Vial transporter
First Claim
1. A transport container for transporting fragile fluid containers, the transport container comprising:
- an elongated body having first and second ends and side wall means, said first and second ends and said side wall means defining an openable closed container for receiving said fluid container therewithin;
means for accessing the interior of said closed container for allowing insertion and removal of said fluid container;
a plurality of yieldably deflectable vanes in said transport container for accommodating the diameter of a fluid container inserted into said transport container between said vanes, said vanes attached to said side wall means and said second end and extending inwardly from a portion of said side wall means and said second end into said transport container, said vanes each including an inclined edge portion extending substantially along the entire length of said vane and having a width, measured along each vane from said side wall means toward the longitudinal axes of said transport container, which is greater for portions of each said vane adjacent said second end wall than for portions of said vanes along said axis remote from said second end wall, said vanes yieldably restraining movement of said fluid container in a direction toward said second end and supporting said fluid container along its bottom and lower side surfaces within said transport container with the end of said fluid container adjacent to and spaced from said second end of said transport container, said vanes also spacing said fluid container from and yieldably restraining movement thereof toward said side wall means; and
bias means in said transport container for spacing said fluid container from and restraining movement of said fluid container toward said first end and for applying a biasing force to said fluid container in a direction away from said first end and toward said second end for seating said fluid container within said plurality of vanes;
whereby a fluid container received within the transport container is maintained out of contact with said first and second ends and said side wall means by the cooperative interaction of said bias means and said plurality of vanes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transport container for transporting fragile articles, such as test tubes or vials, which is able to accommodate vials of various sizes. The transport container protects the contents from forces or impact shocks associated with transport, thus preventing breakage of the vials. The transport container comprises a first body member including a spring for providing an axial bias force to a vial supported therewithin for restraining movement of the vial in a first axial direction and for urging the vial toward a second body member for proper seating therein. The second body member includes a plurality of positioning vanes which provide a yieldable restraint in a second axial direction and in the radial direction. The first and second body members are connected to form a releasable, liquid-tight seal and joint therebetween.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A transport container for transporting fragile fluid containers, the transport container comprising:
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an elongated body having first and second ends and side wall means, said first and second ends and said side wall means defining an openable closed container for receiving said fluid container therewithin; means for accessing the interior of said closed container for allowing insertion and removal of said fluid container; a plurality of yieldably deflectable vanes in said transport container for accommodating the diameter of a fluid container inserted into said transport container between said vanes, said vanes attached to said side wall means and said second end and extending inwardly from a portion of said side wall means and said second end into said transport container, said vanes each including an inclined edge portion extending substantially along the entire length of said vane and having a width, measured along each vane from said side wall means toward the longitudinal axes of said transport container, which is greater for portions of each said vane adjacent said second end wall than for portions of said vanes along said axis remote from said second end wall, said vanes yieldably restraining movement of said fluid container in a direction toward said second end and supporting said fluid container along its bottom and lower side surfaces within said transport container with the end of said fluid container adjacent to and spaced from said second end of said transport container, said vanes also spacing said fluid container from and yieldably restraining movement thereof toward said side wall means; and bias means in said transport container for spacing said fluid container from and restraining movement of said fluid container toward said first end and for applying a biasing force to said fluid container in a direction away from said first end and toward said second end for seating said fluid container within said plurality of vanes; whereby a fluid container received within the transport container is maintained out of contact with said first and second ends and said side wall means by the cooperative interaction of said bias means and said plurality of vanes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An elongate transport container for transporting elongate fragile articles, the transport container comprising:
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first and second elongate body members releasably connectable to form a closed container for receiving said fragile articles therewithin; said first body member including a first end wall; a spring formed integral with and positioned within said first body member; a plurality of yieldable vanes formed integral with and positioned within said second body member, said second body member including a second end wall and side wall means, said vanes integrally attached to said second end wall and said side wall means and extending from said second end and side wall means into said second body member, said vanes each including an inclined edge portion extending substantially along the entire length of said vane and having a width, measured along each vane from said side wall means toward the longitudinal axis of said elongate container, which is greater for portions of each said vanes adjacent said second end wall than for portions of said vanes axially remote from said second end wall; and releasable connecting means associated with said first and second body members for allowing separation of said first and second body members for insertion and removal of said fragile articles and for connecting said first and second body members for storage or transport, said connecting means forming a liquid-tight seal between said first and second body members; said spring spacing said fragile articles from said first end wall and providing a yieldable impact absorbing restraint in a first axial direction, and said vanes spacing said fragile articles from said second end wall and said side walls and providing a yieldable impact absorbing restraint in a radial direction and a second axial direction, whereby a fragile article inserted within said second body member and closed within said container by said first body member is seated within said vanes by said spring of said first body member urging said fragile article toward said second end wall. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification