Patent Application
20080093362
This disclosure will be better understood with the aid of the description, given in the following solely by way of explanation, of a selected aspect with reference made to the attached figures in which:
I have added a third piece to the tube-plug couple: a securement sleeve. This piece is called a “sleeve.”
Securement of the tubes for the collecting and preserving of specimens includes the following elements:
In contrast, prior cryotubes do not respond or respond in a very incomplete or partial manner to the totality of these security requirements.
Securing cryotubes is becoming more and more important given the increasingly central part played by analysis in the area of forensic medicine, for example. DNA analyses, for example, are used instead of evidence in more and more cases. The use of secure containers (sampling, traceability and preservation) is therefore now required if the user (the justice system in this instance) desires to have specimens that are physically and legally reliable.
My advance has therefore made available a maximum degree of security corresponding to the improved levels described above. Thus, I have developed an apparatus for securing a container for collecting and preserving biological specimens comprising a plug that comprises at least one means such that after the interlocking of the apparatus, any access to the contents of the apparatus necessarily brings about a physical transformation, that is irreversible and can be ascertained by the naked eye, of this container (and not of the plug), which physical transformation comprises, e.g., but not necessarily, of a rupture or a tear of this means.
The security device can preferably be interlocked at any moment at the will of the user.
The means is advantageously integral with the apparatus.
The means is preferably a divisible clamp (lug, flap or the like).
The apparatus can not be disassociated from the container.
Interlocking of the apparatus is advantageously made by irreversibly driving the container into the apparatus.
The apparatus and the container are preferably made of different materials.
The apparatus is advantageously composed of a material that allows engraving an indelible and unitary identification.
The apparatus may be composed of a material that allows reading of the elevated contrast engraving.
The means may be a tongue that can be integrated in a definitive and non-replaceable manner with the apparatus and the plug.
Integration of the tongue may be carried out with an adhesive band that can not be violated by tearing.
Integration of the tongue may be carried out by welding.
The apparatus also advantageously comprises a housing that allows insertion of a physical element containing at least one piece of information associated with the contents.
Insertion is therefore preferably carried out without masking the identification engraving and in an irreversible manner.
The insertion is preferably carried out in an irreversible manner.
It will be appreciated that the following description is intended to refer to specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings and is not intended to define or limit the invention, other than in the appended claims.
In
The first catch 3 is an assembly catch serving to integrate the sleeve to the tube in a definitive manner (one way).
The second catch 4 is an interlocking catch of the apparatus for rendering the tube inviolable by divisible clamps with the sleeve. This first degree of security will be called “first-degree securement” or “first-degree inviolability”.
Any collars 5 of the tube have undercuts (incisions) 6 necessary for the passage of the various inviolability apparatuses in interlocked position.
In
This allows the free addition, directly on the sleeve, of any marking or securement additive. Thus, if the markings by labels in the liquid are not satisfactory, it is possible to mark the sleeve with a laser for an inalterable authentication.
It is preferably more practical for the manipulations to see the specimen or its level. A volume mark or other mark 8 is then engraved in the mold directly on the sleeve. This system allows expensive marking steps to be avoided.
The sleeve has, e.g., label zones or laser-marking zones.
The sleeve bottom may be flat and smooth to be able to be engraved on the lower part of the sleeve. Moreover, the sleeve may be provided with hook system 9 for an automatic screwing. Furthermore, it may have a lateral drawer for collecting a physical element carrying information relative to the specimen, e.g., a radio frequency chip (RFID). It is on the side so not to hide the marking zones under the sleeve.
It also comprises an essential security element in the form of an element whose rupture is irreversible, representing the first degree of securement. This element is preferably a divisible clamp 11 integral with the sleeve. The characteristics of the clamp are such that it breaks when the plug is opened if the securement system is interlocked, as illustrated in
Furthermore, the sleeve contains a zone 12 suitable for receiving and retaining in vertical position without excessive thickness (with a flush contour) any tongue integrated conjointly with the sleeve and the plug.
The tongue can be integrated with the sleeve by various means such as, e.g., by welding or by an inviolable adhesive band of a known type.
As is shown in
It is provided with an automatic screwing apparatus by upper latching and with an apparatus allowing, e.g., the clipping of a color code in the form of a circular disk.
According to a particular aspect shown in
Moreover, the plug has passage undercut 14 for permitting the passage without excess thickness of the tongue in closed position as in
Furthermore, the plug may comprise an internal clipping part in its interior suitable for receiving accessories for the manipulation of the specimens directly in the interior of the tube, e.g., to facilitate the extraction of specimens and their use.
Finally, it also comprises on its lower part housing 15 for receiving first-degree divisible securement clamp 11 in interlocked position.
The unit “tube-sleeve-plug-” is used for purposes of the securement and manipulation of specimens. The methods of use can then be a function of the level of security required.
According to one method of use in the case of a standard laboratory, the plug is screwed on the tube and the sleeve interlocked on first catch 3 as in
It can be noted that in this method of use the sterility level of the tube is guaranteed by the supplier of the tube. On the contrary, after the interlocking on the second catch, any opening of the tube will bring about the breaking of divisible clamp 11 and will be noticed, as in
According to another selected method of use in the case of tubes for use in forensic medicine, the user receives the plug apparatus closed with second catch 4 interlocked as in FIG. 7, which guarantees the emptiness and a sterility level before any usage in the instance in which divisible clamp 11 is intact.
After use and the introduction of the specimens into the tube, the inviolability is ensured by the second-level security apparatus with the aid of tongue 13 integrated conjointly with the sleeve and the plug as in
The device was described above by way of example. It is understood that one skilled in the art is capable of realizing different variants without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0400358 | Jan 2004 | FR | national |
This is a §371 of International Application No. PCT/FR2005/000090, with an international filing date of Jan. 14, 2005 (WO 2005/073102 A1, published Aug. 11, 2005), which is based on French Patent Application No. 04/00358, filed Jan. 15, 2004.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR05/00090 | 1/14/2005 | WO | 00 | 11/30/2006 |
