Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A SAMPLING BAG
FIELD
[0001] The present subject-matter relates to a device for supporting
flexible
bags, such as those used to contain samples, e.g. sterile plastics bags for
use in
handling clinical samples and the like.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
(0002) N/A
INTRODUCTION
[0003] Various bags have been developed for the sterile transportation
and/or
storage of samples in the medical and food fields, such as human fluid
samples, milk,
water in environmental studies, etc. Such plastic bags may include near an
open end
thereof a wire or metal strip which is mounted transversely across the bag
with ends
extending past the side edges of the bag. Once the bag has been filled with
the
sample to be transported/stored, the open end is folded at least once over the
bag
about the wire or metal strip so as to close the open end and the ends of the
wire or
metal strip are then folded at the side edges of the bag and brought around so
as to
extend inwardly behind the bag. This safely and effectively encloses the
sample in
the plastic bag.
[00041 These bags are flexible and thus not always easy to handle when
inserting samples therein.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a way to facilitate the
handling
of sampling bags of this type.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is therefore an aim to provide a novel device for supporting a
bag,
such as a sampling bag,
DRAWINGS
[0007] For a better understanding of the embodiments described herein and
to
show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be
made,
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by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings which show at least one
exemplary embodiment, and in which:
[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device, according to various
exemplary
embodiments, for supporting a bag, such as a sampling bag;
[0009] Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the device of Fig. 1;
[0010] Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1;
[0011] Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1;
[0012] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1, with an
optional
adapter thereof being shown in phantom lines;
[0013] Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig 5, showing a bag
support of
the device of Fig. 1, while not showing the adapter;
[0014] Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a sampling bag for use with
the
device of Fig. 1, shown respectively in a mostly closed position and in a
partly open
position thereof;
[0015] Figs. 9 to 11 are perspective views showing an installation
sequence of
the sampling bag of Figs. 7 and 8 in the process of being mounted to the
device of
Fig 1;
[0016] Fig, 12 is a perspective view showing the sampling bag in the
process
of being removed from the device of Fig 1;
[0017] Fig. 13 is a side elevation view of the assembly of Fig. 11, with
the
sampling bag being secured to the bag support and being shown in phantom
lines;
[0018] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the adaptor of Fig. 1 with a
sampling
sponge holding device being mounted thereto;
[0019] Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter and of the
sponge holding device of Fig. 14; and
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[0020] Fig. 16 is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view of the
device of
Fig. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0021] With reference to the drawings, therein illustrated is a device D
according to various exemplary embodiments for providing supporting a bag,
such as
a sampling bag B. The deice 0 includes mainly a bag support S and an adapter
A.
The sampling bag B will now be described in details.
[0022] With reference mainly to Figs. 7 and 8, the sampling bag 13 is
typically
made of plastic and can be any one of disposable, sterile, etc. In an
exemplary
construction, the bag B comprises identical front and rear sheets 14, joined
at side
edges 16 thereof (generally as a result of the bag B being made from a tube),
and
having opposite upper and lower ends 18 and 20, respectively. The two sheets
14
can be joined in a tight sealed manner at the upper end 18 of the bag B by a
heat
seal (not shown). Similarly, the two sheets 14 can sealingly be joined at the
lower
end 20 of the bag B by a lower heat seal (not shown). In such cases, the heat
seal of
each of the upper and lower ends of the bag B can include a pair of spaced
heat
seals to ensure sterility and leakproofness of the bag B, when such is
required.
[0023] When a heat seal is provided at the upper end of the bag B, a tear
off
line punctured through both sheets 14 across the upper end 18 of the bag B and
lower than the upper heat seal(s) such that any upper heat seal extends
substantially
parallelly between the tear off line and an upper edge 28 of the bag B.
Therefore, a
tear off strip is defined at the upper end 18 of the bag B which when detached
from
the remainder of the bag B reveals an open mouth at the tear off line of the
bag B
through which a sample or other can be deposited in the bag B so as to be, for
instance, stored in the bag B. The tear off strip preserves the sterility Of
the bag B
until its manipulation. For example, a bag with such heat seals and a tear off
strip is
illustrated in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2013/0118275 Al published on May
16,
2013, naming Lafond et al. as inventors, and which is herein incorporated by
reference.
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10024] The bag B further includes near the mouth thereof, that is just
below the
upper edge 28, a closure member 32 which is mounted transversely across the
bag
B with ends 34 (acting as pull-tabs) of the closure member 32 extending past
the
side edges 16 of the bag B, The closure member 32, in a known manner,
typically
includes a pair of metal strips or wires (not herein shown, but shown in
aforementioned U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2013/0118275 Al), with one
disposed outwardly on each of the front and rear sheets 14 and extending along
the
closure member 32. The closure member 32 also typically includes a pair of
adhesive tapes 38 disposed outwardly over the metal wires to attach the metal
wires
to the front and rear sheets 14 of the bag B with the tapes 38 adhering to the
bag B
inwardly of the side edges 16 thereof while adhering together outwardly of the
side
edges 16. The closure member 32 allows for the bag 6 to be repeatedly opened
and
closed without risk of loss of contents or contamination.
[0025] Therefore, once the tear off strip (if provided) has been removed
from
the bag B, the bag B may be opened by spreading side pull-tabs 40 (one such
pull-
tab extending outwardly from the middle of each adhesive tape 38) thereby
avoiding
contamination of the inside of the bag B Once the sample or other has been
inserted
in the bag B (as it will be described in details hereinafter), the bag B is
then closed
using the closure member 32. More particularly, the longitudinal ends 34 of
the
closure member 32 (i.e. its portions extending outwardly beyond the side edges
16 of
the bag B) are then pulled away so as to draw the front and rear sheets 14
together
opposite the closure member 32 thereby substantially closing the upper mouth
of the
bag B.
[0026] After, pressure can be applied on the outside of the bag B to
remove
trapped air, if wanted. The closure member 32 is then rolled down along the
bag, for
instance four (4) times over, and the longitudinal ends 34 of the closure
member 32
are folded inwardly, at the side edges 16 of the bag B, over either the front
and rear
sheets 14 to prevent the "unrolling" of the closed upper end of the bag B.
This safely
and effectively encloses the sample in the bag B.
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[0027] Now turning to the device D, and referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the bag
support S includes an elongated handle portion 44 and a support portion 46
provided
at a distal end of the handle portion 44 The support portion 46 includes a
peripheral
wall 48 defining an opening 50, The opening 50 has a flaring configuration
from a
distal end 52 thereof towards the handle portion 44.
[0028] The peripheral wall 48 defines first and second pairs of lower
notches
or cutouts 54 and 56, respectively, and further defines a proximal cutout 58.
The
distal end 52 defines a lower, exteriorly extending, distal peripheral lip 60.
The
peripheral wall 48 defines a pair of lower, exteriorly extending, intermediate
lips 62,
which are provided between the cutouts 54 and 56 on each side of the support
portion 46. The peripheral wall 48 further defines a pair of lower, exteriorly
extending,
proximal lips 64, which are provided between the cutouts 56 and the proximal
cutout
58 on each side of the support portion 46.
[0029] The support portion 46 also includes an upper peripheral rib 66 for
the
reinforcement thereof, and a distal, forwardly extending, anti-slip protrusion
68.
100301 As seen for instance in Figs. 6 and 16, the handle portion 44
includes a
longitudinally extending horizontal base 70, which defines a proximal
elongated
opening 72 and an elongated rib 74. The elongated rib 74 has a distal portion
76 that
is secured to the base 70 and a proximal portion 78 that overhangs the
elongated
opening 72, with a detent 80 extending upwardly from a proximal end of the
proximal
portion 78. The proximal portion 78 is biased upwardly, i.e. away from the
elongated
opening 72, and can be depressed downwardly within the elongated opening 72,
in a
cantilever fashion with respect to the fixed distal portion 76.
[0031] With reference to Figs. I and 16, the adapter A includes a proximal
socket 82 and distal socket 84 The distal socket 84 defines an inner cavity 90
that
has a cross-section configured so that the base 70 and the elongated rib 74 of
the
handle portion 44 of the bag support S can be slidably engaged therein. The
distal
socket 84 defines a proximal upper opening 86. During the sliding insertion of
the
handle portion 44 in the distal socket 84, the proximal portion 78 is
depressed within
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the elongated opening 72 so that the detent 80 can engage the distal socket
84.
Once the handle portion 44 has been sufficiently inserted in the distal socket
84, the
detent 80 reaches the upper opening 86 and biasedly springs upward thereat,
thereby securing the adapter A to the bag support S. The handle portion 44
defines a
shoulder 92 (see Fig. 16) that limits the insertion of the bag support S in
the adapter
A by abutting a distal end 94 thereof, Once the adapter and the bag support S
have
been mounted together, the adapter A provides a longer handle for the bag
support
S.
[0032] The proximal socket 82 defines an inner thread 88 adapted to be
engaged, for instance, by the outer thread of a broom-type handle, for
allowing the
device D to have further reach, when required.
[0033] The adapter A can be detached from the bag support S by first
pressing
downwardly on the detent 80 until it extends opposite the cavity 90 defined
within the
distal socket 847 and then longitudinally separating the adapter A and the bag
support S relatively from one another.
[0034) The bag support can accommodate three different general sizes
(transverse sizes) of bags B, in view of the various lips 60, 62 and 64
thereof. The
bag B will be suspended from the bag support 0 with the closure member 32
thereof
being located above the relevant lips 60, 62 and 64. For instance, a smaller
bag B
will be engaged around the distal end 62 and will be suspended from the distal
peripheral lip 60. An intermediate sized bag B will be engaged around the
distal end
52 and the wall portions located between the cutouts 54 and 56 on each side of
the
support portion 46, and will be suspended from the distal peripheral lip 60
and the
intermediate lips 62. A larger bag B will be engaged around the distal end 52,
the
wall portions located between the cutouts 54 and 56 on each side of the
support
portion 46 and the wall portions located between the cutouts 56 on each side
of the
support portion 46 and the proximal cutout 58, arid will be suspended from the
distal
peripheral lip 60, the intermediate lips 62 and the proximal lips 64.
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[0035] lndicia can be provided on the peripheral wall 48 to identify where
each
size of bags is to be engaged on various lips of the bag support S. The
indicia can
include the bags' sizes in metric and/or imperial measurements. For instance,
indicia
can be provided at locations 96, 98 and 100 (see Fig. 1) to respectively
indicate
where the proximal upper edges of small (e.g. 3 by 7), medium (e.g. 4.5 by 9)
and
large bags (e.g. 5.5 by 9) B are to be secured
[0036] Figs. 9 to 11 illustrate an installation sequence of the bag B to
the bag
support S. As seen in Fig. 9, the bag B is partly opened and the distal end 52
of the
bag support S inserted at an angle (see arrows 102a and 102b) in the open
mouth of
the bag B. Depending on the size of the bag B, the appropriate lips 60, 62, 64
will be
introduced in the bag B, as seen in Fig. 10. In Figs. 9 to 11, the bag B is of
medium
size, whereby the distal peripheral lip 60 and the intermediate lips 62 will
be inserted
in the bag B. In Fig. 11, the bag support S has been pivoted downwardly (see
arrow
104), thereby engaging it tautly within the bag B, with the bag B being
suspended
from the peripheral lip 60 and intermediate lips 62, below the closure member
32 of
the bag B, as best seen in Fig. 13, with Fig. 13 showing however a large bag B
mounted to the bag support S. The bag B, when being mounted to the bag support
S, is engaged to the anti-slip protrusion 68, which assists in keeping the bag
B onto
the bag support B during the installation process.
[0037] Fig. 12 illustrates how to detach the bag B from the bag support S,
for
instance by displacing the bag support S relative to the bag B as per, in
order, arrows
106, 108 and 110.
[0038] The peripheral well 48 can be flexible so that it can be collapsed
somewhat inwardly when installing the bag B thereto, such that when released
it
biasedly springs outwardly to increase pressure on the bag B and secure the
same
solidly to the bag support B.
[0039] Figs. 14 and 15 show the adapter A being used with a sampling
sponge
holding device H, of the type described and shown in aforementioned U.S.
Patent
Publication No. US 2013/0118275 Al, which is herein incorporated by reference.
A
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handle 112 of the sponge holding device H is slidable in the inner cavity 90
of the
distal socket 84 of the adapter A. The handle 112 has a cross-section that is
complementary to the inner cavity 90 of the distal socket 84. Reference 114
generally illustrates a clamping mechanism of the holding device H, which is
adapted
to releasably hold a sampling sponge to the holding device H.
[0040] While
the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it
will be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the described
embodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit
and
principles of operation of the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has
been
described above has been intended to be illustrative and non-limiting and it
will be
understood by persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications
may be
made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined in the
claims
appended hereto,
