Rack for jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples

Abstract

The invention relates to a rack (1) for containers and / or cryotubes of biological samples, comprising a base (3) with a peripheral wall (4) whose upper edge (5) defines an access opening (50) to the internal volume of the rack (1), said base (3) supporting at least one row (6) of compartments (7) with axis X adapted to each hold a container or cryotube of biological sample, said compartments (7) being delimited by a lower face (8), perpendicular to the axis X, surmounted by a lateral wall (9). It is characterized in that the lateral wall (9) of said compartments (7) has a hollow face (11) oriented towards the access opening (50) to the internal volume, while the axis X of said compartments (7) forms an angle α between 30° and 50° with said base (3). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Rack for jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of equipment for the automated handling and traceability of medical samples.

[0002] It relates to a rack for pots and / or cryotubes of biological samples, comprising a base with a peripheral wall whose upper edge defines an opening for access to the internal volume of the rack, said base supporting at least one row of X-axis housings adapted to each house a pot and / or cryotube of biological sample, said housings being delimited by a lower face, perpendicular to the X axis, surmounted by a lateral wall.

[0003] Typically, during their implementation, such containers and cryotubes are equipped with means for identifying the biological samples they contain, which may advantageously take the form of encoded data affixed to a label affixed by an operator to their outer wall. Reading this identification data, using appropriate reading devices connected to computer processing systems, subsequently provides medical personnel with rapid access to the corresponding patient's file, previously recorded in a database.

[0004] Furthermore, as the pots and cryotubes are being prepared during sampling operations, it is customary to place them in suitable containers or on appropriate racks, allowing them to be stored and transported between different work areas in a grouped manner, while limiting the risk of tipping.

[0005] In this regard, various models of racks are available on the market and currently used in pathology and molecular biology laboratories.

[0006] Some are in the form of simple trays or baskets in which the pots and / or cryotubes are stored haphazardly and are then exposed to shocks, as well as to risks of leakage of material in the event of a lid not being closed properly or the appearance of a crack.

[0007] Others, more elaborate, conventionally comprise a plurality of individual compartments extending perpendicularly from a base, possibly forming columns and rows. They are distinguished from one another primarily by their general appearance and the material from which they are made. Some commonly used plastic models thus include individual compartments whose shape complements that of a given format of biological sample jars and / or cryotubes. There are also racks in the form of openwork baskets, made of wire, delimiting sufficiently individual compartments. wide enough to accommodate, if necessary, pots and / or cryotubes of different sizes on the same rack.

[0008] Furthermore, regardless of the rack model used, and given the increasing volume of biological samples to be processed, analytical laboratories are currently compelled to implement a reliable traceability solution for containers and cryotubes. This solution must allow for the reliable tracking of their location at any given time, enabling the rapid retrieval of each container and cryotube multiple times throughout the diagnostic process. In addition, traceability solutions also aim to prevent potential errors in the handling of containers and cryotubes that could lead to the premature destruction of samples for which no diagnosis has yet been issued.

[0009] Typically, such a traceability solution consists of recording, preferably on a computer storage medium, the location data of a container or cryotube along with its identification data. This location data is defined by at least one identification code for the rack on which the container or cryotube is stored, supplemented, where applicable, by data relating to its positioning within that same rack, and possibly by an identification code for a storage cabinet for that same rack.

[0010] In this context, the present applicant has observed that the various existing models of racks for jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples do not give complete satisfaction, insofar as they do not allow automation of the aforementioned operations, necessary for the traceability of the jars and cryotubes.

[0011] Indeed, due to their simple tray structure or the arrangement of individual compartments along an axis perpendicular to the bottom, the encoded data affixed to the outer wall of the containers and cryotubes are only fully visible, and therefore can only be read, by manually removing them one after the other from the rack or their respective compartments before replacing them. In other words, conventional racks do not allow for automated, single-step, and therefore simultaneous reading of the rack's identification code, the respective encoded identification data of all the containers and / or cryotubes, and their respective location data on the rack, for the purpose of recording this data together in a database.

[0012] On the contrary, with existing racks, numerous successive manipulations of the jars and cryotubes are necessary to perform these operations, which is particularly time-consuming and also raises a significant risk of loss of biological material during hasty handling of jars and / or cryotubes that are sometimes improperly closed or slip from the operators' hands. Furthermore, it has been observed that after being Extracted for manual reading of their identification code, some jars and / or cryotubes are mistakenly placed in a rack other than their original rack. This generates errors in the databases, which can later result in analyses being performed on the wrong sample, and therefore diagnoses being attributed to the wrong patient, or in the premature disposal of samples that have not yet been diagnosed.

[0013] Moreover, most classic rack models have the disadvantage of being bulky and therefore requiring a significant amount of storage space, which means additional untimely costs.

[0014] The objective of the present invention is to propose a new model of rack for jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples intended to overcome the problems mentioned above.

[0015] More specifically, the rack according to the invention has been specifically designed to allow for automated, single-step reading of an identification code it contains, the respective encoded identification data of all the jars and / or cryotubes it holds, and the respective location data of said jars and / or cryotubes on the rack. The rack according to the invention has also been designed to have a compact, space-saving structure that is easy to store, suitable for the various existing standard formats of jars and / or cryotubes, and with which the risk of loss of biological material is greatly reduced, or even eliminated.

[0016] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a carrier of the type indicated in the preamble, characterized in that the side wall of said housings has a hollow face oriented towards the access opening to the internal volume, while the axis X of said housings forms an angle α between 30° and 50° with said bottom.

[0017] Furthermore, depending on the case, the rack according to the invention may also have one or more of the following characteristics:

[0018] - the hollow face of the side wall of said housings has a curved section.

[0019] - said dwellings are bordered by a plurality of wings of thickness e, extending pa parallel to the X-axis.

[0020] - the housings are formed along said at least one row in such a manner as that their X axes are equidistant.

[0021] - the carrier comprises a plurality of rows of housings, extending parallel between them and spaced apart from each other by a distance d.

[0022] - the housings are formed along the rows so as to be aligned with each other from one row to another.

[0023] - the housing units are formed along the rows so as to extend in a staggered pattern relative to each other from one row to another.

[0024] - the base of the carrier and / or its peripheral wall comprise(s) suitable means to allow it to be stacked.

[0025] - the stacking means comprise male and female means formed respec tively on the upper edge of the peripheral wall and the outer face of its base or vice versa.

[0026] - the upper edge of its peripheral wall has an area adapted to receive an identification code.

[0027] The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

[0028] [Fig-1] corresponds to a perspective view of an example embodiment of the rack according to the invention, adapted to store twenty jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples, in an empty state,

[0029] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of another variant embodiment of the carrier according The invention, adapted to store twenty jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples, the rack being in a filled state,

[0030] [Fig.3] corresponds to a top view of another variant embodiment of the carrier according to the invention, adapted to store forty-five jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples, the rack being in a filled state, and

[0031] [Fig.4] corresponds to a top view of another variant embodiment of the carrier according to the invention, adapted to store eighty jars and / or cryotubes of biological samples, the rack being in a filled state.

[0032] As indicated above, the present invention relates to a rack 1, 10, 100, 101 for jars and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 of biological samples. In the illustrated embodiments, it is made of plastic material. However, any other material with equivalent properties may also be considered for its manufacture.

[0033] With reference to the drawings, the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 comprises a base 3 with a peripheral wall 4, the upper edge 5 of which defines an opening 50 for access to the internal volume of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101. As can be seen in the figures, in the illustrated embodiments, the upper edge 5 has a recess 16 advantageously defining an area suitable for receiving an identification code specific to each rack 1, 10, 100, 101 used to store jars and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200. Furthermore, the base 3 of the rack 1, 10, 100 supports several rows 6, having a plurality of compartments 7, with axis X, adapted to hold each one jar or cryotube 2, 20, 200 of biological sample.

[0034] In this regard, it should be noted that the pots and cryotubes 2, 20, 200 are not part of the invention and are laboratory accessories well known to those skilled in the art. Traditionally cylindrical in shape and equipped with a lid, they are currently marketed in several standard sizes, adapted to accommodate, as appropriate, fluids or tissue samples of varying sizes. large dimensions. In summary, the containers and / or cryotubes referenced 2, 20, and 200 in the figures correspond to standard containers and / or cryotubes commonly used in laboratories today. Containers and / or cryotubes 20 have a larger volume than containers and / or cryotubes 2 and 200, while containers and / or cryotubes 200 have a conical base. Furthermore, as shown in the figures, containers and / or cryotubes 2, 20, and 200 are conventionally labeled with their respective encoded identification data.

[0035] As seen in [Fig. 1], each housing 7 of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 is delimited by a lower face 8, perpendicular to the X axis, surmounted by a lateral wall 9. It should be noted that the lower face 8 is provided here as flat but may have any other shape, for example conical, having the effect of promoting perfect positioning of a pot and / or cryotube 2, 20, 200 within a housing 7. Similarly, in accordance with the invention, the shape of the lower face 8 may differ from one housing 7 to another. Thus, for example, for the same rack 1, 10, 100, 101 some housings 7 may have a flat lower face 8, while other housings may have a conical lower face or any other shape adapted to the shape of the bottom of a commercial biological sample jar or cryotube.According to the invention, the side wall 9 has a hollow face 11 oriented towards the opening 50 providing access to the internal volume of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101, while the axis X of each housing forms an angle α, between 30° and 50°, with the bottom 3.

[0036] It should also be noted that, in the illustrated embodiment variants, the hollow face 11 of the side wall 9 of the various housings 7 has a curved section allowing to optimally wedge and accommodate cylindrical-shaped biological sample jars and / or cryotubes of classic format, such as both jars and / or cryotubes 2, 200 and jars and / or cryotubes 20 of greater volume.

[0037] On the other hand, in the different embodiment variants illustrated in figures 1 to 4, the different rows 6 of housing units 7 extend parallel to each other and are advantageously spaced from each other by a distance d.

[0038] The compartments 7 are formed along the various rows 6 in such a way that their X axes are equidistant. They are also bordered by a plurality of wings 12, of thickness e, extending parallel to the X axis. The presence of the wings 12 and the distance d provided between two adjacent rows 6 make it possible to maintain sufficient spacing between the pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 contained in the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 to prevent errors in reading the encoded identification data 15 they contain, by an automatic or manual reading device. The The presence of wings 12 also has the effect of guaranteeing the absence of contact between the pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 and consequently of possible collisions which could cause untimely cracks.

[0039] In accordance with another feature of the invention, it has been provided to arrange the housings 7 along the different rows 6 in such a way that the housings of one row are aligned with those of the other rows 6 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4), or in such a way that they extend in a staggered pattern from one row 6 to another (see [Fig. 3]).

[0040] Within the framework of the present invention, it has also been provided to equip the base 3 and / or the peripheral wall 4 of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 with means adapted to allow its stacking, such as for example male and female means formed respectively on the upper edge of the peripheral wall and the external face of its base, or vice versa.

[0041] Finally, it is clear from the above that the objectives described in the preamble are achieved thanks to the aforementioned characteristics of the carrier 1, 10, 100, 101.

[0042] Indeed, once placed in the latter, the pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 rest on the lower face 8, which is flat, conical, or has any other shape, and the hollow face 11 of their respective housings 7. The pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 are then inclined at an angle α, for example equal to 40°, with the bottom 3 of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101.

[0043] In such a configuration, any spillage or leakage of their contents is prevented.

[0044] Furthermore, the pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 are placed side by side within the same rack 1, 10, 100, 101 without overlapping. Therefore, it is sufficient to arrange them in such a way that the encoded identification data 15 which they contain are all oriented towards the access opening 50 to the internal volume of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 to allow an automated reading in a single step of all of them, as well as a determination of the positioning data of the pots and / or cryotubes 2, 20, 200 within the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 and a reading of the identification code of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 present on the recess 16 of the upper edge 5 of the latter.It should be noted that such reading can be carried out using appropriate reading methods well known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, a camera, a light scanner or any other equivalent means, connected to computer processing methods also well known to those skilled in the art.

[0045] In summary, the particular structure of the rack 1, 10, 100, 101 according to the invention has the advantage of giving each pot and / or cryotube it contains a unique position, reliably detectable with all the automatic reading means currently available to those skilled in the art. The angle of inclination of the compartments 7, The temperature range, between 30° and 50°, ensures that the identification codes of the containers and / or cryotubes are not read incorrectly and prevents any loss of biological material due to the potential tipping of containers or cryotubes. Furthermore, the rack according to the invention can be marketed as a range of different sizes, with varying numbers of compartments, either aligned or staggered from one row to the next. The side wall and base of these compartments may be identical in shape and dimensions for all compartments within the same rack, or may differ from one compartment to another within the same rack. This also allows the rack to perfectly meet the diverse needs of analytical laboratories for handling containers and / or cryotubes of biological samples.

Claims

Claims

1. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) for pots and / or cryotubes (2, 20, 200) of biological samples, comprising a bottom (3) provided with a peripheral wall (4) whose upper edge (5) defines an access opening (50) to the internal volume of the rack (1, 10, 100, 101), said bottom (3) supporting at least one row (6) of housings (7) of axis X adapted to each house a pot or a cryotube (2, 20, 200) of biological sample, said housings (7) being delimited by a lower face (8), perpendicular to the axis X, surmounted by a side wall (9), characterized in that the side wall (9) of said housings (7) has a hollow face (11) oriented in the direction of the access opening (50) to the internal volume, while the axis X of said housings (7) forms an angle a between 30° and 50° with said bottom (3).

2. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow face (11) of the side wall (9) of said housings (7) has a curved section.

3. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said housings (7) are bordered by a plurality of wings (12), of thickness e. extending parallel to the axis X.

4. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housings (7) are formed along said at least one row (6) in such a way that their axes X are equidistant.

5. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of rows (6) of housings (7), extending parallel to each other and spaced from each other by a distance d.

6. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housings (7) are formed along the rows (6) so as to be aligned with each other from one row (6) to another.

7. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housings (7) are formed along the rows (6) so as to extend in staggered rows relative to each other from one row (6) to another.

8. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that its bottom (3) and / or its peripheral wall (4) includes suitable means to enable it to be stacked.

9. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to claim 8, characterized in that the stacking means comprise male and female means formed respectively on the upper edge (5) of the peripheral wall (4) and the external face of its bottom (3) or vice versa.

10. Rack (1, 10, 100, 101) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper edge (5) of its peripheral wall (4) has an area suitable for receiving an identification code.

Images