Method of sampling and/or depositing a sample of biological matter and device implementing such method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144948-B2
Application number	US-201715463855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2010
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

The aim of the present invention is a method of sampling all or part of a sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ), which is crude, enriched or cultured through contact with a culture medium ( 8 ), such as agar, for example in a Petri dish, using a probe ( 3 ) equipped with a terminal end ( 4 ), said sampling method comprising the steps of cooling the terminal end ( 4 ) of the probe ( 3 ), sticking all or part of the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ) to be sampled through contact, or by applying a pressure exerted by the terminal end ( 4 ) onto the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ), and sampling of all or part of the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ) so as to separate the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ) from the culture medium ( 8 ), a method of depositing into a container ( 9 ) or onto an analysis plate ( 14 ) all or part of a sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ) stuck onto a frosted terminal end ( 4 ) of a probe, said depositing method including a step of separating the terminal end ( 4 ) of the probe ( 3 ) from all or part of the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ), as well as a device ( 2 ), a kit and an apparatus ( 1 ) implementing these methods.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device ( 2 ) for sampling and depositing all or part of a sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ), which is crude, enriched or cultured through contact with a semi-solid culture medium such as an agar medium ( 8 ), and intended to be deposited into a container ( 9 ) or onto an analysis plate ( 14 ), comprising:
a probe ( 3 ) equipped with a pointed and closed terminal end ( 4 ),
a cooling means intended for frosting the terminal end ( 4 ),
driving means ( 5 ) intended:
for exerting a pressure from the probe ( 3 ) onto the sample ( 11 ) so as to freeze all or part of the water contained in the sample ( 11 ) in order to stick it to the terminal end ( 4 ),
for separating all or part of the sample ( 11 ) from the culture medium ( 8 ),

to bring all or part of the sample ( 11 ) to the container ( 9 ) or the analysis plate ( 14 ) and at least one contact sensor which stops the descent of the driving means ( 5 ) once contact between the terminal ( 4 ) and the biological matter ( 7 ) is made.

2. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a binary electric sensor.

3. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , comprising a heating means ( 10 ) intended for detaching the sample ( 11 ) from the terminal end ( 4 ).

4. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the heating means ( 10 ) is also intended for sterilising the terminal end ( 4 ).

5. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling means and the heating means are composed of at least one Peltier element.

6. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal end ( 4 ) is metallic or mineral.

7. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal end ( 4 ) is at least partially covered with a hydrophobic coating or treatment.

8. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal end ( 4 ) is removable.

9. The device ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal end has a shape which optimises the sticking of all or part of the sample ( 11 ) of biological matter ( 7 ) to be sampled or of the liquid solution ( 12 ).

10. A kit comprising a device according to claim 1 including a plurality of interchangeable terminal ends ( 4 ).

Assignees

• Biomerieux Sa
• Biomerieux Sa

Inventors

• Charrier Jean-Philippe
• Colin Bruno
• Drazek Laurent
• PARIS CéCILE
• Raymond Jean-Claude
• Decaux Dominique

Classifications

• C12Q1/24 Primary

  Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms · CPC title

• C12M33/04 Primary

  by injection or suction, e.g. using pipettes, syringes, needles (pipettes in general B01L3/02) · CPC title

• C12M1/34 Primary

  Measuring or testing with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters · CPC title

• C12M1/26

  Inoculator or sampler · CPC title