System for sampling tissue

Abstract

It is disclosed a system (1) for sampling tissue from an ear of an animal including: —a male component (2) including an engagement profile (2c) and a detachable sample collecting part (2b) with a cutting edge (2a); —a female component including a hole (4b) and retaining means (4a) for retaining the engagement profile (2c) of the male component (2), once the engagement profile (2c) has passed the hole (4b); —a tissue sample container (3) including an opening (3b) arranged below the hole (4b) of the female component (4b), for receiving the sample collecting part (2b) and the tissue sampled, the opening (3b) being closed by a sealed membrane or a cover (3d). The tissue sample container (3) includes a protrusion (3c) arranged at least in part in the hole (4b) of the female component (4).

We claim: 
     
         1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A system ( 1 ) for sampling tissue from an ear of an animal including:
 a male component ( 2 ) including an engagement profile ( 2   c ) and a detachable sample collecting part ( 2   b ) with a cutting edge ( 2   a );   a female component including a hole ( 4   b ) and retaining means ( 4   a ) for retaining the engagement profile ( 2   c ) of the male component ( 2 ), once the engagement profile ( 2   c ) has passed the hole ( 4   b );   a tissue sample container ( 3 ) including an opening ( 3   b ) arranged below the hole ( 4   b ) of the female component ( 4   b ) when the female component ( 4 ) is attached to the tissue sample container ( 3 ), for receiving the sample collecting part ( 2   b ) and the tissue sampled, the opening ( 3   b ) being closed by a sealed membrane or a cover ( 3   d );   the tissue sample container ( 3 ) includes a protrusion ( 3   c ) arranged at least in part in the hole ( 4   b ) of the female component ( 4 ) when the female component ( 4 ) is attached to the tissue sample container ( 3 ),   
       wherein 
       the tissue sample container ( 3 ) includes support means ( 3   a ) arranged above the sealed membrane or cover ( 3   d ), 
       in that the support means ( 3   a ) include a ring ( 3   a ) disposed below the female component ( 4 ) and facing said hole ( 4   b ) when the female component ( 4 ) is attached to the tissue sample container ( 3 ), the ring ( 3   a ) having at least one radial portion ( 3   e ) supporting the protrusion ( 3   c ) at the middle of the ring ( 3   a ), and in that 
       the support means ( 3   a ) are adapted to be cut by the cutting edge ( 2   a ) of the male component ( 2 ). 
     
     
         16 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein a base ( 22   b ) of the sample collecting part ( 2   b ) includes a seat for an upper portion ( 33   c ) of the protrusion ( 3   c ), the seat being adapted to keep the protrusion ( 3   c ) in the sample collecting part ( 2   b ), after sampling, said protrusion ( 3   c ) being visible in the tissue sample container ( 3 ) for indicating presence of a tissue sample in the sample container ( 3 ). 
     
     
         17 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the protrusion ( 3   c ) has a colour different from a colour of the tissue sample container ( 3 ) and wherein at least one of a peripheral edge ( 3   l ), a bottom ( 3   m ) or sealed membrane or a cover ( 3   d ) of the tissue sample container ( 3 ) is transparent. 
     
     
         18 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the ring ( 3   a ) has four radial portions connected at the centre of the ring ( 3   a ), supporting the protrusion ( 3   c ) at the middle of the ring ( 3   a ). 
     
     
         19 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the radial portion ( 3   e ) includes at least one weakening line ( 3   f ). 
     
     
         20 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 18  wherein the ring ( 3   a ) includes fastening means ( 3   g ) projecting towards the opening ( 3   b ) of the tissue sample container ( 3 ), and the detachable sample collecting part ( 2   b ) comprises an engagement profile ( 2   d ) adapted to be blocked by the fastening means ( 3   g ). 
     
     
         21 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein an upper portion ( 33   c ) of the protrusion ( 3   c ) is arranged at an opening ( 43   b ) of the hole ( 4   b ). 
     
     
         22 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the protrusion ( 3   c ) has a cylindrical shape and a diameter of the protrusion ( 3   c ) is between 1:6 and 1:2 of a diameter of the hole ( 4   b ). 
     
     
         23 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the tissue sample container ( 3 ) includes a sample conserving agent. 
     
     
         24 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the tissue sample container ( 3 ) includes locking means ( 3   i ) to lock the female component ( 4 ), preferably an annular groove ( 3   i ) having shape coupling with an annular projection ( 4   c ) around the female hole ( 4   b ), wherein the locking means ( 3   i ) are releasable for detaching the counter plate ( 4 ) from the tissue sample container ( 3 ). 
     
     
         25 . The system ( 1 ) according to  claim 15 , wherein the tissue sample container ( 3 ), the female component ( 4 ) and the male component ( 2 ) comprise a respective flag, including identification information. 
     
     
         26 . A method for sampling a tissue from an ear of an animal using the system according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 contacting a side of an ear to be sampled with a female component ( 4 ) having a hole ( 4   b ), the female component ( 4 ) being attached to a removable tissue sample container ( 3 ), wherein a protrusion ( 3   c ), preferably associated to the tissue sample container, protrudes in or from the hole ( 4   b ), to contact the ear of the animal;   coupling a male component ( 2 ) to the female component ( 3 ) by positioning a sample collecting part ( 2   b ) having a cutting edge ( 2   a ), on the opposite side of the ear of the animal, in a position where the protrusion ( 3   c ) may enter the sample collecting part ( 2   b ), guiding the tissue of the animal into the sample collecting part ( 2   b ) from before the cut;   pushing the male component ( 2 ) towards the female component ( 4 ) to cut the tissue sample from the ear, wherein the protrusion ( 3   c ) keep forcing the sample into the sample collecting part ( 2   b ) during said step of pushing;   entering the sample collecting part ( 2   b ) with the sampled tissue into the tissue sample container ( 3 ),   
       wherein the tissue sample container ( 3 ) includes support means ( 3   a ), arranged above the sealed membrane or cover ( 3   d ) of the tissue sample container ( 3 ) and supporting the protrusion ( 3   c ), the support means ( 3   a ) being cut by the cutting edge ( 2   a ) of the male component ( 2 ) so that the protrusion ( 3   c ) enters the tissue sample container ( 3 ) with the sample collecting part ( 2   b ), wherein 
       the support means ( 3   a ) including a ring ( 3   a ) disposed below the female component ( 4 ) facing the hole ( 4   b ) when the female component ( 4 ) is attached to the tissue sample container ( 3 ), the ring ( 3   a ) having at least one radial portion ( 3   e ) supporting the protrusion ( 3   c ) at the middle of the ring ( 3   a ).