Tamper evident point of containment, inventory and accountability system and method

• US 9,336,669 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Government of the United States of America, US Department of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Bowden, Robert A., Hossenlopp, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US13/814,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/572.8, 340/571
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/00 Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials B65D71/00, B65D83/00 take precedence; hand implements or travelling equipment A45C; cosmetic or toiletry equipment A45D; packages for surgical knives, scalpels or blades therefor A61B17/3215; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; paint cans B44D3/12; oil cans F16N3/04; containers for carrying small arms F41C33/06; packaging of ammunition or explosive charges F42B39/00; containers for record carriers, specially adapted for cooperation with the recording or reproducing apparatus G11B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/42 Low-temperature sample treatment, e.g. cryofixation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/007 Devices specially adapted for forensic samples, e.g. tamper-proofing, sample tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00

Abstract

The system in at least one embodiment includes a tamper evident specimen sample locking device that in a further embodiment includes an embedded data storage mechanism. A method for using the system in at least one embodiment allows for efficiently and securely creating, maintaining, identifying, tracking, and controlling inventories (either prospective or retrospective) of biological and chemical sample containers and their contents, while eliminating potential loss and degradation associated with handling the samples. The system in at least one embodiment includes a sample container tray or cryogenic box having one or more integrated RFID readers within an associated smart lid that sense RFIDs associated with the individual samples thereby eliminating the need to remove, visually inspect, and/or handle the samples.

Claims

1. A tamper evident sample locking device comprising:

a central hub, wherein said central hub is capable of abutting an end of a specimen sample container;

multiple elongated locking members attached to said central hub, wherein said multiple elongated locking members are capable of engaging the exterior surface of the specimen sample container and each includes a plurality of locking structures longitudinally spaced along the length of said locking members; and

a locking collar having multiple locking apertures, wherein said locking collar is capable of receiving and securely engaging an exterior surface of the specimen sample container, and wherein said locking apertures are capable of receiving and locking said multiple locking structures of said multiple elongated locking members.

2. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 1, further comprising an embedded data storage mechanism attached to said central hub.

3. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein said embedded data storage mechanism provides an electronic indication of tampering upon the removal of the sample container.

4. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 1, wherein said specimen sample container is securely locked within said elongated locking members such that removal of the specimen sample container provides a physical indication of tampering on at least one of said elongated locking members.

5. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 1, wherein said central hub, said elongated locking members, and said locking collar are formed of a resilient material.

6. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said central hub, said elongated locking members, and said locking collar provides a physical indication of tampering upon the removal of the specimen sample container.

7. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 1, wherein said multiple locking structures are selected from the group comprising ball-like structures, barbs, teeth, arrowheads or conical shaped members, concave and flat structures, conical structures.

8. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 1, wherein each of said multiple elongated locking members includes at least one pointed tip.

9. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein said locking collar engages the exterior surface of the specimen sample container at a point spaced from a second end of the specimen sample container.

10. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein said specimen sample container is securely locked within said elongated locking members such that removal of the specimen sample container provides a physical indication of tampering on at least one of said elongated locking members.

11. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein said central hub, said elongated locking members, and said locking collar are formed of a resilient material.

12. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said central hub, said elongated locking members, and said locking collar provides a physical indication of tampering upon the removal of the specimen sample container.

13. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein said multiple locking structures are selected from the group comprising ball-like structures, barbs, teeth, arrowheads or conical shaped members, concave and flat structures, conical structures.

14. The tamper evident sample locking device according to claim 2, wherein each of said multiple elongated locking members includes at least one pointed tip.