JPWO2019017463A1 - Fragile holding device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a means for stably holding the shape of a fragile object in a liquid. A device comprising a container for containing a fragile object and a lid member for sealing the container, wherein the lid member has a convex portion protruding toward an inner space of the container when attached to the container, The horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion pushes out the gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the lid member and the edge portion of the container come into close contact with each other. The device forming a closed space.

Description

The present invention relates to a fragile holding device.

In recent years, new regenerative medicine has been developed as a solution to the treatment of severe heart failure. As an example thereof, a method of applying a sheet-shaped cell culture prepared using a temperature-responsive culture dish to which tissue engineering is applied to a heart surface in severe myocardial infarction and the like has been attempted. The method using a sheet-shaped cell culture allows a large amount of cells to be transplanted safely in a wide range, and examples thereof include myocardial infarction (including chronic heart failure associated with myocardial infarction), dilated cardiomyopathy, and ischemic cardiomyopathy. , Is particularly useful for treating heart diseases (eg, heart failure, particularly chronic heart failure) accompanied by systolic dysfunction (eg, left ventricular systolic dysfunction).

In order to clinically apply such a sheet-shaped cell culture, for example, it is necessary to store the prepared sheet-shaped cell culture in a container together with a preservation solution and transfer it to an intensive care unit where transplantation is performed. However, the sheet-shaped cell culture has a low absolute physical strength, and wrinkles, tears, breakage, etc. occur due to vibrations that occur when the container is transferred. Therefore, a high level of technology is required for this transfer work. And, you need to be very careful.

In order to meet such needs, various methods and containers have been developed. For example, in the storage transport container for a membranous tissue described in Patent Document 1 below, the storage liquid is filled with a storage liquid to the extent that a gas layer is not formed, so that the storage liquid can be waved or flowed. As a result, vibration is not transmitted to the membranous tissue and damage to the membranous tissue can be prevented. However, when such a container is used, air bubbles may remain in the housing portion.

Patent Document 2 below describes a packaging container for a cultured tissue, which includes a container body, a lid, and an inner tray on which the cultured tissue can be placed. In such a packaging container, the culture tissue is placed on the inner tray to be housed in the packaging container, and the inner tray operation part is prepared in advance in the packaging container so that the inner tray can be taken out from the container body. It can be easily done. However, when such a packaging container is used, bubbles may remain in the packaging container.

Furthermore, the following Patent Document 3 describes a package for carrying a cultured cell sheet. Such a package, by eliminating air together with some liquid medium when sealing with a lid, even if the cultured cell sheet package is shaken during transportation, since bubbles do not move in the liquid medium, It is designed to prevent displacement and loss of the cultured cell sheet. However, when such a package is used, bubbles may remain on the upper wall of the lid.

JP 2012-130311 A JP, 2007-269327, A JP, 2009-89715, A

Under such circumstances, the present inventors developed a means for retaining the shape of a fragile substance in liquid, and when bubbles remain in a container with a lid, it becomes a moving space of the liquid, and as a result, the liquid is moved. I faced problems such as fragile swinging inside. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve such problems and to provide a device for stably maintaining the shape of a fragile object in a liquid.

The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, and have noticed that it is difficult to make the container completely liquid-tight so that air bubbles do not remain in the container. As a result of further research, they found that a gas and liquid in the space inside the container can be pushed out by utilizing the inclination of the lid to form a complete liquid-tight space without leaving bubbles, and completed the present invention. It was

That is, the present invention relates to the following.
[1] A device including a container for accommodating a fragile object, and a lid member for sealing the container, wherein the lid member has a convex portion protruding toward an inner space of the container when attached to the container. However, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion pushes out the gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the lid member and the edge portion of the container come into close contact with each other. The device thus forms a liquid-tight space.
[2] The device according to [1] above, wherein the close contact portion of the lid member that is in close contact with the edge of the container is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container.
[3] The device according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the shape of the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion.
[4] The lid member further includes a base portion having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the container, and by deforming the base portion or the container or the base portion and the container to fit the inner peripheral surface of the container. The device according to any one of [1] to [3] above, which can be brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the base.

[5] The device according to any one of the above [1] to [4], further including a screwing mechanism for screwing the lid member and the container together.
[6] The device according to any one of [1] to [5] above, in which the lid member has an opening that can be opened and closed.
[7] The device according to any one of the above [1] to [6], wherein the fragile material is a sheet-shaped cell culture.
[8] The device according to [7] above, wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate.

[9] A device including a container for accommodating a fragile object, a lid member for sealing the container, and a liquid receiving space, wherein the lid member is protruded toward a space inside the container when attached to the container. The horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller toward the lower side in the vertical direction, and the convex portion pushes out the gas and liquid in the container internal space containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the edge of the lid member and the container. The device described above, which forms a liquid-tight space by being in close contact with the portion, and the liquid receiving space can receive the liquid pushed out by the lid member.
[10] The device according to the above [9], wherein the close contact portion of the lid member that is in close contact with the edge of the container is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container.
[11] The device according to the above [9] or [10], wherein the shape of the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion.

[12] The device according to any one of the above [9] to [11], wherein the container includes a lower part and an upper part having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the lower part, and the upper part forms a liquid receiving space.
[13] The device according to the above [12], wherein the container further includes a step portion provided between the upper portion and the lower portion, and the step portion has a tapered shape whose inner diameter increases from the lower portion to the upper portion.
[14] The device according to any one of [9] to [13] above, wherein the lid member further includes a top plate portion that covers the opening of the container.
[15] The device according to any one of [9] to [14] above, wherein the fragile material is a sheet-shaped cell culture.
[16] The device according to [15] above, wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate.

[17] A device including a container for accommodating a fragile object, a lid member for sealing the container, and a liquid holding space, wherein the lid member protrudes toward a space inside the container when attached to the container. The horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller toward the lower side in the vertical direction, and the convex portion pushes out the gas and liquid in the container internal space containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the edge of the lid member and the container. The device described above is capable of forming a liquid-tight space by being in close contact with the portion, and holding the liquid holding space so that the liquid pushed out by the lid member does not return to the container.
[18] The device according to the above [17], wherein the close contact portion of the lid member that is in close contact with the edge of the container is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container.
[19] The device according to the above [17] or [18], wherein the shape of the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion.

[20] Any one of the above [17] to [19], wherein the container includes an inner portion and an outer portion like an annular groove on the outer diameter side of the inner portion, and the outer portion forms a liquid holding space. The device described in.
[21] The device according to the above [20], wherein the inner portion and the outer portion are releasably connected.
[22] The device according to any one of the above [17] to [21], wherein the lid member further includes a top plate portion that covers the opening of the container.
[23] The device according to any one of the above [17] to [22], wherein the fragile material is a sheet-shaped cell culture.
[24] The device according to the above [23], wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate.

[25] A device including a container for accommodating a fragile object, a lid member that seals the container, and a guide mechanism, the lid member protruding toward an inner space of the container when attached to the container. The convex portion has a horizontal cross-sectional area that becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion pushes out gas and liquid in the space inside the container accommodating the fragile object and the liquid, and the edge portion of the lid member and the container. The device is capable of forming a liquid-tight space by closely contacting with each other, and the guide mechanism allows the lid member and the container to cooperate with each other to horizontally guide the lid member with respect to the container.
[26] The device according to the above [25], wherein the close contact portion of the lid member that is in close contact with the edge of the container is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container.
[27] The device according to the above [25] or [26], wherein the shape of the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion.

[28] The device according to any one of the above [25] to [27], wherein the guide mechanism is a screwing mechanism of the lid member and the container.
[29] The device according to any one of the above [25] to [28], wherein the guide mechanism is a sliding mechanism between the cylindrical skirt wall hanging down from the peripheral edge of the lid member and the outer peripheral surface of the container.
[30] The device according to the above [29], wherein the inner peripheral surface of the tubular skirt wall and the outer peripheral surface of the container are screwed together.
[31] The device according to any one of [25] to [30] above, wherein the fragile material is a sheet-shaped cell culture.
[32] The device according to the above [31], wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate.

[33] A fragile object transfer kit for transferring a fragile object,
An inner container for containing fragile objects,
An inner lid member for sealing the inner container,
An outer container for accommodating the inner container,
An outer lid member for sealing the outer container,
The inner lid member has a convex portion that projects toward the inner space of the container when attached to the inner container, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion protects fragile objects and liquids. The fragile object transfer kit, wherein a liquid-tight space is formed by pushing out gas and liquid in the space inside the container to bring the inner lid member into close contact with the edge of the inner container.
[34] The fragile object transfer kit according to the above [33], wherein a contact portion of the inner lid member that is in close contact with the edge portion of the inner container is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane of the inner container.
[35] The fragile object transfer kit according to the above [33] or [34], wherein the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion.

[36] In the above [33] to [35], the outer container functions as a liquid holding space for containing the liquid pushed out by the inner lid member and capable of holding the liquid so as not to return to the inner container. The fragile object transfer kit described in any one of the above.
[37] The fragile object transfer kit according to any one of the above [33] to [36], which can fix the inner container in the outer container.
[38] The fragile object transfer kit according to any one of [33] to [37], which is capable of fixing the inner lid member to the outer lid member.
[39] The fragile substance transfer kit according to any one of the above [33] to [38], wherein the fragile substance is a sheet-shaped cell culture.
[40] The device according to the above [39], wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate.

According to the device of the present invention, since a liquid-tight space can be efficiently formed by a simple work and a simple mechanism, there is a great merit in workability and manufacturing cost. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, while the material can be stored for a long time.

Further, the device including the liquid receiving space of the present invention can receive the liquid pushed out by the lid member, and therefore does not pollute the surroundings. Therefore, it is suitable for use in a place where cleanliness is strictly controlled, such as a bioclean room used for producing a sheet-shaped cell culture. Furthermore, the device provided with the liquid holding space of the present invention does not allow the liquid pushed out by the lid member to return to the inside of the container, which makes it difficult for the liquid to flow, and also prevents contamination of the sheet-shaped cell culture. You can

Furthermore, in the device provided with the guide mechanism of the present invention, the lid member can be horizontally attached/detached to/from the container, so that the attachment/detachment work of the worker can be made uniform. Since the kit of the present invention can transfer the inner container and the inner lid member without exposing them to the outside air, the cleanliness of the intensive care unit where the sheet-shaped cell culture is used is strictly controlled. Suitable for use in places where

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a device according to a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the first modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the second modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the first modification of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 10: is sectional drawing of the kit which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention.

One aspect of the present invention is a device including a container for containing a fragile object, and a lid member for sealing the container, the lid member protruding toward an inner space of the container when attached to the container. The convex portion has a horizontal cross-sectional area that becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion pushes out gas and liquid in the space inside the container accommodating the fragile object and the liquid, and the edge portion of the lid member and the container. The present invention relates to the above device, which forms a liquid-tight space by closely contacting with.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of maintaining the shape of a fragile substance in a liquid in a container, providing a container containing a fragile substance and a liquid, a lid member for sealing the container, Preparing the lid member, which has a convex portion protruding toward the inner space of the container when attached to the container, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller vertically downward, and the convex portion of the lid member And forming a liquid-tight space by pushing out gas and liquid in the space in the container to bring the lid member into close contact with the edge of the container.

The fragile object in this specification refers to an object that has low physical strength and may be broken, damaged, deformed, or the like due to shaking of a liquid or the like. Examples of the shape of such an object include an object having a thin portion, an object having a strip shape, an object having a sheet shape, and the like. The object having such a sheet shape is not particularly limited, but a sheet-like structure, for example, a flat membrane-like membrane tissue made of a bio-derived material such as a sheet-like cell culture, plastic, paper, woven cloth, non-woven fabric. , Films of various materials such as metal, polymer, and lipid are included. Of these, those which are hardly decomposed in liquid and those which are hardly disintegrated in liquid are preferable. The sheet-shaped structure may have a polygonal shape, a circular shape, or the like, and may have a uniform width, thickness, diameter, or the like. In the sheet-like structure of the present invention, only one sheet may be used in a single-layer state, or two or more sheets may be used in a laminated state. In the latter case, the layers of the laminate may or may not be connected to each other, and when they are connected, even if all the overlapping portions are connected, they may be partially connected. Good. Further, in the present invention, the term fragility means, for example, evaluation of tensile properties in a conventional tensile testing machine (for example, those described in JIS K 7161 etc.) in which the object is fixed to the gripping tool outside the liquid, Refers to difficult or virtually impossible due to vulnerability. Examples of such a fragile object include an object having a small numerical value of tensile property, which is difficult to measure accurately with a conventional tensile tester. Examples of such fragile materials include those that show a breaking load of less than 10 N (Newton), less than 5 N, less than 2 N, less than 1 N, less than 0.5 N, less than 0.1 N, less than 0.05 N in a tensile test. .. Further, the measurement limit of the conventional tensile test is generally about 1N as a breaking load, and therefore, in one aspect of the present invention, those exhibiting a breaking load lower than this (for example, less than 0.5N) are preferable as the fragile object. ..

Further, in the present specification, the fragile material includes, for example, a graft derived from a living body having a relatively low physical strength, and the graft includes cultured cells (for example, cell culture) and collected cells. The implant may further include products produced by the cells. In addition to cells and/or cell products, the graft can also include a material (filling material or support material) for filling and/or supporting a predetermined part (for example, an affected part) of a living body. The graft can have various shapes such as a sheet shape, a film shape, a lump shape, and a column shape. The graft is used for transplantation into a living body. Specific examples of the transplant include a sheet-shaped cell culture.
In the present specification, the sheet-shaped cell culture refers to a sheet-shaped cell in which cells are connected to each other. The cells may be linked to each other directly (including via a cell element such as an adhesion molecule) and/or via an intervening substance. The intervening substance is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance that can connect cells at least physically (mechanically), and examples thereof include extracellular matrix. The intervening substance is preferably derived from cells, particularly derived from cells constituting the sheet-shaped cell culture. The cells are at least physically (mechanically) linked, but may be further functionally linked, for example chemically or electrically. The sheet-shaped cell culture may be one composed of one cell layer (single layer) or one composed of two or more cell layers (multilayer body). Further, the sheet-shaped cell culture may have a three-dimensional structure having a thickness exceeding the thickness of one cell without the cells exhibiting a clear layered structure. For example, in the vertical cross section of the sheet-shaped cell culture, the cells may be present in a state of being arranged non-uniformly (for example, in a mosaic) without being evenly aligned in the horizontal direction. The sheet-shaped cell culture may exist as an independently formed single (single) sheet-shaped cell culture, or an independent single (single) sheet-shaped cell culture may be present. It may exist as a laminated body formed by laminating two or more layers. The layered product is, for example, a layered structure in which sheet-like cell cultures are stacked in two layers (two), three layers (three), four layers (four), five layers (five), or six layers (six). It can be the body.

The sheet-shaped cell culture in the present specification is composed of any cells capable of forming the above structure. Examples of such cells include, without limitation, adherent cells (adherent cells). Adherent cells include, for example, adherent somatic cells (eg, cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, hepatocytes, pancreatic cells, renal cells, adrenal cells, periodontal ligament cells, gingival cells, periosteal cells, skin). Cells, synovial cells, chondrocytes, etc.) and stem cells (for example, tissue stem cells such as myoblasts and cardiac stem cells, embryonic stem cells, pluripotent stem cells such as iPS (induced pluripotent stem) cells, mesenchymal stem cells, etc.) Including etc. Somatic cells may be differentiated from stem cells, especially iPS cells. Non-limiting examples of cells capable of forming a sheet-shaped cell culture include, for example, myoblasts (eg, skeletal myoblasts), mesenchymal stem cells (eg, bone marrow, adipose tissue, peripheral blood, skin, hair root). , Muscle tissue, endometrium, placenta, cord blood, etc.), cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, cardiac stem cells, embryonic stem cells, iPS cells, synovial cells, chondrocytes, epithelial cells (eg, oral mucosal epithelium) Cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, nasal mucosal epithelial cells etc., endothelial cells (eg vascular endothelial cells etc.), hepatocytes (eg hepatocytes etc.), pancreatic cells (eg pancreatic islet cells etc.), renal cells, adrenal glands Examples thereof include cells, periodontal ligament cells, gingival cells, periosteal cells and skin cells. In the present specification, those that form a monolayer cell culture, such as myoblasts or cardiomyocytes, are preferable, and skeletal myoblasts or iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes are particularly preferable.

The cells can be from any organism that can be treated by cell culture. Such organisms include, but are not limited to, humans, non-human primates, dogs, cats, pigs, horses, goats, sheep and the like. Further, only one type of cells may be used for forming the sheet-shaped cell culture, but two or more types of cells may be used. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when there are two or more types of cells forming a cell culture, the ratio (purity) of the most abundant cells is 65% or more at the end of cell culture production, for example, in the case of skeletal myoblasts. , Preferably 70% or more, more preferably 75% or more.

The sheet-shaped cell culture in the present invention may be a sheet-shaped cultured tissue obtained by seeding cells in a scaffold (scaffolding during cell culture) and culturing, but preferably constitutes a cell culture. Consists only of substances derived from cells and does not contain substances other than those.
The sheet cell culture may be produced by any known method.

In one aspect of the present invention, the sheet-shaped cell culture is a sheet-shaped skeletal myoblast culture. This is because sheet-like skeletal myoblast cultures are so fragile that they will break under their own weight when a part of them is grabbed, so not only can they not be transferred as a conventional unit, but they must be restored to their original shape once folded. This is because it is extremely difficult to maintain the sheet shape in the liquid.

In the present specification, the container is not particularly limited as long as it can store a fragile object, a liquid and the like inside and the liquid does not leak out, and any container including a commercially available container can be used. Examples of the material of the container include polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon (registered trademark), polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, nylon 6,6, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, silicon, polystyrene, glass, polyacrylamide, polydimethylacrylamide, metal ( Examples thereof include iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass), but are not limited thereto. Further, the container preferably has at least one flat bottom surface for maintaining the shape of the fragile object, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, a petri dish, a cell culture dish, and a cell culture bottle. The area of the flat bottom surface is not particularly limited, but is typically 1.13 to 78.5 cm ² , preferably 12.6 to 78.5 cm ² , and more preferably 9.1 to 60.8 cm ² . ..

In the present specification, the liquid in the container is composed of at least one component, and the components are not particularly limited, but are composed of liquids such as water, aqueous solutions, non-aqueous solutions, suspensions, and emulsions. ..
The liquid or liquid in the present specification may be a fluid having fluidity as a whole, and may include a solid substance such as a cell scaffold or other non-liquid components such as bubbles.

The components constituting the liquid in the container are not particularly limited as long as they have little effect on the fragile substance. When the fragile substance is a membrane made of a biological material, the components that compose the liquid in the container are biocompatible substances, that is, living tissues and cells, from the viewpoint of biological stability and long-term storability. On the other hand, those which do not cause unwanted effects such as inflammatory reaction, immune reaction, and toxic reaction, or at least have such small effects, are preferred, and examples thereof include water, physiological saline, physiological buffer solutions (for example, HBSS, PBS, EBSS, Hepes). , Sodium bicarbonate, etc.), medium (for example, DMEM, MEM, F12, DMEM/F12, DME, RPMI1640, MCDB, L15, SkBM, RITC80-7, IMDM, etc.), sugar solution (sucrose solution, Ficoll-paque (registered). (Trademark) PLUS, etc.), seawater, serum-containing solution, renographin (registered trademark) solution, metrizamide solution, meglumine solution, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ammonia, benzene, toluene, acetone, ethyl alcohol, benzol, oil, mineral oil, animal Fat, vegetable oil, olive oil, colloidal solution, liquid paraffin, turpentine oil, linseed oil, castor oil and the like can be mentioned.

When the fragile material is a sheet-shaped cell culture, the components that compose the liquid in the container can stably store the cells, and contain the minimum oxygen and nutrients necessary for cell survival to protect the cells. Those that are not destroyed by osmotic pressure or the like are preferable, and examples thereof include physiological saline, physiological buffer (eg, HBSS, PBS, EBSS, Hepes, sodium bicarbonate, etc.), medium (eg, DMEM, MEM, F12, DMEM/F12, DME, RPMI1640, MCDB, L15, SkBM, RITC80-7, IMDM, etc.), sugar solution (sucrose solution, Ficoll-paque PLUS (registered trademark), etc.) are mentioned, but are not limited thereto.

The amount of liquid in the container is such that the fragile object can be held with the lid member attached to the container, and the liquid volume formed between the bottom of the container and the top of the lid member causes the fragile object to shake. The height is not particularly limited as long as it does not move. In one aspect of the invention, the sheet cell culture has a diameter of about 35-55 mm and an area of 6 cm ² or more. The liquid volume is, for example, 1.0 mm to 20.0 mm regardless of the diameter of the sheet-shaped cell culture.

In the present specification, the lid member is not particularly limited as long as it seals the container. Examples of the material of the lid member include polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon (registered trademark), polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, nylon 6,6, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, silicon, polystyrene, glass, polyacrylamide, polydimethylacrylamide, and metal. (For example, iron, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass) and the like can be mentioned, but the invention is not limited thereto.

In the present specification, the shapes of the lid member and the container are not particularly limited as long as the lid member and the container can be engaged with each other and the sealed space can be formed by such engagement. For example, when the container is a general-purpose petri dish, it is preferable that the shape of the lid member is circular. Further, the lid member and/or the container may be made of a light-transmissive material so that the state of the fragile object contained in the container and the presence or absence of bubbles in the liquid may be confirmed.

In the present specification, "a state in which the lid member is attached to the container" means a state in which the lid member is attached to the container and the lid member and the container are brought into close contact with each other. In addition, the “space inside the container” refers to a space in which a liquid, a gas, a fragile substance, and the like can be stored in a container having a flat surface. Therefore, "a convex portion that projects toward the container internal space when attached to the container" means that the gas or liquid in the container internal space is pushed out by the volume of the convex portion when attached to the container. .. Furthermore, the "edge of the container" refers to the edge of the container forming the space inside the container. Furthermore, “sealing the container” means sealing the space inside the container.

In the present specification, the convex portion of the lid member refers to, for example, a protruding portion, a bulged portion, or the like of the lid member, that is, an uneven portion. The convex portion protruding toward the space inside the container means that the convex portion protrudes to the extent that the liquid or gas in the space inside the container can be pushed out, and those skilled in the art will appreciate the volume of the container and the amount of liquid used. The size of the convex portion can be freely set according to the liquid volume.

In the present specification, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion means, for example, an area of a two-dimensional cross section that appears when the convex portion is immersed in a liquid and the convex portion is cut at the liquid surface. Therefore, it means that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller as it goes vertically downward, when the convex portion is dipped in the liquid while vertically descending from above the liquid, the contact area between the convex portion and the liquid gradually increases. Say that.
In one aspect of the present invention, the convex portion may have a dome shape having a top portion, and is preferably designed so that the top portion of the convex portion and the center line of the lid member intersect. Examples of the shape of the curved surface of the convex portion include, but are not limited to, a hyperboloid shape, a parabolic shape, a hemispherical surface shape, a conical surface shape, and a pyramidal surface shape.
In this specification, the fragile object is held in the liquid in the container containing the liquid. The position of the fragile object in the liquid is not particularly limited, but it is arranged at a position where the lid member (or the expansion member) and the fragile object do not come into contact with each other when the lid member is attached to the container to form the closed space ( Or you may contact). Preferably, the fragile object is placed in the liquid of the container, on the bottom surface of the container, near the bottom surface, or the like.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
1 is a sectional view of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a device according to a first modification of the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a second modification of the first embodiment. 3 is a perspective view of an example device. FIG. In the drawings of the present application, the size of each member is appropriately emphasized for ease of explanation, and each member shown in the drawings does not represent the actual size.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2 and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2. The container 2 is a general-purpose petri dish having an edge portion 21 and constitutes an inner space of the container capable of containing the fragile object S and the like. The lid member 3 can be in close contact with the edge portion 21 of the container 2 to seal the inside of the container 2. The lid member 3 includes a convex portion 31 that projects toward the inner space of the container 2 when attached to the container 2. The shape of the convex portion 31 is a circular dome shape having a top portion that intersects with the center line of the lid member. That is, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion 31 is circular, becomes smaller vertically downward, and the curved surface of the convex portion 31 has a parabolic shape. The lid member 3 also includes a base portion 32 that extends downward from the top portion 33 of the lid member 3 and that is located between the top portion 33 and the convex portion 31. The base portion 32 has a cylindrical shape, and the outer diameter thereof is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the container 2.

As shown in FIG. 1B, when the device 1 is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are contained in the container 2, and the lid member 3 is attached to the container 2. When the lid member 3 is attached, the base portion 32 is gripped, the convex portion 31 is pushed into the space inside the container, and the lid member 3 is fitted into the container 2. When the protrusion 31 is pushed into the space inside the container, the gas in the space inside the container is first pushed out to the space outside the container, and when all the gas is pushed out, the liquid L is pushed out next. The liquid amount is adjusted in advance so that the close contact between the lid member 3 and the container 2 occurs after the gas is completely extruded and immediately after the liquid L is slightly extruded.

Since the close contact portion of the lid member 3 (in this case, the upper end of the convex portion 31) that is in close contact with the edge portion 21 of the container 2 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container 2, the gas is liable to have buoyancy, and the gas is not easily absorbed. It can surely be pushed out. Further, due to such inclination, when the lid member 3 is inserted into the container 2, the distance between the outer periphery of the lid member 3 and the inner periphery of the container 2 becomes gradually smaller, so that the liquid L is gently pushed out into the space outside the container. Therefore, the flow of the liquid L in the container 2 can be suppressed.

Moreover, since the shape of the convex portion 31 is a dome shape having a top portion, when the convex portion 31 is immersed in the liquid L, the top portion having a small area first comes into contact with the liquid surface, and then the contact area gradually increases. Therefore, the waviness of the liquid L in the container 2 can be minimized. Further, since the shape of the convex portion 31 is a circular dome shape having a top portion that intersects with the center line of the lid member, the liquid L is radially and uniformly pushed out along the circular dome. Therefore, the liquid L in the container 2 does not move in a biased radial direction, and as a result, the flow of the liquid L in the container 2 can be suppressed.

When using the fragile object S, the base 32 is grasped to remove the lid member 3 from the container 2, and the fragile object S immersed in the liquid L in the container 2 is taken out and used. When removing the lid member 3, it is possible to suppress the flow of the liquid L by gently removing the lid member 3 while inclining the lid member 3 with the container 2 fixed.

As described above, according to the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple work and a simple mechanism, so that there is a great advantage in terms of workability and manufacturing cost. is there. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, since the lid member 3 can be easily attached to a commercially available petri dish, the versatility is high. When bubbles are present in the liquid in the container 2, the bubbles are efficiently pushed out along with the liquid along the curved surface of the convex portion 31 into the space outside the container, so that the space inside the container can be made into a completely liquid-tight space. .. As a result, the reliability of the device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is improved.

The present embodiment is not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can appropriately combine the configurations and shapes of the devices to design devices having different configurations and shapes. For example, by making the outer diameter of the base portion 32 of the lid member 3 smaller than the inner diameter of the container 2, the liquid extruded by the convex portion 31 of the lid member 3 is formed in the space formed between the base portion 32 and the container 2. You may accept. Thereby, the base 32 of the lid member 3 functions as a liquid receiving space, and the liquid L does not flow out of the container 2 and is sanitary.

Next, a first modified example of the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the device 1 according to the first modification includes a container 2 and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2. The lid member 3 is formed of a deformable elastic body, the convex portion 31 has a conical shape (taper shape), and the base portion 32 has a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the base portion 32, that is, the outer diameter of the upper end portion of the convex portion 31 is larger than the inner diameter of the container 2.

As shown in FIG. 2B, when attaching the lid member 3, the convex portion 31 is deformed by pressing the tapered portion of the convex portion 31 against the edge portion 21 of the container 2, and then the base portion 32 is deformed to cover the lid member 3. Is fitted into the container 2. At this time, since the portion of the lid member 3 that contacts the edge portion 21 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the container 2, the lid member 3 can be efficiently deformed simply by pressing the lid member 3 against the edge portion 21. it can. Moreover, since the deformed outer peripheral surface of the base 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 are in close contact with each other, the close contact between the lid member 3 and the container 2 is enhanced.

As described above, according to the first modified example of the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, since the liquid-tight space can be efficiently formed by a simple work and a simple mechanism, workability and manufacturing cost are reduced. There are great advantages in terms. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, while the material can be stored for a long time. Further, since the adhesion between the lid member 3 and the container 2 is further enhanced, the lid member 3 does not accidentally come off from the container 2, and as a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid. Is further improved.

This modification can have an additional mechanism, for example, by providing a screwing mechanism on the outer peripheral surface of the base 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the container 2, the lid member 3 can be screwed to the container 2. You may do it. By using such a screwing mechanism, the attachment/detachment work of the lid member 3 is controlled, and the attachment/detachment work by the operator can be made uniform. As a result, it is possible to prevent vibration of the container 2 that may occur due to an excessive attachment/detachment of the lid member 3 by an operator. The screwing mechanism also functions as a guide mechanism that allows the lid member 3 and the container 2 to cooperate with each other to attach the lid member 3 to the container 2 horizontally. Thereby, as described above, when the lid member 3 is immersed in the liquid L, the liquid L is radially and uniformly pushed out along the circular dome.

Next, a second modified example of the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the device 1 according to the second modification includes a container 2 and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2. The lid member 3 has a bowl shape with an open top 33, and includes a handle portion 34 that traverses the opening of the lid member 3. The convex portion 31 of the lid member 3 has a circular dome shape, and an opening 35 that can be opened and closed is provided at the top of the convex portion 31. In this modification, the lid member 3 does not have the base portion 32.

As shown in FIG. 3B, when attaching the lid member 3 to the container 2, the handle portion 34 of the lid member 3 is gripped and the lid member 3 is inserted into the container 2 with the opening 35 closed. When removing the lid member 3 from the container 2, the opening 35 is opened to allow the liquid L to leak into the internal space of the lid member 3. By doing so, the liquid-tight state in the container 2 can be released, and the lid member 3 can be easily removed from the container 2.

As described above, according to the second modified example of the device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple operation and a simple mechanism, and thus workability and manufacturing cost are reduced. There are great advantages in terms. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, since the liquid-tight state inside the container 2 can be easily released, for example, vibration of the container 2 and the occurrence of the flow of the liquid L due to the excessive removal of the lid member 3 by the operator can be suppressed. Further, by using the handle portion 34 to attach/detach the lid member 3 to/from the container 2 while rotating, the vertical vibration of the container 2 can be suppressed. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of a fragile object in liquid is further improved.

In this modification, the opening 35 is described as being closed when the lid member 3 is attached to the container 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, when the liquid L in the container 2 is large, the lid member 3 is formed. When attaching the liquid L to the container 2, a part of the liquid L can be discharged into the lid member 3 while the opening 35 is appropriately opened and closed. As a result, the amount of the liquid L flowing out of the container 2 can be adjusted, which is sanitary. Further, by making the height of the container 2 sufficiently larger than the height of the lid member 3, the liquid L is guided to the inner side of the edge portion of the container 2 instead of the outer side, that is, to the bowl portion of the lid member 3, and thus the lid member. 3 may be used as the liquid receiving space. At this time, the lid member 3 may be removed while the opening 35 is closed so that the liquid L is not returned to the container 2 and the lid member 3 is used as a liquid holding space.

Another aspect of the present invention is a device including a container for containing a fragile object, a lid member for sealing the container, and a liquid receiving space, wherein the lid member is inside the container when attached to the container. The projection has a convex portion that projects toward the space, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller toward the lower side in the vertical direction, and the convex portion pushes out gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the lid. The device relates to the device, wherein the member and the edge of the container are in close contact with each other to form a liquid-tight space, and the liquid receiving space can receive the liquid pushed out by the lid member.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
4 is a sectional view of a device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a device according to a first modification of the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a second modification of the second embodiment. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example device. FIG. In the drawings of the present application, the size of each member is appropriately emphasized for ease of explanation, and each member shown in the drawings does not represent the actual size.
Further, in the figure, the same configurations as the configurations of the device 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the differences from the first embodiment will be described in detail below, and the same matters will be described. , Description is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2A and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2A. The container 2A is a bottomed cylindrical container including an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 23, and the lower portion 23 constitutes an inner space of the container capable of containing the fragile object S and the like. The inner diameter of the upper portion 22 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion 23, and a step portion 24 is provided at the boundary between the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23. The inner diameter of the lower portion 23 of the container 2A is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the base portion 32 of the lid member 3. The inner diameter of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A is larger than the outer diameter of the base portion 32 of the lid member 3.

As shown in FIG. 4B, when the device 1A is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are stored in the lower portion 23 of the container 2A, the lid member 3 is attached to the lower portion 23 of the container 2A, and the convex portion 31 is provided in the space inside the container. Push into. The liquid L extruded from the space inside the container is received in the space between the upper portion 22 of the container 2A and the base 32 of the lid member 3 and therefore does not flow out of the container 2A. That is, the upper portion 22 of the container 2A functions as a liquid receiving space. Therefore, by adjusting the liquid amount and volume in advance so that the volume of the liquid pushed out of the container 2A does not become larger than the volume of the liquid receiving space, the liquid will not leak out of the container 2A. It is preferable. When using the fragile object S, the base 32 is grasped to remove the lid member 3 from the container 2A, and the fragile object S immersed in the liquid L in the container 2A is taken out and used.

As described above, according to the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-tight space can be efficiently formed with a simple operation and a simple mechanism, and therefore, there is a great advantage in terms of workability and manufacturing cost. is there. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, the liquid extruded from the space inside the container is received in the liquid receiving space, so that the surroundings are not contaminated. Therefore, it is suitable for use in a place where the cleanliness is strictly controlled, such as a bioclean room used for producing a sheet-shaped cell culture. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is further improved.

Next, a first modified example of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, differences from the second embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5A, a first modified example of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2A and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2A. The inner diameter of the upper portion 22 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion 23, and a step portion 24A is provided at the boundary between the upper portion 22 and the lower portion 23. The step portion 24A has a taper shape in which the inner diameter increases from the lower portion 23 to the upper portion 22, that is, a taper shape that widens toward the opening of the container 2A. In this modification, the outer diameter of the lid member 3 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion 23 of the container 2A.

As shown in FIG. 5B, when the device 1A is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are stored in the lower portion 23 of the container 2A, and the lid member 3 is pressed against the step portion 24A of the container 2A to deform the lid member 3. While fitting, it fits into the container 2A. At this time, since the step portion 24A has a tapered shape, the lid member 3 can be efficiently deformed by merely pressing the lid member 3 against the step portion 24A. Further, as described above, the lid portion 3 may be deformed and fitted into the container 2 by pressing the tapered portion of the convex portion 31 to the tapered shape of the step portion 24A. The outer peripheral surface of the base 32 of the lid member 3 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion 23 of the container 2A.

As described above, according to the first modified example of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple operation and a simple mechanism, and thus workability and manufacturing cost are reduced. There are great advantages in terms. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, since the lid member 3 can be efficiently deformed by the step portion 24A having a tapered shape, even if the lid member 3 and the container 2A have dimensional variations at the manufacturing stage, the lid member 3 can be deformed. The container 2 and the container 2 can be surely adhered to each other. Furthermore, when the lid member 3 is removed from the container 2A, the liquid L is gently returned into the container 2A along the tapered step portion 24A, so that the liquid L can be suppressed from flowing. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is further improved.

Next, a second modification of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, differences from the second embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the second modified example of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2A and a lid member 3A for sealing the container 2A. The container 2A includes a lower portion 23 and an upper portion 22. The lid member 3A is formed of a deformable elastic body, and includes a top plate portion 36 extending in the radial direction from the upper end of the base portion 32. The outer diameter of the base portion 32 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion 23. The outer diameter of the top plate portion 36 is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the upper portion 22. That is, the top plate portion 36 can cover the opening of the upper portion 22.

When the device 1A is used, the base portion 32 and the convex portion 31 are pressed and deformed by the top plate portion 36 to be fitted into the container 2A. When the base portion 32 is inserted into the container 2A to a certain depth, the top plate portion 36 comes into contact with the opening of the upper portion 22 and further insertion cannot be performed. That is, the top plate portion 36 has both the function of a lid that covers the opening of the container 2A and the function of a stopper that limits the insertion of the lid member 3A. That is, by covering the opening of the upper portion 22 with the top plate portion 36, it is possible to prevent the liquid L received in the space of the upper portion 22 from contacting the outside air, and at the same time, the insertion and fitting of the lid member 3A is stopped. As a result, the lid member 3A does not damage the fragile object in the container 2A.

As described above, according to the second modified example of the device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple work and a simple mechanism, and thus workability and manufacturing cost are reduced. There are great advantages in terms. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, the liquid L in the liquid receiving space of the upper portion 22 does not come into contact with the outside air, so that contamination is unlikely to occur. Therefore, for example, it is suitable for use in a place where the cleanliness is strictly controlled, such as an intensive care unit where a sheet-shaped cell culture is used. Further, even if the container 2A is tilted during the transfer, the liquid L in the liquid receiving space does not flow out of the container. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is further improved.

The present embodiment may have various modifications. For example, the top plate portion 36 is provided with a certain thickness, and a screwing mechanism is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the top plate portion 36 and the inner peripheral surface of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A. It may be screwed. Thereby, the force of pressing the lid member 3A from the top with the top plate portion 36 can be made stronger, so that the adhesion between the lid member 3A and the container 2A can be further enhanced. In addition, the screwing mechanism also functions as a guide mechanism that cooperates the lid member 3A and the container 2A as described above to guide the lid member 3A so as to be horizontally attached to the container 2A.

In the present embodiment, the liquid receiving space has been described as the space between the upper portion 22 of the container 2A and the base 32 of the lid member 3, but the liquid receiving space is not limited to this. For example, the liquid receiving space may be a space formed by reducing the inner diameter of the base portion 32 as described in the first embodiment, or as described in the second modified example of the first embodiment. It may be the inner space of the bowl-shaped lid member 3.

Further, as still another modification, the convex portion 31 of the lid member 3A and the top plate portion 36 of the lid member 3A may be formed as separate bodies. For example, the convex portion 31 may be formed of an elastic body, and the top plate portion 36 may be formed of a rigid body, which may be separately molded. That is, when these are integrally molded with an elastic body, the top plate portion 36 is insufficient in strength, and conversely, when integrally molded with a rigid body, the convex portion 31 is unlikely to be deformed, so that it is difficult to select a material. However, this problem can be solved by separately molding the convex portion 31 and the top plate portion 36. Further, since the top plate portion 36, which is easily contaminated during the transfer, can be removed, it is possible to save the labor of the sterilization work and the dust removal work during use.

Another aspect of the present invention is a device including a container for containing a fragile object, a lid member for sealing the container, and a liquid holding space, wherein the lid member is inside the container when attached to the container. The projection has a convex portion that projects toward the space, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller toward the lower side in the vertical direction, and the convex portion pushes out gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the lid. The present invention relates to the above device, wherein the member and the edge of the container are in close contact with each other to form a liquid-tight space, and the liquid holding space can hold the liquid pushed out by the lid member so as not to return to the container.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a device 1B according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings of the present application, the size of each member is appropriately emphasized for ease of explanation, and each member shown in the drawings does not represent the actual size.
Further, in the figure, the same configurations as the configurations of the device 1 and the device 1A according to the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and hereinafter, will be referred to as the first and second embodiments. Differences will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7A, a device 1B according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2B and a lid member 3 that seals the container 2B. The container 2B includes an inner portion 25 that forms an inner space of the container that can accommodate fragile objects, and an annular groove-like outer portion 26 that can be connected to the outer diameter side of the inner portion 25. The edge portion 21 of the inner side portion 25 and the outer side portion 26 are connected via a ring-shaped connecting portion 27. Since the connecting portion 27 is located at a position higher than the bottoms of the inner portion 25 and the outer portion 26, once the liquid L pushed out of the container inner space (inner portion 25) flows through the connecting portion 27 to the outer portion 26. , It never returns to the space inside the container again. That is, the outer portion 26 functions as a liquid holding space capable of holding the liquid pushed out by the lid member 3 so as not to return to the container internal space.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the device 1B is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are contained in the inner portion 25 of the container 2B, the lid member 3 is attached to the inner portion 25 of the container 2B, and the convex portion 31 is formed in the container. Push it into the inner space. At this time, the liquid amount and the volume of the outer portion 26 are adjusted in advance so that the liquid L pushed out of the container inner space is held by the outer portion 26 of the container 2B and does not leak to the outside from the outer portion 26. It is preferable to keep. Further, since the liquid L in the outer portion 26 is not blocked by the connecting portion 27 and does not return to the inner portion 25, not only the liquid L in the inner portion 25 does not easily flow, but the fragile object S is prevented from being contaminated. be able to. After attaching the lid member 3 to the inner portion 25, the connection between the inner portion 25 and the outer portion 26 may be released, and only the lid member 3 and the inner portion 25 may be transferred.

As described above, according to the device 1B of the third embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple work and a simple mechanism, and therefore, there is a great advantage in terms of workability and manufacturing cost. is there. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, the liquid extruded from the space inside the container does not return to the space inside the container even after removing the lid member, so that the fragile object S can be prevented from being contaminated. Therefore, it is suitable for use in a place where cleanliness is strictly controlled, such as an intensive care unit where a sheet-shaped cell culture is used. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of a fragile object in liquid is further improved.

The present embodiment is not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can appropriately combine the configurations and shapes of the devices according to the above first to third embodiments to design devices having different configurations and shapes. .. For example, the convex portion 31 has a conical shape, the opening portion 35 is provided in the convex portion 31, the connecting portion 27 has a tapered shape that widens toward the upper side of the container 2B, and the top plate portion 36 is provided on the lid member 3. It can be freely designed according to the application, such as being screwed to the container 2B.

Further, in the present embodiment, the liquid holding space has been described as the outer portion 26, but the liquid holding space is not limited to this. For example, as described in the second modified example of the first embodiment, the bowl-shaped lid member 3 is also included in the liquid holding space.

Another aspect of the present invention is a device including a container for accommodating a fragile object, a lid member for sealing the container, and a guide mechanism, wherein the lid member is a space inside the container when attached to the container. The horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion is smaller toward the lower side in the vertical direction, and the convex portion pushes out gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid. And the edge of the container are in close contact with each other to form a liquid-tight space, and the guide mechanism allows the cover member and the container to cooperate with each other to guide the cover member horizontally with respect to the container. Regarding

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a device 1C according to a first modification of the fourth embodiment. In the drawings of the present application, the size of each member is appropriately emphasized for ease of explanation, and each member shown in the drawings does not represent the actual size.
Further, in the figure, the same configurations as the configurations of the device 1, the device 1A, and the device 1B according to the first embodiment to the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and hereinafter, the first embodiment to the third embodiment. Differences from the embodiment will be described in detail, and description of the same matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8A, a device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2A and a lid member 3B that seals the container 2A. The container 2A includes an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 23, and the inner diameter of the upper portion 22 is larger than the inner diameter of the lower portion 23. The lid member 3B includes a top plate portion 36 that extends from the upper end of the base portion 32 in the radial direction and can cover the opening of the upper portion 22. The lid member 3B further includes a cylindrical skirt wall 37 that hangs from the peripheral edge of the top plate portion 36. The inner diameter of the tubular skirt wall 37 is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A.

As shown in FIG. 8B, when the device 1C is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are contained in the lower portion 23 of the container 2A, the lid member 3B is attached to the container 2A, and the space inside the container is filled with the convex portion 31. The top plate portion 36 and the tubular skirt wall 37 make the container 2A airtight. When the lid member 3B is attached to or detached from the container 2A, the tubular skirt wall 37 slides on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A. That is, the cylindrical skirt wall 37 functions as a guide mechanism that allows the lid member 3B and the container 2A to cooperate with each other to horizontally attach the lid member 3B to the container 2A. This makes it possible to make the worker's attachment/detachment work uniform and suppress the flow of the liquid in the container.

As described above, according to the device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently form the liquid-tight space with a simple operation and a simple mechanism, and therefore, there is a great advantage in terms of workability and manufacturing cost. is there. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, since the top plate portion 36 and the tubular skirt wall 37 can seal the opening of the container 2A and the outer periphery thereof, the hermeticity of the container 2A is further enhanced. Thereby, for example, even when the device 1C is accidentally turned over, the liquid L does not flow out of the container 2A even in the receiving space. That is, in the device 1C, the container 2A can be triple-sealed by the convex portion 31, the top plate portion 36, and the tubular skirt wall 37 of the lid member 3B. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is further improved.

The tubular skirt wall 37 can also be provided in the lid member of the first to third embodiments of the present invention. For example, the lid member and the container cooperate with each other by appropriately providing the periphery of the top 33 of the first embodiment, the periphery of the top 36 of the second embodiment, the periphery of the top 36 of the third embodiment, and the like. Then, the lid member may be attached horizontally to the container and may function as a guide mechanism.

Next, a first modified example of the device 1C according to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, differences from the fourth embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the first modified example of the device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes a container 2A and a lid member 3B for sealing the container 2A. The lid member 3B includes a tubular skirt wall 37 that hangs down from the peripheral edge of the top plate portion 36, and an internal thread portion 38 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular skirt wall 37. Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A, a male screw portion 28 that is screwed into the female screw portion 38 is provided. The device 1C further includes a packing ring R that can be attached to a portion where the opening of the upper portion 22 and the top plate portion 36 are in contact with each other.

As shown in FIG. 9B, when the device 1C is used, the liquid L and the fragile object S are stored in the lower portion 23 of the container 2A, and the container 2A is covered with the lid member 3B. Next, while rotating the lid member 3B with respect to the container 2A, the female screw portion 38 of the tubular skirt wall 37 is screwed into the male screw portion 28 of the container 2A, and the container 2A is screwed to the lid member 3B. .. The packing ring R is pressed by the opening portion of the upper portion 22 and the top plate portion 36 by the screwing mechanism including the female screw portion 38 and the male screw portion 28, and comes into close contact with the opening of the container 2A. Here, the device 1C is configured such that, when the lid member 3B is attached to the container 2A, the close contact between the convex portion 31 and the edge portion 21 and the close contact between the packing ring R and the opening portion of the container 2A occur at substantially the same time. Is preferably provided. This further enhances the hermeticity of the device 1C.

As described above, according to the modified example 1 of the device 1C according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-tight space can be efficiently formed with a simple work and a simple mechanism, and therefore workability and manufacturing cost are reduced. There is a big merit in. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, in this modification, the container 2A can be quadruple sealed by the convex portion 31, the top plate portion 36, the tubular skirt wall 37 and the packing ring R of the lid member 3B. As a result, the reliability as a device for holding the shape of the fragile object in the liquid is further improved. In addition, a plurality of packing rings R may be provided on the edge portion 21 of the container 2A, the upper end of the lower portion 23, the stepped portion 24, or the like where the lid member 3B and the container 2A are in contact with each other.

Further, in the present embodiment, the guide mechanism has been described focusing on the sliding mechanism between the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical skirt wall 37 and the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 22 of the container 2A, but the guide mechanism is not limited to this. That is, the guide mechanism may be a mechanism that causes the lid member and the container to cooperate with each other to guide the lid member horizontally with respect to the container. For example, the base portion described in the first modification of the first embodiment. The outer peripheral surface of 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the container 2 may be screwed together, or the outer peripheral surface of the top plate portion 36 and the inner peripheral surface of the container 2A described in the second modified example of the second embodiment may be screwed together. As with the packing ring R, a plurality of guide mechanisms may be provided.

Another aspect of the present invention is a fragile object transfer kit for transferring a fragile object, including an inner container for housing the fragile object, an inner lid member for sealing the inner container, and an inner container. An outer container for, and an outer lid member for sealing the outer container,
The inner lid member has a convex portion that projects toward the inner space of the container when attached to the inner container, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion protects fragile objects and liquids. The present invention relates to the fragile object transfer kit, which forms a liquid-tight space by pushing out gas and liquid in the space inside the container to bring the inner lid member into close contact with the edge of the inner container.

[Fifth Embodiment]
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 10: is sectional drawing of the kit which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. In the drawings of the present application, the size of each member is appropriately emphasized for ease of explanation, and each member shown in the drawings does not represent the actual size.
Also, in the figure, the same configurations as the configurations of the device 1, the device 1A, the device 1B, and the device 1C according to the first embodiment to the fourth embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and hereinafter, the first embodiment to Differences from the fourth embodiment will be described in detail, and description of similar matters will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the fragile object transfer kit according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention includes an inner container 2 for containing a fragile object, an inner lid member 3 for sealing the inner container 2, and an inner container 2 And an outer lid member 5 for sealing the outer container 4. The inner container 2 and the inner lid member 3 perform the same functions as the container 2 and the lid member 3 according to the first embodiment. The inner diameter of the outer container 4 is larger than the outer diameter of the inner container 2, and is designed so that the inner container 2 can be housed inside the outer container 4. The height of the outer container 4 is designed so that the inner container 2 with the inner lid member 3 attached thereto can be housed. The outer lid member 5 includes a top plate portion 51 and a cylindrical skirt wall 52 that hangs from the peripheral edge of the top plate portion 51. The top plate portion 51 covers the opening of the outer container 4, and the cylindrical skirt wall 52 is designed so as to be in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the outer container 4.

As shown in FIG. 10B, when the kit is used, the liquid and the fragile substance are contained in the inner container 2, the inner container 2 is housed in the outer container 4, the inner lid member 3 is fitted into the inner container 2, and the container is The liquid in the inner space is pushed out to the outer container 4, the outer lid member 5 is attached to the outer container 4 and transferred. When using a fragile object, the outer lid member 5 is removed from the outer container 4, the inner container 2 is taken out from the outer container 4, the inner container 2 is removed from the inner lid member 3, and the fragile object is taken out and used.

As described above, according to the kit according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, a liquid-tight space can be efficiently formed with a simple operation and a simple mechanism, which is a great advantage in terms of workability and manufacturing cost. .. Further, since the inside of the container can be made completely liquid-tight, bubbles (gas) do not enter the container, and the shaking of the container prevents the bubbles from moving inside the container and damaging the fragile object. In particular, when the fragile object is a laminated body of sheet-shaped cell culture, bubbles do not move and the laminated body is not displaced or damaged. Therefore, the shape of the fragile object in the liquid can be retained and the deformation can be prevented, and the fragile object can be stored for a long time.
In particular, since it is possible to prevent both the inner container 2 and the inner lid member 3 from coming into contact with the outside air during transfer, cleanliness is strictly controlled in an intensive care unit where a sheet-shaped cell culture is used. Suitable for use in places where In other words, in the intensive care unit, the cleanliness is strictly controlled so that fine particles and microorganisms do not enter, so when bringing the container into the intensive care unit, the particles adhering to the container in the anterior chamber of the intensive care unit. Although it is necessary to take measures such as removing bacteria and microorganisms by wiping or disinfecting, carrying them after disinfecting them, the kit of the present invention can omit the step.

The present embodiment is not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can appropriately combine the present embodiment and the configurations and shapes of the devices according to the above-described first to fourth embodiments to create a kit having different configurations and shapes. Can be designed. For example, like the lid member 3B in the second modified example of the fourth embodiment, the outer lid member 5 and the inner lid member 3 of the present embodiment are integrated, and the outer lid member 5 and the outer container 4 are screwed together. Then, the inner lid member 3 may be fitted into the inner container 2. Further, the inner container 2 may be detachably fixed to the outer container 4 so that the inner container 2 does not move during transfer.

As described above, since the device of the present invention does not have a flat surface in the portion in contact with the liquid surface inside the lid member, when sealing the container with the lid member, bubbles on the liquid surface may stick to the flat surface. Will not remain in the container. Further, when the lid member seals the container, the portion of the lid member that is in close contact with the edge of the container does not have a flat surface, so that the liquid and gas in the container can be effectively pushed out by the lid member. .. Furthermore, since the lid member does not have a bottom surface that covers the opening of the container, when the lid member seals the container, the bottom surface does not hinder the discharge of liquid or gas.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this.
In the present invention, each configuration can be replaced with any configuration capable of exhibiting the same function, or any configuration can be added.

1, 1A, 1B, 1C Device 2, 2A, 2B Container, inner container 21 Edge 22 Upper part 23 Lower part 24 Step part 25 Inner part 26 Outer part 27 Connecting part 28 Male screw part

3, 3A, 3B lid member, inner lid member 31 convex portion 32 base portion 33 top portion 34 handle portion 35 opening portion 36 top plate portion 37 tubular skirt wall 38 female screw portion 4 outer container 5 outer lid member

Claims (9)

A device comprising a container for accommodating a fragile object, and a lid member for sealing the container, wherein the lid member has a convex portion protruding toward an inner space of the container when attached to the container, The horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion pushes out the gas and liquid in the space inside the container containing the fragile object and the liquid, and the lid member and the edge of the container come into close contact with each other. The device forming a closed space. The device according to claim 1, wherein a close contact portion of the lid member that is in close contact with an edge portion of the container is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane of the container. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shape of the convex portion is a dome shape having a top portion. The lid member further includes a base portion having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the container, and by deforming the base portion or the container or the base portion and the container to fit the container, the inner peripheral surface of the container and the outer periphery of the base portion. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which can be brought into close contact with a surface. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a screwing mechanism for screwing the lid member and the container together. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lid member has an opening that can be opened and closed. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fragile substance is a sheet-shaped cell culture. The device according to claim 7, wherein the sheet-shaped cell culture is a laminate. A fragile transfer kit for transferring fragile objects,
An inner container for containing fragile objects,
An inner lid member for sealing the inner container,
An outer container for accommodating the inner container,
An outer lid member for sealing the outer container,
The inner lid member has a convex portion that projects toward the inner space of the container when attached to the inner container, and the horizontal cross-sectional area of the convex portion becomes smaller as it goes vertically downward, and the convex portion protects fragile objects and liquids. The fragile object transfer kit, wherein a liquid-tight space is formed by pushing out gas and liquid in the space inside the container to bring the inner lid member into close contact with the edge of the inner container.