Freeze-freezing containers

Abstract

This cryopreservation container 100 is provided with: a cap part 3 having a first engaging part 10; and a main body 2 having a second engaging part 20 in an insertion part 5. At the tip of the insertion part 5, a biological substance mounting part 6 on which a biological substance is mounted is provided. By inserting the insertion part 5 through an opening 3b of the cap part 3, the biological substance mounting part 6 is housed in a storage part 7 formed between the cap part 3 and the insertion part 5. Due to a force generated upon the engaging between the first engaging part 10 and the second engaging part 20, the sure fitting of the cap part 3 to the main body 2 can be recognized easily.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cryopreservation container. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, various cryopreservation containers have been used for cryopreserving biological materials such as animal embryos, eggs, or sperm. For example, a biological cell cryopreservation tool has been proposed in which an egg is attached together with a small amount of vitrification solution to a biological cell holding portion provided at one end of a main body, and the biological cell holding portion is immersed in previously prepared liquid nitrogen to freeze the egg (Patent Document 1).

[0003] This biological cell cryopreservation tool includes a cylindrical storage member that covers the biological cell holding portion, and is configured to be storable inside the cylindrical storage member except for a grip portion provided at the rear end of the main body portion. A tapered portion engageable with the opening of the cylindrical storage member is provided near the grip portion of the main body, and the tapered portion is fitted into the opening of the cylindrical storage member, whereby the inside of the cylindrical storage member in which the biological cell holding portion is stored is sealed. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 International Publication No. 2019 / 004300 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] In cryopreservation containers, it is crucial that the inside of the cylindrical storage member is sealed to prevent contamination by bacteria or other contaminants, ensuring that biological materials are safely cryopreserved without contamination. However, in the structure of the opening and tapered section of the biological cell cryopreservation device described in Patent Document 1, it was difficult to confirm whether the opening and tapered section were securely fitted together without any gaps when the cylindrical storage member was attached to the main body. Therefore, users had to lift a part of the biological cell cryopreservation device out of the liquid nitrogen each time to check the fit.

[0006] Furthermore, since cryopreservation containers are used by immersing a portion of them in liquid nitrogen, generally, at least one of the main body and the cylindrical storage member is held in a position where it is gripped with tweezers. However, in order to properly fit the opening and the tapered portion, it is necessary to first pull the tip of the cylindrical storage member of the cryopreservation container out of the liquid nitrogen, then pinch the tip of the cylindrical storage member with the fingers and firmly fit it in place, which is not very efficient. Moreover, it is unclear how much force is needed to push the tapered portion into the opening in order to properly attach the cylindrical storage member to the main body, and due to individual differences in the strength of the user, if the pushing force is too weak, the cylindrical storage member will not be properly attached to the main body, while if the pushing force is too strong, there is a risk of damaging the cryopreservation container. Therefore, there was a need for a cryopreservation container that would allow users to easily recognize when the cylindrical storage member has been securely attached to the main body.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a cryopreservation container that allows for easy recognition of when the cap portion is securely attached to the main body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure comprises a cylindrical cap portion sealed at one end and a main body to which the cap portion is attached, and is used in contact with liquid nitrogen. The cryopreservation container further comprises an insertion portion in which the cap portion has a first locking portion on its inner circumference and the main body has a second locking portion, and a biological material placement portion provided at the tip of the insertion portion on which a biological material is placed, and is characterized in that the biological material placement portion is placed in the storage portion formed by the cap portion and the insertion portion by inserting the insertion portion through the opening of the cap portion, and the force generated when the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked together makes it possible to recognize that the cap portion has been attached to the main body.

[0009] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the first locking portion, which is integrally formed with the cap portion, and the second locking portion, which is integrally formed with the insertion portion, are each made of a resin made from polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, cyclic olefin copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, low-density polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, trifluoroethylene chloride, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride, or polyamide.

[0010] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the first locking portion is one or more convex portions.

[0011] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the first locking portion has an inclined surface that is inclined toward the opening side.

[0012] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the cap portion has a thin-walled portion formed on the opening side that is thinner than the end side, and the thickness of the thin-walled portion is 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0013] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the second locking portion is formed in an annular or multiple convex shape along the outer circumference of the insertion portion.

[0014] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the insertion portion has an enlarged diameter portion whose outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the cap portion, and the storage portion is sealed when the enlarged diameter portion is fitted inside the cap portion.

[0015] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the cap portion has a reduced diameter portion with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion portion, and the storage portion is sealed by fitting the insertion portion inside the reduced diameter portion.

[0016] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure is characterized in that the cap portion has an outer diameter that decreases from the opening side to one end, and a stopper portion that is larger than the outer diameter of the other end is provided at one end. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The cryopreservation container according to this disclosure comprises a cap portion having a first locking portion and a main body having an insertion portion having a second locking portion. The tip of the insertion portion is provided with a biological material placement portion on which biological material is placed, and by inserting the insertion portion through the opening of the cap portion, the biological material placement portion is housed in the storage portion formed by the cap portion and the insertion portion. At this time, the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked together, and the force generated when the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked together transmits a certain resistance and a sense of attachment when the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked together to the user, so that it is easy to recognize that the cap portion is securely attached to the main body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view of a cryopreservation container, which is a first embodiment of the present disclosure, with the main body and cap removed. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view of a cryopreservation container, which is a first embodiment of the present disclosure, immediately before the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked together. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a front view of the first embodiment of the cryopreservation container according to this disclosure, showing the cap portion attached to the main body. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where a cap portion is attached to a main body. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, immediately before the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are locked. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the cap portion of the cryopreservation container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where a cap portion is attached to a main body and a first locking portion and a second locking portion are locked. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where a cap portion is attached to a main body and a first locking portion and a second locking portion are locked. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged internal view of the cryopreservation container according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, in a state where a cap portion is attached to a main body and a first locking portion and a second locking portion are locked. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0019] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, the first embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. In the embodiments described below, the longitudinal direction of the cryopreservation container 100 shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the vertical direction X, the lateral direction of the cryopreservation container 100 when the cryopreservation container 100 is viewed from the front is defined as the left-right direction Y, and the lateral direction of the cryopreservation container 100 when the cryopreservation container 100 is viewed from the side is defined as the front-rear direction Z. In addition, the cryopreservation container 100 is used in liquid nitrogen, and is used for cryopreserving biological materials such as embryos, eggs, or sperms. In the present embodiment, a case of cryopreserving eggs will be described as an example.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cryopreservation container 100 comprises a main body 2 and a cap portion 3 that is attached to the main body 2. The main body 2 and the cap portion 3 are made of a resin that is resistant to liquid nitrogen. The cap portion 3 is configured to be attached to the main body 2 with a portion of the main body 2 inserted inside the cap portion 3.

[0021] The main body 2 comprises a rod-shaped gripping portion 4 formed downward from its upper end, an insertion portion 5 connected to the lower end of the gripping portion 4 and narrowing downward, and a plate-shaped biomaterial placement portion 6 provided at the tip of the insertion portion 5 and extending downward. The gripping portion 4 is formed in a rectangular prism shape with the vertical direction X as its longitudinal direction, and is the part that the user grips when operating the main body 2.

[0022] The insertion portion 5 is the part that is inserted into the cap portion 3 when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2 (Figure 2). This insertion portion 5 consists of a base portion 5a connected to the gripping portion 4 and a holding portion 5b connected to the lower end of the base portion 5a. The base portion 5a is formed in a cylindrical shape with the vertical direction X as its longitudinal direction, and the holding portion 5b is formed in a conical shape with its outer diameter decreasing downwards from the connection point with the base portion 5a.

[0023] The holding portion 5b has an enlarged diameter portion 5d that is formed by protruding in an annular shape along the outer circumference of the holding portion 5b at approximately the midpoint of the vertical direction X. In addition, a biological material placement portion 6 is provided at the lower end of the holding portion 5b. The biological material placement portion 6 is made of an elastic sheet or film, and in the cryopreservation container 100, eggs are placed on the surface of this biological material placement portion 6.

[0024] The cap portion 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its longitudinal direction (upper X) and one end, the lower end 3a, closed. The other end of the cap portion 3, the upper end, has an opening 3b that opens upward. The cap portion 3 is also formed such that its outer diameter gradually decreases from the opening 3b side to the lower end 3a side. The thickness of the resin constituting the cap portion 3 is thinner on the opening 3b side than on the lower end 3a side, and this thinned portion is called the thin-walled portion 3c. The thickness of the thin-walled portion 3c is preferably 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm, and furthermore, since the resin hardens at extremely low temperatures in liquid nitrogen compared to room temperature, it is preferable that the thickness be 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm in order to enable smooth attachment of the cap portion 3. In this embodiment, the thickness of the thin-walled portion 3c is formed to 0.15 mm. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the length L1 of the thin-walled portion 3c in the vertical direction X is longer than the length L2 of the base portion 5a, and its inner diameter ID is larger than the outer diameter OD1 of the base portion 5a. The length L1 is formed to be 0.9 mm, which is about one-quarter of the length L3 from the opening 3b to the lower end 3a in the cap portion 3.

[0025] In the cap portion 3, a reduced diameter portion 3d is connected to the lower end of the thin-walled portion 3c. The reduced diameter portion 3d is a part in which the thickness of the resin constituting the cap portion 3 is formed to be thicker than that of the thin-walled portion 3c, and is formed extending to the lower end 3a of the cap portion 3. The length L4 of the reduced diameter portion 3d in the vertical direction X is formed to be longer than the length L5 from the upper end of the holding portion 5b to the lower end of the biomaterial placement portion 6 (Figure 1), and the holding portion 5b and the biomaterial placement portion 6 are configured to fit inside the reduced diameter portion 3d.

[0026] The reduced diameter section 3d is formed such that its inner diameter gradually decreases towards the lower end 3a. The inner diameter of the reduced diameter section 3d is slightly larger than the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged diameter section 5d near the thin-walled section 3c, and smaller than the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged diameter section 5d in other parts (Figure 4). Therefore, when the enlarged diameter section 5d is inserted into the tapered reduced diameter section 3d, the enlarged diameter section 5d fits into a fitting region A of the reduced diameter section 3d, which has an inner diameter the same size as the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged diameter section 5d. The storage section 7 is then sealed by the enlarged diameter section 5d being pushed into the fitting region A.

[0027] As described above, the insertion part 5 and the biological material placement part 6 are inserted into the inside of the cap part 3. When the cap part 3 is attached to the main body 2, a sealed storage part 7 is formed inside the cap part 3 by the cap part 3 and the holding part 5b (Figure 4). In the cryopreservation container 100, the biological material placement part 6 is stored in this storage part 7.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cap portion 3 has a first locking portion 10. The first locking portion 10 is a convex portion formed on the inner circumferential surface 3e of the thin portion 3c and is formed on the side of the opening 3b. The first locking portion 10 is formed integrally with the cap portion 3 and is formed in positions opposite to each other. The first locking portion 10 locks with the second locking portion 20 when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2.

[0029] As shown in Figure 7, the first locking portion 10 is formed by curving and rising from the inner circumferential surface 3e. The first locking portion 10 has an upper side surface 10b, which is the upper side, and a lower side surface 10c, which is the lower side, separated by the tip portion 10a, which is the front end. The upper side surface 10b and the lower side surface 10c are inclined surfaces that curve upward or downward from the tip portion 10a, respectively (Figures 5 and 6).

[0030] The first locking portion 10 is formed with a radial width W of 0.13 mm in the cap portion 3. This width W is preferably between 0.01 mm and 0.8 mm. Furthermore, the length of the first locking portion 10 in the vertical direction X, i.e., the height H, is formed to be 0.6 mm (Figure 4). This height H is preferably between 0.45 mm and 0.85 mm. The width W and height H of the first locking portion 10 can be arbitrarily determined considering the clearance between the inner circumference of the thin-walled portion 3c and the outer circumference of the base portion 5a.

[0031] The second locking portion 20 is formed in an annular shape along the outer circumference of the base portion 5a of the insertion portion 5, and is convex in shape, protruding from the outer circumferential surface 5c of the base portion 5a (Figure 5). The second locking portion 20 has an upper side surface 20b and a lower side surface 20c, with the tip portion 20a, which is the tip of the second locking portion 20, as the boundary.

[0032] The lower side surface 20c of the second locking portion 20 is formed as a gentler slope compared to the upper side surface 20b. Therefore, when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2, the first locking portion 10 is pressed by the lower side surface 20c, and the thin portion 3c is gradually pushed open. Then, as the main body 2 is further pushed toward the cap portion 3, the first locking portion 10, which has overcome the tip portion 20a of the second locking portion 20, is locked to the upper side surface 20b (Figure 6). In the cryopreservation container 100, the second locking portion 20 protrudes from the base portion 5a with the same width, but for example, it may be formed by multiple convex portions connected in an annular shape to create a wave-like shape.

[0033] The enlarged diameter portion 5d is formed in an annular shape along the outer circumference of the holding portion 5b, approximately midway along the vertical direction X of the holding portion 5b (Figure 4). The enlarged diameter portion 5d is formed by protruding from the outer circumferential surface 5e of the holding portion 5b, and its outer diameter OD2 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the portion of the reduced diameter portion 3d other than the portion near the thin-walled portion 3c. In this embodiment, an insertion portion 5 in which the enlarged diameter portion 5d, base portion 5a, holding portion 5b, and second locking portion 20 are integrally formed is shown as an example, but the enlarged diameter portion 5d, base portion 5a, holding portion 5b, and second locking portion 20 may be formed as separate members.

[0034] The weight portion 8 is a rectangular prism-shaped part provided at the lower end 3a of the cap portion 3 (Figure 1). The weight portion 8, which has a rectangular prism shape with the vertical direction X as its longitudinal direction, has its upper surface 8a connected to the lower end 3a of the cap portion 3 and is formed integrally with the cap portion 3. The shape of the weight portion 8 is not limited to a rectangular prism shape, but may also be formed in a cylindrical or polygonal prism shape.

[0035] The stopper portion 9 is formed by the upper surface 8a of the weight portion 8 and the lower end 3a of the cap portion 3. Specifically, the upper surface 8a of the weight portion 8 is formed such that the length L6 of each side of the rectangular shape is longer than the outer diameter OD3 at the lower end 3a of the cap portion 3 (Figure 7). Therefore, on the upper surface 8a, there is a portion that protrudes in the axial direction of the cap portion 3 from the connection point with the lower end 3a. This portion that protrudes in the axial direction is the stopper portion 9. Furthermore, if the upper surface 8a is circular in shape, the diameter of the upper surface 8a is made larger than the outer diameter OD3 of the lower end 3a, and if the upper surface 8a is polygonal in shape, the diagonal of the upper surface 8a is made longer than the outer diameter OD3 of the lower end 3a, thereby forming the stopper portion 9.

[0036] The main body 2 and the cap 3 come into contact with liquid nitrogen during use, and are therefore made of a resin capable of withstanding the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Examples of resins used for the main body 2 and the cap 3 include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), or polyurethane (PU).

[0037] In addition to the resins mentioned above, other resins such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) can also be used. These include vinyl-based resins such as polystyrene (PS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), acrylic-based resins such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or methacrylic-styrene copolymer (MS), fluorine-based resins such as ethylene trifluoride (PCTFE), tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), or vinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyamide-based resins such as polyamide (PA), polyacetal (POM), or cellulose acetate (CA).

[0038] In particular, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene are preferred because they are highly transparent, making it easy to see the eggs placed in the biological material placement section 6 when using them in liquid nitrogen or when observing the eggs under a microscope. Furthermore, polyethylene terephthalate is preferred for use in the biological material placement section 6 because it has high resistance to solvents such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide, and glycerin, which are used as cryoprotectants for eggs.

[0039] Next, we will explain how to use the freezing storage container 100. First, an egg is attached to the surface of the tip of the biological material placement section 6 along with a vitrification solution containing a cryoprotectant. Next, at least the biological material placement section 6 of the main body 2, to which the egg is attached, is immersed in liquid nitrogen prepared in advance in a container to freeze (vitrify) the egg. Then, the cap section 3, held with tweezers, is immersed in liquid nitrogen to sufficiently lower the temperature, and the biological material placement section 6 and insertion section 5 are inserted into the cap section 3.

[0040] At this point, when the insertion part 5 is inserted to the state shown in Figure 2, the second locking part 20 of the base part 5a comes into contact with the first locking part 10 of the cap part 3, causing the user to feel resistance. Therefore, the freezing storage container 100 is placed upright with the main body 2 on top and the cap part 3 on the bottom, and with the lower end of the weight part 8 in contact with the bottom of the container, the main body 2 is pushed further toward the cap part 3. When this is done, the second locking part 20 passes over the tip part 10a of the first locking part 10 and locks into the first locking part 10 (Figure 6).

[0041] At this time, the user feels the sensation of the first locking part 10 and the second locking part 20 being locked together, and the cap part 3 is attached to the main body 2 (Figure 3). The egg and biological material placement part 6 is then stored in the storage part 7 formed by the cap part 3 and the insertion part 5. Furthermore, the storage part 7 is sealed when the expanding part 5d is pushed into and fitted inside the contracted part 3d of the cap part 3 (Figure 4).

[0042] Subsequently, multiple cryopreservation containers 100 containing eggs are placed together in a goblet, and the goblet, which is then bundled with eggs, is immersed in liquid nitrogen in a liquid nitrogen tank for preservation.

[0043] Next, we will explain the effects of the cryopreservation container 100. In the frozen storage container 100, when the user attaches the cap portion 3 to the main body 2, the force generated when the first locking portion 10 and the second locking portion 20 are locked together provides a sense of attachment. This sense of attachment allows the user to easily recognize that the cap portion 3 has been securely attached to the main body 2.

[0044] Furthermore, the user typically holds the main body 2 by gripping the gripping part 4 with the fingers of one hand, while holding the cap part 3 in liquid nitrogen with tweezers using the other hand, and proceeds with the cryopreservation process described above. In this case, with the cryopreservation container 100, the cap part 3 can be easily attached to the main body 2 by simply supporting the cap part 3 with tweezers and lightly pushing the main body 2 towards the cap part 3 using the bottom of the container. Moreover, in this state, it is easy to recognize that the cap part 3 is securely attached to the main body 2, so there is no need to lift the cap part 3 out of the liquid nitrogen to check the attachment, and the work can be performed efficiently.

[0045] With conventional cryopreservation containers, in order to securely attach the cap to the body, it was necessary to lift the tip of the cap, held with tweezers, out of the liquid nitrogen, pinch the tip of the cap that had hardened due to the liquid nitrogen with one's fingers, and firmly attach the cap to the body. Furthermore, when the cap was pinched with the fingers, the heat from the fingers was transferred to the liquid nitrogen inside the cap, causing some of the liquid nitrogen to heat up and vaporize. The expansion of volume when vaporized could cause the cap to come off.

[0046] The freezing storage container 100 allows the user to adjust the force with which they press the main body 2 based on how it feels when fitted, preventing them from pressing with excessive force and thus preventing the freezing storage container 100 from deforming. Furthermore, with the cryopreservation container 100, there is no need to lift the tip of the cap portion 3 (the other end where the opening 3b is formed) out of the liquid nitrogen, and the entire process of attaching the cap portion 3 to the main body 2 can be performed in the liquid nitrogen. Therefore, the cap portion 3 can be attached to the main body 2 without the worker's fingers touching the liquid nitrogen at the tip of the cap portion 3. Also, because the worker can attach the cap portion 3 to the main body 2 without touching the tip of the cap portion 3, the liquid nitrogen inside the cap portion 3 does not vaporize, and the cap portion 3 can be attached to the main body 2 stably.

[0047] In the cryopreservation container 100, the first locking part 10 is integrally formed with the cap part 3, and the second locking part 20 is integrally formed with the insertion part 5. The first locking part 10 and the second locking part 20 are each made of a resin from which one of the above-mentioned resins is derived, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, cyclic olefin copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, low-density polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, trifluoroethylene chloride, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride, or polyamide. Therefore, the first locking part 10 and the second locking part 20 have a certain elasticity even in the cryogenic environment of liquid nitrogen, compared to those made of other materials such as metal. Thus, even in the cryogenic environment, the cap part 3 can be stably attached to the main body 2 while obtaining the secure fit generated by the locking of the first locking part 10 and the second locking part 20.

[0048] In the frozen storage container 100, the first locking portion 10 is formed as two convex portions, which allows the cap portion 3 to be attached to the main body 2 more smoothly compared to the case where the first locking portion is formed as a concave portion. As shown in the third embodiment of the cryopreservation container 102 described later (Figure 9), when the first locking portion 12 is a concave portion, the maximum outer diameter OD4 of the second locking portion 22, which protrudes axially from the outer peripheral surface 5c of the base portion 5a, is formed to be larger than the inner diameter ID of the thin-walled portion 3c of the cap portion 3. Therefore, when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2, the second locking portion 22 abuts against the edge of the opening 3b and then presses against the inner peripheral surface 3e of the thin-walled portion 3c while being pushed inward into the cap portion 3. As a result, the inner peripheral surface 3e of the thin-walled portion 3c is pressed by the second locking portion 22 until it reaches the position of the first locking portion 12, so there is always resistance.

[0049] In contrast, if the first locking portion 10 is a convex portion, the maximum outer diameter including the tip portion 20a of the second locking portion 20 can be made smaller than the inner diameter ID of the thin-walled portion 3c of the cap portion 3. This allows for a clearance between the tip portion 20a of the second locking portion 20 and the thin-walled portion 3c of the cap portion 3, resulting in no resistance and smooth attachment of the cap portion 3. Furthermore, if the first locking portion 10 is a convex portion, it is easy to mold the first locking portion 10 to achieve the desired fit by considering various conditions such as the clearance between the inner circumference of the cap portion 3 and the outer circumference of the insertion portion 5, as well as the shape and size of the second locking portion 20.

[0050] In the freezing container 100, the first locking portion 10 has an upper side surface 10b which is an inclined surface that slopes toward the opening 3b. Therefore, when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2, the second locking portion 20 is pushed in while in contact with the upper side surface 10b, and the second locking portion 20 can smoothly overcome the tip portion 10a of the first locking portion 10. As a result, there is no unnecessary resistance, and the user can attach the cap portion 3 to the main body 2 with the appropriate force, so it can be used safely.

[0051] In the cryopreservation container 100, the cap portion 3 has a thin-walled portion 3c on the opening 3b side, and the thickness of this thin-walled portion 3c is 0.15 mm. Therefore, even in the extremely low temperature environment of liquid nitrogen, a certain degree of elasticity is maintained in the thin-walled portion 3c, allowing the cap portion 3 to be smoothly attached to the main body 2.

[0052] The second locking portion 20 is formed in an annular and convex shape along the outer circumference of the base portion 5a in the insertion portion 5. Therefore, when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2, the first locking portion 10 can be securely locked to the second locking portion 20 regardless of the relative positions of the first locking portion 10 and the second locking portion 20. Consequently, alignment of the first locking portion 10 and the second locking portion 20 is unnecessary, improving work efficiency.

[0053] The insertion portion 5 has an enlarged portion 5d with an outer diameter OD2 that is larger than the inner diameter of the reduced-diameter portion 3d. In other words, the cap portion 3 has a reduced-diameter portion 3d with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged portion 5d. The storage portion 7 is sealed when the enlarged portion 5d of the insertion portion 5 is fitted inside the reduced-diameter portion 3d in the fitting region A. Therefore, when the cap portion 3 is attached to the main body 2, it is possible to prevent contaminants from entering the storage portion 7 from the outside of the freezing storage container 100, and eggs can be safely frozen and stored.

[0054] The cap portion 3 has a smaller outer diameter from the opening 3b side to the lower end 3a, and a stopper portion 9 is provided at the lower end 3a that is larger than the outer diameter OD3 of the lower end 3a. Therefore, when removing the cap portion 3 attached to the main body 2, the user can grasp the cap portion 3 with tweezers and slide it from the opening 3b side towards the lower end 3a, thereby hooking the tweezers onto the stopper portion 9. This allows the cap portion 3 to be easily removed from the main body 2 using the stopper portion 9. Therefore, since there is no need to lift the cap 3 out of the liquid nitrogen and remove it with your fingers, work efficiency is improved. Also, because the cap 3 can be removed in the extremely low temperature environment of liquid nitrogen, the impact of rapid temperature changes on the eggs is minimized.

[0055] Furthermore, the cryopreservation container 100 is provided with a weight 8. Therefore, when immersing the cap 3 in liquid nitrogen, it is easy to point the weight 8 downwards, making it easy to keep the cap 3 and the cryopreservation container 100 in an upright position. As a result, even when the cap 3 or a portion of the cryopreservation container 100 is immersed in liquid nitrogen, the user can easily attach and detach the cap 3.

[0056] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment relating to this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 8. The cryopreservation container 101 of this embodiment differs from the cryopreservation container 100 of the first embodiment mainly in its first and second locking parts. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the first locking part 11 and the second locking part 21 of the cryopreservation container 101, and components identical to those of the cryopreservation container 100 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0057] In the cryopreservation container 101, the outer diameter OD1 of the base 5a in the insertion portion 5 is larger compared to the cryopreservation container 100, and a concave second locking portion 21 is formed on this base 5a. Specifically, the second locking portion 21 is formed by creating an annular recess on the outer surface 5c of the base 5a along the outer circumference of the base 5a.

[0058] Furthermore, in the cryopreservation container 101, first locking portions 11 are formed at two opposing locations on the inner circumferential surface 3e of the thin-walled portion 3c. These first locking portions 11 are formed as convex portions that can be locked into the recesses of the second locking portions 21, and furthermore, the length L7 between the tips 11a of each first locking portion 11 is shorter than the outer diameter OD1 of the base portion 5a. In addition, compared to the first locking portion 10 of the cryopreservation container 100, the upper side surface 11b of the first locking portion 11 is formed as a gently sloping inclined surface compared to the lower side surface 11c of the lower end 3a.

[0059] Due to the combination of the concave second locking portion 21 and the convex first locking portion 11 described above, when the base portion 5a is inserted into the inside of the thin-walled portion 3c of the freezing storage container 101, the base portion 5a and the first locking portion 11 first come into contact, creating resistance. Then, as the base portion 5a is pushed further downward against this resistance, the first locking portion 11 is pressed by the base portion 5a, and the thin-walled portion 3c is pushed open. After that, when the first locking portion 11 reaches the position of the second locking portion 21, it locks into the second locking portion 21. At this time, the user feels the sensation of the first locking portion 11 being locked into the second locking portion 21. Therefore, it is easy to recognize that the cap portion 3 has been securely attached to the main body 2.

[0060] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment relating to this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 9. The cryopreservation container 102 of this embodiment differs from the cryopreservation container 101, which is the second embodiment, mainly in its first and second locking parts. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the first locking part 12 and the second locking part 22 of the cryopreservation container 102, and components that are the same as those in the cryopreservation container 100 and the cryopreservation container 101 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0061] In the frozen storage container 102, the first locking portion 12 is formed as a concave portion on the inner circumferential surface 3e of the thin-walled portion 3c. Specifically, the first locking portion 12 is formed by creating an annular recess on the inner circumferential surface 3e along the inner circumference of the cap portion 3.

[0062] Furthermore, in the cryopreservation container 102, the second locking portion 22 is formed in a convex shape that can be locked into the recess of the first locking portion 12. The second locking portion 22 protrudes in an annular shape from the outer peripheral surface 5c of the base portion 5a along the outer circumference of the base portion 5a. The maximum outer diameter OD4, including the tip portion 22a which is the tip of the second locking portion 22, is formed to be larger than the inner diameter ID of the thin-walled portion 3c. In addition, in the second locking portion 22, the lower side surface 22c is formed as a gently sloping inclined surface compared to the upper side surface 22b which is the upper side.

[0063] Due to the combination of the concave first locking portion 12 and the convex second locking portion 22 described above, when the base portion 5a is inserted into the inside of the thin-walled portion 3c of the freezing storage container 102, the second locking portion 22 first comes into contact with the edge of the opening 3b, creating resistance. Then, as the base portion 5a is pushed further downward against this resistance, the thin-walled portion 3c is pushed open by the second locking portion 22. Subsequently, when the further pushed second locking portion 22 reaches the position of the first locking portion 12, it locks into the first locking portion 12. At this time, the user feels the sensation of the second locking portion 22 being locked into the first locking portion 12. Therefore, it is easy to recognize that the cap portion 3 has been securely attached to the main body 2.

[0064] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment relating to this disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 10. The cryopreservation container 103 of this embodiment differs from the cryopreservation container 100 of the first embodiment mainly in the shape of the second locking portion. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on the second locking portion 23 of the cryopreservation container 103, and components identical to those of the cryopreservation container 100 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0065] In the cryopreservation container 103, the second locking portion 23 is formed in an annular shape along the outer circumference of the base portion 5a, protruding from the outer circumferential surface 5c of the base portion 5a in a convex shape. The second locking portion 23 has an upper side surface 23b and a lower side surface 23c, separated by a tip portion 23a, which is the tip of the second locking portion 23. Compared to the lower side surface 20c of the second locking portion 20 in the cryopreservation container 100, this lower side surface 23c is formed as a steeply inclined surface that slopes at a larger angle with respect to the outer circumferential surface 5c of the base portion 5a.

[0066] Because the lower side surface 23c is formed as a steeply inclined surface, when the first locking part 10, which is in contact with the lower side surface 23c, overcomes the tip 23a of the second locking part 23 in the cryopreservation container 103, a greater resistance is felt compared to the cryopreservation container 100. As a result, the user feels greater resistance when the second locking part 23 and the first locking part 10 are locked together, and can obtain a more secure feeling of attachment. Therefore, even when attaching the cap part 3 while holding the cryopreservation container 103 with tweezers, the feeling of attachment is reliably transmitted, so the user can easily recognize that the cap part 3 has been attached.

[0067] As described above, this embodiment has been explained in detail, but this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, this embodiment shows an example in which the first locking portion 10 (11, 12) is formed integrally with the cap portion 3, and the second locking portion 20 (21, 22, 23) is formed integrally with the insertion portion 5, but the first locking portion 10 (11, 12) and the cap portion 3, and the second locking portion 20 (21, 22, 23) and the insertion portion 5 may be formed separately. Furthermore, the first locking portion 10 (11, 12) and the second locking portion 20 (21, 22, 23) may be made of a metal other than resin, for example.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the first locking portion 10(11) is formed as a convex portion of the same size at two opposing locations. However, for example, one first locking portion 10(11) may be different in size or shape from the other first locking portion 10(11). Moreover, the number of first locking portions 10(11) is not limited to two locations and is arbitrary; three or more first locking portions 10(11) may be formed, or only one first locking portion 10(11) may be formed. For example, two first locking portions 10(11) facing each other may be formed at four locations on the inner circumferential surface 3e of the thin portion 3c, and among these, the first locking portions 10(11) facing each other may be formed to the same size, while adjacent first locking portions 10(11) may be formed to different sizes.

[0069] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example in which the first locking portions 10 and 11 have upper side surfaces 10b and 11b that are inclined surfaces that slope toward the opening 3b, the first locking portions 10 and 11 do not need to be curved and protruding convex portions like those in the cryopreservation container 100, for example. At least the upper side surfaces 10b and 11b on the opening 3b side should be formed as inclined surfaces that slope toward the opening 3b. For example, they may be formed as trapezoidal or triangular convex portions. Alternatively, the first locking portions 10 and 11 may be formed as convex portions where the upper side surfaces 10b and 11b are not inclined.

[0070] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example in which the cap portion 3 has a thin-walled portion 3c on the opening 3b side, the cap portion 3 may also be one in which the thin-walled portion 3c is not formed.

[0071] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows a cryopreservation container 100 in which both an enlarged diameter portion 5d and a reduced diameter portion 3d are formed, the cryopreservation container 100 may be one in which either the enlarged diameter portion 5d or the reduced diameter portion 3d is formed to seal the storage portion 7. For example, the enlarged diameter portion 5d may be fitted inside the cap portion 3 to seal the storage portion 7, or the base portion 5a or the holding portion 5b may be fitted inside the reduced diameter portion 3d to seal the storage portion 7. Furthermore, for example, the second locking portion 20 may be configured to have the function of an enlarged diameter portion 5d, and the storage portion 7 may be sealed by fitting this second locking portion 20 inside the thin-walled portion 3c or the reduced diameter portion 3d.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the enlarged diameter portion 5d is fitted into a fitting region A where the inner diameter of the reduced diameter portion 3d is the same size as the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged diameter portion 5d. However, for example, the outer diameter OD2 of the enlarged diameter portion 5d may be formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the reduced diameter portion 3d, and the storage portion 7 may be sealed by pushing the enlarged diameter portion 5b into the inside of the reduced diameter portion 3d. Moreover, if there is no need to seal the storage portion 7, neither the enlarged diameter portion 5d nor the reduced diameter portion 3d may be formed.

[0073] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows a main body 2 in which the gripping portion 4, base portion 5a, holding portion 5b, and biomaterial placement portion 6 are integrally formed, the gripping portion 4, base portion 5a, holding portion 5b, and biomaterial placement portion 6 may be formed as separate members. For example, the holding portion 5b and the biomaterial placement portion 6 may be made of separate members, and the biomaterial placement portion 6 may be attached by being sandwiched in a notch provided at the tip of the holding portion 5b.

[0074] Furthermore, the shape of the cap portion 3 is not limited to a cylindrical shape; it may be a cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross-section when cut along its longitudinal direction. Similarly, the insertion portion 5 is not limited to a cylindrical shape; it may also be a polygonal prism shape. In addition, the shapes of the gripping portion 4 and the weight portion 8 are not limited to a rectangular prism shape; they may be cylindrical or polygonal prism shapes. However, the gripping portion 4 and the weight portion 8 are preferably formed in a rectangular prism shape or a polygonal prism shape when it is necessary to stack the cryopreservation containers, or when it is necessary to write or print information related to cryopreservation, such as the start date of cryopreservation, on the gripping portion or the weight portion. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 100, 101, 102, 103 Cryopreservation containers 2 Main unit 3. Cap section 3a bottom edge 3b opening 3c Thin-walled section 3d reduced diameter part 3e Inner surface 4 Grip part 5 Insertion part 5a base 5b Holding part 5c Outer surface 5d enlarged diameter part 5e Outer surface 6. Biomaterial placement section 7 Storage compartment 8 Weight 8a Top 9. Stopper part 10, 11, 12 First locking part 10a, 11a Tip 10b, 11b Upper side 10c, 11c Lower side 20, 21, 22, 23 Second locking part 20a, 22a, 23a tip 20b, 22b, 23b Upper side 20c, 22c, 23c lower side A mating area H Height ID Inner Diameter L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7 length OD1, OD2, OD3 outer diameter OD4 maximum outer diameter W width X (up and down) Y (left and right directions) Z forward and backward directions

Claims

1. A cryopreservation container comprising a cylindrical cap portion sealed at one end and a main body to which the cap portion is attached, which is used in contact with liquid nitrogen, The cap portion has a thin-walled portion formed on the opening side that is thinner than the one end side, and a first locking portion on the inner circumferential surface of the thin-walled portion. The main body has an insertion portion having a second locking portion, and a biomaterial placement portion provided at the tip of the insertion portion on which a biomaterial is placed, The second locking portion is formed in a convex shape that protrudes outward, and has a first inclined portion that slopes toward the tip side of the insertion portion, a second inclined portion that slopes toward the opposite side from the tip side, and a top portion formed between the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion. By inserting the insertion part through the opening of the cap part, the biological material placement part is housed in the storage area formed by the cap part and the insertion part. The first locking portion moves while in contact with the first inclined portion, and after overcoming the top portion, the pressing force from the first inclined portion disappears, causing it to lock into the second inclined portion. The force generated when the first locking portion and the second inclined portion are locked together allows the cap portion to be recognized as being attached to the main body. A cryopreservation container characterized by the following features.

2. The first locking portion, which is formed integrally with the cap portion, and the second locking portion, which is formed integrally with the insertion portion, are each made of a resin made from polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, cyclic olefin copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, low-density polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, trifluoroethylene chloride, tetrafluoroethylene / hexafluoropropylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride, or polyamide. A cryopreservation container according to feature 1.

3. The inclination of the first inclined portion is gentler than the inclination of the second inclined portion. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

4. The first locking portion is one or more convex portions having an inclined surface that slopes toward the opening side. A cryopreservation container according to feature 3.

5. The thickness of the thin portion is 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

6. The second locking portion is formed in an annular or multiple convex shape along the outer circumference of the insertion portion. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

7. The insertion portion has an enlarged outer diameter portion that is larger than the inner diameter of the cap portion, and the storage portion is sealed when the enlarged outer diameter portion is fitted inside the cap portion. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

8. The cap portion has a reduced diameter portion with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the insertion portion, and the storage portion is sealed when the insertion portion is fitted inside the reduced diameter portion. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

9. The cap portion has an outer diameter that decreases from the opening side to the one end, and a stopper portion larger than the outer diameter of the one end is provided at the one end. A cryopreservation container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

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