Tool for collecting a sample of animal tissue

• US 9,955,954 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allflex Europe
• Original Assignee: Allflex Europe
• Inventors: Destoumieux, Jean-Jacques M., Teychene, Bruno M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCrosky, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/702,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20130204159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 600564, 600562, 600567, 606184, 606185, 606116, 606117, 604198, 119858-862, 119655
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/003 with means for taking tissue samples, e.g. for DNA analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0266 means for severing sample
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples

Abstract

The invention relates to a tool for collecting a sample of animal tissue, for interacting with collection mechanism including at least one cutting element capable of cutting out a sample and a pushing element movable with respect to the cutting element and capable of pushing the sample into post-cutting storage area. According to the invention, such a tool includes: a mechanism for driving the cutting element (21), a mechanism for driving the pushing element (23), and a mechanism for reversibly coupling the drive mechanism of the cutting element with the drive mechanism of the pushing element.

Claims

1. A tool for collecting a sample of animal tissue, comprising a first arm designed to cooperate with at least one cutting element designed to cut out a sample of animal tissue and one pusher element that is mobile relative to said cutting element and designed to push said sample of animal tissue into a storage element after cutting, and a second arm designed to cooperate with said storage element, the first arm comprising:

a primary pin configured to transmit a motion of translation to said cutting element along an axis of translation in a direction of a sample of animal tissue, enabling the cutting element to cut out the sample of animal tissue disposed between the first arm and the second arm, until the cutting element abuts the storage element;

a secondary pin configured to transmit a motion of translation to said pusher element along said axis of translation in the direction of said sample of animal tissue, enabling the pusher element to push the sample up to the storage element;

at least one mobile coupling element; and

a housing;

wherein said primary pin and said secondary pin are configured to be mobile between a coupling position and a decoupling position;

wherein the movement of said cutting element and the movement of said pusher element are linked together in the coupling position, said at least one mobile coupling element being configured to be held within the housing in said coupling position;

wherein the movement of said cutting element and the movement of said pusher element are disassociated and move independently of each other in the decoupling position, said at least one mobile coupling element being configured to be released in said decoupling position; and

wherein said at least one mobile coupling element is a ball.

2. The tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one hinged grip forming a lever that is mobile on a predetermined course comprising a first movement position and a second movement position;

wherein said lever is configured to move the primary pin and the secondary pin from said coupling position on said first movement position to said decoupling position on said second movement position.

3. The tool according to claim 1, wherein said secondary pin comprises at least one groove, where said housing faces said groove in said coupling position.

4. The tool according to claim 3, wherein said housing is a through aperture and said ball is held in said housing by means of a sliding part, where said sliding part is shaped to hold said ball in said groove in said coupling position and to release said ball from said groove in said decoupling position.

5. The tool according to claim 4, wherein:

said sliding part is a sleeve comprising at least two sections of distinct diameters; and

said ball being held by the section having a smaller diameter and being released by the section having a greater diameter.

6. The tool according to claim 4, wherein said sliding part is connected to the secondary pin by a slide spring, said slide spring being in an idle state in said coupling position and in a compressed state in said decoupling position.

7. The tool according to claim 1, further comprising an ejection member configured to eject said cutting element.

8. A tool for collecting a sample of animal tissue, comprising a first arm designed to cooperate with at least one cutting element designed to cut out a sample of animal tissue and one pusher element that is mobile relative to said cutting element and designed to push said sample of animal tissue into a storage element after cutting, and a second arm designed to cooperate with said storage element,

the first arm comprising:

a primary pin configured to transmit a motion of translation to said cutting element along an axis of translation in a direction of a sample of animal tissue, enabling the cutting element to cut out the sample of animal tissue disposed between the first arm and second arm, until the cutting element abuts the storage element;

a secondary pin configured to transmit a motion of translation to said pusher element along said axis of translation in the direction of said sample of animal tissue, enabling the pusher element to push the sample up to the storage element;

at least one mobile coupling element; and

a housing;

wherein said primary pin and said secondary pin are configured to be mobile between a coupling position and a decoupling position;

wherein the movement of said cutting element and the movement of said pusher element are linked together in the coupling position, said at least one mobile coupling element being configured to be held within the housing in said coupling position;

wherein the movement of said cutting element and the movement of said pusher element are disassociated and move independently of each other in the decoupling position, said at least one mobile coupling element being configured to be released in said decoupling position; and

wherein said at least one mobile coupling element is a ball which is held in said housing by means of a sleeve comprising at least two sections of distinct diameters, said ball being held in a groove of the secondary pin in the section having a smaller diameter in said coupling position and being released from said groove in the section having a greater diameter in said decoupling position.