# US 2016/0256136 A1 · Feces sampling container

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- Number: US 2016/0256136 A1
- Document ID: US20160256136A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/026,999
- Filed: 2014-10-02
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-10
- Assignees: Eiken Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha; Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Eiken Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha; Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shingo SAITO; Yoshiharu ICHIKAWA; Hiroaki HAYASHI; Kazuhiro TOYAMA; Masashi ISHIKAWA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160256136A1

## CPC

- A61B 10/0038: {Devices for taking faeces samples; Faecal examination devices (anal receptacles A61F5/451)}
- B01L 3/50825: {Closing or opening means, corks, bungs}
- G01N 1/04: in the solid state, e.g. by cutting
- B01L 2300/042: Caps; Plugs
- B01L 2300/0832: cylindrical, tube shaped
- B01L 2300/0848: Specific forms of parts of containers
- B01L 2300/0858: Side walls
- B01L 2300/12: Specific details about materials
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A feces sampling container includes: a lid (2) that includes a feces sampling rod (2b) and a cap (2a), a circular protrusion (2f); a container body (3); and an inside plug (4) that includes a removal part (4b), and a circular protrusion (4g), the inside plug (4) being fitted to the inside of the container body (3), a flange (3c), an overhang (4d) being formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inside plug (4) at a predetermined position along the circumferential direction so that the overhang (4d) is situated on the flange (3c), a removal mechanism (2e, 4f), and a cam mechanism (2h, 4h) that positions the removal mechanism being formed over the circular protrusion (2f) formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cap (2a) and the circular protrusion (4g) formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inside plug (4).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A feces sampling container comprising:
a lid that comprises a feces sampling rod and a cap, a circular protrusion being formed on an inner circumferential surface of the cap along a circumferential direction;
a container body that has a tubular shape and opens on a base end side; and
an inside plug that comprises a removal part and a circular protrusion, the circular protrusion being formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inside plug along a circumferential direction, the inside plug being fitted to inside of the container body through the base end side of the container body,
a flange being formed along an edge of a base end side opening of the container body, an overhang being formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inside plug at a given position along a circumferential direction so that the overhang is situated on the flange,
a removal mechanism being formed at a lower end of the cap and on an inner circumferential surface of the overhang of the inside plug, and
a cam mechanism that positions the removal mechanism being formed over the circular protrusions formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cap and the circular protrusion formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inside plug.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein the flange and the overhang are formed to have a shape that is longer in one of two orthogonal directions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein blades that make a pair are symmetrically formed on the cap of the lid.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein the removal mechanism comprises a sloping groove that is formed by partially swelling a side of the lower end of the cap to form a hollow, and slopes outward in a downward direction on an upper end side, and a sloping protrusion that is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the overhang, and slopes outward in a downward direction at least on an upper end side.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The feces sampling container according to claim 4, wherein the sloping groove is formed at a lower end side of the blade of the cap, and the sloping protrusion is formed on a major axis-side inner circumferential surface of the overhang of the inside plug.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein the cam mechanism comprises a guide cam that is formed over the circular protrusion formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inside plug, and slopes downward with respect to an axial direction from the apex side to form an inverted V-like shape, and an elongated protrusion that is formed over the circular protrusion formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cap of the lid, and extends along an axial direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The feces sampling container according to claim 6, wherein the guide cam is formed on a minor axis side of the overhang of the inside plug, and the elongated protrusion is formed at the same position as the blade and the sloping groove of the cap.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein the removal mechanisms that make a pair and the cam mechanisms that make a pair are respectively formed symmetrically.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein an engagement part is provided to one of the flange and the overhang, and a locking part that is fitted to the engagement part is provided to the other of the flange and the overhang.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The feces sampling container according to claim 9, wherein the engagement part is a notch, and the locking part is a protrusion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein an end of the inside plug has a bottom surface that extends in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction, a removal part is formed at a center of the bottom surface, and a feces sampling rod guide that comprises a plurality of tilted ribs that are provided radially is formed around the removal part.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein an outlet is formed on an end side of the container body, and a dropping cap that comprises a sealing body that seals the outlet is screwed to the container body.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The feces sampling container according to claim 12, wherein a first circular protrusion is formed on an outer circumferential surface of an end side of the container body at a predetermined position along a circumferential direction, a second circular protrusion is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the dropping cap at a predetermined position along a circumferential direction, and the first circular protrusion and the second the circular protrusion come in contact with each other to prevent the dropping cap from falling when the dropping cap is loosened so that the sealing body moves away from the outlet and the outlet is opened.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The feces sampling container according to claim 13, wherein a body-side thread is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the end side of the container body to which the dropping cap is screwed, and a cap-side thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the dropping cap so that either or both of the body-side thread and the cap-side thread are decreased in height or removed within a range in which the body-side thread and the cap-side thread engage with each other in a state in which the first circular protrusion and the second circular protrusion come in contact with each other, such that the body-side thread and the cap-side thread can climb get over each other.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The feces sampling container according to claim 12, wherein a tape-like member in which a perforated line is formed along a circumferential direction is wound around the feces sampling container so that the perforated line is situated at a boundary between the container body and the dropping cap.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein a thin part in which an inner circumferential surface of a side wall is depressed is formed in a vicinity of an end of the container body.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The feces sampling container according to claim 1, wherein the thin part is formed within a range from a position that corresponds to an end of the feces sampling rod or a vicinity of the end of the feces sampling rod to a position situated close to a step of the container body in a state in which an inner space of the feces sampling container is sealed with the lid, and the dropping cap is fitted to the container body.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The feces sampling container according to claim 16, wherein the container body is formed using linear low-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or polypropylene.
