DE2358528A1 - IN STOCK AVAILABLE STRIPPING DEVICE WITH A STRIPPER - Google Patents

Abstract

A swab unit comprising an enclosure, a cap for the enclosure, a hollow stemmed swab secured to the cap and in communication with a flexible walled housing mounted on the cap. A frangible liquid filled ampoule is located in the housing. Upon squeezing of the flexible walls of the housing, the ampoule is broken, permitting the liquid to flow through the hollow stem of the swab to moisten absorbent material secured to the end of the swab.

Description

A swab device with a swab support that is available in stock

The invention relates to a stock available standing smear device, in particular one with which a sample is taken from the body of a patient, which by Moistening with a means of transport kept in good condition until it is spread on a microscope slide can be applied.

For the taking of samples, it is common that the doctor of a sterile pack pulls off a swab, with which a sample is taken from the patient's body, the swab introduced into a container containing a transport means and then breaks off the handle of the scraper support. This is intended to reduce the possibility of contaminants being introduced into the means of transport be reduced by the hands of the doctor. The container with the remaining stripping support is

at
included undy. Sent to laboratory for analysis.

This process has numerous disadvantages, including it can be seen that the scraper support and the vial, that is, two Parts that are expensive and that the scraper is handled by the doctor

509821/0599

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aUro Berlin

must be, eliminating the possibility of the introduction of contaminants in the means of transport. A wooden stick for the scraper that must be used to break it off and to be able to bring it into the means of transport is disadvantageous in that the wood dries out and becomes brittle, which for example stabbing or pecking the patient's throat and insofar as the wood itself can contain a fungus which, if it is released in the means of transport, this contaminate and thus make the test to be carried out on the sample impossible.

In order to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, one has in stock available smear devices are provided in which the means of transport is contained in the device itself. One embodiment has a two-part tube in which the scraper carrier is accommodated in one part and the transport medium in the other part, with there is a slotted valve between the two parts. This embodiment got on the market, obviously because of the Manufacturing cost, unsuccessful. In another embodiment, a flexible tube is with a frangible one Ampoule at one end, with absorbent material arranged close to the ampoule and with one in contact with this material standing scraper carrier provided. After a sample has been taken with the scraper support, it is transferred to the with container equipped with flexible walls, and the area in which the ampoule is located is squeezed, to break the ampoule, so that the agent contained therein wets the absorbent material, which then the syringe of the with This material in contact with the scraper is moistened.

In contrast, a smear device according to the invention has a container open at one end, which at this end of a Cap is closed. According to the invention, the cap has at least one opening extending through it which is connected to a chamber with flexible walls attached to the outside of the cap, with the chamber around each opening

509821 / Ü599

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runs. Furthermore, each opening has one hanging down from the cap hollow socket in connection with a hollow stem of the scraper support is inserted.

The cap can preferably assume two positions. In the In one position it is possible to supply gas, e.g. ethylene oxide gas, to the inside of the container in order to sterilize it. In this position will also, the "" pumping effectν around that in the chamber funds contained in the stem of the scraper down to promote, not restricted by the high pressure that a sealed container has.

The chamber contains a preferably! Transport in an ampoule with "but rupturable walls. The means of transport may be \ also included in the chamber by a membrane ζerreißbare between the chamber and the opening, also called" may be disposed in the opening a valve.

The subject of the invention can also be used for other purposes find, e.g. as an applicator for medication or other means, such as shoe polish.

In using the device, the doctor takes a sample by simply asking the cap holds, but not the handle of the scraper support After sampling, the doctor squeezes the chamber in order to For example, breaking the ampoule * Squeezing the chamber and repeated squeezing also causes the transport medium is pumped downwards until it comes into contact with the absorbent material at the tip of the scraper carrier.

The advantage of a erfihdungsgemäß formed swab device is, inter _alia} that the smear carrier is dry and safe geks'lteii in the cap, so that the physician is never forced to touch • 1 en smear carrier and its stem. In this way the possibility of introducing impurities is very slightly reduced.

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BAD ORIQiNAL

The tip of the scraper support is -immediately and not moistened by an intermediate material or agent. This means that the doctor does not have to open any other packaging to moisten the smear carrier.

The smear device can be manufactured economically because with Except for the cap and the chamber with flexible walls, the usual standard components are used. The cap and the chamber however, they can be easily molded and assembled.

The drawings show exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention, which allow those skilled in the art to recognize further advantages.

Pig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a smear device according to FIG Invention.

FIG. 2 shows, partly in view and partly in section, an embodiment modified from FIG. 1.

The device 10 contains a scraper carrier fastened in a cap 12 11. The cap 12 is normally held on a housing. On the surface 26 of the cap 12 is a sealed Chamber 14 attached with flexible walls, which contains an ampoule 15 filled with a transport means 16.

The scraper support 11 has a tubular handle 20, the inner diameter of which is approximately 0.14 cm. The stem 20 can be made from suitable plastic, such as polyethylene or polystyrene, exist.Das free end of the Abstrichträgerstiels 20 is with a absorbent or absorbent material 21 of a known type, e.g. cotton fibers, rayon or plastic, where the latter are preferred as they have no reticent properties. The absorbent fiber material 21 is at the end of the Abrichträgerstiels 20 attached in the usual way.

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The upper end 22 of the scraper carrier is press fit into one with the cover 24 of the cap 12 one-piece sleeve 23 used. The sleeve is of course hollow and has an opening 25 in the cover of the cap 12 in connection. The chamber 14 attached to the surface 26 of the cap 12 with flexible Walls surrounds the opening 25 so that they are in communication with this is. The chamber 14 can be made of any suitable plastic consist, for example, of low density polyethylene that is thin enough to be relatively easily compressed. the Walls should also be sufficiently resilient so that they return to their original shape when the pressure is released, whereby it. it is possible for the doctor to exert a pumping action on the chamber which is responsible for the downward movement of the liquid along the scraper support stem 20 is desired. The chamber is connected to the surface 26 of the cap by means of an annular Flange tightly connected, this connection thereby in is produced in a simple manner that the respective surfaces on brought to a temperature at which they soften or melt, and then be squeezed. The chamber and the cap can also be molded in one piece, with the Top of the chamber only remains open and after inserting the Ampoule is closed and sealed.

The wall thickness of the glass ampoule 15 is about 0.025 to 0.038 cm, so that they are easily broken by crushing the chamber 14 can be. The ampoule contains a known means of transport, for which there are many compositions, e.g. a Stuart's Mode of Transport.

The housing 13 is primarily used to support the scraper keep in sterile condition. The amount of the agent contained in the ampoule is preferably 0.5 to 1 ml; it just has to sufficient to moisten the smear carrier, and so far there is no need that the means in the housing 13 itself The housing 13 is in the form of a test tube

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and is preferably made of clear polystyrene; it is on one End 30 closed, at the upper end 31 open. At the open end a circumferential collar 32 is formed, on which the inner surface of the cap 12 engages.

The cap 12 is for two stages of use at the open end of the 'Housing 13 is formed for the first stage 34 is at the bottom End of the cap an annular collar 35 with an expanding Opening 36 is formed to facilitate insertion of the housing into the cap. The collar has two diametrically opposite, axially extending slots 37 to ensure passage of gas behind the collar. An annular recess 39 is located near the collar 35; it is slightly larger in diameter than the collar 32, so that between these two Share a sliding seat. The slots 37 extend the axial length of the recess 39, which is about twice as long is like the collar 32.

Above the recess 29 there is a sealing groove 41 which is delimited by an inner collar 42 and a shoulder 43. The ratio of the diameters of the collar 32 and the sealing groove 41 is such that when the cap 12 is fully on the Housing 13 sits, as shown in FIG. 1, between the parts. 32 and a press fit. This is the preferred embodiment, however, a sliding fit or screw cap could also be used.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is essentially identical to that of FIG. Here, however, there are two openings 45 in the Cover plate of the cap, two sleeves 46 and two hollow stems 47 for the smear carrier for use. With this version a slightly larger supply of means of transport is necessary to moisten both scraper supports. The absorbent scraper carrier are in contact with one another so that by wicking the liquid is transferred from one to the other to them to moisten at the same time, in the case when in one Stalk more fluid than flows down in the other.

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In using the subject matter of the invention, the sterilized scraper support is removed from the housing 13 by the physician merely pulling the cap off the housing. The sample is then taken from the patient and the swab carrier is raked back into the housing 13, the cap being pushed over the collar until the collar is received in the large annular recess 39. / The doctor immediately squeezes the chamber to to break the wall of the ampoule 15 so that the liquid transport medium can flow through the opening 25 and through the hollow stem 20 to the absorbent material 21 _o The downward movement of the medium can be promoted by repeated squeezing pressure on the chamber 14 and a resulting pumping action If the liquid is in contact with the absorbent material of the wipe carrier, it is distributed through the wicking effect in the material and completely wets it. Subsequently, the cap is then completely placed on the collar 32 so that it comes to a sealing position with the circumferential sealing groove 41. In this state, the means of transport remains liquid for a long period of time, which also keeps the sample moist until it is processed in the laboratory. - - "-",

If in the above from a breakable glass ampoule in the Chamber 14 was spoken, it is clear that other devices for receiving a liquid in the chamber and for Shutting off the flow of liquid through the opening 25bzw. 45 can serve in the smear carrier until it is desired to be moistened. For example, instead of ^ in breakable Ampoule a breakable liquid capsule in a plastic film be used. The liquid can also be in the chamber directly be enclosed by a tearable membrane arranged between this and "the opening. Finally, in the Opening valves of a cheap embodiment are used, by pressure on the chamber or by actuation of the sides must be opened by the person working with the device.

Claims 509821/0599

Claims (8)

Claims U From an open-ended, closed by a removable cap Housing existing smear device with a smear carrier and a supply of transport liquid, characterized in that the cap (12) has at least one opening extending through a wall surface (24) (25) having a closed chamber (14) with flexible walls on the outside of the cap (12) is attached around each opening, communicates and that to each opening (25) one of the inner wall of the Cap (12) hanging down inside the sleeve (23) which receives the hollow handle (20) of a scraper support connects. 2. Smear device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the chamber (14) a liquid (16) containing breakable ampoule (15) is arranged. 3. Smear device according to claim 1, characterized in that the chamber (I4) directly encloses a liquid (16). 4. smear device according to claim 3, characterized in that between the chamber (14) and the opening (25) a tearable Membrane is arranged. - 2— 509821/0599 5. smear device according to claim 3, characterized in that that the liquid (16) in the chamber (14) is closed by a valve. 6, trimming device according to one of claims 1 - 5 »thereby characterized in that the housing (13) at the open end on its outside with a circumferential collar (32) is provided and that the cap (12) is a generally cylindrical, resting against the collar (32) · and has this receiving inner surface » 7 smear device according to claim 6, characterized in that that the cylindrical inner surface of the cap (12) one after outwardly located, the collar (32) loosely receiving, a gas entry into the housing (13) allowing section and an inwardly located portion forming an airtight seal with the collar (32). 8. smear device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the cap (12) two openings (45) provided and in each associated sleeve (46) hollow Abstrichträgerstiel (4?) are arranged. Posting Λ'αϋ Vs C. O 509 82 1/0599 L e r s e i f e