WO2006087398A1

WO2006087398A1 - Device for analysing organic samples

Info

Publication number: WO2006087398A1
Application number: PCT/ES2005/070019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Domingo Calvente Calvente; Maria Luisa Hortas Nieto
Original assignee: Domingo Calvente Calvente; Maria Luisa Hortas Nieto
Priority date: 2005-02-18
Filing date: 2005-02-18
Publication date: 2006-08-24

Abstract

Autoculture apparatus that allows collecting organic samples and their immediate application on a culture dish contained in the apparatus in a sterile environment. For this purpose, it is provided with an outer flask (1) that is divided into an upper area (12) on which is provided a flask (3) containing the sample, a lower area (11) with a sterile environment and an intermediate area (13) that separates these and that is crossed by the lower part of the container flask. Above this intermediate area (13) are disposed means (2) that exert a pressure on the lower part (3.1) of the flask, opening the micronozzles provided and spraying the sample onto a culture dish. This allows applying the sample on a dish immediately after its collection in a sterile environment, without requiring specialised staff, so that the sample is left uncontaminated until its arrival at the laboratory.

Description

SELF-TEAM EQUIPMENT FOR ORGANIC SAMPLE ANALYSIS

DESCRIPTION

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is a self-cultivation equipment for the analysis of organic samples, which has an internal storage medium for the sample, and that once filled by acting on mechanisms and by pressure, the dispersion of the urine on a plaque is produced. cultivation

The present invention characterizes the fact that it is possible to apply a sample of the remains to be analyzed on a culture plate immediately after the collection of the sample, carried out in a sterile environment free of contaminants, the sample being able to remain in said medium without prejudice of its quality for several hours and even days.

The present invention is circumscribed within the scope of the devices for the collection of organic samples, as well as among the devices used in the application of a sample on a culture plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

So far, the samples provided, such as urine samples, are collected in a sterile bottle and thus transported to the laboratory that performs the sample. The time elapsed from the collection of the sample until its application on a culture plate results in errors since there is always a growth of contaminants. In fact, the percentage of samples received that have developed a series of contaminants due to the time elapsed between sampling and delivery to laboratories is of the order of 17%.

In order to avoid the errors derived from the delays between the collection of the sample, such as urine and its application on a culture plate, several solutions have been applied: - On the one hand the analysis is carried out using a test strip, in the place where the patient delivers the sample. Action that is carried out by specialized personnel.

Another solution would be to arrange a specialized machine in the place where the patients deliver the samples.

None of these solutions prevent a certain delay between the collection of urine and its application on a culture plate or test strip, in addition to assuming a solution that is more expensive since it involves more specialized labor, as well as the necessary technical equipment .

Therefore, it is the objective of the present invention to overcome the above drawbacks of the resulting delay between the taking of the sample and its application on a culture plate, for which the present equipment or device that allows after collection has been developed of the sample its consequent application on a culture plate, said application being carried out in a sterile environment, free of contaminants, being able to remain in said environment until delivery, even if several hours have passed or even one day.

In addition, it is intended to avoid that in the application of the sample on the culture plate the any intervention of specialized personnel with knowledge or experience in this field. Turning the act of the sample and the cultivation of it into a single act.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention of self-cultivation equipment for analysis of organic samples, consists of a device or equipment that in addition to serving as a means for the collection and storage of the sample, allows the dispersion of part of the sample on a culture plate , arranged inside the device in a sterile environment.

Once the sample is applied to the culture plate, and being in a sterile environment, without any contaminant, the culture plate can remain in said equipment until it is delivered to a laboratory.

The self-cultivation team to fulfill the purposes sought has an outside boat or set whose inside at the top has a sample container. The top of the boat is closed by a lid.

The inner container container of the sample has in its lower part a conical shape finished in a dispersing nozzle.

Non-recoverable manual pushbuttons act above the dispersing nozzle, and press the container canister at its lower end so as to increase the pressure of the urine, especially that of the Urine contained in the lower end of the container canister, the dispersion nozzles are opened, which are basically micro-diffuser nozzles that project and disperse part of the sample on a culture plate contained in the interior space of the assembly or outer canister.

The culture plate is housed in a lid and it is attached to the rest of the equipment by means of a seal that prevents its manipulation and the maintenance of the sterile environment until the release of the seal.

When the laboratory worker receives the self-cultivation equipment, the seal is removed, releasing the lid and together with it the culture plate contained in the lid.

The means used to exert pressure on the lower part of the urine container can vary. These means act as non-recoverable pushbuttons, they can have varied shapes and geometries, the condition of not recovering from their original position being necessary, in order to avoid a new application of urine on the culture plate, for this they must somehow remain locked and fixed without looking outwards once it has been pressed on them.

EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is going to be carried out below and in order to help a better understanding of its characteristics, this descriptive report is accompanied by a set of drawings in whose figures, from Illustrative and non-limiting, the most significant details of the invention are represented.

Figure 1 shows a representation in front view where the constructive characteristics of the self-cultivation equipment for analysis of organic samples object of the invention can be appreciated.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION.

In view of the aforementioned figures, a preferred embodiment of the invention and the explanation of the drawings are described below.

In Figure 1, we observe that the self-cultivation equipment for organic sample analysis, has an outer container medium (1), whose interior space is divided into an upper part (12) inside which a container canister (3) is housed. of the sample and closed by a lid (4). The other lower part (11) in which the outer container means (1) is divided, is a completely sterile environment, and free of any contaminant prior to the application of a sample dispersion.

The lower part (11) is closed inferiorly by one by a cover (5) for the culture plate (6), both lid and plate being connected to the outer container means (1) in its lower part by means of a seal (7 ) which ensures the maintenance of the sterile environment of the area

(11) and that said plate has not been tampered with. Separating both zones, the upper one (12) and the lower one (11) are means for exerting pressure on the lower part of the container boat (3) of the sample.

The sample container canister (3) has in its lower part an inverted cone shape (3.1) finished in a set of diffuser micro nozzles. Said lower cone (3.1) crosses an intermediate zone (13) of separation between the upper zone (12) and the lower one (11), counting in said intermediate zone (13) with the pressure means on the lower part (3.1) ) of the container boat (3).

The pressure means may be non-recoverable pushbuttons (2) that once activated do not recover their original position, thus preventing being able to act again on the lower end (3.1) of the container canister (3).

Said pushbuttons (2) when pressing on the lower part (3.1) of the container canister (3) of the sample, produces an increase in pressure in the inferior part (3.1) of the canister container (3), so that the micro-diffuser nozzles open producing the dispersion of the sample (9) on the culture plate (6).

Thanks to the self-cultivation equipment, the immediate application of a dispersion of the sample on a culture plate in a sterile environment free of contaminants is achieved, and that the application is carried out without the need of any specialized personnel.

The self-cultivation equipment is of preferential application for the sampling and self-cultivation of urine, and its use is possible for other types of samples organic need its application on culture plates once the sample is taken.

It is not considered necessary to make this description more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands the scope of the invention and the advantages derived therefrom.

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements will be subject to variation as long as they do not alter the essentiality of the invention.

The terms in which this report has been described must always be taken in a broad and non-limiting sense.

Claims

1.- Self-cultivation equipment for analysis of organic samples, characterized in that it comprises an outer container means (1) that is divided into: or an upper area (12) inside which a container canister (3) of a sample or A is housed. lower sterile zone (13) in which lower part is a culture plate (6). o An intermediate zone that separates both zones and that has means to exert pressure on a part of the container boat (3).

2. - Self-cultivation equipment for organic sample analysis according to claim 1, characterized in that the container boat (3) has its bottom (3.1) with an inverted cone shape and crosses the intermediate zone

(13), presenting microdiffuser nozzles in the lower part, which, when faced with a certain pressure, open and disperse on the culture plate (6).

3. Self-cultivation equipment for organic sample analysis according to claim 1, characterized in that the container canister in its upper area (12) where the container canister (3) of the sample is closed is closed by a lid (4).

4. Self-cultivation equipment for analysis of organic samples according to claim 1, characterized in that the container means in its lower part (11) is closed by a lid (5) where the culture plate (6) is housed, said lid being bound (5) to the outer container medium

(1) by means of a seal (7).

5. Self-cultivation equipment for analysis of organic samples according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for exerting pressure arranged in the intermediate zone (13) of the outer container means (1) are traversed by the lower part (3.1) of the container container (3) and are buttons (2) that after their performance do not recover the original position.