Excrement sample collection and preservation device
By designing a fecal sample collection and preservation device, which employs pre-filled anaerobic gas and a one-way ventilation structure, the problem of anaerobic bacteria exposure during fecal sample collection and transportation was solved, thus achieving sample quality stability and detection reliability.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511767490.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies cannot effectively protect anaerobic bacteria during the collection, preservation, and transportation of fecal samples, leading to a decline in sample quality and affecting subsequent testing and identification results.
A fecal sample collection and preservation device was designed, comprising a pre-filled anaerobic gas bladder, a one-way ventilation structure, and an operating part. Through a sealed connection and threaded drive, an anaerobic environment can be constructed and maintained on-site after sampling.
Maintaining the stability of the anaerobic environment during sample transport helps prevent damage to anaerobic bacteria and improves the success rate of detection and identification.
Smart Images
Figure CN121610347A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a fecal sample collection and preservation device. Background Technology
[0002] Fecal samples contain a rich array of human gut microbiota, among which most strains with potential probiotic effects are anaerobic or extreme anaerobic bacteria, whose metabolic activities and physiological functions are extremely sensitive to oxygen. During sample collection, preservation, and transportation, the presence of residual air can expose anaerobic bacteria to an oxidizing environment, causing bacterial damage or even death, directly impacting the success rate of subsequent live bacteria detection, strain identification, and functional strain isolation and culture.
[0003] Currently, the fecal sampling tubes commonly used in clinical and research fields mainly consist of a sampling spoon and a sealed container, lacking measures to actively create a low-oxygen or anaerobic environment. While existing technologies recognize the importance of anaerobic protection, they typically rely on external equipment (such as anaerobic incubators and ventilation devices) for post-processing after the sample arrives at the laboratory, failing to address oxygen exposure during transport from the sampling point to the laboratory. This delayed processing method leads to an irreversible decline in sample quality within hours of collection, resulting in a persistently high failure rate in experiments involving anaerobic bacteria, severely limiting the accuracy and reproducibility of gut microbiota research. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The present invention provides a fecal sample collection and preservation device to solve the problems existing in the prior art.
[0005] The technical solutions adopted in this invention are as follows:
[0006] A fecal sample collection and preservation device, comprising:
[0007] The shell has an internal cavity for receiving the contents;
[0008] A sampling body is provided with a sampling spoon groove and a gas storage cavity. The sampling body is connected to the shell and seals the receiving cavity. The sampling spoon groove is placed inside the receiving cavity.
[0009] An airbag is located inside the air storage cavity and is pre-filled with anaerobic gas;
[0010] The operating part cooperates with the sampling body and seals the gas storage chamber. The operating part moves relative to the sampling body and acts on the airbag to destroy it.
[0011] The one-way ventilation structure is configured to allow anaerobic gas released by the airbag to flow unidirectionally into the containment cavity and to allow gas to flow unidirectionally out of the containment cavity to the atmosphere.
[0012] Furthermore, the sampling body includes an integrally formed mounting part and a sampling part, with a gas storage chamber disposed on the mounting part, and a groove is cut into the cylindrical surface of the sampling part to form the sampling spoon groove.
[0013] Furthermore, the mounting portion is transparent.
[0014] Furthermore, an air passage is provided along the axial direction of the sampling body, and a first one-way valve is provided at the air inlet of the air passage to allow the gas in the gas storage chamber to flow unidirectionally to the receiving chamber, and the exhaust port of the air passage is located on the outer wall of the sampling part.
[0015] Furthermore, the air storage chamber has a stepped hole structure, with the airbag placed on the stepped surface of the air storage chamber, and a conical spike is provided at the bottom of the air storage chamber.
[0016] Furthermore, the operating part is threadedly connected to the sampling body, and the operating part rotates relative to the sampling body and acts on the airbag to destroy it.
[0017] Furthermore, the inner wall of the gas storage cavity has several limiting protrusions of equal height evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, and the rotating operating part crushes the limiting protrusions.
[0018] Furthermore, the housing is provided with an air outlet, and a second one-way valve is provided at the air outlet to allow the gas inside the housing to flow unidirectionally to the atmosphere.
[0019] Furthermore, the housing is provided with a first shielding part, and the first shielding part is spaced apart on one side of the air outlet. After the sampler is assembled with the housing, the upper end surface of the first shielding part is higher than the sampling spoon groove.
[0020] Furthermore, the housing is provided with a second shielding part. After the sample body is assembled with the housing, the second shielding part is placed on one side of the slot of the sampling spoon.
[0021] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0022] (1) No external anaerobic equipment is required. Through the pre-filled airbag and one-way ventilation structure, the air in the containment cavity can be replaced on-site after sampling, which solves the problem of oxygen exposure during the transport of anaerobic bacteria from the root.
[0023] (2) The stepped hole structure of the gas storage chamber is matched with the cone-shaped part. In the non-operation state, the air bag and the cone-shaped part are kept apart to avoid accidental gas leakage. During operation, the air bag is squeezed by the thread transmission of the operating part to ensure that the first one-way valve prevents the gas in the storage chamber from flowing back and the second one-way valve blocks the backflow of external air, forming a closed-loop airflow control to maintain the stability of the anaerobic environment throughout the transfer process. Attached Figure Description
[0024] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 4 This is a top view of the sample.
[0028] 1. Housing; 11. First shielding part; 12. Second shielding part;
[0029] 2. Sampling body; 21. Sampling spoon groove; 22. Gas storage chamber; 23. Air passage; 221. Limiting protrusion;
[0030] 3. Airbag; 41. First one-way valve; 42. Second one-way valve; 5. Operating part; 6. Spike part. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0032] like Figures 1 to 3 The present invention provides a fecal sample collection and preservation device, comprising a shell 1, a sampling body 2, an air bladder 3, an operating part 5, and a one-way ventilation structure.
[0033] The shell 1 is a hollow structure, with a sealed cavity inside to hold the fecal sample, serving as the supporting base for the entire device. The sampling body 2 is detachably and sealed to the shell 1, with one end extending into the cavity and equipped with a sampling spoon groove 21 (for collecting samples), and the other end having an air storage cavity 22 (for placing the airbag 3).
[0034] The airbag 3 is pre-filled with anaerobic gas. In this embodiment, anaerobic gas composed of 95% nitrogen and 5% carbon dioxide is used and placed in the gas storage chamber 22 to provide a gas source for the construction of the anaerobic environment. The operating unit 5 cooperates with the sampling body 2 and seals the gas storage chamber 22. The movement of the airbag 3 relative to the sampling body 2 breaks the airbag 3, triggering the release of anaerobic gas.
[0035] The one-way ventilation structure includes a first one-way valve 41 and a second one-way valve 42, which respectively control the anaerobic gas to flow into the containment chamber in one direction and the air in the containment chamber to be discharged to the atmosphere in one direction, forming a directional airflow channel.
[0036] To achieve safe pre-storage and controlled release of the airbag 3, the gas storage chamber 22 is designed with a stepped hole structure: the stepped surface inside the hole supports the airbag 3, and the bottom of the chamber has an integrally formed conical piercing part 6 forming a recessed space (or the conical piercing part 6 is designed separately and threadedly connected to the bottom of the chamber). In the non-operating state, the airbag 3 only contacts the stepped surface and maintains a preset distance from the conical piercing part 6, effectively preventing premature gas leakage caused by the airbag 3 accidentally contacting the conical piercing part 6 during transportation or assembly. When the operating part 5 moves towards the gas storage chamber 22, the airbag 3 is compressed and moves down along the inner wall of the stepped hole, eventually contacting and being punctured by the conical piercing part 6, ensuring accurate release of anaerobic gas when needed.
[0037] The operating part 5 is threadedly connected to the sampling body 2. This structure combines smooth transmission and sealing performance: when the operating part 5 is rotated, it can move smoothly along the axial direction of the sampling body 2, applying uniform pressure to the air bladder 3, avoiding uneven force and irregular rupture of the air bladder 3 due to pressure deviation (which would affect the gas release efficiency); at the same time, the threaded connection can effectively seal the gas storage chamber 22, preventing air from entering or anaerobic gas from leaking when not in use. The threaded connection has a self-locking function, preventing damage to the air bladder 3 caused by pressing.
[0038] To improve ease of operation, the upper surface of the operating part 5 is integrally formed with a knob part with anti-slip texture, and the outer wall of the sampling body 2 mounting part is also provided with anti-slip texture. Both can increase the friction between the hand and the parts, avoid slipping when the hands are wet or when wearing gloves, and ensure operational stability.
[0039] like Figure 4 In addition, several equal-height limiting protrusions 221 are evenly distributed on the inner wall of the air storage chamber 22 in the circumferential direction. Only after the operating part 5 is rotated forcefully and the limiting protrusions are squeezed and destroyed can the air bag 3 be squeezed, further ensuring that the air bag 3 is destroyed in advance when the product is not used or transported.
[0040] The sampling body 2 has an axially penetrating air passage 23. Its air inlet (near the end of the gas storage chamber 22) is equipped with a first one-way valve 41, and its exhaust port is located on the outer wall of the sampling section of the sampling body 2. The first one-way valve 41 strictly restricts gas flow only from the gas storage chamber 22 to the receiving chamber, preventing gas in the receiving chamber from flowing back into the gas storage chamber 22. The exhaust port, located on the outer wall of the sampling section, allows anaerobic gas to diffuse from near the sample into the receiving chamber, ensuring uniform gas distribution and eliminating residual air in the corners of the receiving chamber.
[0041] An air outlet is provided on the side wall of the shell 1 corresponding to the location of the receiving cavity. A second one-way valve 42 is installed at the air outlet, which only allows the air in the receiving cavity to be discharged to the atmosphere in one direction, effectively preventing the backflow of outside air. It forms a "intake and exhaust" directional airflow closed loop with the first one-way valve 41 to ensure the stability of the anaerobic environment after it is constructed.
[0042] The sampling body 2 is made using an integrated molding process, including an installation part (with a gas storage chamber 22) and a sampling part (with a sampling spoon groove 21). The integrated structure eliminates the gaps between the splicing of multiple parts, greatly improves the overall sealing performance, and avoids the failure of the anaerobic environment due to air leakage at the splicing points. At the same time, the installation part is made transparent, so that the integrity of the airbag 3 and the gas release can be directly observed, which makes it easier for operators to confirm the operation effect and reduce the probability of misoperation.
[0043] The sampling part is cylindrical, and its cylindrical surface is directly grooved to form the sampling spoon groove 21, without any "eccentric" structure protruding from the cylindrical surface. This design can avoid interference and collision between the sampling spoon groove 21 and the second shielding part 12 inside the housing when the sampling body 2 is assembled with the housing 1, which not only ensures smooth assembly, but also reduces component wear and extends the service life of the device.
[0044] The housing 1 has an integrally formed first shielding part 11 and a second shielding part 12 inside, which provide protection for the core issues during the transportation process:
[0045] The first shielding part 11 is spaced apart on one side of the air outlet. After the sample body 2 is assembled with the housing 1, the upper end face of the first shielding part 11 is higher than the sampling spoon groove 21. This height difference can prevent fecal samples (especially paste samples) from approaching the air outlet due to vibration or tilting, avoid the sample blocking the air outlet and causing poor exhaust, and ensure the smooth exhaust during gas replacement and transportation.
[0046] The second shielding part 12 is located on one side of the sampling spoon slot 21 after the sampling body 2 is assembled: it can limit the sample in the sampling spoon slot 21, prevent the sample from shifting or falling off due to bumps or flipping during transportation, and ensure that the sample is still stably retained in the sampling spoon slot 21 after arriving at the laboratory, thereby improving the convenience and accuracy of sample retrieval.
[0047] The usage process of this invention is as follows:
[0048] Place the pre-filled nitrogen-filled airbag 3 stably on the stepped surface of the gas storage chamber 22, ensuring that the airbag 3 and the cone-shaped part 6 are spaced apart; connect the operating part 5 to the sampling body 2 by thread, so that the operating part 5 does not exert pressure on the airbag 3 under the action of the limiting protrusion 221; finally, seal the sampling body 2 to the housing 1 to complete the overall assembly. At this time, the first shielding part 11 and the second shielding part 12 are both in the preset protective position.
[0049] Separate the sampler 2 from the shell 1, hold the sampler 2 mounting part (anti-slip texture for leverage), and collect an appropriate amount of fecal sample through the sampling spoon groove 21.
[0050] The sampling body 2 is resealed and connected to the housing 1; the knob of the operating part 5 is rotated, and the operating part 5 moves along the thread axis, squeezing the air bag 3 so that it contacts the cone 6 and breaks; the anaerobic gas enters the receiving cavity through the air passage 23 and the first one-way valve 41, and the air in the receiving cavity is discharged through the second one-way valve 42 until the anaerobic gas fills the receiving cavity.
[0051] During transport, the second shielding part 12 blocks the sample to keep it in the sampling spoon slot 21 as much as possible. After arriving at the laboratory, the sample body 2 is separated from the shell 1, and the sample is taken directly from the sampling spoon slot 21 for subsequent testing.
[0052] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A fecal sample collection preserver, characterized by: The utility model relates to a sampling device for anaerobic bacteria, comprising: a shell (1) internally forming a containing cavity; a sampling body (2) provided with a sampling spoon groove (21) and a gas storage cavity (22), the sampling body (2) being connected with the shell (1) and sealing the containing cavity, the sampling spoon groove (21) being arranged in the containing cavity; a gas bag (3) arranged in the gas storage cavity (22) and pre-filled with anaerobic gas; an operation part (5) cooperating with the sampling body (2) and sealing the gas storage cavity (22), the operation part (5) moving relative to the sampling body (2) and acting on the gas bag (3) to break it; a one-way ventilation structure configured to allow the anaerobic gas released by the gas bag (3) to flow into the containing cavity in a one-way manner and allow the gas to be discharged from the containing cavity to the atmosphere in a one-way manner.
2. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 1, wherein: The sampling body (2) comprises an integral mounting part and a sampling part, the gas storage cavity (22) being arranged on the mounting part, and the sampling spoon groove (21) being formed by grooving a cylindrical surface of the sampling part.
3. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 2, wherein: The mounting part is transparent.
4. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 2, wherein: An air channel (23) is arranged in the axial direction of the sampling body (2), a first one-way valve (41) is arranged at the air inlet of the air channel (23) to allow the gas in the gas storage cavity (22) to flow to the containing cavity in a one-way manner, and the air outlet of the air channel (23) is arranged on the outer wall of the sampling part.
5. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 1, wherein: The gas storage cavity (22) has a stepped hole structure, the gas bag (3) is arranged on the stepped surface of the gas storage cavity (22), and a conical spike part (6) is arranged at the bottom of the cavity of the gas storage cavity (22).
6. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 1 or 5, wherein: The operation part (5) is threadedly connected with the sampling body (2), the operation part (5) rotates relative to the sampling body (2) and acts on the gas bag (3) to break it.
7. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 6, wherein: The inner wall of the gas storage cavity (22) is uniformly provided with a plurality of limit protrusions (221) arranged at the same height in the circumferential direction, and the limit protrusions (221) are pressed and broken by rotating the operation part (5).
8. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 1, wherein: An air outlet is arranged on the shell (1), a second one-way valve (42) is arranged at the air outlet to allow the gas in the shell to flow to the atmosphere in a one-way manner.
9. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 8, wherein: A first shielding part (11) is arranged in the shell (1) and spaced apart from one side of the air outlet, and the upper end surface of the first shielding part (11) is higher than the sampling spoon groove (21) after the sampling body (2) is assembled with the shell (1).
10. The fecal sample collection preserver of claim 1, wherein: A second shielding part (12) is arranged in the shell (1), and the second shielding part (12) is arranged at one side of the slot opening of the sampling spoon groove (21) after the sampling body (2) is assembled with the shell (1).