JPH01156665A - Hermetic sealing method for specimen - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent pollution of ambient environment by specimens and contamination of the specimens themselves and to enhance the transport efficiency of taking vessels by hermetically packaging the taking vessels into which the specimens are taken with heat shrinkable films. CONSTITUTION:The taking vessels 4 into which the specimens 2 such as blood or urine are taken are capped 6. Such vessels 4 are covered with packages 8 consisting of two sheets of the low-temp. shrinkable films. After the low-temp. shrinkable films are heated and adhered to each other in sealing parts 10 of the packages 8, the packages 8 are thermally shrunk at a low temp. (30-60 deg.C) and are brought into tight contact with the taking vessels. The specimens 2 and the ambient environment are thereby satisfactorily shut off, by which the contamination of the specimens 2 themselves and the pollution of a handling person or the ambient environment are prevented. Since such packages 8 can be efficiently piled in a preserving box 15, the safe transportation of the specimens 2 in a large quantity is possible.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention enables the safe and simple management or transportation of a specimen such as a body fluid or a collection container containing the specimen, and is suitable for various body fluid tests. The present invention relates to a method for sealing a specimen that facilitates separation and handling of the specimen.

Traditionally, when collecting body fluids such as blood, urine, pleural effusion, ascites, and brain cerebrospinal fluid from healthy people or patients, collection containers made of glass or plastic are typically used. It is used to collect body fluids, etc., as specimens. Collection containers such as liquid collection tubes containing samples such as body fluids are left uncovered.
Several units are placed in a test tube stand and used for biochemical tests.

After the body fluid is collected, the test tube rack in which the collection container is installed is stored and transported in a box made of a heat insulating material, a constant temperature box, or the like.

However, in such conventional methods, when managing blood and other body fluids in collection containers after collecting them, it is complicated to classify the collection containers by subject or test item, and furthermore, the collection containers cannot be exchanged with each other. This method has the disadvantage that confusion between samples (that is, mutual samples) is likely to occur. In addition, when collecting body fluids for body fluid testing, the outside of the collection container may become contaminated with body fluids, or when transporting the collection container containing these body fluids, vibrations and shocks during transportation may cause damage. If the collection container is damaged or the rubber cap that seals it comes off, the area around the collection container may be contaminated with blood or other body fluids, and in some cases, viruses (such as HBS or AIDS) in the body fluids may occur. It also has the disadvantage that it is extremely dangerous, as there is a risk that bacteria and bacteria may adhere to the skin of the handler, transporter, or examiner, resulting in infection. Furthermore, since it is necessary to store the collection container so as not to damage it during transportation, there are also disadvantages in that the storage operation is complicated and transportation efficiency is poor.

The present invention has been made to eliminate such inconveniences,
Throughout the entire process from the collection of body fluids, etc. to the completion of the test, the body fluids, etc. as a specimen are well isolated from the surrounding environment, thus preventing the specimen from contaminating or infecting the handler and the surrounding environment, as well as preventing the specimen itself from being exposed to the surrounding environment. To provide a method for sealing a specimen, which prevents contamination from the environment, facilitates handling and management of the specimen, has good transport efficiency, and can save labor and improve the reliability of a specimen collection or testing system. The purpose is to

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention covers a sample such as a body fluid in a collection container, covers the collection container with a packaging body made of a low-temperature shrink film, and It is characterized by sealing the inside of the body and heat-shrinking the package.

According to the sample sealing method of the present invention, a collection container containing a sample is covered with a package made of a low-temperature shrinkable film, the inside of the package is sealed, and the package is heat-shrinked. Therefore, the specimen and the surrounding environment are well isolated, and the specimen itself is not contaminated, and the surrounding environment or the person handling it is not contaminated or infected. Moreover, in order to heat-shrink the low-temperature shrinkable films, a low temperature is sufficient without requiring a high temperature, so that the specimen is not altered in quality by temperature.

In addition, since the test instructions and the specimen can be clearly and easily identified by, for example, an identification label attached to the same package, the specimens can be easily managed and prevented from being mixed up. Also, the volume of the package can be reduced by heat shrinking.
The collection container can be fixed in the package, and the display label attached to the collection container can be easily seen.

Furthermore, since such packages can be stacked efficiently, the specimens contained in the packages can be safely transported in large quantities. Furthermore, it is convenient because centrifugation operations and the like can be performed in the packaged state after the sample is collected. Therefore, efficiency and labor saving of the sample collection or testing system can be greatly promoted, and the reliability of the testing system can be improved.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a specimen sealing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a collection container used in the same embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a method of transporting a specimen, FIG. FIG. 8 is a front view showing other embodiments of the present invention.

In the embodiment according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, as shown in FIG. After sampling,
A cap 6 is inserted into the opening 6- of this collection container 4, and this opening 6'' is sealed.The specimen collection container does not necessarily have to be equipped with a tube and a cap as shown in FIG. However, parafilm can also be used in place of the cap.Next, as shown in FIG.
books) are placed in parallel and covered with a packaging body 8. Incidentally, each collection container 4 may be covered with a packaging body 8. The package 8 is made of, for example, two low-temperature shrinkable films, which are bonded together at a sealing portion 10 by heat sealing, high-frequency sealing, or the like. Particularly in this embodiment, the package 8 is provided with an identification label 12 for identifying the sample 2, and a hanging hole 14 for hanging the sample 2. The purpose of attaching the identification label 12 to the package 8 is to identify each specimen 2 and to prevent the specimen 2 from being mistakenly confused with another specimen 2 during handling operations.

Note that the identification label 12 can also be changed to match the barcode. As a means for bonding the low-temperature shrinkable films constituting the package 8 to each other at the seal portion 10, heating by electric heat, heating by high frequency, heating by ultrasonic waves, or the like may be employed.

After forming the seal portion 10 or at the same time, the package 8 made of a heat-shrinkable film is heated at a low temperature (30 to 60°C).
heat-shrink it and bring it into close contact with the collection container 4. In any case, in order to bond the low-temperature shrinkable films to each other at the sealing part 10 and to cause heat shrinkage, a low temperature is sufficient without requiring high temperatures, so the specimen 2 will not be altered by temperature. .

The film shrinkage temperature of the low-temperature shrinkable film constituting the package 8 is preferably 30 to 60°C, particularly preferably 40 to 50°C, in order to be able to handle it at room temperature and to perform low-temperature shrinkage that does not alter the quality of the specimen 2. ℃ is good.

To produce such a low-temperature shrinkable film that shrinks when heated at 30 to 60°C, the following procedure is performed, for example.

That is, a polymer film obtained using EPDM or EPM, EVA, and talc as raw materials in the proportions described in (A> below) is heated at least 1.5 times in one direction, preferably at least 1.5 times, under the temperature conditions described in (B) below. By stretching 2 to 5 times, the low-temperature shrinkable film used in the method of the present invention is obtained.

(A) Blending ratio of EPDM or EPM, EVA, and talc EPDM or EPM: 40 to 70% by weight EVA
(VA content 10% by weight or more): 30-60% by weight Talc: 5-15% by weight (B
) Temperature conditions Preheating temperature: 40-50°C Heating and stretching temperature: 45-55°C Cooling temperature (heat setting, annealing) Lower than the heating and stretching temperature, specifically about 20-40°C.

The above EPDM refers to ethylene-propylene-diene elastomer terpolymer (Ethylene-Propylene).
lene-Dicne Rubber>. Also E
PM is an ethylene-propylene elastomer copolymer.

Note that as the non-conjugated diene used when forming EPDM, hexadiene, dicyclopentadiene, ethylidene norbornene, methylene norbornene, propylidene norbornene, methyltetrahydroindene, etc. are used.

Conventionally known EPDMs or EPMs are widely used.

As mentioned above, the blending amount of EPDM or EPM is 40 to 70% by weight, but if the blending amount is less than 40% by weight, the resulting film will become sticky, which is not preferable. If the amount exceeds % by weight, the moldability of the obtained film will deteriorate, which is not preferable.

The above EVA is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (
Ethylene-Vinyl-8cctate Co
polymer) and has a vinyl acetate (VA) content of 1
It is preferable to use 0% by weight or more. A vinyl acetate content of less than 10% by weight is not preferred because the resulting film has poor low-temperature stretchability.

As mentioned above, the blending amount of EVA is 30 to 6
0% by weight, but if this amount is less than 30% by weight, the moldability of the resulting film will decrease, which is not preferable.
On the other hand, if it exceeds 60 %, the stretchability of the resulting film decreases, which is not preferable.

The above-mentioned talc has a composition of 3M (10.4 Si 0 2 .H 2 O) and is a typical filler (usually leaf-shaped or scale-shaped).

As mentioned above, the blending amount of such talc is 5 to 15
If the amount is less than 5% by weight, blocking of the obtained film cannot be sufficiently prevented, which is undesirable, and if it exceeds 15% by weight, the stretchability of the obtained film will decrease. Undesirable.

Note that calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, etc. can also be used instead of the above-mentioned talc.

In the present invention, these EPDM or EPM, E
A low-temperature shrinkable film is obtained by stretching a polymer film (unstretched film) obtained by blending VA and talc in a specific ratio under the temperature conditions described in (B) above. It will be done. This film can be heat-shrinked even at a low temperature of about 30°C, so it has a high heat-shrinkage rate even at low temperatures, sufficient elasticity at low temperatures, a good skin fit and soft feel, and a short heat-shrink time. It is.

According to the specimen sealing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, a specimen 2 such as blood is covered with a packaging body 8 made of a low-temperature shrinkable film, and the packaging body 8 is heat-shrinked and the inside of the packaging body is sealed. Since it is sealed, the specimen 2 and the surrounding environment are well isolated, and the specimen 2 itself is not contaminated, and the surrounding environment or the person handling it is not contaminated or infected. Furthermore, since a low temperature is sufficient for bonding the low-temperature shrinkable films to each other at the sealing portion 10 and for heat-shrinking the films without requiring high temperatures, the specimen 2 is not altered in quality by temperature. Further, since the test instructions and the package 8 can be clearly and easily identified by, for example, the identification label 12 attached to the package, it is possible to prevent sample mix-ups and facilitate management.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, since such packages 8 can be efficiently stacked in the storage box 15, the specimens 2 contained in the packages 8 can be transported safely and in large quantities. . Furthermore, centrifugation and other operations after collecting the specimen 2 can be performed in the package 8, which is convenient. Therefore, efficiency and labor saving of the specimen 2 collection or testing system can be greatly promoted, and the reliability of the testing system can be improved.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, three packages 8 as shown in FIG. 1 may be bundled together and one end 10a may be bonded together by heat sealing or the like.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the collection containers 4 are arranged vertically in two parallel rows, and the collection containers 4 are covered with the packaging body 8 so that three collection containers 4 are arranged in each row. It's okay.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, perforations 16 may be provided in the package 8 so that each collection container 4 can be separated one by one. According to such an embodiment, the separation operation for each collection container 4 is easy and convenient.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the tube 18 into which the collection container 4 is inserted is formed into a continuous seal in advance, and after the collection container 4 is inserted, one end is sealed with the seal part 10b and at the same time, the tube 18 is sealed at a low temperature. The package 8 made of film may be shrunk.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a case was explained in which a body fluid or the like was used as the specimen 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use, for example, a microorganism, a pathological specimen, or other substances as the specimen 2. .

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, since a liquid was used as the specimen 2, after the specimen 2 was collected into the collection container 4, the collection container 4 was covered with the packaging body 8, but the specimen 2
When using a solid as
It may be covered with.

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a method for sealing a specimen such as a body fluid, a collection container containing the specimen is covered with a packaging body made of a low-temperature shrinkable film, and Since the inside of the package is sealed and the package is heat-shrinkable, the sample is well isolated from the surrounding environment throughout the entire process, from the collection of body fluids etc. as a sample to the completion of the test, and therefore the handler and surrounding environment are well isolated. This has the excellent effect of effectively preventing contamination or infection of the environment by the specimen, as well as effectively preventing the specimen itself from being contaminated from the surrounding environment. Moreover, since the volume of the package can be reduced through heat shrinkage, handling and management of specimens becomes easier, transportation efficiency is greatly improved, and labor-saving and reliability of specimen collection and testing systems are greatly improved. It becomes possible to increase the Furthermore, since the sealing of the sample does not require high temperatures and can be easily carried out, the sample can be sealed with good workability without deteriorating the quality of the sample, which is convenient. Furthermore, the volume of the package can be reduced by heat shrinking, the collection container can be fixed in the package, and the display label attached to the collection container can be easily seen.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a specimen sealing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a collection container used in the same embodiment,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a method of transporting a specimen, FIG. FIG. 8 is a front view showing other embodiments of the present invention. 2... Specimen 4... Collection container 8...
Packaging 10... Seal Department Agent Patent Attorney Shunichi Suzuki Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) After collecting a sample such as a body fluid into a collection container, the collection container is covered with a packaging made of a low-temperature shrinkable film, and the inside of the packaging is sealed to close the packaging. A method for sealing a specimen characterized by heat shrinking. 2) The low temperature shrinkable film has a film shrinkage temperature of 3
The method for sealing a specimen according to claim 1, wherein the film is a film having characteristics in the range of 0 to 60°C. 3) Sealing of a specimen according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the collection containers are simultaneously and integrally covered with a packaging body made of the low-temperature shrinkable film. Method. 4) The means for sealing the inside of the package made of the low-temperature shrinkable film is any one of electric heating, high frequency heating, or ultrasonic heating. The method for sealing a specimen according to any of paragraph 3.