Petri dish and container

Abstract

Provided are a petri dish and a container, such as a container for semen preservation, with improved workability. This petri dish (10) comprises a plurality of regularly arranged recess sections (13) on an upper surface (11a) of a bottom section (11), and the bottom surface of each recess section (13) is a curved concave surface.

Description

Petri dishes and containers

[0001] The present disclosure relates to petri dishes and containers.

[0002] Conventionally, various containers, such as petri dishes and semen storage containers, have been used in reproductive medicine. For example, in in vitro fertilization, an egg candling procedure is performed in which follicular fluid extracted from an ovary inside the body is released into a petri dish, and cumulus-ovum complexes are collected using a capillary pipette (hereinafter referred to as a "pipette") or the like using a stereomicroscope. For the egg candling procedure, a petri dish having a circular bottom and a wall formed along the outer edge of the bottom is used, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example. Follicular fluid contains cumulus-ovum complexes as well as cell fragments, blood cells, etc., and an operator operates a microscope to find and collect the cumulus-ovum complexes from the follicular fluid contained in the petri dish.

[0003] In egg candling, the magnification of a stereomicroscope generally suitable for finding cumulus-ovum complexes is one in which the entire square, four sides of which are approximately 1 cm to 2 cm, fits within the field of view of the stereomicroscope. Petri dishes come in a variety of sizes, but those with a diameter of approximately 10 cm are commonly used, and the field of view of the stereomicroscope is small compared to the area of ​​the bottom of the dish. Therefore, the petri dish is moved, and portions of the bottom of the dish are sequentially projected onto the stereomicroscope to search for cumulus-ovum complexes.

[0004] Also known as a container used in reproductive medicine is a semen storage container for storing semen collected for use in in vitro fertilization (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] JP 2017-221144 A International Publication No. 2018 / 066514

[0006] However, when the petri dish is moved visually, it is difficult to comprehensively image the bottom of the petri dish on a stereomicroscope, and the same area may be searched multiple times, or some areas may not be searched, resulting in the problem of missing cumulus-ovum complexes. Furthermore, moving the petri dish causes the cumulus-ovum complexes to move within the dish, and if a cumulus-ovum complex moves to an area that has already been searched, that cumulus-ovum complex may be missed. Follicular fluid contained in a petri dish often contains only a few cumulus-ovum complexes, at most around seven or eight, and it is desirable to minimize the number of cumulus-ovum complexes missed.

[0007] To solve this problem, a grid is drawn on the underside of the bottom of a petri dish using ink or the like, the bottom of the dish is visually divided into sections, and each section is projected onto a stereomicroscope for search. However, this method does not solve the problem of missing cumulus-oocyte complexes that move within the dish when the dish is moved.

[0008] Furthermore, when storing a sample such as follicular fluid in a container such as the above-mentioned Petri dish or semen storage container, a portion of the sample may adhere to the inner surface of the container lid during transport or handling. However, it has been difficult to recover the sample adhering to the lid without wasting it, and it has been difficult to efficiently recover the sample from the lid.

[0009] As such, there is room for improvement in conventional containers such as petri dishes. The present disclosure has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide containers such as petri dishes and semen storage containers with improved workability.

[0010] More specifically, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a Petri dish that can prevent collection target cells, such as cumulus-ovum complexes, contained in the dish from being missed. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a container that can effectively collect samples that have adhered to the lid.

[0011] The petri dish according to the present disclosure has a plurality of recesses arranged regularly on the upper surface of the bottom, and each recess has a bottom surface that is a concave curved surface.

[0012] For example, a sample containing target cells such as cumulus-ovum complexes is extracted from the body and poured into each of the multiple wells at the bottom of a petri dish. The operator moves the dish and sequentially projects each well under a stereomicroscope to search for target cells in each well.

[0013] In this way, by forming multiple recesses on the upper surface of the bottom to partition the bottom and sequentially projecting the recesses under a stereomicroscope, the bottom can be comprehensively searched. Even if the petri dish is moved, the cumulus-ovum complexes remain within each recess, and cumulus-ovum complexes will not move to recesses that have already been searched. This makes it possible to prevent cells to be collected from the petri dish from being missed.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the recesses are arranged in a row. According to a preferred embodiment, each recess has a square planar shape.

[0015] In the above embodiment, the recesses are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, marks are provided at positions corresponding to the recesses on the bottom surface to distinguish the recesses from one another.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, each recess has a planar shape of a square with one side measuring 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the container further comprises a partition wall erected on the upper surface of the bottom portion and forming, together with the bottom portion, a space capable of containing a liquid, and a recess is formed in the upper surface of the bottom portion surrounded by the partition wall.

[0019] The container according to the present disclosure is a container for storing semen, and comprises a container body and a lid. The container body has an opening. The lid is a removable lid that is placed over the opening to close it. The inner circumferential surface of the lid facing the opening includes either a convex portion or a concave portion. The convex portion has an apex and an inclined side surface. The apex is the portion that protrudes most into the container body when the lid is placed over the opening to close it. The inclined side surface is connected to the apex and is inclined so that the width of the convex portion increases with increasing distance from the apex. The inclined side surface has a bottom and inclined side surface. The bottom is the portion farthest from the opening when the lid is placed over the opening to close it. The inclined side surface is connected to the bottom and is inclined so that the width of the concave portion increases with increasing distance from the bottom.

[0020] According to the present disclosure, containers such as petri dishes and semen storage containers with improved workability can be provided. More specifically, it is possible to prevent cells to be collected from the petri dish from being missed. Furthermore, it is possible to effectively collect samples that have adhered to the lid.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a petri dish according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another example of a petri dish according to the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of a petri dish according to the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a petri dish according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a petri dish according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a semen storage container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a semen storage container according to the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a semen storage container according to the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a semen storage container according to the present disclosure.

[0022] <Petri Dish According to the Present Disclosure> One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a petri dish 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of recesses 13 regularly arranged on the upper surface 11a of a circular bottom 11 whose periphery is surrounded by a wall 12. Each recess 13 has a square planar shape and is arranged in multiple rows and columns in both the vertical and horizontal directions. In this embodiment, the recesses 13 are arranged in a series of four rows and four columns. As shown in FIG. 2 , the bottom surface 13a of the recesses 13 is a concave curved surface, and has a continuous shape with no corners. The petri dish 10 is made of plastic, but the material is not limited thereto and may be, for example, glass.

[0023] In this embodiment, the diameter D1 of the bottom 11 is set to 100 mm, the length L1 of one side of each recess 13 is set to 17.68 mm, the depth L2 of the recess 13 is set to 3 mm, the height L3 of the wall 12 is set to 13 mm, and the thickness L4 of the bottom 11 is set to 1 mm, but this is not limited to these values.

[0024] In this embodiment, the plurality of wells 13 are arranged in a row. In this specification, "arranged in a row" means that the wells 13 are arranged with almost no gap between adjacent wells 13, or that the wells 13 are arranged with a gap large enough to prevent cells to be collected from being placed between the wells 13.

[0025] The bottom surface 11b of the bottom 11 is formed as a flat surface, and numbers are engraved on the bottom surface 11b at positions corresponding to each recess 13 as marks 14 for distinguishing the recesses 13 from one another. The numbers are like addresses, and each recess 13 is assigned a unique number. By being engraved, each recess 13 is identified. The numbers are desirably assigned according to the order in which an operator searches the recesses 13 using a stereomicroscope. In this embodiment, numbers 1 to 16 are assigned to each recess 13 and engraved so that the numbers increase in one direction (from right to left) in FIG. 1 . Note that, when recesses 13 are arranged in multiple rows, there is a case in which one row is sequentially searched in one direction, and then the next row is searched in the opposite direction, and this search is repeated. In this case, the numbers serving as marks 14 are assigned so that the numbers increase in one direction (from right to left) in the first row, and then the numbers increase in the opposite direction in the subsequent rows.

[0026] At least the bottom 11 of the petri dish 10 is formed to be transparent enough to allow the marks 14 on the bottom surface 11b to be seen, so that an operator can visually recognize the marks 14 through a stereomicroscope and identify each recess 13.

[0027] In this embodiment, numbers are used as the marks 14, but this is not limited thereto, and any marks 14 may be used, such as letters, symbols, or designs, as long as they allow the recesses 13 to be distinguished from one another. In this embodiment, the marks 14 are engraved on the bottom surface 11b, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the marks 14 may be attached by manufacturing the petri dish 10 by injection molding using a mold with recesses and protrusions corresponding to the marks 14. Furthermore, the marks 14 may be written by an operator on the bottom surface 11b of the bottom 11. Alternatively, the marks 14 may be printed in advance. Furthermore, the marks 14 may be provided on the bottom surface 13a of the recesses 13.

[0028] An example of how to use the Petri dish 10 of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the cells to be collected are cumulus-ovum complexes contained in follicular fluid extracted from ovaries inside the body. The follicular fluid is extracted from ovaries inside the body and injected in portions into multiple recesses 13 on the bottom 11 of the Petri dish 10. The operator moves the Petri dish 10, sequentially viewing each recess 13 under a stereomicroscope, and searches for cumulus-ovum complexes in each recess 13. The operator removes the found cumulus-ovum complexes with a pipette. Note that, although follicular fluid is injected into the Petri dish 10 in this embodiment, the injection is not limited to follicular fluid, and any liquid or solid may be contained in the Petri dish 10.

[0029] In this way, by forming a plurality of recesses 13 on the upper surface 11a of the bottom 11 to partition the bottom 11 and sequentially projecting the recesses 13 under a stereomicroscope, the bottom 11 can be comprehensively searched. Even if the petri dish 10 is moved, the cumulus-ovum complexes are contained within each recess 13, and cumulus-ovum complexes will not move to recesses 13 that have already been searched. This makes it possible to prevent cumulus-ovum complexes contained in the petri dish 10 from being overlooked. Furthermore, since the same area is not searched multiple times as in conventional technology, the time required for searching is shortened.

[0030] Furthermore, if recess 13 has corners, the corners are likely to be blind spots for the operator when observing with a stereomicroscope. Therefore, if the cumulus-ovum complex is located at a corner, the operator may not be able to visually recognize the cumulus-ovum complex. Furthermore, if recess 13 has an inverted cone shape, blood or other cells may overlap the cumulus-ovum complex. In this case, the cumulus-ovum complex is difficult to find and collect. However, by making bottom surface 13a of recess 13 a concave curved surface as in the above embodiment, the absence of corners makes it easier to collect the cumulus-ovum complex. Furthermore, follicular fluid spreads appropriately, making it easier to find the cumulus-ovum complex.

[0031] Furthermore, since the recesses 13 are arranged consecutively in both the vertical and horizontal directions, the recesses 13 can be sequentially imaged on a stereomicroscope by simply moving the petri dish 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Also, by arranging recesses 13 each having a square planar shape in a row, many recesses 13 can be formed on the bottom 11 of the petri dish 10.

[0032] Since the marks 14 are provided at positions corresponding to the recesses 13, the worker can easily distinguish between the recesses 13 that have already been searched and the recesses 13 that are yet to be searched. Therefore, even if the work is interrupted or the worker is replaced midway, the search can be quickly started from an unsearched recess 13.

[0033] Furthermore, by making the bottom surface 11b of the bottom portion 11 flat, when the petri dish 10 is placed on the heater placement surface, the contact area between the heater and the bottom surface 11b of the bottom portion 11 becomes large. As a result, heat is more easily transferred into the petri dish 10.

[0034] The liquid contained in the petri dish 10 is not limited to follicular fluid, and any liquid that can be dispensed into the plurality of recesses 13 may be used.

[0035] Although one embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0036] It is desirable that each recess 13 has a square shape with a side length L1 of 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less. This allows the entire recess 13 to be included in the field of view of the stereomicroscope by adjusting the magnification of the stereomicroscope. As a result, the operator can more easily search for the cumulus-ovum complexes. Furthermore, each recess 13 may have a square shape with a side length L1 of 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less. In this case, the entire four recesses 13 arranged in two rows and two columns can be included in the field of view of the stereomicroscope. This makes it easier for the operator to search for the cumulus-ovum complexes and allows the operator to search for multiple recesses 13 without moving the Petri dish 10. It is desirable that each recess 13 has a square shape with a side length L1 of 15 mm or more and 20 mm or less. If the length L1 is 15 mm or more, the cumulus-ovum complexes are less likely to overlap each other in each recess 13, even when follicular fluid containing multiple cumulus-ovum complexes with diameters of approximately 2 mm to 3 mm is injected into each recess 13. As a result, the cumulus-ovum complexes are easy to find through a stereomicroscope and to collect with a pipette. Furthermore, if the length L1 is 20 mm or less, the entirety of one recess 13 can be reliably included in the field of view of the stereomicroscope even at a low magnification of about 10 times.

[0037] The depth L2 of the recesses 13 is preferably 2 mm or more and 3 mm or less. With this configuration, when follicular fluid is injected into the recesses 13, multiple ova (cumulus ova complexes) having a diameter of approximately 2 mm to 3 mm are reliably contained in each recess 13, and migration of the ova to adjacent recesses 13 can be prevented when the Petri dish 10 is moved. Note that the follicular fluid may be injected so that it overflows from each recess 13. In this case, the ova sink to the bottom and are reliably contained in each recess 13. As a result, migration of the ova to adjacent recesses 13 can be prevented when the Petri dish 10 is moved.

[0038] The planar shape of the bottom 11 of the Petri dish 10 may be any shape, such as a rectangle, a triangle, or a polygon. In particular, when the bottom 11 is square, as shown in FIG. 3 , recesses 13 having a square planar shape can be arranged on the bottom 11 without any gaps, resulting in no wasted space. Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 , when a large amount of follicular fluid is injected into the Petri dish 10, the follicular fluid is not only contained within the recesses 13 but also exceeds the upper ends of the recesses 13 and is contained in the space within the Petri dish 10 surrounded by the bottom 11 and the wall 12. Over time, the cumulus-ovum complexes sink downward in the follicular fluid. At this time, because multiple recesses 13 are formed in a continuous line on the bottom 11, the cumulus-ovum complexes are reliably accommodated in one of the recesses 13 without getting caught between adjacent recesses 13 on the bottom 11 or between the partition walls 17A-17D and the recesses 13. Furthermore, the follicular fluid does not need to be dispensed into each recess 13, but can be simply poured into Petri dish 10 to reliably contain the cumulus ovum complex in one of recesses 13.

[0039] Furthermore, the planar shape of each recess 13 is not limited to a square, and may be any shape, such as a circle, a triangle, or a polygon. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of recesses 13 each having a regular hexagonal planar shape may be arranged in a row on the bottom 11 of the petri dish 10. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the length of the longest diagonal line L5 of the regular hexagon is 20 mm. According to this embodiment, many recesses 13 can be provided on the bottom 11 of the petri dish 10 having a circular planar shape, and no space is wasted.

[0040] In addition, in a plan view, a recessed portion having a concave bottom surface may be provided on the upper surface 11a of the bottom portion 11 in a region between the wall 12 and the recess 13. The recessed portion may contain follicular fluid or culture fluid.

[0041] Furthermore, the plurality of recesses 13 may be arranged regularly. In this embodiment, the plurality of recesses 13 are arranged in four rows and four columns, but as long as three or more recesses 13 are arranged regularly in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions, the number of rows and columns may be different. Furthermore, for example, the plurality of recesses 13 may be arranged in a circular, spiral, or radial pattern. The number of recesses 13 is not limited to the above embodiment, and any number of recesses 13 may be provided depending on the size of the bottom 11 of the Petri dish 10. Furthermore, the plurality of recesses 13 may not be connected to each other, and a predetermined gap may be provided between adjacent recesses 13.

[0042] Furthermore, the bottom surface 11b of the bottom 11 is not limited to a flat surface, and may have a downwardly convex curved surface 11d formed on the bottom surface 11b corresponding to the shape of the recess 13, as shown in Fig. 5, for example. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, legs 15 are provided on the periphery of the bottom surface 11b of the bottom 11. The length of the legs 15 is set so that the convex curved surface 11d comes into contact with the mounting surface of the Petri dish 10. This makes it easier for heat to be transferred to the Petri dish 10 when the mounting surface of the Petri dish 10 is provided with a heating device such as a heater.

[0043] 6 and 7 show another embodiment of a Petri dish 10 according to the present disclosure. Four plate-shaped partition walls 17A to 17D are erected on the upper surface 11a of the bottom 11. As shown in Fig. 7, in a plan view, the four partition walls 17A to 17D form a square inscribed in the circular wall 12, and the ends of the partition walls 17A to 17D that form the vertices of the square are fixed to the wall 12. A space 18 surrounded by the four partition walls 17A to 17D and the bottom surface 11b is capable of containing follicular fluid.

[0044] The top surface 11a of the bottom 11, which is surrounded by the four partition walls 17A to 17D, has a series of square recesses 13 arranged in four rows and four columns. The spaces formed around each of the partition walls 17A to 17D and surrounded by the partition walls 17A to 17D, the wall 12, and the bottom 11 are culture medium storage sections 16A to 16D, in which culture medium is stored. A thickness L6 of the bottom 11 corresponding to the culture medium storage sections 16A to 16D is thinner than a thickness L7 of the bottom 11 corresponding to each recess 13. The height positions of the upper edges of the four partition walls 17A to 17D are set so as not to exceed the height position of the upper edges of the walls 12, and in this embodiment, are set lower than the height position of the upper edges of the walls 12.

[0045] Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and corresponding components are denoted by corresponding reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0046] Follicular fluid is injected into each recess 13. If the amount of follicular fluid is large, it will exceed the upper end of recess 13 and be contained in space 18 surrounded by four partition walls 17A to 17D above recess 13. In this case, the cumulus-ovum complex will sink and fit into one of recesses 13. The cumulus-ovum complex sucked out of recess 13 is washed, for example, by pipetting in the culture medium contained in culture medium containing section 16A, and then washed sequentially by pipetting in the culture medium contained in culture medium containing sections 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D.

[0047] Conventionally, when cumulus-egg complexes were aspirated from follicular fluid using a pipette, cell debris and blood were simultaneously aspirated in addition to the cumulus-egg complexes. Therefore, a separate washing dish containing culture medium was prepared, and an operation called pipetting was performed, in which the cumulus-egg complexes were repeatedly aspirated and expelled from the culture medium. In this manner, cell debris and blood were removed and the cumulus-egg complexes were washed. However, according to the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the cumulus-egg complexes can be washed in the same dish 10 in which they were collected. Therefore, there is no need to prepare a separate washing dish 10. Furthermore, since multiple culture medium storage sections 16A to 16D are provided, multiple washings can be performed. This allows many impurities, such as cell debris and blood, to be removed.

[0048] 6 and 7, there are almost no gaps between partition walls 17A to 17D and recesses 13 or between adjacent recesses 13. Therefore, even when a large amount of follicular fluid is injected, the cumulus-ovum complexes do not get caught between adjacent recesses 13 or between partition walls 17A to 17D and recesses 13. As a result, the cumulus-ovum complexes can be reliably contained in any of recesses 13. Furthermore, the cumulus-ovum complexes can be contained in any of recesses 13 by pouring the follicular fluid into Petri dish 10, without having to dispense it into each recess 13.

[0049] In this embodiment, four partition walls 17A to 17D are provided, but the shape formed by the partition walls may be any shape as long as a space 18 into which a liquid such as follicular fluid can be injected is formed surrounded by the partition walls and the bottom surface 11b. For example, in a plan view, three partition walls may form a triangular shape inscribed in the circular wall 12, or multiple partition walls may form a polygon. Furthermore, the partition walls may be formed in a ring shape in a plan view. Additional partition walls may be formed extending radially from the center of the bottom surface 11 toward the outer periphery so as to reach the wall 12 from the ring-shaped partition wall.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the partition wall forming the space 18 may include one or more portions that contact the wall 12 of the Petri dish 10 (for example, portions that form corners of a rectangular shape in plan view in FIG. 7 ). By forming multiple such contacting portions in the partition wall, multiple culture medium accommodating sections 16A to 16D can be formed. The number of such contacting portions may be two or more, three or more, four or more, or five or more. The number of contacting portions may be ten or less, nine or less, eight or less, seven or less, or six or less. Furthermore, the partition wall is linear in plan view, but may also be curved. Depending on the number of such contacting portions, the shape of the partition wall forming the space 18 in plan view may be a polygonal shape, such as a pentagon or hexagon.

[0051] In the partition wall arranged to surround the space 18 in a plan view, the distances between the plurality of contacting portions in the circumferential direction along the wall 12 in a plan view are approximately the same. In this case, the lengths of the plurality of culture medium accommodating sections 16A to 16D in the circumferential direction can be approximately the same. Furthermore, if the partition wall has a planar shape that is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the center of the bottom 11 of the Petri dish 10, the shapes of the plurality of culture medium accommodating sections 16A to 16D can be approximately the same. Note that the distances between the plurality of contacting portions in the circumferential direction may be different from one another. In this case, the lengths of the plurality of culture medium accommodating sections 16A to 16D in the circumferential direction can be different.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7 , the thickness of the partition walls is thinner than the thickness of the walls 12 in a plan view. For example, the thickness of the partition walls may be 70% or less, or 50% or less, of the thickness of the walls 12. The thickness of the partition walls may be 30% or more, or 40% or more, of the thickness of the walls 12. Furthermore, in a plan view, the area of ​​the bottom 11 enclosed by the partition walls 17A to 17D is larger than the area of ​​the bottom 11 located outside the partition walls 17A to 17D (the area of ​​the culture medium storage sections 16A to 16D). Note that, in order to increase the amount of culture medium retained during washing, the area of ​​the bottom 11 located outside the partition walls 17A to 17D may be equal to or larger than the area of ​​the bottom 11 enclosed by the partition walls 17A to 17D.

[0053] <Semen storage container according to the present disclosure> Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a semen storage container 110 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The semen storage container 110, which is one example of a container according to the present disclosure, comprises a cylindrical outer case 1020 which is open at the top and has a bottom surface 1026, an inner case 1030 which is open at the top and has a bottom and is provided inside the outer case 1020, and a removable lid 40 which is placed on the top end of the outer case 1020 so as to close the opening at the top end of the inner case 1030 (inner case opening 1323). The outer case 1020 and the inner case 1030 form a container main body 130. A lid recess 41 is formed in the lid 40.

[0054] The lid 40 is made up of a top plate portion 1041 and an outer peripheral wall 1042 formed around the periphery of the top plate portion 1041. A thread 1043 is formed at the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 1042 to be threadedly engaged with the thread 1025 of the outer case 1020. The outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 1042 of the lid 40 may be knurled to prevent slippage.

[0055] The inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 includes a lid recess 41. In the lid 40 shown in FIG. 8 , the lid recess 41 is formed by deforming the top plate portion 1041 so that it has an upwardly convex shape. The lid recess 41 has a bottom portion 41b and a recess side surface 41a, which is a sloped side surface. The bottom portion 41b, which is the bottom point of the lid recess 41, is the farthest portion from the inner case opening 1323 (hereinafter also referred to as the opening 1323) when the lid 40 is placed over the opening 1323 to close it. In this state, the shape of the lid recess 41 is conical. The recess side surface 41a is continuous with the bottom portion 41b and slopes so that the width of the lid recess 41 increases with increasing distance from the bottom portion 41b. In other words, the cross-section of the lid recess 41 shown in FIG. 8 is V-shaped. Although the cross-sectional shape of the recess side surface 41a shown in FIG. 8 is linear, the cross-sectional shape may also be curved. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the recess side surface 41a may be a curved shape that is convex in a direction away from the opening 1323, or a curved shape that is convex in a direction approaching the opening 1323. The bottom 41b of the lid recess 41 is disposed in the center of the lid recess 41 in a plan view. The bottom 41b may also be disposed in a position offset from the center of the lid recess 41 in a plan view, for example, between the center and the outer edge of the lid recess 41. The bottom 41b may also be disposed on the outer edge side of the midpoint between the center and the outer edge of the lid recess 41. Alternatively, the bottom 41b may be disposed on the center side of the midpoint.

[0056] The outer case 1020 has an upper end 1023 of an outer peripheral wall 1022 that has a smaller outer diameter than the remaining portion of the outer peripheral wall 1022. A fitting protrusion 1024 that fits with a fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030 is formed around the entire circumference at the upper end of the outer peripheral surface 1023b of the upper end 1023. In addition, a thread 1025 that screws into a thread 1043 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 1022 below the upper end 1023.

[0057] The inner case 1030 is detachable from the outer case 1020. The inner case 1030 comprises a fitting portion 1032 that fits into the upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020, a semen guide 1033, and a semen reservoir 1034. The semen guide 1033 is continuous with the lower portion of the fitting portion 1032. The semen reservoir 1034 is cylindrical. The semen reservoir 1034 is connected to an opening 1331 at the lower end of the semen guide 1033. The semen reservoir 1034 has a tapered bottom portion 1342.

[0058] The fitting portion 1032 includes a cylindrical fitting body 1321 having an opening 1323 at its upper end, and a folded portion 1322 that folds back from the upper end of the fitting body 1321 to the outside of the upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020 .

[0059] The folded portion 1322 goes around the outer periphery of the fitting portion main body 1321. The folded portion 1322 includes a fitting recess 1322a that fits with a fitting protrusion 1024 at the upper end of the outer case 1020, and a peripheral wall 1322b that extends downward from the tip of the fitting recess 1322a.

[0060] The folded portion 1322 is flexible enough to allow the upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020 to be inserted between the folded portion 1322 and the fitting portion main body 1321. The fitting protrusion 1024 of the outer case 1020 fits into the fitting recess 1322a of the inner case 1030, so that the inner case 1030 is fitted from the inside into the outer case opening 1021, which is an opening at the upper end of the outer case 1020. When the inner case 1030 is fitted into the outer case 1020, the outer peripheral surface 1321a of the fitting portion main body 1321 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface 1023a of the upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020, stabilizing the fit between the inner case 1030 and the outer case 1020.

[0061] The semen guide 1033 has an inner peripheral surface that is an inclined surface 1333 that widens upward, and is shaped like an inverted truncated cone. An opening 1332 at the upper end is continuous with the lower end of the fitting portion main body 1321. The inclined surface 1333 of the semen guide 1033 guides the semen introduced from the opening 1323 of the fitting portion 1032 toward the semen reservoir 1034.

[0062] The semen reservoir 1034 is a reservoir for the semen guided by the semen guide 1033. A cylindrical body 1341 is formed continuously with the opening 1331 at the lower end of the semen guide 1033. An inverted cone-shaped bottom 1342 is formed at the lower end of the body 1341. A lower end 1342a of the bottom 1342 abuts against the bottom surface 1026 of the outer case 1020. This allows the inner case 1030 to be stably maintained fitted into the outer case 1020.

[0063] It should be noted that the lower end 1342a of the bottom portion 1342 does not necessarily have to abut against the bottom surface 1026 of the outer case 1020. For example, the lower end 1342a may be located above the bottom surface 1026 of the outer case 1020.

[0064] The semen reservoir 1034 of the inner case 1030 is separable from the semen guide 1033. A cylindrical connecting part 1334 is formed at the opening 1331 at the lower end of the semen guide 1033. A screw 1335 for attaching the semen reservoir 1034 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the connecting part 1334. A cylindrical connecting part 1343 is formed at the upper end of the semen reservoir 1034, having an inner diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the body part 1341 and approximately the same as the outer diameter of the connecting part 1334 of the semen guide 1033. A screw 1344 that screws into the screw 1335 of the connecting part 1334 of the semen guide 1033 is formed on the inner circumferential wall of the connecting part 1343. The connecting part 1334 of the semen guide 1033 is fitted inside the connecting part 1343 of the semen reservoir 1034, and the screw 1335 is screwed into the screw 1344, thereby attaching the semen reservoir 1034 to the lower end of the semen guide 1033. At this time, the inner peripheral wall of the connecting part 1334 of the semen guide 1033 and the inner peripheral wall of the body part 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 are continuous.

[0065] A scale (not shown) at 1.0 mL intervals may be provided on the bottom 1342 of the semen reservoir 1034 and the outer surface of the body 1341. In this case, the outer case 1020 and the inner case 1030 are transparent enough that the scale and the amount of semen contained in the semen reservoir 1034 can be seen from the outside. The bottom 1342 may be formed in an inverted truncated cone shape. In this case, the lower surface of the bottom 1342 may abut against the bottom surface 1026 of the outer case 1020.

[0066] By fitting the inner case 1030 into the outer case 1020, an airtight sealed space 1050 is formed between the inner case 1030 and the outer case 1020, surrounding the inner case 1030. Air is trapped in this sealed space 1050, forming a heat insulating layer.

[0067] Instead of air, the sealed space 1050 may contain a liquid such as water, an insulating material, a heat storage material, or a heat-retaining material. The insulating material, heat storage material, or heat-retaining material preferably does not generate volatile substances so as not to deteriorate the properties of semen. The insulating material, heat storage material, or heat-retaining material may be made of, for example, polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, when water is contained in the sealed space, the temperature of the water may be set to 15°C or higher and 37°C or lower, preferably 20°C or higher and 37°C or lower, and more preferably 20°C or higher and 25°C or lower. To further enhance the airtightness of the sealed space 1050, threads may be formed on the outer peripheral surface 1321a of the fitting body 1321 and the inner peripheral surface 1023a of the upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020 for threaded engagement.

[0068] In this embodiment, for example, the diameter W1 of the fitting body 1321 of the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030 (diameter W1 of the opening 1323 which is the inner case opening) is set to 50 mm, the diameter of the opening 1332 at the upper end of the semen guide 1033 is set to 50 mm, the diameter of the opening 1331 at the lower end of the semen guide 1033 is set to 30 mm, the diameter W2 of the body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 is set to 30 mm, the height (vertical length L15) of the fitting body 1321 is set to 20 mm, the height (vertical length L14) of the semen guide 1033 is set to 15 mm, the length L11 of the body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 is set to 20 mm, and the height (vertical length L12) of the bottom 1342 of the semen reservoir 1034 is set to 15 mm. In this case, the semen capacity of the semen reservoir 34 is 17.7 mL. In addition, the length L13, which is the sum of the above lengths L11 and L12 and corresponds to the depth of the semen reservoir, may be longer than the total length L16 of the above lengths L15 and L14. Also, it is preferable to make the diameter W1 of the inner case opening larger than the length L13, which corresponds to the depth of the semen reservoir.

[0069] The dimensions of the inner case 1030 are not limited to those described above, and it is sufficient that the diameter of the cylindrical body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 is 30 mm or less, and the semen storage capacity is set to 10 mL or more and 20 mL or less. More preferably, the semen storage capacity is at least 12.5 mL.

[0070] The inner case 1030, outer case 1020, and lid 40 are each formed by integral injection molding of synthetic resin such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), etc. Note that the synthetic resin material is not limited to these. The semen storage container 110 is manufactured by assembling the inner case 1030, outer case 1020, and lid 40. To assemble, first prepare the inner case 1030 in which a first member serving as the semen reservoir 1034 is connected to a second member consisting of a fitting portion 1032 and a semen guide 1033. The upper end portion 1023 of the outer case 1020 is inserted between the folded portion 1322 of the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030 and the fitting portion main body 1321. The fitting protrusion 1024 of the outer case 1020 is fitted into the fitting recess 1322a of the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030, and the inner case 1030 is fitted inside the outer case 1020. Next, the screws 1043 of the lid 40 are threadedly engaged with the screws 1025 of the outer case 1020 to attach the lid 40 to the outer case 1020. When the lid 40 is attached to the outer case 1020, the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030 is pressed against the outer case 1020 from above by the lid 40. Therefore, the fitting protrusion 1024 of the outer case 1020 will not come off the fitting recess 1322a of the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030. As a result, the opening 1323 of the fitting portion 1032 of the inner case 1030 is securely closed by the lid 40.

[0071] Here, for example, when the semen storage container 110 is moved, there is a possibility that the semen held in the semen storage container 110 will adhere to the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 due to vibrations or the like. In this case, if a lid recess 41 is formed in the lid 40 as shown in Fig. 8, the semen will flow along the recess side surface 41a of the lid recess 41 toward the inner case 1030. As a result, the semen will be collected inside the semen reservoir 1034 of the inner case 1030.

[0072] 9, the surface of the lid recess 41 formed on the lid 40 may be curved. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a semen storage container 110. The semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 9 basically has the same configuration as the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 8 and can obtain the same effect, but the configuration of the lid 40 is different from that of the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 8. That is, in the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 9, the cross-sectional shape of the lid recess 41 formed on the lid 40 is curved. The inner peripheral surface of the lid recess 41 is spherical. Note that the inner peripheral surface of the lid recess 41 may be a curved surface with a locally different radius of curvature.

[0073] The outer edge of the lid recess 41 has a circular shape in a plan view seen from above in Fig. 9. The center of the lid recess 41 in a plan view is located at a position farthest from the inner case 1030. Note that, on the inner peripheral surface of the lid recess 41, the region located at a position farthest from the inner case 1030 in the height direction, which is the direction from the inner case 1030 toward the lid 40 (bottom 41b of the lid recess 41) may be located at a position other than the center of the lid recess 41 in a plan view.

[0074] 8, the semen adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the lid recess 41 also flows toward the inner case 1030 on the inner peripheral surface of the lid recess 41 in the semen storage container 110 shown in Fig. 9. Therefore, the semen adhering to the lid recess 41 can be easily collected into the semen reservoir 1034.

[0075] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the semen storage container 110 of the present disclosure. The semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10 basically has the same configuration as the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 8 and can obtain the same effect, but the configuration of the lid 40 is different from that of the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 8. That is, in the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10, a lid protrusion 45 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40.

[0076] The lid protrusion 45 has a shape in which the side of a cone is curved inwardly convex, for example. The lid protrusion 45 has a vertex 45b and a convex side surface 45a. The vertex 45b is the part that protrudes most into the interior of the container body 130 when the lid 40 is placed to close the inner case opening 1323. In a plan view seen from the lid 40 side, the vertex 45b is located at a position that overlaps with the deepest part of the bottom 1342 of the semen reservoir 1034. The deepest part of the bottom 1342 is the part of the bottom 1342 that is closest to the bottom surface 1026 of the outer case 1020 (the lower end 1342a that contacts the bottom surface 1026 in Figure 10). The convex side surface 45a is a portion that is connected to the vertex 45b and is inclined so that the width of the lid protrusion 45 increases as it moves away from the vertex 45b. The convex side surface 45a is a curved surface that is convex in a direction away from the container body 130. In other words, the cross-sectional shape (shape of a cross section along the depth direction) of the convex side surface 45a of the lid convex portion 45 is a curved surface that is convex in a direction away from the container body 130. The lid convex portion 45 may be separate from or integrated with the other portions of the lid 40. Any method can be used to connect the separate lid convex portion 45 to the other portions of the lid 40. For example, the lid convex portion 45 may be connected to the above-mentioned portions using an adhesive.

[0077] In the depth direction from the inner case opening 1323 toward the semen reservoir 1034, the apex 45b of the lid convex portion 45 is located above (on the lid 40 side) the opening surface 1331a defined by the opening 1331 which is the upper end of the body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034. In the depth direction, the apex 45b of the lid convex portion 45 may be located at the center of the inclined surface 1333 or on the bottom 1342 side from the center. Alternatively, in the depth direction, the apex 45b of the lid convex portion 45 may be located on the inner case opening 1323 side from the center of the inclined surface 1333. A distance L17 from the opening surface 1331a to the apex 45b is smaller than a distance L18 which is the height of the lid convex portion 45. The distance L17 may be 70% or less of the distance L18, 50% or less, 30% or less, or 20% or less. Furthermore, the vertex 45b may be arranged so as to overlap with the opening surface 1331a. Furthermore, the vertex 45b of the lid convex portion 45 may be a corner portion with an acute angle at the tip, or the tip may be formed in a spherical shape. The edge 45c of the lid convex portion 45 is arranged outside the body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 and inside the inner case opening 1323 in a plan view seen from the lid 40 side. Furthermore, the edge 45c may be arranged so as to overlap with the outer edge of the inner case opening 1323. Alternatively, the edge 45c of the lid convex portion 45 may be arranged inside the body 1341 of the semen reservoir 1034 in the plan view. In the plan view, the shape of the edge 45c of the lid convex portion 45 is circular, but the shape may be any shape such as a square or a polygon.

[0078] In the convex side surface 45a of the lid convex portion 45, the portion facing the semen guide 1033 is not shaped to fit along the inner peripheral surface of the semen guide 1033, but may be shaped to fit along the inner peripheral surface. From a different perspective, in the portion of the convex side surface 45a facing the inclined surface 1333 of the semen guide 1033, the distance between the convex side surface 45a and the inclined surface 1333 changes as it approaches the semen reservoir 1034 in the depth direction. For example, the distance may increase or decrease as it approaches the semen reservoir 1034 in the depth direction, or it may change to show a maximum value along the way.

[0079] To summarize the characteristic configuration of the semen storage container 110 shown in Figures 8 to 10, the semen storage container 110 comprises a container body 130 and a lid 40. The container body 130 has an opening 1323 as an inner case opening. The lid 40 is attached to close the opening 1323 and is removable. The inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 facing the opening 1323 includes either a lid convex portion 45 or a lid concave portion 41. The lid convex portion 45 has an apex portion 45b and a convex portion side surface 45a. The apex portion 45b is the portion that protrudes most into the container body 130 when the lid 40 is attached to close the opening 1323. The convex portion side surface 45a is connected to the apex portion 45b and is inclined so that the width of the lid convex portion 45 increases with increasing distance from the apex portion 45b. The lid concave portion 41 has a bottom portion 41b and a concave portion side surface 41a. The bottom 41b is the part farthest from the opening 1323 when the lid 40 is placed to close the opening 1323. The recess side surface 41a is continuous with the bottom 41b and is inclined so that the width of the lid recess 41 increases with increasing distance from the bottom 41b.

[0080] In the semen storage container 110 described above, if the lid 40 has a lid recess 41 formed thereon as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, semen adhering to the lid 40 can be easily collected. That is, when semen adheres to the recess side surface 41a of the lid recess 41, the semen flows along the recess side surface 41a toward the inner case 1030. As a result, the semen is collected inside the semen reservoir 1034 of the inner case 1030. Alternatively, the lid 40 with semen adhering to its inner circumferential surface may be held with the inner circumferential surface of the lid 40 facing upward. As a result, the semen adhering to the lid 40 flows toward the bottom 41b on the recess side surface 41a of the lid recess 41. The flowing semen is collected at the bottom 41b, and the collected semen can be easily collected from the bottom 41b using a pipette or the like. When collecting semen, the inside of the lid recess 41 may be rinsed with an appropriate liquid such as culture medium.

[0081] 10, if the lid 40 is formed with a lid protrusion 45, semen adhering to the lid 40 can be easily guided into the inner case 1030 and collected. That is, the semen adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 flows along the protrusion side surface 45a of the lid protrusion 45 toward the apex 45b. Then, the semen drips from the apex 45b toward the inside of the inner case 1030.

[0082] Furthermore, by forming the lid protrusion 45 on the lid 40, the volume of the internal space of the inner case 1030 can be made smaller than if the lid protrusion 45 were not formed. This prevents a decrease in the volume of semen in the inner case 1030 due to evaporation of the liquid components of semen. This decrease in the liquid components in the semen can lead to an increase in the osmotic pressure of the semen and the concentration of semen components such as salts. This can result in a deterioration in the quality of the semen. Furthermore, when the volume of semen is small, the evaporation of the liquid components of the semen and the concentration of the semen components can be detrimental to treatments using the semen. By using the semen storage container 110 according to the present disclosure, the occurrence of such problems can be prevented. This effect is particularly noticeable when the semen storage container 110 is used to transport semen collected at home, for example.

[0083] In the semen storage container 110, the container body 130 includes an outer case 1020 and an inner case 1030. The outer case 1020 is a bottomed case with an open top. The inner case 1030 is a bottomed case with an open top, which is provided inside the outer case 1020 so as to close the outer case opening 1021 at the top of the outer case 1020. The opening 1323 is an inner case opening at the top of the inner case 1030. The lid 40 is placed on the top end of the outer case 1020 so as to close the inner case opening 1323. The inner case 1030 includes a semen guide 1033 and a semen reservoir 1034. The semen guide 1033 is connected to the inner case opening at the top of the inner case 1030, and its inner peripheral surface is an upwardly flaring inclined surface. The semen reservoir 1034 has a body 1341 and a bottom 1342. The body 1341 is a cylindrical member whose upper end is continuous with the opening 1331 at the lower end of the semen guide 1033. The bottom 1342 is a tapered member that is continuous with the lower end of the cylindrical body 1341. The diameter W1 of the inner case opening 1323 at the cylindrical upper end of the inner case 1030 is longer than the depth (length L13) of the semen reservoir 1034, which is the sum of the length L11 of the body 1341 and the length L12 which is the height of the bottom 1342. By applying the above-mentioned lid recess 41 or lid protrusion 45 to the semen storage container 110 configured in this way, it is possible to improve operability during semen collection and to suppress the occurrence of problems such as evaporation of semen during transportation or loss due to adhesion to the lid 40.

[0084] In the semen storage container 110 shown in Fig. 10, the lid 40 includes a lid convex portion 45. In the depth direction from the inner case opening 1323 toward the semen reservoir 1034, the apex portion 45b of the lid convex portion 45 is arranged at a position overlapping with the semen guide 1033. In addition, the convex portion side surface 45a of the lid convex portion 45 is a curved surface that is convex toward the lid 40 side. From a different perspective, the convex portion side surface 45a is a curved surface that is convex toward the direction away from the container body portion 130.

[0085] In this case, the side surface 45a of the lid protrusion 45 becomes a slope with a steeper angle as it approaches the apex 45b. Therefore, semen adhering to the lid protrusion 45 can more easily drip from the apex 45b into the inner case 1030. As a result, semen adhering to the lid protrusion 45 can be effectively collected.

[0086] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the semen storage container 110 of the present disclosure. The semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 11 basically has the same configuration as the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10 and can obtain the same effect, but the configuration of the lid 40 is different from that of the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10. That is, in the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 11, a conical lid protrusion 45 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40.

[0087] In the lid convex portion 45 of the semen storage container 110 shown in Fig. 11, the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion side surface 45a is linear. In this case, the internal volume of the inner case 1030, i.e., the volume of the space surrounded by the inner peripheral surface of the inner case 1030 and the lid 40, can be made smaller than the corresponding volume in the semen storage container 110 shown in Fig. 10. Therefore, evaporation of the liquid component of the semen held in the inner case 1030 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0088] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the semen storage container 110 of the present disclosure. The semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 12 basically has the same configuration as the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 10 and can achieve the same effects, but the configuration of the lid 40 is different from that of the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 10. That is, in the semen storage container 110 shown in FIG. 12, the cross-sectional shape of the convex portion side surface 45a of the lid convex portion 45 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 40 is a convex curved surface toward the inner case 1030. From a different perspective, the convex portion side surface 45a is a convex curved surface toward the container body 130. In this case, the internal volume of the inner case 1030 can be made smaller than that of the semen storage container 110 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Therefore, evaporation of the liquid component of the semen held in the inner case 1030 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0089] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the semen storage container 110 of the present disclosure. The semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 13 basically has the same configuration as the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10 and can obtain the same effect, but the configuration of the lid 40 is different from that of the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 10. In the semen storage container 110 shown in Figure 13, the top plate portion 1041 of the lid 40 is recessed toward the inner case 1030 to form a lid protrusion 45. In other words, a recess for forming the lid protrusion 45 is provided on the upper surface of the top plate portion 1041 of the lid 40.

[0090] To summarize the characteristic configuration of the semen storage container 110 shown in Fig. 13, the lid 40 includes a lid convex portion 45. The lid convex portion 45 is formed by deforming the top plate portion 1041 including the upper surface of the lid 40 so as to be concave in the direction toward the semen reservoir 1034.

[0091] In this case, the lid protrusion 45 is formed by processing the lid 40 itself, so the amount of material used to form the lid 40 can be reduced compared to when a separate member is connected to the lid 40 to form the lid protrusion 45.

[0092] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Unless there is a contradiction, at least two of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined. The basic scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0093] 10 Petri dish, 11, 41b, 1342 bottom, 11a top surface, 11b, 13a, 1026 bottom surface, 11d convex curved surface, 12 wall, 13 recess, 14 mark, 15 leg, 16A to 16D culture medium storage section, 17A to 17D partition wall, 18 space, 30 Petri dish body, 40 lid, 41 lid recess, 41a recess side, 45 lid convex portion, 45a convex portion side, 45b apex portion, 45c edge portion, 100 container, 110 semen storage container, 130 container body, 1020 outer case, 1021 outer case opening, 1022, 1042 outer peripheral wall, 1023 upper end, 1023a inner peripheral surface, 1023b, 1321a Outer circumferential surface, 1024 mating edge, 1025, 1043, 1335, 1344 screw, 1030 inner case, 1032 fitting portion, 1033 semen guide, 1041 top plate portion, 1050 sealed space, 1321 fitting portion main body, 1322 folded portion, 1322a fitting recess, 1322b peripheral wall, 1323 inner case opening, 1331, 1332 opening, 1331a opening surface, 1333 inclined surface, 1334, 1343 connecting portion, 1341 body portion, 1342a lower end, 1342b upper end.

Claims

1. A petri dish having a plurality of regularly arranged recesses on the upper surface of the bottom, each of which has a concavely curved bottom surface.

2. The petri dish according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are arranged in a row.

3. A petri dish according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the recesses has a square planar shape.

4. A petri dish according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recesses are arranged in multiple rows and columns in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

5. A petri dish according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein marks are provided at positions on the bottom corresponding to each of the recesses to distinguish the recesses from one another.

6. A petri dish according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each recess has a planar shape of a square with one side measuring 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less.

7. A petri dish according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a partition wall erected on the upper surface of the bottom portion and forming, together with the bottom portion, a space capable of containing a liquid, wherein the recess is formed on the upper surface of the bottom portion surrounded by the partition wall.

8. A container for storing semen, comprising: a container body having an opening; and a removable lid that is placed over the opening to close it, wherein the inner surface of the lid that faces the opening includes either a lid convex portion or a lid concave portion, wherein the lid convex portion has an apex that protrudes furthest into the container body when the lid is placed over the opening to close it, and a convex side that is connected to the apex and is inclined so that the width of the lid convex portion increases with increasing distance from the apex, and the lid concave portion has a bottom that is furthest from the opening when the lid is placed over the opening to close it, and a concave side that is connected to the bottom and is inclined so that the width of the lid concave portion increases with increasing distance from the bottom.

9. The container body includes an outer case with a bottom and an open top, and an inner case with a bottom that is open at the top and is provided inside the outer case so as to close the outer case opening at the top end of the outer case, the opening is the inner case opening at the top end of the inner case, the lid is placed on the top end of the outer case so as to close the inner case opening, the inner case includes a semen guide that is connected to the inner case opening at the top end of the inner case and has an inner circumferential surface that is an upwardly expanding inclined surface, and a semen reservoir having a body and a bottom, the body has a cylindrical shape, the upper end of the body is continuous with the opening at the bottom end of the semen guide, the bottom has a tapered shape, the upper end of the bottom is continuous with the bottom end of the body, the diameter of the inner case opening of the inner case is longer than the depth of the semen reservoir which is the sum of the length of the body and the height of the bottom, and the lid includes the lid convex portion, 9. The container according to claim 8, wherein the apex of the lid convex portion is arranged at a position overlapping with the semen guide in a depth direction from the inner case opening toward the semen reservoir.

10. A container according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the side surface of the convex portion of the lid convex portion is a curved surface that is convex in a direction away from the container body.

11. A container according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the side surface of the convex portion of the lid convex portion is a curved surface that is convex in a direction toward the container body.

Images