PIERCEABLE CAP HAVING SINGLE FRANGIBLE SEAL

• US 20140008321A1
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Lentz, Ammon David, Kiang, Allan M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,254,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/257
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/18 Transport of container or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/048 enabling gas exchange, e.g. vents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/36 Closures with frangible parts adapted to be pierced, torn, or removed, to provide discharge openings B65D51/18 takes precedence; caps with piercable membranes B65D41/20, B65D41/50
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/002 Closures to be pierced by an extracting-device for the contents and fixed on the container by separate retaining means

Abstract

A pierceable cap 411 may be used for containing sample specimens during storage and transport. The pierceable cap 411 may prevent unwanted escape of sample specimen before transfer with a transfer device 43. The pierceable cap 411 may fit over a vessel 21. An access port in the pierceable cap 411 may allow passage of a tip 41 of a transfer device 43 through the pierceable cap 411. Single or multiple frangible layers 415,416 may be disposed across the access port. Single frangible layers 415,416 are configured to prevent venting upon initially being pierced by a transfer device 43 but to allow venting as the transfer device 43 is advanced through the frangible layer 415,416.

Claims

1. A pierceable cap comprising:

a shell connected to a vessel,

an access port in the shell comprising an opening,

a frangible layer disposed in the access port having at least one tearable portion located on a peripheral portion of the frangible layer,

wherein the at least one tearable portion is adapted to tear only after a transfer device has initially pierced the frangible layer, and wherein the peripheral portion in which the tearable portion is disposed is outside a location on the frangible layer that is initially pierced by the transfer device.

2. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the at least one tearable portion is a series of discrete tearable portions configured in a circular pattern around the perimeter of the frangible layer.

3. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the at least one tearable portion is thinner than the thickness of the portions of the frangible layer not configured for tearing.

4. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the at least one tearable portion is thicker than the other portions of the frangible layer.

5. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the at least one tearable portion is beveled.

6. The pierceable cap of claim 5, wherein the beveled top surface is adapted to resist tearing by the transfer device during an initial pierce of the frangible layer, by the transfer device.

7. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the at least one tearable portion is stiffer than the rest of the frangible layer.

8. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the at least one tearable portion is separately tethered to an outer perimeter of the frangible layer.

9. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the shell and frangible layer are separate components.

10. The pierceable cap of claim 1, wherein the shell and frangible layer are a monolithic structure made of the same material.

11. A pierceable cap comprising:

an external shell;

a frangible layer comprising an insertion location for receiving a transfer device, and at least one tearable portion, remote from the insertion location on the frangible layer;

wherein the at least one tearable portion is stiffer than the rest of the frangible layer.

12. A pierceable cap comprising:

a shell disposed on and connected to a vessel,

an access port in the shell for allowing passage of at least part of a transfer device through the access port, wherein the transfer device transfers a sample specimen,

a frangible layer disposed across the access port for sealing the sample specimen in the vessel until pierced by the transfer device, wherein, on initial piercing, sample, if vented, will vent only into and through the transfer device the frangible layer comprising a mechanical portion positioned on the frangible layer in a location not initially pierced by the transfer device;

wherein, in response to the advancing transfer device, the weakened portion tears in response to the advancing transfer device.

13. A method for piercing a pierceable cap comprising:

inserting a sample transfer device into a shell attached to a sample vessel;

advancing the sample transfer device into the shell to initially pierce a frangible layer disposed across an opening in the shell;

momentarily stopping further advancing of the sample transfer device to allow for initial venting of vapor contained within the sample vessel through the sample transfer device;

resuming advancing of the sample transfer device causing at least one tearable portion located on the frangible layer to tear.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tearing is caused by an increasing diameter of the sample transfer device as it advances through the frangible layer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one tearable portion is outside the location on the frangible layer that is initially pierced by the sample transfer device.