It also often happens that these beads are coated with substances such as monoclonal antibodies,

  balls spill out of the bag when opened.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device combining a series of functions facilitating the use of test tubes in immunological assays and thus providing both a means of closing the tubes, a means for holding the tubes connected to each other in one piece and in a certain order, - means for closing and holding the tubes together

  but which also allows them to be disconnected,

  individually, and in any

what order.

  The closure means being useful as we have seen previously to preserve the cleanliness of the tube, preserve the stability of the possible coating adsorbed on its inner wall and maintain within it beads and preserve them too when they are coated with the using a substance adsorbed on their surface. The means of securing the different tubes to each other makes it possible to manipulate them all together in one piece, the tubes being well ordered with respect to each other and thus facilitating their

  use in the context of immunoassays.

  In order to do this, the present invention

  object an adaptable device on the opening of re-

  test vessels such as test tubes,

  especially for immunoassay kits

  in a series of plugs for closing the opening of said containers, the plugs being

  connected to each other by a bridge of material.

  This device combines well the function

  sealing and securing the differences between

  test tubes with all the advantages mentioned above. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the device, according to the invention, the material bridge is made of a flexible material

elastic elastomer type.

  This offers some flexibility to the

  Apparently the device with the possibility that the lower ends of the assembled tubes are brought closer to each other so that the assembly can fit in one hand or the possibility of detaching any tube by exerting a twist on said tube compared to the cork while ensuring a good performance of

other plugs.

  Preferably, again, the device comprises at one of its ends or at both ends a tongue. This feature allows the opening by simply pulling on the tongue of the set of plugs in a single gesture, as well as the opening

  each tube in the order of their

  sition. In a particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the bridge of material connecting the plugs to each other is partly hollowed out

  in its central part between each stopper.

  This characteristic gives the device additional flexibility, in particular improving the ability of a tube to move relative to the anti-

  tubes, while ensuring a good holding of said tubes.

  But above all, the material recess avoids transmitting the deformation to the plugs when

  There is a twist of one or more tubes. As a result

  quence, plugs hold better despite some flexibility in the assembly of the device and

tubes.

  Advantageously, the plugs and the bridge of

  material are made in the same material and in

  especially the plugs come from material with the bridge.

  The mass of the plug is dug in its

  central and upper part, which makes it suitable

  on the opening of the tubes as well as its easier removal, the elastic force exerted by the plug

  against the wall of the tube thus being reduced.

  In general, in practice, this device

  will have 5 to 10 caps as needed.

  Other advantages of the present invention, aimed at facilitating the use of test tubes in immunoassays, can be imagined, the advantages of the present invention not being limited to those

previously stated.

  Other advantages and features of the invention will also appear in the light of the

  description of a detailed mode of realization of the in-

  The invention which follows is made with reference to drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents the device according to the invention adapted to a series of six test tubes, FIG. 2 represents the device according to the invention seen from above, FIG. represents the device according to the invention seen in longitudinal section, in FIG.

  test pieces consisting of test tubes (1).

  These tubes (1) being intended to be coated with a

  test on their inner wall, for example

  monoclonal bodies, they can be made of any kind

  such as can be made in glass, for example. However, since the test instruments according to the invention are designed to be discarded after a single test, several plastics such as

  polystyrene and polypropylene are excellent

is lying.

  In FIG. 1, six

  polystyrene tubes adapted to the device of the invention.

  tion. They are represented on the scale, as well as the device of the invention. However, this dimension

  is not limiting the scope of the invention.

  The device of the invention is shown in plan view in FIG. 2 and in side view in FIGS. 1 and 3. The device according to the invention forms a whole, however, it can be analyzed in two parts, on the one hand, plugs 3 and, on the other hand,

  material bridges 4 between said plugs.

  Said plugs 3 adapt in force in

  the opening 5 of the tubes 1 shown in FIG.

  In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the device of the invention is made of a single elastomeric plastic material, which facilitates the adaptation of the device according to the invention

on the tubes.

  In Figure 2, the material recesses 6 appear in the central part of the material bridges 4. The material bridge is therefore constituted by two tabs 4a and 4b (Figure 2) which provide the connection between the upper parts 7 of the plugs

3 (Figures 1 and 3).

  Of course, one can consider other forms of test containers for example that are not circular opening. Under these conditions, the shape of the lower part 3 of the plug will have to be

  adapted in accordance with that of the opening of the

please try.

  At one of its ends, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the device according to the invention

  has a tongue 8. Of course, it can

  ter such a tongue at each of its ends.

  As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the device according to the invention comprises six caps, but of course we can consider a device of the desired length and therefore with a number of plugs variable. The device according to the invention is assembled on the test tubes by forcefully applying the lower part 3 of the plugs to the opening 5 of the test tubes, the elastic material constituting the device

  according to the invention makes this fastener hermetic.

  Pulling on tab 8, you can

  lidariser the device of the invention of the tubes 1.

  A pull on the tongue 8 makes it possible to separate the device from all the tubes in a single gesture, a weaker traction makes it possible to separate the device of the invention from only one part

  tubes. Finally, we can disconnect a tube

  conque of the device, according to the present invention, without pulling on the tongue 8, but by simple torsion applied to the tube relative to the horizontal plane of the upper part 9 of the plug 3. As seen in Figure 3, the mass of the plug is recessed in its central portion 9, which makes its adaptation to the opening 5 of the tube and its removal easier. The elastic force exerted by the stopper on the inner walls of the tube

  at the opening 5 is smaller.

  Of course, several modifications and additions may be made by a person skilled in the art to the device that has just been described as simple non-limiting examples, without departing from the scope

  protection of the present invention.

Claims (8)

  1. Device adaptable to the opening (5) of test vessels, such as specimens (1), useful in particular for immunological assays, characterized in that it consists of a series of plugs (3) intended closing the opening (5) of said containers, the plugs being connected to each other others by a material bridge (4).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the material bridge (4) is made of an elastic flexible material of the elastomer type.   3. Device according to one of the claims   preceding, characterized in that the plugs (3) and the bridge material (4) are made in the same   material and preferably come from matter.   4. Device according to one of the claims   preceding, characterized in that it comprises at one of its ends or at each of its ends a   tongue (8) attached to the end cap.   5. Device according to one of the claims   preceding, characterized in that the material bridge (4) connecting the plugs (3) to each other is hollowed in its central portion (6), and therefore consists in two tabs (4a and 4b).   6. Device according to one of the claims   previous ones, characterized in that the mass of each   plug is hollowed out in its central part and (9).   7. Device according to one of the claims   preceding, characterized in that the device door of five to ten caps.   8. Tubes for immunological assays, the internal wall of which may be coated using   monoclonal antibodies and also including   within it, elements of immune   such as beads which can also be coated with monoclonal antibodies, characterized in that they are assembled using the   Device according to one of the preceding claims.