Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CAP
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improvement,
modification or advance over the invention disclosed in PCT
Application No. PCT/AU88/00353 filed 9th September, 1988,
entitled "CAP".
The present invention relates to a cap or closure
member for a container and relates particularly but not
exclusively to a cap or closure member capable of sealing
the container in a substantially pressure tight manner to
allow a predetermined reduced pressure to be applied to the
cap and container combination to enable a fluid or fluidized
sample to be drawn into the container by way of the reduced
pressure. The present invention also relates to a cap or
closure member which enables access to the fluid sample so
collected without the necessity of removing the cap from the
container. The present invention also relates to a cap or
closure member which enables access to interior of the
container by disassembling only a portion of the cap.
In particular, the present invention relates to
such a cap having a membrane or barrier means which serves
as a barrier and substantially reduces contamination and
leakage of container contents when the cap is partially
disassembled.
DEFINITION
Throughout this specification, the term "barrier"
includes flap, valve, split or perforated membrane or buffer
means which serves to reduce the passage of container
contents or fluid therethrough.
PCT/AU88/00353 discloses a two part cap for a
container, the cap enabling piercing access to the interior
of the container for fluid sampling or evacuation thereof
and non-piercing access by means of removing the top part of
the cap structure to allow substantially unimpeded access to
the interior of the container.
The top part of the cap comprises a substantially
T-shaped portion, the bottom of which may come into contact
with any fluid in the container when the cap is in a closed
position.
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OBJECT(S) OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to alleviate
some or all of the disadvantages of the prior art by
providing a cap in which a barrier portion forms at least a
partial barrier to leakage of container contents.
A further object of the present invention is to
provide a cap in which an air cushion is formed in
conjunction with the barrier means to further alleviate
contamination and contents leakage.
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The present invention may (in one preferred form)
provide a cap adapted for co-operation with a container
having an upper portion and a lower portion adapted to form
a resealable enclosed space, said cap having barrier means
disposed to reduce leakage of container contents.
The present invention may also provide a cap for
attachment to a container, the cap forming a resealable
enclosed space and having upper and lower portions, wherein,
in a sealed position, an air cushion is provided adjacent
the base of the lower portion, the cushion serving as a
buffer to reduce contact of container contents with the
upper portion.
The present invention also may (in another
preferred form) provide a cap adapted for co-operation with
a container to provide a resealable enclosed space capable
of evacuation to a predetermined level of reduced pressure,
said cap having two parts;
the first part comprising an upper portion
including a pierceable cover portion having an integrally
formed sealing member dependent therefrom; and
the second part comprising a lower portion
including an access port for access to said enclosed space,
the first and second parts being adapted to co-operate
together to form a re-useable seal, the cap being adapted
for piercing or non-piercing communication with said
enclosed space; including
the improvement comprising :
.
;
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barrier means disposed on said second part and
adapted to substantially reduce container contents leakage
from said enclosed space or contamination of said first part
by said contents.
The barrier means may be in the form of a split or
perforated membrane, flap~s), buffer or valve like
structure.
The present invention may also provide a cap
adapted for co-operation with a container to provide a
resealable enclosed space, said cap comprising an upper
portion including an elongate member, and a lower portion
having a barrier disposed on the lower portion to
substantially prevent container contents contacting the
elongate member when the cap is in a closed position.
The air cushion is defined in one form as bounded
by the walls of the cap upper and lower portions and the
barrier.
The present invention may further provide a cap for
co-operation with a container, comprising an upper portion
and a lower portion, the upper portion being detachable from
the lower portion and allowing access to the interior of the
container in such a detached position, wherein
a seal member or ring is provided on the upper
portion which engages a corresponding recess on the lower
portion, the seal and recess forming a reuseable seal
between the upper and lower portions.
Throughout this specification, the term "tube" or
"container'! is to be construed in a broad sense. A most
preferred and specific application of the present invention
relates to test tubes, laboratory analyser containers, jars
or specimen containers, although not exclusively so.
The cap of the present invention may be made of one
or more suitable materials of any type. Preferably, the cap
material allows the cap to provide the function of being
sealable and adapted to be pierceable. The material may
also be elastically deformable. The material may be silicon
rubber, soft rubber, neoprene, other suitable pierceable
material~s), or a combination thereof.
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-- 4 --
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein :
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present
invention; and
Figures 3A and 3B show alternative views of the
underneath of the upper portion of the cap.
Figures 4A and 4B show alternative arrangements of
the lower a~d upper portions of the cap, respectively.
It is to be noted that throughout the Figures,
means or features of the same or similar type are indicated
by the same reference numeral. Also, the gaps shown between
upper and lower portions of the cap are only for the purpose
of illustration of the components outline.
Figures 1, 2, 4A and 4B show a cap 1 having an
upper portion 3 and a lower portion 4. The cap 1 is shown
attached or held in place in relation to a tube or container
2 by means of a recess or rim 13 in the case of Figure 2 or
bulges 20 of Figure 4A provided in the lower portion 4 of
the cap which co-operates with the top of the tube 2. Lip
14 provides a seal about the tube 2 in addition to the inner
surface 15 of recess 13.
The cap may alternatively have the lower portion 4
formed as an "all in" push type wherein a shoulder 16 is
only p~ovided to prevent the cap from being immersed too far
into the tube 2.
The lower portion 4 generally provides an access to
tube interior or contents via access 11. The access 11 may
be of any suitable size within the limits of the container's
size and its designated application. The upper portion 3 of
the cap 1 is generally T-shaped, wherein the elongate member
12 fits into or co-operates with the access in a
substantially sealing manner. The upper portion 3 is
provided with a ring or seal 8 around the elongate member
which mates with a corresponding depression in the lower
portion 4 to provide additional sealing to the cap in its
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closed p~sition. Further~ore, the ring substantially
prevents the upper and lower portions from separating
without operator intervention.
The access 11 of the lower portion may be of any
suitable size as noted above and may be almost as large as
the tube opening into which the lower portion 4 fits. This
allows for easy access to the tube contents by a probe of a
laboratory analyser if the lower portion is fitted to a
suitable analyser sample cup.
A recess 7 can be provided in the upper portion to
facilitate piercing access to the interior of the tube and
its contents generally through the elongate member 12. The
recess 7 may be quite large in relation to the upper
portion, thereby leaving only a narrow wall to be pierced
during piercing access to the sealed container.
The lower portion 4 is provided with a barrier
means or flaps 5 which form a barrier or buffer between the
interior of the tube or its contents and the upper portion 3
and/or the outside world. In the case where a tube and cap
combination has the upper portion 3 removed, the access
position, and the tube is, for example, accidently knocked
over, the barrier 5 is designed to substantially prevent the
tube contents from escaping. The barrier need not be
continuous, it may be perforated, slotted or have a small
hole therein as shown in Figure 3A to allow passage of a
non-piercing probe into the tube, and thereafter when the
probe is withdrawn, substantially forming a leak resistant
barrier again. This alleviates contamination. Also an air
space or cushion 6 is also provided between the barrier 5
and the upper portion 3 when the cap is in a closed or
fitted position. With the upper portion in a fitted or
closed position, the air space 6 provides a cushion of air
which substantially prevents the barrier 5 from opening and
releasing tube contents if the tube is knocked over and
thereby contaminating the upper portion 3. Also, in an open
position (without the upper portion 3 in place), barrier 5
also reduces the amount of tube contents released if the
tube is knocked over. In fact, barrier 5 also aids in
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laboratory analysis by reducing specimen evaporation while
the specimen is awaiting testing. This evaporation is a
major source of diagnostic error. The barrier is formed so
as to allow an analyser probe or pipette or needle to pass
therethrough so that a sample can be obtained from the tube
contents. Upon retraction of the probe or pipette, the
barrier resiliently moves back in place to again
substantially prevent leakage of tube contents. The barrier
may additionally act to wipe the probe, pipette or needle as
it is withdrawn from the container, which will further
reduce contamination. Figure 3A shows a preferred barrier 5
having a quadrant shape, however, it is understood that many
other shapes are equally useful.
As shown in Figures 2, 3A and 3B, feet 9 may be
provided on the bottom of upper portion 3. The feet 9 may
assist in holding the flaps in a closed position. The air
cushion 6 may be formed between the feet 9. Furthermore, as
shown in Figures 2, 3A and 3B, between each foot, a pocket
of air 6 is held. In this way, the provision of feet
provides a number of smaller air cushions 6 to assist
barrier 5 retaining the container contents.
As shown in Figure 3A, feet 9 may be oriented to
sit over the joins or edges of flaps 5. However, the feet
may be offset from the slots 10 which define parts of the
barrier 5 and still provides an effective support to the
barrier, the air cushion~s) then also helping to prevent the
barrier from opening when the cap is in a closed position,
in order to assist in the operation of the barrier.
There may be provided any number of barrier parts
and they may also be arranged in a layered fashion to
further accentuate the effect of the present invention.
, ~1
