Container holding and transporting stands of laboratory samples for e.g. medical diagnosis, includes absorbent material in perforated insert fitted in base

The invention relates to a liquid-tight laboratory sample container closable with a lid for receiving and transporting sample racks, for example with diagnostic samples, with an absorbent material for sucking up leaked samples.

The samples of human secretions such as blood, urine, etc. taken by a doctor for the purpose of an examination are filled into containers or laboratory sample tubes during or after the removal. These containers and tubes are placed in a sample rack and taken to a laboratory for examination and analysis. For transport to the laboratory, the sample racks are stowed in a standard cool box, bag or crate. In many cases it is customary to put the sample tube and accompanying documents, such as the test instructions for the laboratory, in an io plastic bag, several bags are placed in an overcontainer such as a crate or a box. A transport of infectious substances carried out in this way falls under the provisions of the Hazardous Goods Ordinance and is not permitted as described above. This means that in the context of the transport of the samples from the doctor to the laboratory or to the hospital by the carrier, strict requirements such as the marking of the vehicle as dangerous goods15, the special training of the driver and special, very detailed transport documents are applied. In addition to the carrier, the sender or the customer of a collection is also liable for compliance with all regulations. The transport of diagnostic samples is only exempt from the Ordinance on Hazardous Goods if precisely defined packaging regulations are complied with.

For example, it is provided that the sample is to be packaged in two liquid-tight vessels, with absorbent material having to be contained in the second liquid-tight vessel. The amount of absorbent material must be such that the entire liquid content of the sample can be absorbed. Since these packaging regulations are not complied with in practice due to the use of plastic bags and cool boxes, the described ones would have to be adhered to

Sample transports are carried out as dangerous goods transport. This is unreasonable for an economical handling of such transports. A transport document would have to be issued for each sample tube. This would lead to a huge increase in freight costs.

The invention aims to design a laboratory sample container in such a way that the defined packaging regulations for the transport of diagnostic samples are met and that such transport no longer falls under the regulations for the transport of dangerous goods.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a laboratory sample container of the type described at the outset in that the absorbent material is arranged in the interior near the bottom in an insert and that the insert has openings. When used, the sample racks stand on a stable, level surface and do not press into the absorbent surface

Material a. The liquids that have leaked out of the samples can penetrate into the insert through the openings and are absorbed by the absorbent material. In order to be able to easily exchange the soaked, used, absorbent material of the insert, it is also useful if the insert is composed of a base plate and an upper part, the connection preferably engaging through openings in the base plate into the pegs of the side surfaces of the upper part, he follows.

It is advantageous if the lid has a hinged grille with a lock on the inside. In this way, important freight or accompanying documents or examination instructions can be safely sent with the samples taken from the doctor to the laboratory or from the laboratory back to the doctor.

In order to send more sample tubes than a sample stand can hold or to stow particularly long sample tubes, it is also useful if two sample stands are provided above the insert, the openings of which are aligned.

An exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a laboratory sample container in a sectional view, FIG. 2 shows a laboratory sample container in a perspective view, FIG. 3 shows a lid with an opened grid in a perspective view, FIG. 4 shows a sample stand in a perspective view and FIG. 5 shows an insert in a perspective view.

A laboratory sample container 1 is used to transport diagnostic samples that are in sample tubes 12, 22. Diagnostic samples have to be twice liquid-tight in vessels

AT 411 873 B, the outer of the two vessels, in this case the laboratory sample container 1, must contain an absorbent material 10. (The inner vessels are the sample tubes 12, 22.) The absorbent material 10 then absorbs any sample liquid that may emerge from the sample tubes 12, 22. The laboratory sample container 1 consists essentially according to FIG. 1 of a tub 2 and a cover 3. The tub 2 is liquid-tight and open at the top. An insert 4 is placed on the bottom of the tub 2. According to FIG. 5, the insert 4 consists of an upper part 5 and a base plate 6. The upper part 5 has openings 7 on the top. The openings 7 can also be designed as a grating 8, as shown in FIG. The grating 8 has two recesses 9 so that the insert 4 can be lifted out of or into the tub 2 with two fingers. Along its side walls, the upper part 5 has pegs (not shown) which engage in an opening (not shown) in the base plate 6. This frictional connection ensures that the insert 4 does not disintegrate during lifting. The tub-like upper part 5 is filled with an absorbent material 10. The volume of the absorbent material 10 is dimensioned such that the entire amount of sample liquid transported can be bound. In order to be able to exchange the absorbent material 10, the base plate 6 is removed from the upper part 5 and then the material 10 is renewed. The insert 4 is placed on the bottom of the tub 2 according to FIG. 1. A first sample stand 11 is placed on the insert 4. A sample tube 12 is inserted into the first sample stand 11. A second sample stand 21 is placed on the first sample stand 11. Fig. 4th shows the first sample stand 11, which is identical to the second sample stand 21. The top of the first sample stand 11 has circular openings 13 which are used to hold sample tubes 12, 22, so-called vacuettes. If aligned openings 13 are not occupied by the first sample stand 11 and the second sample stand 21, it is possible to insert an extra-long sample tube 22 into the second sample stand 21, which protrudes into the first sample stand 11. As an alternative to the embodiment of the sample stands 11, 21 shown in FIG. 4, commercially available sample stands 11, 21 made of metal or plastic for receiving the sample tubes 12, 22 can also be placed on the insert 4 in the laboratory sample container 1.

A circumferential seal 14 is provided between the flange surfaces of the tub 2 and the cover 3 in order to prevent the leakage of sample liquid from broken sample tubes 12, 22 if the laboratory sample container 1 tips over. The seal 14 consists, for example, of silicone or rubber. Furthermore, the flange connection between the tub 2 and the cover 3 is provided with a screw connection 15. The screw heads have a diameter of approx. 2 cm so that it can be easily screwed in and out by hand without tools. A hinged grille 16 is arranged on the underside or inside of the cover 3. A compartment is formed under the grid 16 in which different papers 18 such as, for example, findings, assignments, examination assignments or, if necessary, additional absorbent materials can be accommodated. The grid 16 is rotatably connected to the cover 3 on one side. A closure 17 is located on the opposite side. The hinged grid 16 in the cover 3 also serves as a cushion for the sample tubes 11, 21 in the event that the laboratory sample container 1 overturns.

The laboratory sample container 1 preferably has a size of 29 cm X 15 cm X 20 cm. All components of the laboratory sample container 1 are made of stainless steel in order to meet the hygienic requirements. The laboratory sample container 1, together with the insert 4 and the sample stand 11, 21, represents a container which meets the requirements of the ADR (International Regulations for the Transport of Dangerous Goods). This enables a diagnostic sample transport that does not fall under the dangerous goods transport regulations.