Swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection

Abstract

The application discloses a swab collecting and transporting device for respiratory pathogen detection and relates to the technical field of medical devices.The device comprises a tube body and a tube cover, and the tube body is composed of an outer tube body, an inner container and a vacuum heat preservation layer; the inner container is provided with a U-shaped breaking gap at the container mouth, the gap is provided with a wedge-shaped cutting edge, and a limiting block provided with anti-skid serrations is arranged below; the container mouth is provided with a sealing flow blocking block and a rubber plug body, the plug body is provided with a medical hydrophilic liquid absorbing composite buffer layer at the bottom; and the outer tube body is provided with a real-time temperature display unit, which can adopt reversible heat-sensitive color-changing strips or waterproof miniature digital display modules.The wedge-shaped cutting edge and the limiting structure are used to realize accurate and labor-saving breaking of the swab, so that sample spatter and pollution are avoided; multi-stage sealing and liquid absorbing buffer layer double anti-overflowing can quickly absorb and inactivate leaked samples; vacuum heat preservation is combined with real-time temperature monitoring to guarantee the cold chain storage environment of the samples.The whole operation is convenient and safe, the device is suitable for clinical sampling processes, and the reliability of respiratory pathogen sample collection, preservation and transportation can be effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and more specifically, to a swab collection and transport device for detecting respiratory pathogens. Background Technology

[0002] Respiratory pathogen infections are common infectious diseases in clinical practice, including various pathogens such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS-CoV-2, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia. The core prerequisite for their detection is the successful collection, preservation, and transportation of qualified respiratory samples. Currently, the mainstream clinical practice involves swab sampling combined with virus sampling tubes and sample tube preservation devices to complete sample collection. However, existing sampling tubes and sample tube preservation devices have the following significant shortcomings in practical use:

[0003] First, the swab breaking operation is difficult and risky. After clinical sampling, medical staff need to insert the swab sampling end into the sampling tube and then forcefully break the swab rod at the tube opening. However, the tube opening edge is smooth, requiring considerable force to break, which can easily cause the swab rod to spring back and the sample to splash out, creating biosafety risks and occupational exposure for medical staff. At the same time, it is difficult to precisely control the breaking position, often resulting in the effective length of the swab being too long to be completely submerged in the preservation solution, or too short to fall to the bottom of the tube and be difficult to retrieve, directly affecting the validity of the sample. In addition, during the tube opening breaking operation, the hands are likely to come into contact with the tube opening, causing sample contamination. Second, the ability to prevent sample spillage is insufficient. During transportation and transfer, the tube cap is prone to loosening due to vibration and bumps, causing the sample preservation solution and pathogen samples to spill out. Current technology only reduces the probability of leakage by optimizing the tube cap sealing structure, but cannot solve the problem of spillage after the seal fails. Spilled samples not only lead to sample invalidation, but also cause environmental biological pollution and cross-infection risks, especially for highly infectious respiratory pathogens, posing a great safety hazard. Third, the ability to monitor sample temperature is lacking. The preservation and transportation of respiratory pathogen samples must strictly adhere to temperature requirements, typically requiring cold chain transportation at 2-8℃, with some special samples requiring frozen storage. Existing sampling tubes and their preservation devices lack temperature display functionality, often resulting in undetected temperature spikes, distorted test results, and sample spoilage.

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, there is an urgent need to develop a swab collection device for respiratory pathogen detection that combines easy breakage, spill prevention, and temperature monitoring functions, thereby comprehensively improving the safety and reliability of sample collection and transportation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a swab collection and transportation device for respiratory pathogen detection, which can achieve accurate, convenient and safe swab breaking, effectively avoiding sample spillage and contamination risks; it can quickly absorb and inactivate spilled samples immediately, eliminating biological contamination; it can display and trace the sample transportation and storage temperature in real time to ensure sample validity, and the overall structure is compatible with existing clinical sampling procedures, making it easy for industrial production and promotion.

[0006] The above-mentioned technical objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a swab collection and transportation device for respiratory pathogen detection, comprising a tube body and a tube cap, wherein the tube body comprises an outer tube body and an inner liner fixedly connected, and a heat-insulating vacuum layer is provided between the outer tube body and the inner liner; the top of the inner liner is provided with a tube opening, and the tube cap is detachably connected to the tube opening; the tube opening is provided with a U-shaped notch for swab breakage, the inner edge of the notch is provided with a wedge-shaped breakage edge, and a limiting block is provided opposite to the inner side of the tube opening below the notch, and the adjacent surfaces of the oppositely provided limiting blocks are provided with an anti-slip serrated structure; the surface of the outer tube body is provided with a temperature display unit for real-time monitoring and display of sample storage temperature.

[0007] The invention is further configured such that: the outer side of the pipe opening is provided with threads, and the pipe cover is threadedly connected to the pipe opening; a matching flow-blocking block is provided at the notch, and the flow-blocking block is sealed and engaged with the pipe opening at the notch, and the flow-blocking block is provided with threads on its outer side that are adapted to the outer surface of the pipe opening.

[0008] The invention is further configured such that: the surface of the notch is provided with a U-shaped groove with a semi-circular cross-section, and the flow-blocking block is provided with a groove with a semi-circular cross-section that matches the groove.

[0009] The invention is further configured such that: the notch has a downwardly extending liquid collection groove at the lowest point of the slot, and the pipe opening is made of a transparent material.

[0010] The invention is further configured such that: two notches are provided, and the two notches are symmetrically distributed on the tube opening along the central axis of the tube body; the opening width of the U-shaped notch is 2.5mm-3.5mm, and the notch depth is 3mm-8mm; when the swab brush head contacts the bottom of the tube body, the break point of the swab rod is horizontally aligned with the notch position.

[0011] The present invention is further configured such that: the tube opening is provided with a sealed plug, the plug being made of rubber; the bottom of the plug is provided with a sample buffer layer, the sample buffer layer being made of medical-grade hydrophilic absorbent composite material, the hydrophilic absorbent composite material being any one or multiple composite structures of degreased cotton layer, polypropylene meltblown absorbent cotton layer, and superabsorbent fiber composite nonwoven fabric layer.

[0012] The present invention is further configured such that: each of the two notches is provided with a flow-blocking block, and the two flow-blocking blocks are symmetrically arranged on the side of the plug body and fixedly connected to the plug body.

[0013] The present invention is further configured such that: the temperature display unit includes a medical-grade reversible thermochromic color-changing strip adhered to the outer wall of the outer tube; the reversible thermochromic color-changing strip is provided with at least two color-changing segments with different temperature thresholds, and each color-changing segment is provided with a temperature mark and a color mark; the outer side of the reversible thermochromic color-changing strip is covered with a transparent waterproof protective film, the transparent waterproof protective film is sealed and bonded to the outer wall of the tube, and the light transmittance of the transparent waterproof protective film is not less than 70%.

[0014] The present invention is further configured such that: the temperature display unit includes a sealed and waterproof miniature temperature display module, the miniature temperature display module includes a miniature button battery, a temperature sensor electrically connected to the miniature button battery, and an LCD digital display screen electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the detection surface of the temperature sensor is tightly fitted to the outer wall of the inner liner, and the display accuracy of the LCD digital display screen is ±0.5℃.

[0015] The invention is further configured to include a base, the top of which is provided with a placement groove for placing the tube body, and the side of the outer tube body is provided with anti-slip texture.

[0016] In summary, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The U-shaped notch, combined with the wedge-shaped blade and the limiting block, enables precise and effortless breaking of the swab, prevents sample spillage and contamination, and improves operational safety;

[0017] 2. The baffle block, plug, and sample buffer layer form a three-level spill prevention system, which can absorb and inactivate leaked samples, completely eliminating the risk of biological contamination;

[0018] 3. Vacuum insulation combined with a dual-mode temperature display unit maintains a cold chain environment for a long time, provides real-time and intuitive temperature monitoring, and ensures sample validity;

[0019] 4. It has a simple structure, is easy to operate, adapts to existing sampling procedures, and its symmetrical design meets different usage habits, making it easy to scale up production and promote clinical use. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the swab collection and transportation device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the swab collection and transportation device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the inner liner in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4This is a cross-sectional view of the inner liner in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the flow-blocking block in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the swab collection and transportation device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a disassembled diagram of the swab collection and transportation device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0027] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Outer tube body; 3. Tube cap; 4. Inner liner; 5. Reversible thermosensitive color-changing indicator strip; 6. Anti-slip texture; 7. Tube opening; 8. Notch; 9. Baffle block; 10. Limiting block; 11. Slot; 12. Liquid collection tank; 13. Protrusion; 14. Miniature temperature display module; 15. Plug. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-7 The present invention will be described in further detail below.

[0029] Example 1: A swab collection and transport device for detecting respiratory pathogens, such as... Figures 1-5 As shown, the device includes a tube body and a tube cap 3. The tube body includes an outer tube body 2 and an inner liner 4 that are fixedly connected. A heat-insulating vacuum layer is provided between the outer tube body 2 and the inner liner 4. The top of the inner liner 4 is provided with a tube opening 7. The tube cap 3 is detachably connected to the tube opening 7. The tube opening 7 is provided with a U-shaped notch 8 for swab breakage. The inner edge of the notch 8 is provided with a wedge-shaped breakage edge. Below the notch 8, a limiting block 10 is provided opposite to the inner side of the tube opening 7. The adjacent surfaces of the opposite limiting blocks 10 are provided with an anti-slip serrated structure. The surface of the outer tube body 2 is provided with a temperature display unit for real-time monitoring and display of sample storage temperature.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solutions, the vacuum layer can achieve long-term temperature preservation of samples inside the inner liner 4, maintaining a cold chain storage environment of 2-8℃ and delaying the decay of pathogen activity; the U-shaped notch 8, combined with the wedge-shaped break edge, can reduce the force required to break the swab rod, achieving effortless breakage and avoiding swab rod rebound and sample splashing; the limiting block 10, combined with the anti-slip serrated structure, can position and clamp the swab rod, ensuring precise alignment of the break point, preventing the swab rod from sliding or shifting, ensuring that the swab brush head can be completely immersed in the preservation solution, and at the same time avoiding direct hand contact with the tube opening 7, reducing the risk of sample contamination; the temperature display unit can monitor and intuitively display the internal temperature of the inner liner 4 in real time, making it easy for medical staff to quickly judge the sample storage status and avoid sample failure due to abnormal temperature.

[0031] Further configuration: the outer side of the pipe opening 7 is provided with threads, and the pipe cover 3 is threadedly connected to the pipe opening 7; a matching flow-blocking block 9 is provided at the notch 8, and the flow-blocking block 9 is sealed and snapped into the pipe opening 7 at the notch 8, and the flow-blocking block 9 is provided with threads on its outer side that are compatible with the outer surface of the pipe opening 7.

[0032] The threaded connection can improve the sealing stability of the pipe cap 3 and the pipe opening 7, and reduce the probability of the pipe cap 3 loosening during transportation; the baffle block 9 can close the structure of the notch 8 to prevent the liquid in the pipe from overflowing from the notch 8. At the same time, the external thread of the baffle block 9 is connected to the external thread of the pipe opening 7 to ensure the integrity of the screw-on seal of the pipe cap 3 and further enhance the anti-spillage effect.

[0033] Further configuration: the surface of the notch 8 is provided with a U-shaped groove 11 with a semi-circular cross-section, and the baffle block 9 is provided with a protrusion 13 with a semi-circular cross-section that matches the groove 11. The semi-circular groove 11 and the protrusion 13 cooperate to achieve quick and precise engagement between the baffle block 9 and the notch 8, improving assembly efficiency, enhancing sealing fit, preventing liquid leakage from the engagement gap, and ensuring the sealing reliability of the notch 8.

[0034] Further configuration: The notch 8 has a downward-extending collection tank 12 at the lowest point of the slot 11, and the tube opening 7 is made of transparent material. The collection tank 12 can collect the liquid that leaks out during breakage or transportation, preventing the liquid from flowing along the outer wall of the tube opening 7 and causing contamination; the transparent tube opening 7 allows medical staff to easily observe the position of the swab rod, the breakage status, and the liquid accumulation in the collection tank 12, improving operational controllability and further determining whether there is any leakage of the preservation solution.

[0035] Further configuration: Two notches 8 are provided, symmetrically distributed along the central axis of the tube body on the tube opening 7. The opening width of the U-shaped notches 8 is 2.5mm-3.5mm, and the depth of the notches 8 is 3mm-8mm. This ensures that when the swab brush head contacts the bottom of the tube body, the break point of the swab rod is horizontally aligned with the notch 8. The symmetrical double notch 8 design can meet the needs of medical staff with different operating habits (left-handed or right-handed), improving the versatility of the device; the limited size range of the notches 8 can be adapted to the diameter of clinically standard swab rods, ensuring breakage adaptability; precise alignment of the break point ensures a reasonable effective swab length, ensuring that the brush head is fully immersed in the preservation solution while preventing the swab rod from falling to the bottom of the tube and being difficult to retrieve.

[0036] Further configuration: the tube opening 7 is provided with a sealed plug 15, the plug 15 is made of rubber material; the bottom of the plug 15 is provided with a sample buffer layer, the sample buffer layer is made of medical grade hydrophilic absorbent composite material, the hydrophilic absorbent composite material is any one or multiple composite structures of degreased cotton layer, polypropylene meltblown absorbent cotton layer, super absorbent fiber composite nonwoven fabric layer.

[0037] The rubber stopper 15 can further enhance the sealing performance of the tube opening 7 and reduce the evaporation and leakage of the preservation solution; the sample buffer layer has high hydrophilicity and strong liquid absorption capacity, which can quickly absorb the sample liquid that overflows after the seal fails, and at the same time physically adsorb and inactivate pathogens to prevent spillage and biological contamination. The multi-layer composite structure can improve the liquid absorption capacity and liquid locking effect and avoid secondary leakage.

[0038] Further configuration: each of the two notches 8 is equipped with a baffle block 9, and the two baffle blocks 9 are symmetrically arranged on the side of the plug body 15 and fixedly connected to the plug body 15. The baffle block 9 and the plug body 15 are integrated into a fixed structure, which simplifies the assembly process, avoids the loss of the baffle block 9, and ensures that the two notches 8 are sealed synchronously, thereby improving the overall sealing efficiency and structural stability.

[0039] Further configuration: The temperature display unit includes a medical-grade reversible thermochromic color-changing display strip 5 adhered to the outer wall of the outer tube 2. The reversible thermochromic color-changing display strip 5 has at least two color-changing segments with different temperature thresholds, each segment corresponding to a temperature and color indicator. The outer side of the reversible thermochromic color-changing display strip 5 is covered with a transparent waterproof protective film, which is sealed to the outer wall of the tube. The light transmittance of the transparent waterproof protective film is not less than 70%. The reversible thermochromic color-changing display strip 5 requires no power supply and can intuitively display the temperature range through color changes, offering low cost and ease of use. The multiple temperature threshold color-changing segments can accurately distinguish between the acceptable range of 2-8℃ and excessive temperatures, facilitating rapid judgment. The transparent waterproof protective film protects the display strip from liquid and friction damage, ensuring long-term stability, and the high light transmittance does not affect color observation. For example, a color display segment can be set for a refrigeration threshold of 2-8℃ and a color display segment for room temperature exceeding 25℃. The color display segment will show green when the temperature is below 8℃, yellow when the temperature is between 8-25℃, and red when the temperature is above 25℃. It requires no power supply, is low in cost, is suitable for disposable use scenarios, and can intuitively show whether the temperature is compliant.

[0040] Further features include a base 1 with a slot on top for holding the tube, and anti-slip texture 6 on the side of the outer tube 2. The base 1 allows the tube to stand upright, preventing it from tipping over and leaking the sample after sampling; the anti-slip texture 6 increases grip friction, making it easier for medical staff to screw on the cap 3 and break the swab with one hand, reducing the risk of slippage.

[0041] After sampling, the swab head is inserted into the inner liner 4 to the bottom, and the swab rod is inserted into the U-shaped notch 8. The limiting block 10 clamps and fixes the swab rod. The swab rod can be easily broken by gently pressing along the wedge-shaped edge. There is no rebound or splashing during the breaking process. The collection tank 12 collects a small amount of liquid that has broken off or seeped in during transportation. The flow-blocking block 9 seals the notch 8. Two flow-blocking blocks 9 are symmetrically fixed to the side of the plug body 15 to form an integrated sealing structure. The tube cap 3 and the tube opening 7 are screwed together to achieve a double seal. During transportation, the vacuum layer is kept warm, and the reversible thermosensitive color-changing indicator strip 5 displays the temperature in real time. Abnormal color can quickly identify that the temperature has exceeded the standard. The base 1 supports the tube body upright to prevent tipping and leakage. The integrated structure of the plug body 15 and the flow-blocking block 9 makes assembly more convenient and the sealing more reliable. If the tube cap becomes loose during transportation, the sample buffer layer can immediately absorb and inactivate the spilled sample, completely eliminating the risk of biological contamination.

[0042] Example 2: Figures 3-7 As shown, it is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that the temperature display unit includes a sealed and waterproof miniature temperature display module 14. The miniature temperature display module 14 includes a miniature button battery, a temperature sensor electrically connected to the miniature button battery, and an LCD digital display screen electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The detection surface of the temperature sensor is tightly attached to the outer wall of the inner liner 4, and the display accuracy of the LCD digital display screen is ±0.5℃. The miniature temperature display module 14 can realize accurate digital temperature display with an accuracy of ±0.5℃, meeting the high-precision monitoring requirements of cold chain transportation; the temperature sensor is tightly attached to the inner liner 4 to ensure the real-time and accurate temperature detection; the sealed and waterproof structure can adapt to medical environment cleaning and disinfection, extending its service life.

[0043] Based on Example 1, the miniature temperature display module 14 displays the temperature of the inner liner 4 in real time with higher accuracy, meeting the requirements of high-precision cold chain monitoring.

[0044] Furthermore, the surface of the outer tube 2 is coated with thermal insulation material to further maintain temperature stability.

[0045] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive step, but such modifications are protected by patent law as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A swab collection and transport device for detecting respiratory pathogens, characterized in that, The device includes a tube body and a tube cap (3). The tube body includes an outer tube body (2) and an inner liner (4) that are fixedly connected. A heat-insulating vacuum layer is provided between the outer tube body (2) and the inner liner (4). The top of the inner liner (4) is provided with a tube opening (7). The tube cap (3) is detachably connected to the tube opening (7). The tube opening (7) is provided with a U-shaped notch (8) for swab breakage. The inner edge of the notch (8) is provided with a wedge-shaped breakage blade. Below the notch (8), a limiting block (10) is provided opposite to the inner side of the tube opening (7). The adjacent surfaces of the oppositely provided limiting blocks (10) are provided with an anti-slip serrated structure. The surface of the outer tube body (2) is provided with a temperature display unit for real-time monitoring and display of sample storage temperature.

2. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer side of the pipe opening (7) is provided with threads, and the pipe cover (3) is threadedly connected to the pipe opening (7); a matching baffle block (9) is provided at the notch (8), and the baffle block (9) and the pipe opening (7) are sealed and snapped together at the notch (8). The baffle block (9) is provided with threads on its outer side that are compatible with the outer surface of the pipe opening (7).

3. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surface of the notch (8) is provided with a U-shaped groove (11) with a semi-circular cross-section, and the flow-blocking block (9) is provided with a groove (13) with a semi-circular cross-section that matches the groove (11).

4. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 3, characterized in that, The notch (8) has a downwardly extending liquid collection groove (12) at the lowest point of the slot (11), and the pipe opening (7) is made of transparent material.

5. A swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Two notches (8) are provided, and the two notches (8) are symmetrically distributed on the tube opening (7) along the central axis of the tube body. The opening width of the U-shaped notch (8) is 2.5mm-3.5mm, and the depth of the notch (8) is 3mm-8mm. When the swab brush head contacts the bottom of the tube body, the break point of the swab rod is horizontally aligned with the notch (8).

6. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 5, characterized in that, The opening (7) is provided with a sealed plug (15), which is made of rubber. The bottom of the plug (15) is provided with a sample buffer layer, which is made of medical grade hydrophilic absorbent composite material. The hydrophilic absorbent composite material is any one or multiple composite structures of degreased cotton layer, polypropylene meltblown absorbent cotton layer, and super absorbent fiber composite nonwoven fabric layer.

7. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 6, characterized in that, Both of the openings (8) are provided with flow-blocking blocks (9), and the two flow-blocking blocks (9) are symmetrically arranged on the side of the plug body (15) and fixedly connected to the plug body (15).

8. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature display unit includes a medical-grade reversible thermochromic color-changing strip (5) pasted on the outer wall of the outer tube (2). The reversible thermochromic color-changing strip (5) is provided with at least two color-changing segments with different temperature thresholds. Each color-changing segment is provided with a temperature mark and a color mark. The outside of the reversible thermochromic color-changing strip (5) is covered with a transparent waterproof protective film. The transparent waterproof protective film is sealed and bonded to the outer wall of the tube, and the light transmittance of the transparent waterproof protective film is not less than 70%.

9. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature display unit includes a sealed and waterproof miniature temperature display module (14). The miniature temperature display module (14) includes a miniature button battery, a temperature sensor electrically connected to the miniature button battery, and an LCD digital display screen electrically connected to the temperature sensor. The detection surface of the temperature sensor is tightly attached to the outer wall of the inner liner (4). The display accuracy of the LCD digital display screen is ±0.5℃.

10. The swab collection and transport device for respiratory pathogen detection according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a base (1), the top of which is provided with a placement groove for placing the tube body, and the side of the outer tube body (2) is provided with anti-slip texture (6).

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