Patent Application
20230310244
The present invention relates to a test booth for collecting virus samples, wherein the test booth has an examination window allowing close-fitting insertion of sampling tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to a test booth for collecting virus samples, wherein the test booth has an examination window capable of increasing the efficiency of sample collection by a tester by excluding wearing of blunt rubber gloves and preventing contamination and cross-contamination through rubber gloves by sample collection swabs during a sample collection process.
Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous infections and deaths worldwide. In a situation where a medicine or vaccine is being developed, it is very important to wear a mask to prevent infection and to quickly find suspected infected persons. As one of the quarantine activities for COVID-19, screening clinics are set up to collect samples from suspected infected persons, and medical staffs, who are testers, collect samples from suspected infected persons at the screening clinics.
In addition, in the process of collecting samples from suspected infected persons, preventing environmental contamination at sampling sites has emerged as an important issue to prevent transmission to medical staffs, who are testers, and the next subject. To accurately perform a virus test, it is important for a medical staff to collect a sufficient amount of sample from the upper respiratory tract (oropharyngeal swab, nasopharyngeal swab, nasal swab, etc.). When collecting a sample from the upper respiratory tract, a tester collects a sample from the oropharynx (mouth) and nasopharynx (nose) of a subject while the subject takes off a mask. When collecting a sample from the mouth or nose, a tester must use sterile cotton swabs. Even when a subject is somewhat uncomfortable, it is necessary to collect a sufficient amount of sample by swabbing the posterior nasopharynx and palatopharyngeal wall several times. During this sample collection process, a subject is likely to sneeze or cough due to stimulation of reflex nerves. When a subject sneezes or coughs, contamination may be spread to a wide space through droplets and aerosols at a sampling site. Also, there is a high possibility that medical staffs, who are testers, will be infected. In practice, there are many cases in which medical staffs who examine suspected infected persons are infected.
Therefore, it is important to block contaminants such as droplets and aerosols discharged when a subject sneezes or breathes. To solve this problem, as shown in
However, in the case of the test booth having the above-described window wall, since a tester has to perform precise sample collection while wearing thick and blunt rubber gloves that prevent easy tearing, the tester cannot easily perform precise manipulations. For example, due to wearing rubber gloves, it is not easy for a tester to hold the sanitary wrapping paper of sample collection swabs. In addition, after collecting a sample, it is difficult for the tester to easily perform a series of processes of cutting a sample collection swab and inserting the swab into a diagnostic tube.
Furthermore, while collecting a sample from the next subject while the contaminant of an infected person is on rubber gloves, the contaminant on the rubber gloves may come into contact with the sample collection swab of the next subject. In this case, cross-contamination may occur, and test accuracy may be reduced. To solve these problems, when a tester wears disposable plastic gloves, it is difficult for the tester to completely exclude cross-contamination and perform precise manipulations. In addition, in the case of a large-scale test, test time may rather increase.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is one object of the present invention to provide a test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window capable of increasing the efficiency of sample collection work by enabling a tester to easily collect a sample by directly holding one end of a sample collection swab or the handle of a swab fitting portion into which the sample collection swab is inserted in a booth separated from the outside without a special quarantine device; and increasing the accuracy of a test by preventing contaminants from adhering to the sample collection swab.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, provided is a test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window, the test booth including a space part that provides a space where a tester is located, is blocked from an outside, and has a window wall configured to face a subject; and an examination window installed on the window wall of the space part and configured to correspond to a face of the subject, wherein the examination window includes swab entry/exit holes formed through opposite sides of the examination window and having a passage having a diameter that allows entry and exit of a sample collection swab tool; and a detachable cap configured to be attached to or detached from a swab entry/exit hole on a side of the space part among the swab entry/exit holes and having an opening means to be opened to guide a sample collection swab to a passage of the swab entry/exit hole in the space part, wherein the opening means is configured to open only in one direction toward the passage of the swab entry/exit hole in the space part, or a fitting portion into which a swab is inserted from an outside of the booth is formed to penetrate the examination window, and a handle part connected thereto and exposed to an inside of the booth is formed.
In the examination window having the opening means, the opening means may be configured as an incision line formed on a part of the detachable cap, wherein, when a sample collection swab is inserted, the opening means is incised by an external force to form incision pieces, and airtightness of the detachable cap is maintained as the incision pieces are rolled into the detachable cap. In addition, an interference plate having a larger diameter than a diameter of the sample collection swab may be formed on the sample collection swab, wherein, as the sample collection swab is inserted into and comes out of a swab entry/exit hole, the interference plate interferes with the opening means to separate the detachable cap. In addition, a through hole connecting the space part where a tester is located and an outside where a subject is located may be formed through the window wall, and the examination window may be configured to be attached to or detached from the through hole through the detachable means. In addition, a connection portion made of a flexible material may be formed to penetrate an inside and outside of the examination window, a non-contact thermometer may be installed to be exposed to the outside of the examination window through the connection portion, and a handle of the non-contact thermometer may be installed to be exposed to the inside of the examination window through the connection portion.
In addition, the space part may be installed so that the space part is moved from a central control building through a moving means, and a wrinkled portion having elasticity may be installed between the space part and the central control building.
A test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window according to the present invention has the following effects.
First, in a test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window, a test can handle a sample collection swab with bare hands without wearing rubber gloves, allowing the tester to manipulate the sample collection swab precisely. Accordingly, the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window has an effect of increasing sample collection efficiency by the tester.
Second, since the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window does not require rubber gloves, contaminants can be prevented from being transmitted to the next examiner's sample collection swab through rubber gloves. Accordingly, the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window has an effect of increasing the safety of a test.
Third, since an examination window is configured to be detachable from the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window, the examination window can be replaced when necessary, and a hygienic sampling environment can be provided by separately sterilizing and disinfecting the examination window.
Fourth, since a moving means is installed in the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window, the test booth can be applied to the drive-thru method as well as the walking-thru method. That is, when a tester approaches a subject in a vehicle, the test booth can move toward the subject in the vehicle. Accordingly, the tester can conveniently and comfortably collect samples regardless of external temperature changes without being exposed to the outside.
The terms and words which are used in the present specification and the appended claims should not be construed as being confined to common meanings or dictionary meanings but should be construed as meanings and concepts matching the technical spirit of the present invention in order to describe the present invention in the best fashion.
Hereinafter, referring to
The test booth is configured so that a medical staff, who is a tester, may collect a sample from a subject outside the booth using a swab tool with bare hands inside the booth.
As shown in
The space part 100 provides a space in which a medical staff, who is a tester, is located, and is preferably formed to be transparent so that visibility outside the space part 100 is secured. The shape of the space part 100 is not particularly limited, and may be any shape capable of providing a closed space from the outside. As shown in
The examination window 200 provides a passage through which a tester pushes a sample collection swab 400 from the inside of the space part 100 to the outside of the space part 100, and is made of a transparent material. The examination window 200 is preferably formed in a circular shape suitable for covering the through hole 110, and is configured to be attached to or detached from the space part 100 through the detachable means 300. For this configuration, attachment/detachment holes 320 corresponding to the attachment/detachment protrusions 310 of the detachable means 300 are formed along the circumference of the examination window 200. The attachment/detachment holes 320 are preferably formed in the form of a long hole, and the diameter of the end of the attachment/detachment hole 320 is larger than that of the attachment/detachment hole 320. After the attachment/detachment protrusions 310 are inserted through the ends of the attachment/detachment holes 320, the examination window 200 may be coupled to the space part by rotating the examination window 200 so that the ends of the attachment/detachment protrusions 310 are caught in the attachment/detachment holes 320. As described above, the examination window 200 may be configured to be detachable from the space part 100 through the detachable means 300.
Alternatively, the examination window 200 may be integrally formed in the space part 100. As shown in
As shown in
The detachable caps 220 of the examination window 200 are configured to cover the swab entry/exit holes 210 to close the passage of the swab entry/exit holes 210 and configured to be attached to or detached from the swab entry/exit holes 210. The detachable caps 220 are preferably composed of a resin material so that the detachable caps 220 are forcibly fitted into the swab entry/exit holes 210. As shown in
In addition, the sample collection swab 400 configured to pass through the examination window 200 through the swab entry/exit holes 210 will be described. As shown in
In addition, as shown in
Hereinafter, a process of collecting a sample from a subject by a tester in a test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window configured as described above will be described.
A test booth is installed adjacent to a central control building, and samples are collected from suspected infected persons passing through the test booth according to the walking-thru method. At this time, a tester is located in the test booth, and a subject is positioned so that the subject's face faces the examination window 200 of the test booth. At this time, the subject puts his/her chin on the supporting portion 200a and waits for examination.
When management of sample collection swabs is to be performed only inside a test booth, an examination window that allows sample collection swabs to be inserted inside the test booth is used. At this time, a tester in the test booth pushes the sample collection swab 400 into the opening means 221 of the detachable cap 220 and inserts the sample collection swab 400 into the passage of the swab entry/exit hole 210. At this time, as shown in
In this process, the open incision pieces 221a are restored and adhere to the handle 430 of the sample collection swab 400. Accordingly, the inside of the examination window 200, i.e., the inside of the space part 100 may be maintain an enclosed state. Even when the subject sneezes toward the examination window 200, since the incision pieces 221a do not spread outward, the passage of the swab entry/exit hole 210 may remain airtight. Accordingly, the subject's breath or droplets are prevented from entering the space part 100 where the tester is located.
Then, the tester checks the subject's face through the examination window 200 and performs swabbing using the sample collection swab 400. At this time, since the tester handles the sample collection swab 400 with bare hands inside the space part 100, the efficiency of the sample collection operation may be increased. After swabbing, the tester pulls out the sample collection swab 400 toward the inside of the examination window 200, i.e., the space part 100.
At this time, when the tester pulls the sample collection swab 400 into the examination window 200, as shown in
When management of sample collection swabs is to be performed outside an examination booth, as shown in
Thereafter, the tester cuts the cutting portion 410 of the sample collection swab 400 and performs virus diagnosis using a test kit. At this time, since the process of cutting the sample collection swab 400 may also be performed by the tester with bare hands, the cutting process may be performed accurately and quickly.
In addition, when the process of collecting a sample from a subject is completed, as show in
When the subject sneezes, droplets may flow into the examination window 200 through the swab entry/exit hole 210. To prevent contaminants from entering the examination window 200 from the subject after sample collection is completed, as shown in
As described above, the test booth is provided as a structure on one side of the central control building, and a walk-thru method in which a sample is collected while a subject passes through the test booth may be used. In addition, a drive-thru method may be used by allowing the test booth to move and access a subject in a vehicle. This method is presented as a second embodiment of the present invention, and will be described with reference to
A test booth is provided as a separate body from a central control building, and a wrinkled portion 600 capable of performing stretching action is installed between the test booth and the central control building. The wrinkled portion 600 facilitates movement and access of the test booth based on the central control building while performing stretching action. The wrinkled portion 600 provides a connection passage connecting the central control building and the test booth. The configuration of the wrinkled portion 600 is similar to that of a boarding bridge that connects an airport boarding gate and an airplane to provide a passage.
In addition, as shown in
The height adjusting means 800 may include a hydraulic cylinder and the like. Any apparatus capable of generating power capable of elevating the test booth may be used as the height adjusting means 800.
In addition, the test booth may be connected to a mobile trailer and transported to a location where group testing is required. This case is presented as a third embodiment of the present invention and described with reference to
As shown in
As described above, the test booth for collecting virus samples having an examination window according to the present invention is configured so that a tester may collect a sample from a subject outside the test booth while handling a sample collection swab tool without wearing rubber gloves while being located inside the test booth. Accordingly, the present invention may provide a comfortable test environment to testers while securing infection safety of testers, and may be applied to various test methods such as walk-thru and drive-thru.
Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail. However, these examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope and spirit of the present invention. In addition, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such changes and modifications are also within the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2020-0078283 | Jun 2020 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2021/011474 | 8/26/2021 | WO |
