Penetrable cap
First Claim
1. A penetrable cap comprising:
- a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a bore;
a frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the bore, the seal being affixed to the top or bottom surface of the ledge;
filtering means for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filtering means being positioned substantially within the bore; and
retaining means for containing the filtering means within the bore.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a cap which can form an essentially leak-proof seal with an open-ended vessel capable of receiving and holding fluid specimens or other materials for analysis. To minimize potentially contaminating contact between a fluid sample present in the vessel and humans or the environment, the present invention features a cap having a frangible seal which is penetrable by a plastic pipette tip or other fluid transfer device. The cap further includes filtering means for limiting dissemination of an aerosol or bubbles once the frangible seal has been pierced. The filtering means is positioned between the frangible seal and retaining means. The retaining means is positioned on the cap above the filtering means and may be used to contain the filtering means within the cap. The retaining means may be comprised of a material which is penetrable by a fluid transfer device.
-
Citations
75 Claims
-
1. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a bore;
a frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the bore, the seal being affixed to the top or bottom surface of the ledge;
filtering means for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filtering means being positioned substantially within the bore; and
retaining means for containing the filtering means within the bore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60)
-
-
15. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a first bore;
a skirt depending from the bottom surface of the ledge, the skirt having an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom surface, wherein the inner surface of the skirt defines a second bore having a diameter or width smaller than that of the first bore;
a frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the first bore, the seal being affixed to the top surface of the ledge or to the bottom surface of the skirt;
filtering means for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filtering means being positioned substantially within the first bore; and
retaining means for containing the filtering means within the first bore.
-
-
29. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a first bore;
a skirt depending from the bottom surface of the ledge, the skirt having an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom surface, wherein the inner surface of the skirt defines a second bore having a diameter or width smaller than that of the first bore;
a first frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the first bore, the seal being affixed to the top surface of the ledge or to the bottom surface of the skirt;
a filter for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filter being positioned substantially within the first bore; and
a second frangible seal for retaining the filter within the first bore.
-
-
38. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a first bore;
a skirt depending from the bottom surface of the ledge, the skirt having an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom surface, wherein the inner surface of the skirt defines a second bore having a diameter or width smaller than that of the first bore;
a frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the first bore, the seal being affixed to the top surface of the ledge or to the bottom surface of the skirt;
a filter for impeding the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filter being positioned substantially within the first bore; and
a foil ring affixed to the top surface of the side wall of the cap, wherein the ring has a centrally located hole which is sized to receive the fluid transfer device and which is substantially axially aligned with the first and second bores.
-
-
47. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a closed side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
attachment means for fixing the cap to an open-ended vessel in sealing engagement;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a first bore;
a skirt depending from the bottom surface of the ledge, the skirt having an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom surface, wherein the inner surface of the skirt defines a second bore having a diameter or width smaller than that of the first bore;
a first frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the first bore, the seal being affixed to the top surface of the ledge or to the bottom surface of the skirt;
a filter for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filter being positioned substantially within the first bore; and
a disc affixed to the top surface of the side wall of the cap, wherein the disc has a hole formed therein which is sized to receive the fluid transfer device and which is substantially axially aligned with the first and second bores.
-
-
58. A penetrable cap comprising:
-
a generally cylindrical side wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface;
a flange depending from the bottom surface of the side wall of the cap and having an inner surface adapted to grip an outer surface of a generally cylindrical side wall of an open-ended vessel;
a ledge extending radially inwardly from the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and having a top surface, a bottom surface and an annular end surface, the end surface of the ledge defining an aperture sized to receive a fluid transfer device, wherein the inner surface of the side wall of the cap and the top surface of the ledge define a first bore;
a generally cylindrical skirt depending from the bottom surface of the ledge, the skirt having an inner surface, an outer surface and a bottom surface, wherein the inner surface of the skirt defines a second bore having a diameter smaller than that of the first bore, wherein the skirt has an outer surface which includes an annular seal bead which is in frictional contact with an inner surface of the side wall of the vessel when the cap is fitted onto the open end of the vessel, and wherein the side wall, the flange, the ledge and the skirt of the cap are comprised of a molded plastic and form a unitary piece;
a first frangible seal for preventing the passage of a fluid from an interior space of the vessel defined by the side wall and a bottom wall of the vessel into the first bore, the seal being affixed to the top surface of the ledge;
a filter for impeding or preventing the release of an aerosol or bubbles from the interior space of the vessel into the atmosphere, the filter being positioned substantially within the first bore; and
a second frangible seal for retaining the filter within the first bore.
-
-
61. A method for removing a fluid substance contained in a closed system comprising a cap and a fluid-holding vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) penetrating a first frangible seal affixed to the cap with a fluid transfer device such that air passageways are formed between the fluid transfer device and the first seal;
b) penetrating a second frangible seal affixed to the cap and axially aligned below the first seal with the fluid transfer device such that air passageways are formed between the fluid transfer device and the second seal, thereby permitting air to be vented from an interior space of the system;
c) drawing at least a portion of the fluid substance contained in the vessel into the fluid transfer device; and
d) removing the fluid transfer device from the system. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
-
-
72. A method for depositing a substance in a closed system comprising a cap and an open-ended vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) penetrating a first frangible seal affixed to the cap with a substance transfer device;
b) penetrating a second frangible seal affixed to the cap and axially aligned below the first seal with the substance transfer device;
c) depositing one or more substances in the vessel; and
d) removing the substance transfer device from the system. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
-
Specification