JP2007000258A - Specimen collecting container and method for filtering specimen by using specimen collecting container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a specimen collecting container which uses the reduced pressure in the container to reliably filter a specimen such as blood by a filtering member, shows excellent safety, and prevents foreign materials from being mixed in, and also to provide a method of filtering a specimen by using the specimen collecting container. <P>SOLUTION: The specimen collecting container 1 is equipped with a specimen collecting part 2A which contains a collected liquid specimen and has an opening, a specimen containing part 2B for containing the filtered specimen, a main body 2 of the container whose inside is depressurized in advance, the filtering member 3 provided at the specimen collecting part 2A to filter the specimen collected in the specimen collecting part 2A, and a stopper body 5 press fitted in the opening 2a to seal the opening 2a of the main body in an air-tight manner and has a recess 6 provided on the outer surface of the stopper body 5, a penetrating hole 7 which extends from the recess to the specimen collecting part 2A and makes the specimen collecting part communicate with the outside, and an attachable and removable valve member 8 located on the recess 5 seal the penetrating hole 7 in an air-tight manner. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a specimen collection container that enables collection of a liquid specimen such as blood and filtration, and a specimen filtration method using the specimen collection container. More specifically, the inside of the container is decompressed in advance. The present invention relates to a sample collection container in which a sample collected by a pressure difference is filtered, and a sample filtration method using the sample collection container.

  Conventionally, various non-centrifugal blood collection tubes configured to collect a blood sample with a vacuum blood collection needle using the reduced pressure in the container and filter the blood with a filter member housed therein have been proposed. Such blood collection tubes are disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5 below.

In a conventional non-centrifugal sample collection container, a stopper is inserted using a vacuum blood collection needle, and blood is collected using reduced pressure. Then, the collected blood is filtered by a filter member disposed in the sample collection container or combined with the sample collection container. In this case, after the blood collection is completed, the vacuum blood collection needle is removed. The collected blood passes through the filter member by using the reduced pressure remaining below the filter member, that is, in the portion where the filtered blood is stored. That is, blood is filtered by the pressure difference between the upper and lower portions of the filter member.
JP 2002-277357 A Patent No. 3015854 JP 11-290297 A JP-A-4-20856 JP 2001-321365 A

  However, when the upper and lower pressures of the filter member reach equilibrium, the driving force for filtration is lost and the filtration is stopped. For this reason, conventionally, it has been necessary to remove the plug body above the filter member, to create an atmospheric pressure above the filter member, to generate a pressure difference between the lower and upper sides of the filter member, and to proceed with filtration. However, since it is necessary to remove the stopper of the sample collection container from which the blood sample is collected, there is a possibility that the operator is contaminated by the adhesion of blood. In addition, when the stopper is removed from the sample collection container, the space above the filter member is largely released to the outside, and foreign matter may be mixed.

  On the other hand, in the sample collection container described in Patent Document 3 below, the inner tube in which the filter member is disposed below is hermetically inserted into the outer tube, and the inner tube is moved in a direction to be pulled out from the outer tube. The structure which can accelerate | stimulate filtration by making the pressure in the outer tube | pipe under a filter member low is disclosed. However, in this structure, the pressure difference due to the above operation is not sufficient for the driving force of the filtration, and there is a possibility that the filtration stops during the filtration.

  Further, in the sample collection container described in Patent Document 4 below, a filtered sample collection container that is sealed with a stopper in advance and whose inside is decompressed is connected to the sample collection container from which blood is collected and a filter member. In addition, it is configured so as to pass through the blood in the sample collection container and the filter member using the reduced pressure in the filtered sample collection container. Here, the degree of decompression in the sample collection container is relatively high, but there is a possibility that the filtration may stop midway.

  An object of the present invention is to not only reliably complete the filtration of a specimen such as blood by a filter member using the reduced pressure in the container in view of the current state of the prior art described above, but also to stop the plug to complete the filtration. An object of the present invention is to provide a sample collection container excellent in safety and a method for filtering a sample using the sample collection container, which can eliminate the work that may cause blood infection such as removing the body.

  A sample collection container according to the present invention is a sample collection container that enables a liquid sample to be filtered, contains a collected liquid sample, and has a sample collection unit having an opening, and is filtered. A container body in which the sample is stored, and a filter member provided in the sample collection unit for filtering the sample collected in the sample collection unit; A stopper that is press-fitted into the opening so as to hermetically seal the opening of the stopper, and a recess is provided on the outer surface of the stopper, and the stopper extends from the recess to the specimen collecting part. A through-hole that communicates the portion and the outside is formed, a removable valve member is attached to the recess, and the through-hole is hermetically sealed by the valve member.

  In another specific aspect of the specimen collection container according to the present invention, a gripping margin is formed on the valve member so as to protrude from the outer surface of the stopper.

  The sample filtration method according to the present invention is a sample filtration method using a sample collection container configured according to the present invention, and a sample is collected in a sample collection unit by inserting a vacuum blood collection needle through a stopper. Later, by removing the valve member attached to the stopper, the specimen collecting part is communicated with the outside to increase the pressure in the specimen collecting part.

  The sample collection container according to the present invention is hermetically sealed by a stopper and a valve member provided in a recess of the stopper, and the inside is decompressed. Can be collected. Further, when a sample is collected in the sample collection unit, filtration of a sample such as blood by the filter member proceeds using a pressure difference between the sample collection unit and the sample storage unit in the container. Furthermore, even when filtration is stopped in the middle, removing the valve member attached to the stopper allows the sample collection part to communicate with the outside, thereby increasing the pressure of the sample collection part. Is done. Therefore, since filtration can be resumed without removing the plug, the operator is less likely to be contaminated by blood adhesion, and foreign matter is less likely to enter the specimen.

  In the present invention, when a gripping margin is provided on the valve member attached to the stopper so as to protrude from the outer surface of the stopper, the gripping margin can be easily grasped with fingers. Therefore, the valve member can be easily removed.

  In the sample filtration method using the sample collection container according to the present invention, filtration can be resumed by removing the valve member attached to the stopper even if the filtration is stopped midway. Therefore, it is possible to reliably filter a liquid specimen such as blood. Further, it is not necessary to completely remove the plug. Therefore, there is little risk of blood contamination of the operator, and it is difficult for foreign matter to enter the specimen.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be clarified by describing specific embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sample collection container 1 used for filtering a sample according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The sample collection container 1 has a container body 2. The container body 2 is a bottomed annular container having an opening 2a at the upper end.

  The container body 2 can be formed of an appropriate rigid material such as synthetic resin or glass. But since it becomes easy to confirm the state after filtration from the exterior, it is desirable for the container main body 2 to be comprised with the transparent material.

  A filter member 3 is disposed in the container body 2. The filter member 3 can be made of an appropriate filter material that can separate blood into blood cell components and plasma or serum. In the present embodiment, the filter member 3 is accommodated in a substantially cylindrical filter holding container 4 having an opening 4a at the upper end.

  The filter member 3 is made of an appropriate filter material that removes solid matter in the specimen. Examples of such a filter material include fiber aggregates and fine particles.

  A plurality of through holes are formed at the bottom of the filter holding container 4. The through-hole has a diameter through which red blood cells do not pass, and thus is configured such that plasma or serum separated by the filter member flows downward and prevents the blood cells from moving downward.

  At the lower end of the filter holding container 4, a sample lower portion 4 b for filtering the filtered sample is formed. The specimen flow lower part 4 b is formed integrally with the filter holding container 4 and is formed so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the filter holding container 4. The specimen flow lower portion 4b has a hollow channel for flowing down the filtered specimen.

  The filter holding container 4 can be made of an appropriate material such as a synthetic resin or glass, but is not easily damaged and is made of a transparent synthetic resin in order to facilitate confirmation of filtration from the outside. It is desirable that

  In the sample collection container 1 of the present embodiment, the space inside the filter holding container 4 is the sample collection unit 2A, and the filter member 3 is disposed in the sample collection unit 2A. Samples collected before and during filtration are stored in the sample collection unit 2A. In the sample collection container 1, the space inside the container body 2 below the filter member 3 is the sample storage portion 2B. The filtered sample is stored in the sample storage unit 2B.

  A stopper 5 is press-fitted into the opening 2 a of the container body 2. The plug body 5 can be made of an elastomer or rubber such as styrene elastomer, ester elastomer, urethane elastomer, butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber, or natural rubber.

  The plug body 5 includes a large-diameter portion 5a having a relatively large diameter located outside the container body 2, a medium-diameter portion 5b projecting downward from the bottom surface of the large-diameter portion 5a, and a bottom surface of the medium-diameter portion 5b. A small-diameter portion 5c protruding downward. The medium diameter part 5 b is press-fitted into the opening 2 a of the container body 2, and the small diameter part 5 c is press-fitted into the opening 4 a of the filter holding container 4. The stopper 5 is press-fitted into the container body 2 with the inside of the container body 2 being decompressed. In this embodiment, the inside of the container main body 2 is previously depressurized to a pressure of 1 to 90 kPa.

  In FIG. 2, the principal part of the container 1 for sample collection of this embodiment is shown by a partially cutaway front sectional view.

  A cylindrical recess 6 is provided on the upper surface 5 d of the plug body 5. The concave portion 6 is provided near the outer peripheral edge side from the center of the upper surface in order to avoid a portion into which the vacuum blood collection needle is inserted. A through-hole 7 extending from the recess 6 to the sample collection part 2 </ b> A is formed in the plug 5. The through-hole 7 communicates the specimen collection unit 2A and the outside. A valve member 8 is attached to the recess 6 so that the through hole 7 is hermetically sealed.

  The valve member 8 includes a large-diameter portion 8a that is press-fitted into the concave portion 6 of the plug body 5, and a small-diameter portion 8b that protrudes downward from the large-diameter portion 8a. The outer diameter of the large diameter portion 8 a is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the recess 6. Since the large diameter portion 8a is press-fitted into the concave portion 6, the through hole 7 is hermetically sealed. The small diameter portion 8 b is provided to facilitate insertion of the valve member 8 into the through hole 7. Therefore, the outer diameter of the small diameter portion 8 b is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 7. In the present invention, if the through hole 7 is hermetically sealed, the small diameter portion 8b is not necessarily provided in the valve member 8. The valve member 8 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, but may be made of a rigid material such as hard resin or metal.

  Next, a sample collection method using the sample collection container 1 will be described with reference to a partially cutaway front sectional view of FIG.

  For blood collection, a holder 22 to which a blood collection needle 21 is attached is prepared. Then, the needle portion 21a of the blood collection needle 21 is inserted into the blood collection subject's blood vessel, and the sample collection container 1 is inserted into the holder 22 as shown in FIG. When the sample collection container 1 is inserted, the needle portion 21b on the opposite side of the blood collection needle penetrates the stopper 5 and reaches the sample collection portion 2A. In the present embodiment, a liquid sample can be collected in the sample collection unit 2A by using the reduced pressure in the container body 2 for blood. That is, blood as a liquid sample passes through the blood collection needle 21 from the blood vessel of the blood sample, and is guided from the needle portion 21b of the blood collection needle 21 to the sample storage portion 2A in the container body 2. After collecting the blood, the vacuum blood collection needle is removed from the stopper 5.

  The plug 5 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or elastomer, for example. Therefore, after removing the vacuum blood collection needle, the hole due to the puncture of the vacuum blood collection needle is closed. Therefore, the decompression in the container body 2 is maintained for a certain period of time. That is, as time passes, the degree of decompression in the container body 2 decreases, but there is a state in which the pressure in the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 is higher than that in the sample storage unit 2B below the filter member 3. continue.

  Therefore, blood is filtered by the filter member 3 due to the residual pressure in the specimen storage unit 2B. However, as described above, when the pressure in the space above and below the filter member 3 reaches an equilibrium state in the sample collection container 1, the filtration stops.

  Therefore, conventionally, the stopper 5 is removed, and the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 is opened to the atmosphere, and the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 and the sample storage unit 2B below the filter member 3 are inside. Filtration was completed by reapplying the pressure difference between However, in such an operation method, there is a possibility that an operator may touch blood and cause blood infection.

  On the other hand, in the sample collection container 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. Further, a removable valve member 8 is attached to the recess 6 of the plug body 5. Accordingly, by removing the valve member 8, the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 is communicated with the atmosphere, whereby the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 and the sample storage below the filter member 3 are accommodated. A pressure difference is given between the inside of the part 2B.

  FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front sectional view showing a state in which the valve member 8 is removed from the plug body 5. As described above, when the valve member 8 is removed from the plug body 5, the sample collection unit 2 </ b> A above the filter member 3 is communicated with the atmosphere. Accordingly, the pressure difference between the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 and the sample storage unit 2B below the filter member 3 increases, and the filtration proceeds again. In this way, the filtration by the filter member 3 is reliably completed.

  After the filtration is completed, the grasping portion 5a of the plug body 5 is grasped by hand, and the plug body 5 and the filter holding container 4 are pulled out from the sample collection container 1. In this way, plasma or serum as a sample filtered from the sample storage portion 2B in the container body 2 can be obtained. Therefore, the plasma or serum in the sample storage unit 2B can be immediately used for an automatic analyzer, or the plasma or serum in the sample storage unit 2B can be collected with a dropper or pipette.

  As described above, in the filtration method using the sample collection container 1 according to the present embodiment, when the filtration is stopped halfway only by using the residual pressure in the sample collection container 1, the plug member 5 to the valve member 8 are used. By removing the filter, the filtration can be continued again, and the blood can be completely filtered by the filter member 4. In addition, when the filtration is continued, it is not necessary to remove the plug body 5, so that there is no possibility that the operator adheres to blood and is contaminated. In addition, since there is no open state where the upper part of the sample collection unit 2A is opened to a large extent, there is no possibility of contamination.

  In the present embodiment, the valve member 8 does not necessarily have to be completely removed from the plug body 5 when the pressure difference is applied and the filtration is resumed. That is, the sample collection unit 2A above the filter member 3 is removed so as to lift the valve member 8 from the recess 6 of the plug 5 so that the sample collection unit 2A communicates with the atmosphere. A pressure difference may be given between the inside of the sample storage portion 2B below the filter member 3.

  FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front sectional view showing a modified example of the sample collecting container 1 described above.

  The sample collection container 51 shown in FIG. 5 is different from the sample collection container 1 described above only in the structure of the valve member. Therefore, the description of the sample collection container 1 is cited for the other configurations excluding the plug 4.

  A valve member 52 is attached to the recess 6 of the stopper 5 of the sample collection container 51. The valve member 52 has a large-diameter portion 52a that seals the concave portion 6 of the plug body 5, and a small-diameter portion 52b that protrudes downward from the large-diameter portion 52a. The small diameter portion 52 b is provided to facilitate insertion of the valve member 8 into the through hole 7. Further, the valve member 52 is provided with a gripping margin 52 c so as to protrude upward from the upper surface 5 d of the plug body 5.

  Since the gripping margin 52a is provided on the valve member 52, the gripping margin 52a can be easily grasped with fingers. Therefore, the valve member 52 can be easily removed from the plug body 5.

  Also in the sample collection container 51, the operator's fingers are less likely to adhere to blood during the operation for resuming filtration, and it is difficult to prevent foreign matter from entering the sample collection unit 2A.

  In the above embodiment, the sample collection containers 1 and 51 having a double-pipe structure are used. However, the sample collection containers 1 and 51 are characterized by a structure that resumes filtration as described above. About other structures, it can change suitably.

The typical perspective view for demonstrating the container for sample collection used for filtration of the sample which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The partial notch front sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the sample collection container which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view for explaining that a sample is collected in the sample collection portion of the sample collection container shown in FIG. 2 using a vacuum blood collection needle. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing a state in which a valve member is removed in the sample collection container shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing a modification of the sample collection container shown in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sample collection container 2 ... Container main body 2a ... Opening 2A ... Specimen collection part 2B ... Specimen storage part 3 ... Filter member 4 ... Filter holding container 4a ... Opening 4b ... Sample flow lower part 5 ... Plug body 5a ... Gripping part 5b ... Large diameter portion 5c ... Small diameter portion 5d ... Upper surface 6 ... Recess 7 ... Through hole 8 ... Valve member 8a ... Large diameter portion 8b ... Small diameter portion 21 ... Blood collection needle 21a ... Needle tip 22b ... Needle tip 22 ... Holder 51 ... Sample collection Container 52 ... Valve member 52a ... Large diameter part 52b ... Small diameter part 52c ... Grasp

Claims (3)

A container for collecting a sample that enables a liquid sample to be filtered,
A sample collecting part for storing the collected liquid sample and having an opening;
A container body having a sample storage section for storing the filtered sample, and a container body whose inside is decompressed in advance;
A filter member provided in the sample collection unit for filtering the sample collected in the sample collection unit;
A plug body press-fitted into the opening so as to hermetically seal the opening of the main body,
A concave portion is provided on the outer surface of the plug body, the plug body extends from the concave portion to the sample collection portion, and a through hole is formed to communicate the sample collection portion with the outside.
A specimen collection container, wherein a removable valve member is attached to the recess, and the through hole is hermetically sealed by the valve member.   The specimen collection container according to claim 1, wherein a gripping margin is formed on the valve member so as to protrude from an outer surface of the stopper. A method of filtering a specimen using the specimen collection container according to claim 1 or 2,
After the vacuum blood collection needle is pierced through the plug body and the sample is collected in the sample collection section, the sample collection section is connected to the outside by removing the valve member attached to the plug body. A method for filtering a specimen, wherein the pressure in the specimen collection part is increased.

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