A SELF-SAMPLING DEVICE FOR VAGINAL FLUID COLLECTION

Abstract

A self-sampling device (1) for vaginal fluid from a vagina of a user, said self-sampling device (1) comprising an elongate first body (2) for insertion into the vagina of the user, and a sample collection body (3) for collecting a vaginal fluid sample from the user. The sample collection body (3) is attachable to an inner end portion (4) of the elongate first body (2) by a releasable connection means (5) comprising a shaft, a hole or recess for receiving the shaft, and a snap-locking means. The self-sampling device is used to take a vaginal fluid sample intended for subsequent laboratory analysis, for example, but not limited to, DNA analysis for HPV.

Claims

1. A self-sampling device for vaginal fluid from a vagina of a user, said self-sampling device comprising: an elongate first body for insertion into the vagina of the user, and a sample collection body for collecting a vaginal fluid sample from the user, wherein the sample collection body is attachable to an inner end portion of the elongate first body by a releasable connection means, wherein the elongate first body is configured such that it is operable by the user to collect a fluid sample from the vagina with the sample collection body attached to the first body, wherein said releasable connection means comprises a first interlocking means provided on one of the first body and the sample collection body, and a second interlocking means provided on the other one of the elongate first body and the sample collection body, wherein the first interlocking means is provided with a shaft defining a rotational axis substantially transversal to a longitudinal axis of the first body, wherein the second interlocking means comprises a first hole or recess configured to receive the shaft upon connection of the first and second interlocking means for rotation of the sample collection body relative to the first body about the rotational axis between a first position, in which the longitudinal axis of the sample collection body is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first body, and a second position in which the longitudinal axis of the sample collection body is rotated about the rotational axis away from said first position a predetermined distance, wherein the first and second interlocking means are further provided with first and second respective corresponding snap-locking means configured to releasably engage each other when in the first position to prevent relative rotation between the first and second interlocking means when the snap-locking means are engaged, wherein the first and second interlocking means are configured such that in said second position the first and second interlocking means are disengageable by movement of the shaft out of the first hole or recess in a predetermined disengagement direction, and wherein the first and second interlocking means are configured such that in said first position the shaft is confined within said first hole or recess.

2. A self-sampling device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is provided at a first proximal portion of the first interlocking means, wherein the first one of the corresponding snap-locking means is provided at a first distal portion of the first interlocking means.

3. A self-sampling device according to claim 2, wherein the first proximal portion of the first interlocking means is adjacent the first body or sample collection body on which the first interlocking means is provided, and wherein the first distal portion is further away from the sample collection body or first body on which the first interlocking means is provided than the first proximal portion.

4. A self-sampling device according to claim 1, wherein the first hole or recess is laterally open such that the shaft is moveable laterally out of the first hole or recess from said second position at disengagement.

5. A self-sampling device according to claim 1, wherein the first interlocking means comprises a forked body comprising opposite shanks together defining an intermediate space extending along the longitudinal axis of the first body, wherein said shaft extends from one shanks to the other across said intermediate space, wherein the second interlocking means comprises an elongate stem adapted to fit in the intermediate space between the shanks, and wherein said first hole or recess of the second interlocking means is laterally open for receiving the shaft.

6. A self-sampling device according to claim 5, wherein the shaft is provided at a first proximal portion of the first interlocking means, wherein a first one of the corresponding snap-locking means is provided at a first distal portion of the first interlocking means.

7. A self-sampling device according to claim 5, wherein the first hole or recess is laterally open in a direction along the length of the second interlocking means.

8. A self-sampling device according to claim 7, wherein the shaft is mainly cylindrical with at least one recessed portion along the length of the shaft, and wherein the first hole or recess has a cross sectional shape with a circular mid portion corresponding to the main diameter of the shaft, wherein said mid portion opens laterally outwards in the form of a passage with a smallest width less than the diameter of the shaft, and wherein the recessed portion(s) of the shaft defines a projected profile of the shaft in a plane through the longitudinal axis of the shaft, said projected profile being smaller than the passage such that the shaft is movable through the passage from said second position.

9. A self-sampling device according to claim 8, wherein the passage widens outwardly away from the circular mid portion.

10. A self-sampling device according to claim 7, wherein the first hole or recess comprises an auxiliary recessed portion extending inwards from the circular mid portion along the length of the second interlocking means, away from the passage and partly towards the second snap-locking means, the width of the auxiliary recessed portion being less than the diameter of the mid portion.

11. A self-sampling device according to claim 7, wherein the corresponding snap-locking means are provided in the interface between stem and shanks.

12. A self-sampling device according to claim 11, wherein protrusions of the first snap-locking means are provided on the shanks wherein at least one recess of the second snap-locking means is provided in the stem, and wherein the protrusions of the first snap-locking means comprise forwardly chamfered portions oriented for the stem to gradually push the protrusions apart upon insertion of the stem between the chamfered portions.

13. A system comprising a self-sampling device according to claim 1, a sealable container for storing the sample collection body after use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] FIGS. 1-18 all show a first embodiment of the invention.

[0030] FIGS. 1-7 show views in which the sample collection body is rotated to its second position, ready for disengagement from the rest of the self-sampling device.

[0031] FIGS. 8-15 show views in which the sample collection body is rotated to its first position ready for sampling.

[0032] FIGS. 1 and 9 are top views.

[0033] FIGS. 2 and 10 are back views.

[0034] FIGS. 3 and 11 are side views.

[0035] FIGS. 4 and 12 are front views.

[0036] FIGS. 5 and 13 are sectional side views.

[0037] FIGS. 6 and 14 are diagonal perspective views from above.

[0038] FIGS. 7, 8 and 15 are enlarged views of the first and second interlocking means.

[0039] FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail view showing the first interlocking means.

[0040] FIG. 17 is a side view of the sample collection body and the second interlocking means provided on the sample collection body.

[0041] FIG. 18 is a top view of the sample collection body and the second interlocking means provided on the sample collection body also shown in FIG. 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The disclosed embodiments will hereinafter be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0043] The self-sampling device of the present invention represents a further development of the self-sampling device described in EP1903946B1 and it is to be used in the same manner for collecting a sample and sending it for analysis by mail in a dedicated small container/sealable unit. Therefore, this type of use of the self-sampling device is known and the present description will focus on the new improved design of the self-sampling device itself. At sampling, the self-sampling device operated to rotate the sample collection body around its longitudinal axis while pushing it laterally towards the mucous membranes of the vagina such that vaginal fluid is stuck in recesses of the sample collection body.

[0044] Hence, the present invention provides a self-sampling device 1 which may be employed by an individual to easily and reliably, at home or at a visit to a medical location, under hygienic conditions, take a vaginal fluid sample intended for subsequent laboratory analysis, for example, but not limited to, DNA analysis for HPV. The samples can be transported in a small sealable container without risk of contamination or transmission of infective agents, and thereafter be analyzed by chemical methods, such as DNA analysis, or by other immunological or microbiological methods.

[0045] With reference to FIGS. 1-18, a first embodiment of the self-sampling device 1 according to the invention will be described in the following. The self-sampling device 1 comprises an elongate first body for insertion into the vagina of the user, and a sample collection body 3 for collecting a vaginal fluid sample from the user. The sample collection body 3 is attachable to an inner end portion 4 of the elongate first body by a releasable connection means 5. The inner end portion is the portion of the first body that in use is inserted into the vagina, whereas an outer end portion of the first body is a portion that in use is held by the user operating the self-sampling device. The first body is thus used as a handle.

[0046] The elongate first body is configured such that it is operable by the user to collect a vaginal fluid sample from the vagina with the sample collection body 3 attached to the first body. This implies that the first body is of suitable length and shape to be handled by an individual for performing self-sampling in the vagina. In the first embodiment, the length of the first elongate body is 145 mm wherein the narrow cylindrical body portion is 93 mm long and has a diameter of 4 mm, and wherein the gripping portion has a width/diameter of 10 mm and a length of 32 mm. The rest of the first elongate-body is occupied by a first interlocking means 6 as described below.

[0047] The releasable connection means 5 comprises a first interlocking means 6 provided on the elongate first body and a second interlocking means 7 provided on the sample collection body 3.

[0048] The first interlocking means 6 comprises a forked body comprising opposite shanks 16, 17 together defining an intermediate space 20 extending along the longitudinal axis 10 of the first body. A shaft 8 extends from one shank 16 to the other 17 across said intermediate space 20 for defining a rotational axis 9 substantially transversal to a longitudinal axis 10 of the first body. Both opposite ends of the shaft 8 are thus attached/supported.

[0049] The second interlocking means 7 comprises an elongate stem 21 adapted to fit in the intermediate space 20 between the shanks 16, 17. The stem 21 is provided with a through hole configured to receive the shaft 8 upon connection of the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means for rotation of the sample collection body 3 relative to the first body about the rotational axis 9 between a first position, in which the longitudinal axis 18 of the sample collection body 3 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of sample collection body 3 as shown in FIG. 9-15, and a second position in which the longitudinal axis 10 of the sample collection body 3 is rotated about the rotational axis 9 away from said first position a predetermined distance D, as shown in FIGS. 1-8.

[0050] The first 6 and second 7 interlocking means are further provided with first and second respective corresponding snap-locking means configured to releasably engage each other when in the first position to prevent relative rotation between the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means when the snap-locking means are engaged. The corresponding snap-locking means 12, 13 are provided in the interface between stem 21 and shanks 16, 17 with opposite protrusions 12 extending inwards into the intermediate space 20 between the shanks 16, 17, and with the stem 21 being provided with a through recess 13 corresponding to said opposite protrusions 12.

[0051] The first 6 and second 7 interlocking means are configured such that in said second position the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means are disengageable by movement of the shaft 8 out of the hole 11 in a predetermined disengagement direction 19. Also, the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means are configured such that in said first position the shaft 8 is confined within said first hole 11.

[0052] The first hole 11 of the second interlocking means 7 is laterally open in a direction along the length of the second interlocking means 7. Such configuration of the first hole or recess enables easy disengagement of the sample collection body once it is positioned vertically in the container and the first member rotated to bring the sample collection body to the second position. Since the shaft is moveable vertically out of the first hole or recess and the sample collection body is thus free to fall down into the container by the force of gravity. It should be understood that within the context of this description laterally open means that the hole 11 is open in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis defined by the hole 11, for example in a radial direction should the hole 11 be of cylindrical or conical shape. The rotational axis defined by the hole 11 corresponds to the rotational axis 9 defined by the shaft 8, when the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means are connected. Here it should be understood that the hole 11 could take other forms than cylindrical, as long as the hole 11 fits to the shaft 8 to support the sample element for rotation about the rotational axis 9. Generally, the hole 11 needs to exhibit at least three supporting surfaces for being distributed around the shaft 8 to control the rotational movement about the shaft 8.

[0053] The shaft 8 is mainly cylindrical with two recessed portions 24 extending along the length of the shaft 8, said portions being provided on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the shaft 8. The hole 11 has a cross sectional shape with a circular mid portion 23 corresponding to the main diameter of the shaft 8. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the main diameter d3 is to be understood as being the diameter of the shaft 8 without regard to the recessed portions 24. The opposite recessed portions 24 are planar, but could in other embodiments have other shapes, such as curved in one or two directions. The circular mid portion 23 could have other shapes, as long as it functions to support the second interlocking means 7 for rotation about the shaft 8.

[0054] A shown in FIGS. 7 and 15, the mid portion 23 opens outwardly in the form of a passage 22 with a smallest width d1 less than the main diameter d3 (See FIG. 15) of the shaft 8.

[0055] The recessed portions 24 of the shaft 8 define a projected profile of the shaft 8 in a plane P through the longitudinal axis of the shaft 8 normal to the disengagement direction 19. The projected profile is smaller than the passage 22 such that the shaft 8 is movable through the passage 22 from said second position, for example having a projected profile width d2 smaller than the smallest width d1 of the passage 22.

[0056] It should be understood that many shapes of the shaft 8 and of the passage 22 are possible within the scope of the present invention, and that the important teaching is that rotation of the shaft 8 relative to the hole 11 exposes differently shaped projected profiles, such that in a specific position (i.e. the second position), the projected profile fits within the bounds of a correspondingly projected profile exposed by the passage 22 of the second interlocking means 7, and such that in other positions, the projected profile of the shaft 8 does not fit within the bounds of the projected profile exposed by the passage 22. Thus, the shaft 8 is confined within the hole 11 except for in the second position where it is movable straight out of the hole 11. This enable controlled relative rotation between first 6 and second 7 interlocking means 7 within a predetermined first operational range (not in the second position, but between the second position and the first position), whilst also enabling free detachment of the first 6 and second 7 interlocking means when in another operational range outside the first operational range (i.e. in the second position). The configuration of the first embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-15 is advantageous since it is robust and easy to produce using relatively simple injection molding tools.

[0057] The passage 22 widens outwardly away from the circular mid portion 23. This makes it easier to move the shaft 8 into the passage 22. Also, the hole 11 comprises an auxiliary recessed portion 24 extending inwards from the mid portion 23 along the length of the second interlocking means 7, away from the passage 22 and partly towards the second snap-locking means 13, the width of the auxiliary recessed portion 25 being less than the diameter of the mid portion 23.

[0058] In other embodiments, the stem 21 and shanks 16, 17 could switch positions, such that the shanks 16, 17 are provided on the sample collection body and the stem 21 on the first body.

[0059] The recesses of the sample collection body should be able to absorb mucous fluid and cells therein, and maintain these materials in place during retraction of the self-sampling device 1. In the present embodiment, the size of the sample collection body is slightly bigger than the one described in EP1903946B1, in order to allow for collection of more sample material and hold it deeper in recesses of the sample collection body.

[0060] The first body and the sample collection body can be manufactured of any suitable materials as desired. For example, these components may be formed of the same or different plastic materials. In the first embodiment, the first body is made of a plastic material, such as polypropylene, with a flexural modulus giving the first body flexibility to follow the anatomy of the vagina to reach portio vaginalis and fornix vaginalis and at the same time rigid enough to get a close contact between the sample collection body and the mucous tissue ectocervix.

[0061] A suitable method of manufacturing the first body and the sample collection body is injection molding, since it provides good repeatability and low cost.

[0062] At use, the self-sampling device 1 is moved to its first position with the sample collection body attached to the first body/handle/shaft 8.

[0063] Thereafter, the sample collection body is inserted into the vaginal region and moved to collect a sample. Thereafter, the self-sampling device 1 is retracted and the sample collection body inserted in a sealable transportation container 26. Subsequently, the first body is rotated by one hand relative to the sample collection body to the second position.

[0064] The sample collection body is prevented from rotating by the container which is held by the other hand. By keeping the container upright, the sample collection body is free to fall deeper into the container.