Automatic sorting tissue bottle for pathological tissues

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of medical instruments, and discloses an automatic pathological tissue sorting bottle which comprises a tissue bottle lower cover, a supporting step is installed in the tissue bottle lower cover, a limiting notch is formed in the supporting step, a permeation net lower cover is placed on the supporting step through the limiting notch, and the permeation net lower cover is provided with a permeation net. The tissue bottle lower cover is fixedly provided with a tissue bottle upper cover, the tissue bottle upper cover is engraved with a two-dimensional code identifier, the two-dimensional code is engraved on the upper cover, formalin corrosion resistance and friction resistance are achieved, automatic code scanning and reading can be achieved, manual checking is replaced, and the tissue bottle upper cover is provided with the tissue bottle upper cover. Diagnosis errors caused by information mismatching are avoided; the lower cover is in threaded connection with the upper cover, friction threads are arranged on the outer side, and manual / mechanical arm quick unscrewing is facilitated; the ear plate of the upper cover of the permeation net is clamped with the clamping groove of the upper cover of the tissue bottle without manual alignment; the scraping rack in the permeation net assists in stripping tissues and replaces tweezers for clamping, so that sample overstock of medical institutions is relieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of medical device technology, specifically relating to an automatic sorting tissue bottle for pathological tissues, and more specifically, to a tissue bottle for fixing and transporting pathological tissue samples and for cooperating with an automated sorting system to achieve automatic identification of sample information and automatic transfer of tissues. Background Technology

[0002] In the clinical pathology examination process, tissue samples obtained from endoscopic biopsies must first be fixed in formalin before being transported to the pathology department for sample identification and embedding cassette transfer. This process is a crucial step in the pre-diagnosis treatment. Currently, the industry generally adopts a traditional, manually-led sample processing model, with the following specific procedure: Endoscopically collected tissue samples are placed in glass or plastic preservation bottles pre-filled with filter paper. A paper label is affixed to the bottle to record key data such as patient information, sample type, and collection time. The preservation bottle is then transported to the pathology department. Upon receiving the sample, pathology technicians manually open the bottle cap, visually verify the label information against the submission form, and then use tweezers to remove the filter paper and tissue sample from the bottle, transferring them to the pathology embedding cassette to complete the sample handover and pre-processing.

[0003] However, the aforementioned traditional processing methods and associated preservation bottle structures have significant technical defects, which have become key bottlenecks restricting the efficiency and quality of pathological sample processing. These defects are specifically manifested in the following four aspects: Poor accuracy of information identification: Sample information relies on paper labels, which are prone to blurring and fading due to formalin evaporation, friction during transportation, or environmental humidity. Furthermore, manual verification is prone to errors due to visual fatigue and information duplication, leading to mismatch between sample information and patients, directly affecting the accuracy of pathological diagnosis, and even causing medical errors.

[0004] Low operational efficiency: The entire sample transfer process relies entirely on manual operation, including multiple steps such as opening the bottle, checking, picking up, and transferring. Processing a single sample takes a long time. In medical institutions with a large number of samples, backlog of processing queues is likely to occur, prolonging the pathological diagnosis cycle and hindering the rapid development of clinical treatment plans.

[0005] High risk of cross-contamination: When opening bottles manually, the volatile gases from the formaldehyde inside can pose a health risk to operators; if samples are not thoroughly cleaned during the handling of samples with tweezers, cross-contamination between samples from different patients can easily occur; at the same time, the samples are exposed to the air for a long time during manual operation, which increases the probability of sample contamination and affects the reliability of pathological test results. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the problems raised in the background art above, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues includes a lower cover, a support step installed inside the lower cover, a limiting notch on the support step, a permeation mesh lower cover placed on the support step through the limiting notch, a permeation mesh upper cover matched with the permeation mesh lower cover, a scraping toothed rack installed inside the permeation mesh lower cover, and a tissue bottle upper cover fixedly installed on the lower cover, the upper cover of which is engraved with a QR code.

[0008] Furthermore, the lower cap of the tissue vial has a cross-shaped cross section. This structure allows the lower cap of the tissue vial to be placed horizontally, while its outer protrusions can be hung or clamped, making it compatible with automated equipment for use.

[0009] Furthermore, the upper end of the lower cap of the tissue bottle is provided with an external thread, and the upper cap of the tissue bottle is installed on the lower cap of the tissue bottle through the external thread. The threaded connection structure ensures the connection strength between the upper cap and the lower cap of the tissue bottle, and at the same time ensures the sealing performance after the connection is completed.

[0010] Furthermore, the supporting step is integrally formed on the inner bottom periphery of the lower cover of the tissue bottle, and a reinforcing rib is integrally formed between the supporting step and the lower cover of the tissue bottle to ensure the strength and stability of the support.

[0011] Furthermore, the permeation mesh cover is symmetrically provided with ear plates, and the tissue bottle cap is provided with a slot block inside that matches the size of the ear plates. The ear plates can be engaged with the slot block, so that the permeation mesh cover can move together with the tissue bottle cap, and thus the permeation mesh cover can be opened together when the tissue bottle cap is removed.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer sides of both the lower and upper caps of the tissue vial are integrally formed with friction textures, which enhances friction, making it easy to twist while also enabling it to be gripped by automated gripping equipment for anti-slip gripping.

[0013] Further specifying that after the upper cover of the tissue bottle is fully installed on the lower cover of the tissue bottle, the inner top of the upper cover of the tissue bottle abuts against the lower cover of the permeation mesh in a snap-fit ​​manner, and after the upper cover of the tissue bottle is closed on the lower cover of the tissue bottle, the force of the abutment can prevent the lower cover of the permeation mesh from shifting.

[0014] Furthermore, the scraping toothed bar is a convex shape with serrations on both sides. The serrations on both sides allow the scraping direction to be considered, while the upward protrusion of the convex ridges can better cause the endoscopic tissue to droop to both sides and spread out on the scraping toothed bar under its own weight.

[0015] Furthermore, the aperture size of the permeation holes in the lower cover of the permeation mesh and the upper cover of the permeation mesh is three to five millimeters, which can allow the formalin solution to pass through well while effectively preventing the passage of impurities.

[0016] Furthermore, both the lower and upper caps of the tissue vial are made of opaque material, and the darker environment is conducive to the long-term storage of endoscopic tissues.

[0017] The beneficial effects of using the present invention are as follows: The upper cover of this structure is engraved with a QR code, which is resistant to formaldehyde corrosion and abrasion. It can be automatically scanned and read, replacing manual verification and avoiding diagnostic errors caused by information mismatch.

[0018] The threaded connection between the lower and upper caps and the outer friction texture of this structure facilitates quick unscrewing by manual or robotic arms; while the ear plate of the permeation net cap snaps into the slot of the tissue bottle cap, eliminating the need for manual alignment. In this structure, the scraping teeth inside the permeation mesh assist in the dissection of tissue, replacing tweezers for picking up samples, reducing the processing time for a single sample, and alleviating the backlog of samples in medical institutions.

[0019] In this structure, the threaded connection and the interlocking of the permeation mesh reduce formalin leakage, lower the risk of contamination, and protect operators. Furthermore, the sample remains within the closed space of the permeation mesh throughout the process, eliminating the need for tweezers and reducing cross-contamination of tools. The quick-release design of the permeation mesh also shortens the sample exposure time, and the 3-5mm permeation holes ensure both fixation and leak prevention, guaranteeing sample quality.

[0020] The cross-shaped section of the lower cover in this structure facilitates positioning and gripping by robotic arms. The QR code interface connects to the automatic code reading module, and the ear plate slots and threaded structure are compatible with automatic bottle opening / transfer equipment. It can be integrated into laboratory automation processes to achieve large-scale operations and is thus compatible with automated production lines. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The present invention can be further illustrated by the non-limiting embodiments given in the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of an automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of an embodiment of an automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the component layout of an embodiment of an automatic tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to the present invention. The symbols for the main components are explained below: 1. Lower cap of tissue vial; 2. Support step; 3. Limiting notch; 4. Lower cap of permeation mesh; 5. Upper cap of permeation mesh; 6. Scraping rack; 7. Upper cap of tissue vial; 71. QR code label; 8. External thread; 9. Reinforcing rib plate; 10. Ear plate; 11. Slot block. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] like Figures 1-3 As shown, an automatic tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to the present invention includes a lower cover 1, a support step 2 installed inside the lower cover 1, a limiting notch 3 provided on the support step 2, a permeation mesh lower cover 4 placed on the support step 2 through the limiting notch 3, a permeation mesh upper cover 5 matchedly installed on the permeation mesh lower cover 4, a scraping toothed rack 6 installed inside the permeation mesh lower cover 4, and a tissue bottle upper cover 7 fixedly installed on the lower cover 1, the tissue bottle upper cover 7 being engraved with a QR code mark 71.

[0024] In this implementation case, when using an automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues, firstly, after collecting endoscopic pathological tissue samples clinically, the lower cover 4 of the permeation mesh is precisely placed on the support step 2 through the limiting notch 3 on the internal support step 2 of the tissue bottle lower cover 1. The limiting notch 3 can form a circumferential limit on the lower cover 4 of the permeation mesh, preventing it from rotating or shifting during subsequent operations and transportation. Next, the collected pathological tissue sample is placed into the lower cover 4 of the permeation mesh, and formalin is poured into the lower cover 1 of the tissue bottle. Then, the upper cover 5 of the permeation mesh is matched and installed with the lower cover 4 of the permeation mesh, so that the sample is sealed in the mesh space formed by the two. This mesh structure can ensure that the added formalin fixative can fully penetrate into the sample for effective fixation, while preventing the sample from leaking out. Afterwards, the upper cover 7 of the tissue bottle is fixedly installed on the lower cover 1 of the tissue bottle, completing the sealing assembly of the entire tissue bottle. Before assembly, key data such as patient information, sample type, and collection time need to be pre-entered into the QR code label 71 on the upper cover 7 of the tissue bottle, replacing the traditional easily contaminated and easily blurred paper label. This design facilitates quick and accurate information reading by staff or automated equipment during transport by scanning QR codes, avoiding errors from manual verification. During transport, the supporting steps 2 inside the tissue bottle cap 1 continuously provide stable support for the permeation mesh cap 4, and together with the positioning function of the limiting notch 3, ensure that the permeation mesh assembly and the internal sample remain stable at all times. When transporting samples to the pathology department for transfer, after opening the tissue bottle cap 7, the entire assembly consisting of the permeation mesh cap 4 and the permeation mesh cap 5 can be directly removed without manual contact with the sample. Furthermore, the scraping toothed strip 6 installed inside the permeation mesh cap 4 assists in scraping and peeling off sample tissue adhering to the inner wall of the permeation mesh when the sample is removed from the permeation mesh assembly, through the contact between the sample's own gravity and the toothed strip, avoiding waste or cross-contamination caused by sample residue. Through the coordinated cooperation of various structures, the entire process of sample collection, fixation, transport and transfer achieves precise positioning, reliable information identification, convenient operation and low pollution, while also laying a structural foundation for subsequent adaptation to automated sorting equipment.

[0025] The preferred tissue bottle cap has a cross-shaped cross section.

[0026] In this implementation case, the overall cross-section of the tissue vial cap 1 is cross-shaped. That is, after being cut radially from the tissue vial cap 1, its cross-sectional outline is cross-shaped, with an outer ring-shaped convex ridge structure. On the one hand, the cross-shaped overall cross-section allows the tissue vial cap 1 to have a more stable support surface at the bottom when placed horizontally, preventing the vial from tipping over due to a shift in the center of gravity, and ensuring the safety of the internal samples and formalin fixative during transportation. On the other hand, the symmetrical convex ridges on the outer side can serve as hanging fulcrums, making it easy to hang the tissue vial on the hooks of sorting racks, transport racks, and other equipment in the laboratory, saving storage space. At the same time, the cross-shaped cross-section structure provides a clear gripping and positioning point for automated equipment such as robotic arms. The robotic arm can accurately grip and move the tissue vial cap 1 by clamping the outer convex ridges, avoiding slippage or positioning deviation during gripping, further improving its adaptability to automated sorting lines. In addition, the cross-shaped cross-section can also enhance the overall structural strength of the tissue vial cap 1, reduce the deformation of the vial due to collisions during transportation, and extend its service life.

[0027] Preferably, the upper end of the tissue bottle lower cover 1 is provided with an external thread 8, and the tissue bottle upper cover 7 is installed on the tissue bottle lower cover 1 through the external thread 8.

[0028] In this implementation case, an external thread 8 is machined on the upper outer peripheral wall of the tissue bottle lower cap 1 using a turning process. The pitch of the external thread 8 is controlled between 1.5 and 2 mm. At the same time, an internal thread matching the specification of the external thread 8 is machined on the inner wall of the tissue bottle upper cap 7. During assembly, the internal thread of the tissue bottle upper cap 7 is aligned with the external thread 8 of the lower cap, and the upper cap is rotated clockwise until it is tightened to ensure a tight thread engagement. Compared with the snap-fit ​​connection, the threaded connection structure has higher connection strength and can withstand slight impacts during transportation without easily falling off. At the same time, the thread engagement can form an effective seal to prevent formalin fixative from leaking from the connection between the upper and lower caps, avoiding health risks to operators and preventing external impurities from entering the bottle and contaminating the sample.

[0029] Preferably, the support step 2 is integrally formed on the inner bottom periphery of the tissue bottle lower cover 1, and a reinforcing rib 9 is integrally formed between the support step 2 and the tissue bottle lower cover 1.

[0030] In this implementation case, an injection molding process is used to directly form the supporting step 2 and the inner bottom periphery of the tissue bottle cap 1 into an integral structure. The width and height of the supporting step 2 are determined according to the requirements. At the same time, 4 to 6 reinforcing ribs 9 are evenly distributed circumferentially between the lower surface of the supporting step 2 and the inner bottom wall of the tissue bottle cap 1. The thickness of the ribs matches the thickness of the supporting step, and the height matches the height of the supporting step 2. The ribs, the supporting step 2, and the inner bottom wall of the cap are all integrally formed. The integrally formed structure avoids the connection gap between the supporting step 2 and the cap, reducing the risk of contamination. At the same time, the reinforcing ribs 9 can distribute the pressure on the supporting step 2 and improve its resistance to deformation. Even if the total weight of the permeation mesh assembly and the sample is large, the support can be stable, preventing the supporting step 2 from breaking or tilting, and ensuring that the sample remains stable during transportation.

[0031] The preferred permeation net cover 5 is symmetrically provided with ear plates 10, and the tissue bottle cover 7 is provided with a slot block 11 that matches the size and specifications of the ear plates 10, so that the ear plates 10 can be snapped into the slot block 11.

[0032] In this implementation, two ear plates 10 are symmetrically machined on the outer periphery of the permeation mesh cover 5. The ear plates 10 are rectangular sheet structures, and their thickness and length are determined according to requirements. At the same time, two slot blocks 11 are welded or injection molded on the inner top wall of the tissue bottle cover 7, corresponding to the positions of the ear plates 10. The slot blocks 11 have grooves inside that match the size of the ear plates 10. During assembly, the ear plates 10 of the permeation mesh cover 5 are aligned with the grooves of the slot blocks 11 and snapped in, so that the two form a detachable snap-fit ​​engagement. This structure realizes the linkage between the permeation mesh cover 5 and the tissue bottle cover 7. When the operator or automated equipment unscrews the tissue bottle cover 7, the permeation mesh cover 5 will move up and detach from the permeation mesh lower cover 4, eliminating the need to manually open the permeation mesh cover 5 separately. This simplifies the sample retrieval operation, improves work efficiency, and avoids sample contamination that may occur when opening it separately.

[0033] The outer sides of both the lower cap 1 and the upper cap 7 of the tissue vial are integrally formed with friction texture.

[0034] In this implementation case, annular friction textures are integrally formed on the outer periphery of the middle part of the lower cap 1 and the outer periphery of the top of the upper cap 7 using a rolling process. The depth and spacing of the friction textures are determined according to the situation, and the textures are evenly distributed vertically, covering the easy-to-grip areas of the lower and upper caps. The friction textures can significantly increase the friction between the hand and the bottle, preventing the operator from slipping when manually unscrewing or tightening the caps, thus improving the convenience of operation. At the same time, when the automated gripping equipment comes into contact with the friction textures, the textures can also enhance the stability of the gripping, preventing the bottle from falling off during gripping and transportation, thus meeting the needs of automated operation.

[0035] After the tissue bottle cap 7 is fully installed on the tissue bottle cap 1, the inner top of the tissue bottle cap 7 abuts against the permeation mesh cap 5 and is fully matched and installed on the permeation mesh cap 4 in a snap-fit ​​manner.

[0036] In this implementation case, when designing the internal height of the tissue vial cap 7, it is ensured that after tightening, the inner top of the cap can make close contact with the upper surface of the permeation mesh cap 5, and the contact pressure is controlled at 0.2-0.3 MPa. This allows the permeation mesh cap 5 to form a tight fastening fit with the permeation mesh lower cap 4 under pressure, with a gap of less than 0.1 mm at the fastening point. The resistance force of the inner top of the cap can axially limit the permeation mesh cap 5, preventing the permeation mesh cap 5 from shifting or falling off due to vibration during the transport of the tissue vial. This ensures the sealing of the permeation mesh assembly, avoids sample leakage or formalin volatilization, and eliminates the need for additional locking structures, simplifying the overall design and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0037] The preferred scraping toothed rack 6 has a convex shape with serrated edges on both sides.

[0038] In this implementation case, a scraping toothed strip 6 is made of food-grade PP material and is fixed to the center of the inner bottom wall of the permeation mesh cover 4 by injection molding. The cross-section of the scraping toothed strip 6 is an isosceles triangle, and the height of the convex edge does not exceed that of the permeation mesh cover 4. Serrations are machined on both sides of the convex edge, with a tooth pitch of 2-3 mm and a tooth depth of 1-1.5 mm. The edges of the serrations are rounded. The serrated design on both sides allows operators or automated equipment to effectively peel off the sample attached to the inner wall of the permeation mesh when scraping the tissue, regardless of the direction from which the tissue is scraped, without the need to deliberately adjust the scraping direction, thus improving operational flexibility. The upward protrusion of the convex edge allows the inserted endoscopic tissue to hang down to both sides and spread out on the scraping toothed strip 6 under its own gravity, avoiding incomplete scraping caused by tissue accumulation, reducing sample residue, and lowering the risk of cross-contamination.

[0039] The preferred permeation holes of the permeation mesh lower cover 4 and the permeation mesh upper cover 5 are three to five millimeters in diameter.

[0040] In this implementation case, both the lower cover 4 and the upper cover 5 of the permeation mesh are made of 304 stainless steel. Circular permeation holes are processed on the mesh surface of both using laser drilling technology. The diameter of the permeation holes is strictly controlled to be 3-5 mm, the hole spacing is 4-5 mm, and the hole distribution density is 8-10 holes per square centimeter, ensuring that the opening rate of the mesh surface reaches more than 50%. The 3-5 mm hole diameter can ensure that the formalin fixative can quickly penetrate into the sample to achieve sufficient sample fixation, while effectively preventing impurities from the external environment from entering the permeation mesh and contaminating the sample. At the same time, it can prevent the sample from leaking out due to excessively large pore size, thus balancing fixation efficiency and sample protection requirements. The stainless steel material also facilitates subsequent cleaning and disinfection, and can be reused, reducing usage costs.

[0041] The lower cap 1 and the upper cap 7 of the tissue vial are preferably made of non-transparent material.

[0042] In this implementation case, both the lower cap 1 and the upper cap 7 of the tissue vial are made of black or dark gray high-density polyethylene non-transparent material, molded by injection molding. The wall thickness of the vial is controlled at 2-3 mm to ensure that the material has good resistance to formalin corrosion and impact resistance. The non-transparent material can effectively block external light, especially ultraviolet and visible light, from entering the vial. Light can accelerate the oxidation and deterioration of endoscopic tissues and affect sample quality. Therefore, the darker internal environment can extend the preservation time of the sample and ensure that the sample maintains good morphology and biochemical characteristics during transportation and storage, providing an accurate sample basis for subsequent pathological testing. At the same time, the material has strong corrosion resistance and can be in contact with formalin for a long time without aging or deformation, thus extending the service life of the vial.

[0043] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues, characterized in that: The device includes a tissue vial bottom cover (1), a support step (2) installed inside the tissue vial bottom cover (1), a limiting notch (3) provided on the support step (2), a permeation mesh bottom cover (4) placed on the support step (2) through the limiting notch (3), a permeation mesh top cover (5) matched and installed on the permeation mesh bottom cover (4), a scraping toothed rack (6) installed inside the permeation mesh bottom cover (4), and a tissue vial top cover (7) fixedly installed on the tissue vial bottom cover (1), and a QR code mark (71) engraved on the tissue vial top cover (7).

2. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower cap (1) of the tissue bottle has a cross-shaped cross section.

3. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the tissue bottle lower cover (1) is provided with an external thread (8), and the tissue bottle upper cover (7) is installed on the tissue bottle lower cover (1) through the external thread (8).

4. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting step (2) is integrally formed on the inner bottom periphery of the tissue bottle lower cover (1), and a reinforcing rib (9) is integrally formed between the supporting step (2) and the tissue bottle lower cover (1).

5. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The permeation net cover (5) is symmetrically provided with ear plates (10), and the tissue bottle cover (7) is provided with a slot block (11) that matches the size of the ear plate (10). The ear plate (10) can be snapped into the slot block (11).

6. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer sides of both the lower cover (1) and the upper cover (7) of the tissue bottle are integrally formed with friction texture.

7. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the tissue bottle cap (7) is fully installed on the tissue bottle cap (1), the inner top of the tissue bottle cap (7) abuts against the permeation mesh cap (5) and is fully matched and installed on the permeation mesh cap (4) in a snap-fit ​​manner.

8. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scraping toothed bar (6) has a convex shape with serrations on both sides.

9. The automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: The permeation holes of the lower cover (4) and the upper cover (5) of the permeation mesh have a diameter of three to five millimeters.

10. An automated tissue sorting bottle for pathological tissues according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the lower cap (1) and the upper cap (7) of the tissue vial are made of non-transparent material.

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