Cell collection device and extrusion device

Abstract

This invention provides a cell collection device for collecting bacteria and other cells contained in human excretions and / or secretions, such as urine. [Solution] The device has a main body 12 that opens at the top and bottom, and a collection section 11 connected to the lower end of the main body. The main body is made of a deformable sheet that does not allow urine to pass through, and supplies urine supplied from the top opening to the collection section without permeation. The main body is configured to be deformable from a first state in which the top is open and has a space wider than the collection section, to a second state in which the top is closed and the volume of the internal space is reduced by being compressed. The collection section has a bottom and is configured to allow water constituting urine etc. to pass through and be discharged to the outside, and to adhere to cells contained in urine etc. without permeation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cell collector and an extrusion device for collecting cells and the like in urine.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when identifying a patient's illness or conducting a genetic test on a user, an examiner or the like collects cells contained in the urine after urine test and performs culturing or the like. For this cell collection, for example, urine accumulated in a urine collection cup or the like is sucked up with a predetermined syringe, and the sucked urine is extruded while pressing the tip of the syringe against a syringe filter.

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The above-described conventional cell collection requires the work of once sucking urine with a syringe, setting the tip of the syringe on a syringe filter, and extruding the sucked urine, which is complicated. In addition, since the syringe is also disposable, it is costly.

[0004] The above-described problems are described as independent ones, and the present invention does not necessarily have to solve all of the described problems, and it is sufficient to solve at least one problem. Also, regarding the configuration for solving this problem, it has the intention of obtaining rights by separate filing, amendment, etc. alone.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] (1) The cell collector according to the present invention has a main body portion that opens upward and downward, and a collection portion connected to the lower end side of the main body portion, where the main body portion is formed of a deformable sheet that does not allow excrement and / or secretions from a human to pass through, and supplies the excrement and / or secretions supplied from the upper opening portion to the collection portion without passing through, The main body is configured to be deformable from a first state in which the upper part is open and has a space wider than the sampling part, to a second state in which the upper part is closed and compressed, thereby reducing the volume of the internal space. The collection unit has a bottom and is configured to allow water constituting the excrement and / or secretions to pass through and be discharged to the outside, and to adhere to the excrement and / or secretions without allowing cells contained therein to pass through.

[0006] In this manner, when urine or other human excrement and / or secretions (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "urine, etc.") collected separately is poured into the main body, the poured urine, etc. flows from the main body to the collection section. Because the collection section has a bottom, the urine, etc. temporarily remains within the collection section. Since the collection section is permeable to the water in the urine, etc., the water in the urine, etc. that temporarily remains is discharged outside the collection section. Bacteria, substances for identifying genes, waste products, and other cells present in the urine, etc. do not pass through the collection section and adhere to it. Therefore, residues contained in the urine, etc. can be easily collected simply by pouring the urine, etc. into the cell collection device. Examples of secretions include sputum and saliva.

[0007] Furthermore, by biasing a predetermined part of the main body inward from the first state to shift it to the second state, the air in the main body moves towards the lower collection section, and the moisture such as urine accumulated in the collection section is pushed out. Therefore, residual material contained in urine can be collected reliably and quickly. This operation can be performed with a simple operation, such as a person squeezing the main body.

[0008] (2) The main body portion has an intermediate portion that is wider than the sampling portion, a tapered lower portion located between the intermediate portion and the sampling portion, and an upper portion located above the intermediate portion, wherein the upper portion may have a larger shape at the upper end.

[0009] This makes it easier to pour in urine, etc., and also allows for stable support of the upper part from below, making it easier to hold the cell collection device.

[0010] (3) A connection portion is provided continuously on the upper end side of the sampling portion, and the connection portion and the lower part of the main body are fixed together (fusion, bonding, ultrasonic sealing, etc.).

[0011] This method allows the sampling section and the main body to be securely integrated. Fixation can be performed by fusion bonding, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic sealing, etc.

[0012] (4) The connecting portion and the lower portion have inclined surfaces that widen towards the top, and the connecting portion is preferably positioned on the inner circumferential surface side of the lower portion.

[0013] This allows the main body to stably hold the connection point.

[0014] (5) The bottom side of the sampling section may be provided with perforations that extend in the circumferential direction and can be cut.

[0015] This method allows for precise cutting of the bottom portion of the sample without the need for scissors or other tools, ensuring that the bottom portion is cut off without excess or deficiency.

[0016] (6) The extrusion device according to the present invention is an extrusion device for extruding the water from the main body of the cell collection device described in any one of (1) to (5), and may be equipped with a sealing member that closes the upper opening of the main body and a drive mechanism that moves the sealing member so as to reduce the volume of the internal space of the main body that is sealed by the sealing member.

[0017] In this way, as the volume of the main body decreases, the air inside is pushed out towards the sampling section, which in turn pushes the excrement and / or secretions inside the sampling section, causing the moisture from the excrement and / or secretions to be discharged to the outside from the sampling section. In this embodiment, the sealing member corresponds to a pair of rollers 42, a plate 45, and a cushioning material 47.

[0018] (7) The plugging member may include a pair of clamping members that clamp the main body portion from the outside. By doing so, the main body portion can be clamped and plugged without touching the excrement and / or secretion.

[0019] (8) The plugging member may be a pair of rollers. By doing so, it can be surely plugged and can also be moved smoothly.

[0020] (9) The drive mechanism may be configured to move the plugging member downward with respect to the cell collector.

[0021] In addition, the configurations shown in (1) to (5) and (6) to (9) described above can be combined as appropriate. On the premise of the combined configuration, the components described in the embodiments and the drawings may be combined.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] The present invention can efficiently collect predetermined cells and residues contained in excrement and / or secretion from humans such as urine.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the cell collector of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cell collector. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view showing the state of use. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the cell collector. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view showing a preferred embodiment of the extrusion device according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view showing a preferred embodiment of the extrusion device according to the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a view showing a preferred embodiment of the extrusion device according to the present invention. [Figure 8]Figure 8 shows a preferred embodiment of the extrusion apparatus according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto, and various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0025] Figures 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment of the cell collection device according to the present invention. As shown in the figures, the cell collection device 10 comprises a collection section 11 at the lower end and a main body section 12 located above the collection section 11.

[0026] The sampling section 11 has a slender, cylindrical body 11a that extends vertically, and a closed bottom 11b at its lower end. The body 11a may be cylindrical with the same diameter in the vertical direction, or it may be tapered, for example, with the diameter becoming smaller towards the bottom. The length of the sampling section 11 should be, for example, 20 to 30 mm. The diameter of the sampling section 11 should be, for example, about 8 to 10 mm. If the shape of the body 11a of the sampling section 11 is tapered, the maximum diameter at the upper end should be 8 to 10 mm.

[0027] The sampling section 11 is formed from a sheet that has a mesh-like or other moisture-permeable function. This sheet may be, for example, a membrane filter, a microfilter, or a mesh filter sheet. The sampling section 11 may be formed using one sheet or by laminating multiple sheets.

[0028] For example, if a user is suffering from a specific infectious disease, the urine (an example of human excretion and / or secretions) excreted by the user will contain specific cells possessed by the bacteria causing that infection. There is also a demand to collect various substances present in the urine for genetic testing. The size of the bacteria and the cells of these substances is, for example, about 20-50 μm. The sheet constituting the collection section 11 is designed to allow water (moisture) to pass through but not the cells. Such a configuration should, for example, prevent substances larger than 20 μm from passing through. For example, a pore size of 15 μm or 16 μm would be suitable. Alternatively, a pore size larger than 20 μm, such as 28 μm, can also be used. These sizes are just examples, and should be changed according to the cells to be collected. It would be good to have variations such as a cell collection device 10 with a collection section 11 with a small pore size, or a cell collection device 10 with a collection section 11 with a large pore size. Furthermore, to ensure that 20 μm cells do not pass through, the system should be designed to prevent the passage of substances larger than 10 μm. Alternatively, the size could be made smaller than 20 μm to allow for the collection of even smaller cells.

[0029] Furthermore, urine consists of more than 90% water and waste products produced by protein metabolism, such as uric acid, urea, and ammonia. The collection section 11 is designed to prevent such waste products from passing through. This design can be achieved, for example, by adjusting the mesh size or the number of layers.

[0030] The main body 12 has a lower portion 12a connected to the sampling portion 11, an intermediate portion 12b located above the lower portion 12a, and an upper portion 12c located above the intermediate portion 12b. The side surface of the lower portion 12a is formed as a tapered surface (an example of an inclined surface) whose diameter increases towards the top. The lower end edge of the lower portion 12a is substantially the same shape as the upper end edge of the sampling portion 11. The taper angle is, for example, 45 degrees. The intermediate portion 12b is formed as a cylindrical shape with openings at the top and bottom. In this embodiment, the intermediate portion 12b is formed with the same diameter in the vertical direction. The upper portion 12c is formed as a funnel shape with openings at the top and bottom. The side surface of the upper portion 12c is a tapered surface with a diameter that increases towards the top, similar to the lower portion 12a.

[0031] The lower portion 12a, the middle portion 12b, and the upper portion 12c are integrally formed using the same sheet. The sheet may be formed from a single sheet or by laminating multiple sheets. The sheet constituting the main body portion 12 should be made of a soft material that does not allow urine moisture to pass through, for example, a soft water-repellent sheet. The water-repellent sheet may be made of various water-repellent papers such as polypropylene water-repellent paper, polyethylene water-repellent paper, polyvinyl chloride water-repellent paper, polyurethane water-repellent paper, or rubber material. The main body portion 12 is manufactured by punching out one or an appropriate number of the above-mentioned predetermined sheets into the desired shape and simultaneously molding them by heat pressing. Furthermore, the sheet constituting the main body portion 12 should be made of a material that does not allow air to pass through. The above-mentioned water-repellent sheets and rubber materials have the property of not allowing air to pass through.

[0032] On the other hand, the collection section 11 is formed using a moisture-permeable sheet such as a mesh filter sheet, as described above, but in this embodiment, a connecting section 13 is provided continuously on the upper end side of the collection section 11. The connecting section is formed integrally using the same sheet as the collection section 11. The connecting section 13 is made to be substantially the same shape as the lower section 12a of the main body section 12. The connecting section 13 and the lower section 12a of the main body section 12 are then fused together with the inside and outside overlapping, to form a single unit. As a result, the collection section 11 and the main body section 12 are integrated to form the cell collection device 10. This cell collection device 10 is a single container shape with an open top and a closed bottom 11b. When the connecting section 13 and the lower section 12a are fused together, the collection section 11 protrudes outward from below the main body section 12 and is exposed. The above-mentioned fusion is just one example of a fixing method, and it is also possible to fix it using adhesive, ultrasonic sealing, or other methods.

[0033] Furthermore, the connection portion 13 and the lower portion 12a may be positioned on the inside, but in this embodiment, the connection portion 13 is positioned on the inside. In this way, for example, if the sampling portion 11 is subjected to a downward biasing force, even if that biasing force is transmitted to the connection portion 13, the lower portion 12a is located below and outside the connection portion 13, so a counterforce against that biasing force is generated, and the main body portion 12 can stably hold the connection portion 13.

[0034] Perforations 15 are provided near the upper end of the sampling section 11, extending in the circumferential direction. By cutting the sheet along these perforations 15, the sampling section 11 can be separated from the connecting section 13 and the main body section 12.

[0035] Furthermore, the perforations 15 can be formed, for example, by partially applying high pressure to break the sheet when press-molding a water-permeable sheet to manufacture the sampling portion 11 and the connecting portion 13. Alternatively, instead of creating the perforations 15 simultaneously with the sampling portion 11 and the connecting portion 13, the perforations 15 may be formed at a predetermined position after the sampling portion 11 and the connecting portion 13 have been manufactured.

[0036] When using the cell collection device 10 having the configuration described above, the support 20 and tray 30 are placed in predetermined positions as shown in Figure 1. The support 20 comprises a base plate 21, a support column 22 positioned upright at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the base plate 21, and a support frame 23 attached to the tip of the support column. The support frame 23 has a ring-shaped frame portion 23a and a rod-shaped connecting portion 23b that protrudes to the outside of the frame portion 23a and connects to the support column 22. The inner diameter of the frame portion 23a is set to coincide with the midpoint between the minimum value and the maximum value of the outer diameter of the upper portion 12c of the main body portion 12. As a result, when setting the cell collection device 10 on the support 20, if the collection portion 11 is inserted into the frame portion 23a from the collection portion 11 side, it will catch on the frame portion 23a at a predetermined position on the upper portion 12c, as shown in Figure 1, and the collection portion 11 will be suspended and supported by the support 20. Furthermore, a commercially available support 20 can be used.

[0037] In this embodiment, the main body 12 is formed using a soft, water-repellent sheet, making it deformable. However, when no external force is applied to crush or grip it, it maintains its open state as shown in Figure 1, and remains supported by the support 20. On the other hand, if, for example, a predetermined position of the main body 12 is pinched from both sides and biased to crush or bend, the main body 12 deforms in the direction of that bias. In other words, softness refers to a softness that possesses such functionality.

[0038] The tray 30 is positioned below the collection section 11 of the cell collection device 10, which is supported by the support 20. The capacity of the tray 30 is large enough to collect the urine that leaks out from the cell collection device 10. Also, since the tray 30 will be moved to the disposal site with the urine still inside, it is preferable that it be of a certain size and depth to prevent spillage during transport.

[0039] For example, in a hospital setting where the urine collection site and the site for collecting cells from the urine are close together, the patient, for instance, collects urine using a urine collection cup. The examiner then transports the urine collection cup to the vicinity of the cell collection device 10, which is supported by a support 20 as shown in Figure 1. The examiner then pours the urine collected in the urine collection cup into the cell collection device 10 from above. Similarly, in the case of a lidded test tube containing urine used in urine tests during health checkups or medical examinations, the examiner pours the urine from the test tube into the cell collection device 10.

[0040] The main body 12 is made of a water-repellent sheet and is therefore impermeable to moisture. As a result, the urine poured into the cell collection device 10 moves downward along the inner surface of the main body 12 and reaches the collection section 11. The moisture from the urine that comes into contact with the inner surface of the collection section 11 flows out of the collection section 11. The moisture that has gone out then flows down along the outer surface of the collection section 11 and accumulates in the tray 30.

[0041] On the other hand, bacteria of specific infectious diseases present in the urine, various substances present in the urine for genetic testing, and waste products such as cells cannot pass through the collection section 11 and remain attached as residue. Therefore, when urine is poured from the main body 12 and collected in the collection section 11, as time passes, the water in the urine collected in the collection section 11 permeates through the collection section 11 and is discharged to the outside of the collection section 11, and the concentration of the urine stored in the collection section 11 gradually increases. When all the water has been discharged, the specific cells that were contained in the urine stored in the collection section 11 become attached to the collection section 11.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main body 12 is constructed using a soft, water-repellent sheet. For example, when a certain amount of urine is poured into the cell collection device 10, the cell collection device 10 is removed from the support 20, a predetermined part of the main body 12 is crushed, and the air present in the internal space of the main body 12 is moved towards the collection unit 11. When this air moves towards the collection unit 11, the pressure inside the collection unit 11 increases, and this pressure causes the remaining water in the urine inside the collection unit 11 to permeate through the collection unit 11 and be pushed out to the outside.

[0043] In this way, the moisture from the urine can be drained from the collection section 11 in a shorter time compared to a system where the moisture from the urine naturally permeates the collection section 11 and falls to the outside. This allows for the smooth collection of urine residue. Furthermore, if the moisture is left to drain naturally, not all of the urine accumulated inside the collection section 11 may be drained to the outside, and some of the urine may remain inside the collection section 11. When some urine remains inside the collection section 11 in this way, collecting the residue becomes complicated. Even in such cases, the urine can be forcibly pushed out using the air inside the main body 12.

[0044] The process of pushing the air in the internal space of the main body 12 towards the sampling section 11 can be carried out as follows: First, the inspector lifts the cell collection tool 10 and removes it from the support 20. Next, the inspector squeezes and crushes the upper edge of the circularly spreading upper portion 12c from both sides (see Figure 3(a)). With the upper edge in contact or close to it, the inspector folds the upper edge side a predetermined number of times (see Figures 3(b) and 3(c)). This closes the upper opening of the upper portion 12c, eliminating any escape route for the air present in the internal space of the main body 12 to the upward side. In this state, for example, the inspector grips the upper side of the intermediate portion 12b in a way that crushes it (see Figure 3(d)). This reduces the volume of the internal space of the main body 12 and increases the internal pressure. In particular, the air in the intermediate portion 12b, which was in the crushed space, tries to move to the surrounding area, but by crushing the upper side, it mainly moves towards the lower sampling section 11 side. Therefore, this increase in internal pressure and the movement of air toward the collection section 11 increase the pressure applied to the urine inside the collection section 11, allowing the water in the urine to pass through the collection section 11 and be pushed out to the outside. The predetermined number of folds can be just once, but it is preferable to fold it multiple times. Folding it at least twice allows the upper end to be securely closed as shown in Figure 3(c).

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower portion 12a of the main body 12 has a tapered surface that narrows downwards, and the diameter of the sampling portion 11 is very small compared to the inner diameter of the intermediate portion 12b, so the extrusion effect described above is further enhanced.

[0046] Once the water in the urine has been drained from the cell collection device 10 through the process described above, urine residue will adhere to the collection section 11. At this point, the inspector cuts along the perforations 15 to detach the collection section 11 from the main body 12.

[0047] Next, the inspector places the cut-off sample portion 11 into a microtube. Considering that the sample portion 11 will be placed directly into the microtube in this manner, it is preferable to make the dimensions and shape of the sample portion 11 such that the height is 20-25 mm and the diameter is 8 mm. Also, microtubes come in various dimensions and shapes. It is preferable to make the dimensions and shape of the sample portion 11 such that it can be inscribed inside various types of microtubes.

[0048] By filling the microtube with culture medium before or after storing the collection unit 11, any residue attached to the collection unit 11 is immersed in the culture medium. This allows cells to be cultured and predetermined tests to be performed. Alternatively, the collection unit 11 can be stored in a container such as a microtube that is not filled with culture medium, and predetermined operations can be performed without culturing.

[0049] Inspectors should wear gloves when performing tasks such as bending the upper part 12c of the main body 12, crushing the middle part 12b, and cutting the perforations 15 to remove the sampling portion 11.

[0050] Figure 4 shows another embodiment of the cell collection device. The main body 12 has approximately the same diameter as the collection section 11, except for the upper portion 12c. As in the embodiment described above, it does not have a wide intermediate portion 12b. The collection section 11 has perforations 15 at a predetermined position on the upper part. The main body 12 is formed from, for example, a water-repellent sheet, and the collection section 11 is formed from a sheet that has the function of permeating moisture. The upper end of the collection section 11 is provided with a connecting portion 13. The connecting portion 13 is fixed in an overlapping state with the lower end side of the main body 12.

[0051] In the embodiments described above, perforations 15 are provided, but the sampling section 11 does not necessarily need to have perforations 15. If perforations 15 are not provided, the sampling section 11 can be separated from the main body 12 using a cutting tool such as scissors. In this case, it is advisable to provide a mark on the outer surface of the sampling section 11 to indicate the cutting position.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, both the sampling section 11 and the main body section 12 have circular (perfectly circular) cross-sections, but they may also have elliptical or other curved surfaces, and may have flat surfaces on part or all of their sides.

[0053] Figures 5 and 6 show yet another embodiment of the process for pushing the air from the internal space of the main body 12 towards the sampling section 11. In the method described with reference to Figure 3, the inspector crushed the main body 12 with a gloved hand, but Figures 5 and 6 show a method in which the cell collection device 10 is not touched, or the possibility of touching it is minimized as much as possible.

[0054] First, the inspector removes the cell collection device 10 from the support 20 and crushes the top of the cell collection device 10 (see Figure 6(a)). Next, as shown in Figure 6(b), the inspector inserts the cell collection device 10 into a vinyl bag-like object 40 with an open end, and extends the collection portion 11 at the lower end to protrude below the bag-like object 40, covering the outer circumference of the main body 12 with the bag-like object 40.

[0055] Next, the inspector sets the cell collection device 10, with the bag-like object 40 covering it, into an extrusion device 41 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The extrusion device 41 is a device that pushes out the water from the urine accumulated in the main body 12 and further in the collection section 11. The extrusion device 41 is equipped with a holder 44 for holding the cell collection device 10. The holder 44 may be one that uses elastic restoring force, such as a clip, to clamp the object and hold it in a suspended state. The inspector then sets the upper part of the main body 12 of the cell collection device 10 into the holder 44. As a result, the cell collection device 10 is suspended from the holder 44.

[0056] The extrusion device 41 also includes a pair of left and right rollers (an example of a blocking member and a clamping member) 42 capable of gripping the cell collection tool 10. The pair of rollers 42 are supported by bearings at the tips of the support arms 43. The rear ends of the pair of support arms 43 are connected to the cylinder rod 48a of the cylinder 48. The cylinder 48 is configured so that the cylinder rod 48a moves back and forth horizontally. This allows the tips of the pair of support arms 43 to move closer together and further apart due to the reciprocating motion of the cylinder 48. As the support arms 43 move horizontally, the pair of rollers 42 also move closer together and further apart as a unit. At the closest position, the pair of rollers 42 are configured to be able to contact each other. In other words, the extrusion device 41 is configured so that the pair of rollers 42 move back and forth between a first position (see Figure 5(c)) at a predetermined distance apart and a second position where the pair of rollers 42 are in contact, and waits at the first position.

[0057] Furthermore, the extrusion device 41 is equipped with a lifting mechanism 49 for raising and lowering the cylinder 48. The lifting mechanism 49 may consist of a linear guide, for example, which includes a rail 49a extending vertically and a carriage 49b that moves along the rail 49a, with the cylinder 48 attached to the carriage 49b. The carriage 49b receives power from a drive source and moves up and down along the rail 49a, causing the cylinder 48 and subsequently the roller 42 to move up and down accordingly. Alternatively, instead of a linear guide, a ball screw structure equipped with a screw shaft rotated by a drive motor may be used.

[0058] Then, when the inspector attaches the cell collection device 10 to the holder 44 while the roller 42 is in the first position, the cell collection device 10, suspended from the holder 44, has its main body 12 positioned between the pair of rollers 42. Based on the inspector's switch operation or the output of a sensor installed on the extrusion device 41, with the main body 12 of the cell collection device 10 set between the left and right pair of rollers 42, the cylinder 48 moves forward, the left and right support arms 43 move closer to each other, and the pair of rollers 42 clamp the upper part of the main body 12. This clamping closes the upper part of the main body 12, eliminating any escape route for the air present in the internal space of the main body 12 to the upper side.

[0059] Next, the extrusion device 41 moves the cylinder 48 and subsequently the support arm 43 downwards by the lifting mechanism 49. As a result, the pair of rollers 42, which are supported by bearings in a free state relative to the support arm 43, move downwards from the cell collection device 10 (main body 12) while rotating in the clamped position. Consequently, the volume of the space in the main body 12 that is clamped and separated by the pair of rollers 42 decreases, and the internal pressure increases. Therefore, the air that was present in the main body 12 moves towards the collection section 11, the pressure applied to the urine in the collection section 11 increases, and the water in the urine can be pushed out to the outside through the collection section 11.

[0060] Furthermore, since the roller 42 rotates when the relative vertical movement of the roller 42 and the cell collection device 10 occurs, the relative vertical movement described above can be performed smoothly. In this embodiment, the rotation of the roller 42 is achieved by bearing the roller 42 in a free state on the support arm 43, so that it rotates in accordance with the downward movement. However, this is not the only option, and it may be driven to rotate on its own in conjunction with a drive motor or the like. Also, if the roller 42 is configured to rotate on its own, the rotational force of the roller 42 may be used to configure the roller 42, which is gripping the cell collection device 10, to move downward relative to it.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the air present in the main body 12 is pushed towards the collection section 11 by moving the pair of rollers 42 downward relative to the cell collection device 10 while the main body 12 is sandwiched between them. However, the pair of rollers 42 may also move downward all the way to the collection section 11. In addition to pushing with air, the rollers 42 may also be positioned to reach the area where urine is present and push it out. Preferably, the rollers 42 do not contact the collection section 11, and only the main body 12 is pushed, so that only pushing with air is at work.

[0062] Furthermore, the extrusion device 41 is not limited to the roller 42 described above. For example, as shown in Figure 6(a), a pair of left and right plates (an example of a blocking member and a clamping member) 45 may be used to clamp the main body 12 of the cell collection device 10 from both sides. In this case, the pair of plates 45 should have tapered surfaces on their opposing sides that move away from each other as they go downwards, and should be configured to move toward and away from each other by a cylinder drive (not shown) or the like.

[0063] In this configuration, when the cell collection device 10 is set in a predetermined position as shown in the diagram, the pair of plates 45 move closer to each other, first clamping and closing the main body 12 with their upper edges. In this state, the device is configured to rotate with the upper edge as the pivot point, so that the lower side moves closer. In this configuration, the position in which the main body 12 is clamped gradually moves downward from the upper side. As a result, the air present inside the main body 12 moves downward, increasing the pressure on the urine in the collection section 11, and pushing the water from the urine through the collection section 11 to the outside.

[0064] In the extrusion process described above, the outer perimeter of the cell collection device 10 is covered with a bag-like material 40, so the roller 42 and plate 45 do not come into direct contact with the cell collection device 10. Therefore, the roller 42 and plate 45 do not have urine or other substances adhering to their surfaces and can be used continuously with different cell collection devices 10.

[0065] Furthermore, the urine expulsion process is not limited to crushing the cell collection device 10 from the outside using the roller 42 or plate 45 described above. For example, as shown in Figure 6(b), the urine may be expelled from the inside of the main body 12 of the cell collection device 10. In the illustrated example, a member is used in which a cushioning material (an example of a sealing member) 47 is attached to the lower end of a rod-shaped body 46. For the sake of illustration, there is a gap between the cushioning material 47 and the main body 12, but in reality, the outer diameter of the cushioning material 47 should be equal to or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the main body 12. In this case, when the cushioning material 47 is inserted into the main body 12, the upper opening is closed. When the cushioning material 47 moves downward in this state, the volume of the main body 12 located below the cushioning material 47 decreases, the air present in the main body 12 moves downward, the pressure applied to the urine in the collection section 11 increases, and the water in the urine can be pushed out through the collection section 11 to the outside. The three methods and devices for expressing urine described above are just examples, and various other approaches are possible.

[0066] Then, by urinating as described above, cells and other residues contained in the urine adhere to the inner wall surface of the collection section 11. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6(c), it is advisable to remove the cell collection tool 10 from the bag-like object 40 and tear off the collection section 11 from the perforations 15 using tweezers 50 or the like. Tweezers 50 is just an example; clothespins or the like may also be used. The examiner then places the torn-off collection section 11 into a microtube.

[0067] Furthermore, in Figures 5 and 6, the bag-like object 40 that covers the cell collection device 10 set in the extrusion device 41 is depicted so that the lower end of the main body 12 is also exposed on the lower outside of the bag-like object 40. More preferably, the bag-like object 40 should cover the entire main body 12. This minimizes contact between the sealing member and the clamping member and the surface of the cell collection device 10. Moreover, the bag-like object 40 should also cover at least the upper part of the collection section 11. This further enhances the above effects and minimizes the adhesion of moisture from the urine extruded from the collection section 11 to the surface of the sealing member and clamping member, preventing them from becoming soiled.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(a), when covering the cell collection device 10 with the bag-like object 40, it is preferable to set it so that the lower end of the bag-like object 40 is positioned below the lower end of the collection section 11 of the cell collection device 10. In this way, when the cell collection device 10 is set in the extrusion device 41 together with the bag-like object 40, the cell collection device 10 is suspended and held in a state completely covered by the bag-like object 40, positioned between the pair of rollers 42 on the left and right (see Figure 7(b)). In this state, the pair of rollers 42 move closer to each other and sandwich the cell collection device 10, and then the pair of rollers 42 move downward to push the air inside the main body 12 downward, causing moisture to be discharged to the outside from the collection section 11. As the discharged moisture passes through the space enclosed by the bag-like object 40 and falls downward, it is more reliably possible to prevent the moisture from adhering to the pair of rollers 42 and causing them to become dirty.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(a), when using an extrusion device 41 that uses a pair of left and right plates 45 and sandwiches the main body 12 of the cell collection device 10 from both sides with the plates 45, it is preferable to set the bag-like object 40 so that its lower end is lower than the lower end of the collection section 11 of the cell collection device 10.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), in a device that uses a member with a cushioning material 47 attached to the lower end of a rod-shaped body 46 to push air from inside the main body 12 downwards from the inside of the cell collection tool 10, it is preferable to set the lower end of the bag-shaped object 40 to be positioned lower than the lower end of the collection section 11 of the cell collection tool 10, similar to the above.

[0071] The attachment position of the bag-like object 40 to the cell collection device 10 should be such that it covers the surface of the cell collection device 10, preventing urine originally adhering to the surface or moisture squeezed out from the urine inside from adhering to the sealing member and clamping member.

[0072] When performing the various tasks described above, the inspector should wear disposable gloves and change gloves each time they tear off the collection section 11 from the cell collection device 10 and place it in a microtube.

[0073] Although the embodiments and modifications described above all describe the collection of urine residue and the like, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to other substances containing water, such as sputum, saliva, secretions, and other excretions.

[0074] While various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modifications, it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but rather to aid in understanding it. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations and manufacturing methods explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. Although the configurations for which patent protection is sought are specified in the appended claims, it should be noted that even configurations not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 10: Cell collection tool 11: Collection section 11a: Torso 11b: Bottom 12: Main body 12a: Lower part 12b: Middle part 12c: Upper part 13: Part 15: Perforation 20: Support 21: Base plate 22: Strut 23: Support Slot 23a: Frame 23b:Connection part 30: Tray

Claims

1. The main body opens from the top and bottom, It has a sampling section connected to the lower end of the main body, The main body is made of a deformable sheet that does not allow human excrement and / or secretions to pass through, and supplies the excrement and / or secretions supplied from the upper opening to the collection section without allowing them to pass through. The main body is configured to be deformable from a first state in which the upper part is open and has a space wider than the sampling part, to a second state in which the upper part is closed and compressed, thereby reducing the volume of the internal space. The collection section has a bottom and is configured to allow water constituting the excrement and / or secretions to pass through and be discharged to the outside, and to allow cells contained in the excrement and / or secretions to adhere without passing through.

2. The main body portion has an intermediate portion that is wider than the sampling portion, a tapered lower portion located between the intermediate portion and the sampling portion, and an upper portion located above the intermediate portion. The cell collection device according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion has a larger shape at the upper end.

3. A connection portion is continuously provided on the upper end side of the sampling portion. The cell collection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion and the lower portion of the main body are fixed together in an overlapping state.

4. The aforementioned connection portion and the aforementioned lower portion have inclined surfaces that widen as they go upwards. The cell collection device according to claim 3, wherein the connection portion is arranged on the inner circumferential surface side of the lower portion.

5. The cell collection device according to claim 1, further comprising a circumferentially extending perforated line at a position for cutting the bottom side of the collection portion.

6. An extrusion device for extruding the water from the main body of the cell collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A closing member that closes the upper opening of the main body, An extrusion device comprising a drive mechanism for moving the sealing member so as to reduce the volume of the internal space of the main body portion that is blocked by the sealing member.

7. The extrusion device according to claim 6, wherein the blocking member comprises a pair of clamping members that clamp the main body from the outside.

8. The extrusion device according to claim 7, wherein the blocking member is a pair of rollers.

9. The extrusion device according to claim 8, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to move the blocking member downward relative to the cell collection device.

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