KR20090093495A - Container for transport medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A container of medium for transferring a sample is provided to improve convenience of user, reduce the manufacturing cost and productivity of assembly process. A container of medium for transferring a sample comprises: a cotton swab assembly (110) having a cotton swab and a head (130) which is connected to the cotton swab and has a fixation device; a tube (140) having a first fixation device and second fixation device corresponding to the fixation device. The first fixation device is a first hooking groove (142) on the end of the tube. The second fixation device is a second hooking groove (144) at the end of the tube.

Description

Sample transport medium container {CONTAINER FOR TRANSPORT MEDIUM}

The present invention relates to a specimen transport container, and more particularly, to improve the user's convenience in the process of collecting a specimen, to simplify the overall structure, to reduce the manufacturing cost and to improve the manufacturing and assembly process of each component. It relates to a specimen transport container that can improve productivity.

In general, collection of specimens is carried out to examine microorganisms including bacteria for hygiene and quarantine purposes, but in order to obtain accurate test results, it is preferable to inspect the specimens immediately after collection of specimens. If such rapid testing is not possible, the collected samples should be transported to a relevant institution where microbiological testing can be carried out in a preserved environment.

On the other hand, containers for transporting samples in a preserved state include various containers such as syringes and sterilized plastic bottles, depending on the types of samples and microorganisms, but typically include a plastic tube containing a medium for preserving collected samples. In many cases, a sterilized disposable swab combined with a plastic stopper is used.

However, the conventional transport medium container is disposable because the plastic cap containing the medium and the plastic stopper combined with the disposable swab are separately packaged and provided to the user so that the disposable swab does not contact the medium before collecting the sample. When opening the package of the plastic plug combined with the cotton swab and left for a long time, the cotton swab exposed to the outside may be contaminated by various bacteria.

Accordingly, the conventional transport medium container, the user must be uncomfortable in the process of collecting the sample because the packaging of the stopper combined with the disposable cotton swab and the packaging of the plastic tube containing the medium must be opened immediately before the sample is collected. Brings about.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, another conventional technique "one-touch specimen transport medium container" has been proposed (see Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-0494571). 1 is an exploded perspective view of a "one-touch specimen transport medium container" proposed in Patent Publication No. 10-0494571.

Referring to FIG. 1, the "one-touch sample transport medium container" includes a swab assembly 20 composed of a rod swab 22 and a swab head 23, a grip part 10, and a grip cap 30. , Having a transparent tube 40 to accommodate the medium, pressing the cotton swab head 23, the cotton swab assembly 20 is moved downward in the grip portion 10, the sterilized collecting portion 21 of the cotton swab 22 is It is to be immersed in the medium in the transparent tube (40).

Accordingly, the "one-touch sample transport medium container" may be provided to the user in a state in which the sterilized cotton swab 22 is stored in the transparent tube 40 at a position where the sterilized cotton swab does not contact the medium. (22) is separated from the transparent tube 40, the sample is collected, and after collecting the sample, the cotton swab 22 is recombined with the transparent tube 40, and then the cotton swab head 23 is pushed by one touch. The collecting portion 21 of 22 may be immersed in the medium.

However, the "one-touch sample transport medium container", as well as the cotton swab assembly 20 and the transparent tube 40, requires additional components such as the grip portion 10, grip cap 30, transport container container The overall structure of the complex has a problem of reducing the productivity of the manufacturing and assembly process of each component and increases the manufacturing cost.

An object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of the user in the process of collecting the specimen, while simplifying the overall structure to reduce the manufacturing cost and to improve the productivity of the manufacturing and assembly process of each component specimen container container To provide.

According to the present invention, a cotton swab assembly having a cotton swab, and a head coupled to the cotton swab, the fixing means is formed; And a medium for storing a sample collected by the swab assembly, the tube having a first fixing means and a second fixing means corresponding to the fixing means, wherein the cotton swab is provided on the medium. Engage with the tube so as to be movable between a first locking position that is not locked and a second coupling position in which the swab is immersed in the medium, wherein the first coupling position is fixed to the tube by the fixing means and the first fixing means. The second coupling position is achieved by the transport container for the specimen, characterized in that fixed to the tube by the fixing means and the second fixing means.

Here, the fixing means is a locking projection formed in the head, the first fixing means is a first locking groove formed in the end of the tube, the second fixing means spaced downward from the first locking groove. It may be a second locking groove formed in the end of the tube in the position.

The head includes a hollow portion into which an end of the tube is inserted, and the locking protrusion is formed on an inner surface of a side wall defining the hollow portion, and each of the first locking groove and the second locking groove is formed on an outer surface of the end portion of the tube. Can be.

The locking protrusion may be formed in the form of an annular protrusion along the inner circumferential surface of the side wall, and the locking groove may be formed in the form of an annular protrusion along the outer circumferential surface of the end of the tube.

The swab assembly may slide relative to the tube from the first engagement position to the second engagement position.

The head has an auxiliary locking protrusion formed at a position spaced upwardly from the locking protrusion, and the auxiliary locking protrusion is locked to the first locking groove when the swab assembly and the tube are fixed at the second coupling position. Can be.

The fixing means is a stepped protrusion formed in the head, the first fixing means is a first stepped groove formed in the end of the tube, the second fixing means is extended downward from the first stepped groove and the It may be a second stepped groove formed at the end of the tube.

The swab assembly may be moved to the second engagement position after being rotated by a predetermined rotational angle with respect to the tube in the first engagement position.

The present invention provides a specimen comprising a swab assembly that is rotatably and slidably moved between a tube in which a medium is accommodated and a first engagement position where the swab is not submerged in the medium and a second engagement position where the swab is submerged in the medium. While improving the convenience of the user in the process of collecting the simplification of the overall structure of the specimen transport medium container can reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the productivity of the manufacturing and assembly process of each component.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a "one-touch specimen transport medium container" proposed in Patent Publication No. 10-0494571.

2 is an exploded perspective view of a specimen transport medium container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of the specimen transport medium container of FIG.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the specimen transport medium container of FIG. 2 in a first engagement position.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the specimen transport medium container of FIG. 2 in a second engagement position.

6 is a perspective view of a specimen transport medium container according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a perspective view of the specimen transport medium container of FIG. 6 in a first engagement position.

8 is a perspective view of the specimen transport medium container of FIG. 6 in a second engagement position.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100, 200: Sample transport container

110, 210: cotton swab assembly 120, 220: cotton swab

122, 222: collecting section 130, 230: head

134: jamming projection 234: step projection

136: auxiliary locking projection 140: tube

142: first locking groove 144: second locking groove

242: first stepped groove 244: second stepped groove

In order to fully understand the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention, and the objects achieved by the practice of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and the contents described in the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in describing the present invention, descriptions of functions or configurations already known will be omitted to clarify the gist of the present invention.

2 is an exploded perspective view of a specimen transport medium container according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the specimen transport medium container of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a specimen transport of Figure 2 in a first coupling position 5 is a cross-sectional view of the discharge container, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sample transport medium container of FIG. 2 in a second engagement position.

2 to 5, the container for transport medium (100, container for transport medium) according to the present embodiment, the cotton swab assembly 110 having a swab 120 and the head 130 to collect the sample And, the medium (R, medium) for storing the sample collected by the swab assembly 110 is accommodated and has a tube 140 that can be combined with the swab assembly (110).

The medium R accommodated in the tube 140 plays a role of preserving the sample in the process of transporting the collected sample to the laboratory. Such a medium (R) includes Carry & Blair type, Amies Transport medium (without Charcoal) type, Amies Transport medium (with Charcoal) type, Stuart's Transport medium type and the like, any one of these known compositions are selected and liquid It is received in the tube 140 in the form of liquid or semi-solid. On the other hand, in order to prevent the medium (R) in the tube 140 flows down to the head 130 side during the transport of the specimen, it is preferable to use a semi-solid medium (R), when using the liquid medium (R) In the sponge-like foamed synthetic resin is preferably embedded in the tube 140 to prevent the flow of the liquid medium (R).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the swab assembly 110 has a first engagement position where the swab 120 is not immersed in the medium R (see FIG. 4), and the swab 120 has a medium R. Engage with the tube 140 so as to be slidable between the second engagement position (see FIG. 5) that is locked to.

The swab 120 has a long rod shape, and an upper end thereof is coupled to the upper wall 131 of the head 130 and supported by the head 130. The lower end of the swab 120 provides a portion to be directly buried sample to be collected and is provided with a sterilized collecting portion 122. On the other hand, the length of the swab 120 is appropriately selected so that the collecting portion 122 is not locked to the medium (R) at the above-mentioned first engagement position, while being locked to the medium (R) at the above-mentioned second engagement position. .

The head 130 has a cylindrical shape including the hollow portion 130a and is usually made of a synthetic resin material. Here, the hollow portion 130a of the head 130 is defined by the side wall 132 and the upper wall 131 to refer to the space in which the upper end of the tube 140 is inserted. On the other hand, the depth of the hollow portion 130a of the head 130 is the lower surface of the upper wall 131 of the head 130 in the above-described second engagement position contact the upper end of the tube 140, the head 130 is a tube ( 140) so that it is chosen not to move further to the side.

On the inner surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130, a locking projection 134 and an auxiliary locking projection 136 disposed at a position spaced upwardly from the locking projection 134 are formed. At this time, each of the locking projections 134 and the auxiliary locking projections 136 is formed in the form of an annular projection along the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 132. That is, the fixing means of the swab assembly 110 for fixing the swab assembly 110 and the tube 140 in the present embodiment is formed in the inner surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130 in the form of an annular projection tube (to be described later) It is provided as a locking projection 134 corresponding to the first locking groove 142 and the second locking groove 144 formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the 140.

  The head 130 serves as a handle in the process of collecting the specimen by supporting the swab 120, while inserting the swab 120 into the tube 140 containing the medium (R) to preserve the sample collected In this case, the swab assembly 110 plays a role of 'stopper' for fixing and fixing the tube 140 to the tube 140.

The tube 140 is a cylindrical tube in which a medium R for storing a sample collected by the swab assembly 110 is stored at a predetermined height. The tube 140 is preferably made of a transparent synthetic resin material to determine whether the cotton swab 120 is immersed in the medium (R).

On the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 140, a second locking groove 142 corresponding to the locking protrusion 134 of the head 130 and a second spaced apart from the first locking groove 142 in a downward direction. A locking groove 144 is formed. At this time, each of the first locking groove 142 and the second locking groove 144 is formed in the shape of an annular groove along the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the tube 140. That is, the first fixing means and the second fixing means of the tube 140 for fixing the cotton swab assembly 110 and the tube 140 in the present embodiment, is formed in the shape of an annular groove on the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 140 described above The first locking groove 142 and the second locking groove 144 corresponding to the locking protrusion 134 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130 are provided.

Transport medium container for specimen 100 according to the present embodiment having the above configuration, as shown in Figure 4 and 5, the swab assembly 110 in the above-described first coupling position with respect to the tube 140 By sliding the lower direction, the cotton swab 120 canned body is fixed to the tube 140 in the above-described second engagement position. At this time, the cotton swab assembly 110 is fixed to the tube 140 by the locking protrusion 134 and the first locking groove 142 in the first coupling position, the locking protrusion 134 and the second locking in the second coupling position. It is fixed to the tube 140 by the groove 144. That is, in the first coupling position, the locking protrusion 134 is caught in the first locking groove 142, and the locking protrusion 134 is in the second coupling position in which the swab assembly 110 is moved downward with respect to the tube 140. ) Is caught in the second locking groove 144.

On the other hand, the auxiliary locking projection 136 of the head 130, when the cotton swab assembly 110 and the tube 140 is fixed in the second coupling position, is caught by the second locking groove 144 of the tube 140 , Cotton swab 120 can be fixed to the tube 140 more firmly. In this case, the spaced distance between the locking protrusion 134 and the auxiliary locking protrusion 136 is substantially the same as the spaced distance between the first locking groove 142 and the second locking groove 144.

Accordingly, the specimen transport container 100 according to the present embodiment prevents the swab assembly 110 from being separated from the tube 140 during the transport of the specimen, thereby enabling a more stable transport of the specimen.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the process of collecting and preserving the specimen using the specimen transport medium container 100 according to the present embodiment will be described below.

First, the specimen transport medium container 100, as shown in Figure 4, the locking projection 134 and the first locking groove 142 in the first engagement position that the cotton swab 120 is not locked to the medium (R). By the swab assembly 110 is packaged in a fixed state coupled to the tube 140 is provided to the user.

Accordingly, in the specimen transport medium container 100 according to the present embodiment, the swab assembly 110 and the tube 140 do not need to be separately packed, and the swab 120 sterilized even after opening the package is outside. Since it is not exposed to, the inconvenience of having to open the packaging of the swab assembly 110 and the packaging of the tube 140 immediately before collecting the sample can be eliminated.

Next, the user separates the swab assembly 110 from the tube 140 by pulling the swab assembly 110 upwardly with respect to the tube 140 after opening the package of the specimen transport medium container 100. Then, the user grabs the sample to be collected by holding the head 130 of the swab assembly 110 by hand in the collecting part 122 of the swab 120 to collect the sample.

Next, the user presses the cotton swab assembly 110 against the tube 140 while the cotton swab 120 is inserted into the tube 140 to push the cotton swab 120 into the medium R. Slide to the position. As described above, the swab assembly 110 moved to the second engagement position includes a second locking groove 144 having a locking protrusion 134 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130 on the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 140. Is locked to the tube 140 by

As described above, the specimen transport medium container 100 according to the present embodiment includes a tube 140 in which the medium R is accommodated, and a first coupling position and a cotton swab in which the cotton swab 120 is not immersed in the medium R. 120 is provided with a swab assembly (110) coupled to the tube (140) to be slidably movable between the second engagement position in the medium (R), while improving the convenience of the user in the process of collecting the sample, By reducing the overall structure of the transport medium container 100 can reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the productivity of the manufacturing and assembly process of each component.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the engaging projection 134 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130, the first locking groove 142 and the second locking groove 144 on the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 140 Although the present invention is not limited thereto, a locking protrusion (not shown) is formed on the outer surface of the side wall 132 of the head 130, and a first locking groove (not shown) and a second locking groove are formed on the inner surface of the upper end of the tube 140. Of course, the locking groove (not shown) may be formed. Furthermore, in the present invention, a first locking groove (not shown) and a second locking groove (not shown) are formed on the sidewall 132 of the head 130, and a locking protrusion (not shown) is formed at the upper end of the tube 140. May be

6 is a perspective view of a specimen transport medium container according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the specimen transport medium container of Figure 6 in a first coupling position, Figure 8 is a perspective view of Figure 6 in a second coupling position Is a perspective view of a specimen transport container. Like reference numerals denote the same components as the above-described embodiments. Hereinafter, a description will be given focusing on differences from the above-described embodiment.

6 to 8, the specimen transport medium container 200 according to the present embodiment includes a swab assembly 210 and a swab assembly having a swab 220 and a head 230 to collect a specimen. Medium (R) for preserving the specimen collected by the 210 is accommodated and has a tube 240 that can be combined with the swab assembly (210).

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the swab assembly 210 has a first engagement position where the swab 220 is not immersed in the medium R (see FIG. 7), and the swab 220 is the medium R. FIG. Engage with the tube 240 so as to be slidable between the second engagement position (see Fig. 8) that is locked to.

Swab 220 is. It has a long rod shape, and an upper end thereof is coupled to the upper wall 231 of the head 230 and supported by the head 230. The lower end of the swab 220 is provided with a portion to be directly buried sample to be collected is provided with a sterilized collecting portion 222.

The head 230 has a cylindrical shape including the hollow portion 230a and is usually made of a synthetic resin material. The tube 240 is a cylindrical tube in which a medium R for storing a sample collected by the swab assembly 210 is stored at a predetermined height.

On the inner surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230, as shown in FIG. 6, one step protrusion 234 is formed. In this case, the step protrusion 234 is not formed continuously in the form of an annular protrusion along the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230, but is formed only at a specific position of the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230. It differs from the above-mentioned embodiment. That is, the fixing means of the swab assembly 210 for fixing the swab assembly 210 and the tube 240 in the present embodiment is formed on the inner surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230, the upper end of the tube 240 to be described later It is provided with one stepped protrusion 234 corresponding to the first stepped groove 242 and the second stepped groove 244 formed on the outer surface.

 On the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 240, as shown in FIG. 6, a first stepped groove 242 corresponding to the stepped protrusion 234 of the head 230, and a downward direction from the first stepped groove 242. An extended second bent groove 244 is formed. At this time, the first stepped groove 242 and the second stepped groove 244 are connected by a vertical groove 243 formed along the longitudinal direction of the tube 240. That is, in this embodiment, the first fixing means and the second fixing means of the tube 240 for fixing the swab assembly 210 and the tube 240 are formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 240 and the head 230 described above. The first stepped grooves 242 and the second stepped grooves 244 corresponding to the one stepped protrusion 234 formed on the inner surface of the side wall 232)

However, the present invention, unlike the present embodiment having one step projection 234, one first step groove 242 and the second step groove 244, cotton swab assembly 210 and the tube 240 Two or more stepped protrusions (not shown) and two or more first stepped grooves (not shown) corresponding to each of the two or more stepped protrusions (not shown) and second stepped grooves (not shown) for more stable fixing. It may be provided.

Transport medium container 200 for the specimen according to the present embodiment having the above configuration, as shown in Figure 7 and 8, the swab assembly 210 in the above-described first coupling position with respect to the tube 240 After rotating the counterclockwise by a predetermined rotational angle (arrow ① in FIG. 8), the slide is moved downward (arrow ② in FIG. 8), and then rotated counterclockwise by the predetermined rotational angle (arrow ③ in FIG. 8). ), The swab assembly 210 is fixed to the tube 240 in the above-described second engagement position. In this case, the swab assembly 210 is fixed to the tube 240 by the stepped protrusion 234 and the first stepped groove 242 in the first coupling position, the stepped protrusion 234 and the second end in the second coupling position It is fixed to the tube 240 by the jaw groove 244. That is, the stepped protrusion 234 is engaged in the first stepped groove 242 in the first coupling position, and the stepped protrusion 234 in the second coupling position in which the swab assembly 210 is moved downward with respect to the tube 240. ) Is caught in the second stepped groove 244.

As described above, the specimen transport medium container 200 according to the present embodiment includes a tube 240 in which the medium R is accommodated, and a first coupling position and a cotton swab in which the cotton swab 220 is not immersed in the medium R. By having the swab assembly 210 coupled to the tube 240 so as to be rotatable and slideable between the second engagement positions that the 220 is immersed in the medium (R), as in the above-described embodiment, in the process of collecting the specimen While improving the convenience of the user, the overall structure of the specimen transport medium container 200 can be simplified to reduce the manufacturing cost and improve the productivity of the manufacturing and assembly process of each component.

Meanwhile, in the present exemplary embodiment, the stepped protrusion 234 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230, and the first stepped groove 242 and the second stepped groove 244 are formed on the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 240. Although the present invention is not limited thereto, a stepped protrusion (not shown) is formed on an outer surface of the side wall 232 of the head 230, and a first stepped groove (not shown) and a second step are formed on an inner surface of the upper end of the tube 240. Of course, a stepped groove (not shown) may be formed. Furthermore, in the present invention, a first stepped groove (not shown) and a second stepped groove (not shown) are formed on the sidewall 232 of the head 230, and a stepped protrusion (not shown) is formed at an upper end of the tube 240. May be

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, such modifications or variations will have to be belong to the claims of the present invention.

Claims (8)

A swab assembly having a swab and a head coupled to the swab and having a fixing means formed therein; And A medium for storing the specimen collected by the swab assembly is accommodated, and includes a tube formed with a first fixing means and a second fixing means corresponding to the fixing means, The swab assembly, The cotton swab is coupled to the tube so as to be movable between a first engagement position where the swab is not immersed in the medium and the second engagement position where the swab is immersed in the medium, the fixing means and the first fixing means in the first engagement position It is fixed to the tube by, and in the second coupling position transport medium container for the specimen, characterized in that fixed to the tube by the fixing means and the second fixing means. The method of claim 1, The fixing means is a locking projection formed on the head, The first fixing means is a first locking groove formed in the end of the tube, The second fixing means is a transport container container for the specimen, characterized in that the second locking groove formed in the end of the tube at a position spaced downward from the first locking groove. The method of claim 2, The head includes a hollow portion into which the end of the tube is inserted, The locking projection is formed on the inner surface of the side wall defining the hollow portion, Each of the first catching groove and the second catching groove is formed on an outer surface of the end of the tube. The method of claim 3, The locking projection is formed in the shape of an annular projection along the inner peripheral surface of the side wall, The catching groove is a specimen transport medium container, characterized in that formed in the form of an annular projection along the outer peripheral surface of the end of the tube. The method of claim 2, The swab assembly, A transport medium container for a specimen, characterized in that the slide movement relative to the tube from the first coupling position to the second coupling position. The method of claim 2, In the head, an auxiliary locking projection is formed at a position spaced upward from the locking projection, The auxiliary catching projection is a specimen transport medium container, characterized in that when the cotton swab assembly and the tube is fixed in the second engaging position, the first catching groove. The method of claim 1, The fixing means is a stepped protrusion formed on the head, The first fixing means is a first stepped groove formed in the end of the tube, The second fixing means is a specimen transport medium container, characterized in that the second stepped groove extending from the first stepped groove downwardly formed at the end of the tube. The method of claim 7, wherein The swab assembly, The specimen transport medium container, characterized in that the slide is moved to the second coupling position after being rotated by a predetermined rotational angle with respect to the tube in the first coupling position.