阅读说明：本技术 用于保护内部容器的装置 (Device for protecting inner container ) 是由 圣玛丽亚·克劳迪娅 于 2018-05-08 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于保护内部容器和内部容器中的样品或内容物的装置。用于保护内部容器和样品的装置包括内部容器和外部保护本体。内部容器可以接纳样品,以用于诸如生物医学、医疗保健、牙科、农业、工业和兽医学等应用。可以将内部容器接纳在用于保护的外部保护本体中。盖固定在内部容器上,形成密封,以防止样品或内部容器的内容物泄漏和污染。外部保护本体是耐破损的,用来在该设备跌落时提供保护。(A device for protecting an inner container and a sample or contents in the inner container. The device for protecting the inner container and the sample comprises an inner container and an outer protective body. The inner container can receive a sample for applications such as biomedical, healthcare, dental, agricultural, industrial, and veterinary. The inner container may be received in an outer protective body for protection. A cap is secured to the inner container to form a seal to prevent leakage and contamination of the sample or the contents of the inner container. The outer protective body is breakage resistant to provide protection when the device is dropped.)

1. An apparatus for protecting an inner container, the apparatus comprising:

an external protection body;

wherein the outer protective body defines an internal cavity having an open end;

wherein the outer protective body is configured to receive an inner container therein;

wherein the outer protective body is configured to prevent damage to the container.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an inner container.

3. A device for protecting an inner container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner container is removably disposed in the internal cavity of the outer protective body.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the inner container is fixably attached in the inner cavity of the outer protective body.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer protective body includes an engagement portion configured to receive a cap.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the inner container comprises an interior volume that is vacuum sealed by a lid.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the outer protective body is sized to: the height of the outer protective body is lower than the height of the inner container.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein the outer protective body is sized to: the height of the outer protective body is equal to the height of the inner container.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the outer protective body is sized to: the height of the outer protective body is higher than the height of the inner container.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the cap is configured to cooperatively engage with the outer protective body to concentrically form a seal between the outer protective body and the inner container.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein a void is defined between the outer protective body and the inner container.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the void is at least partially filled with a solid, liquid, or gas.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer protective body is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene terephthalate, plastic, latex, ceramic, fiberglass, metal, and any breakage resistant material.

14. The device of claim 6, wherein the cap comprises a recess configured to be pierced with a needle.

15. The device of claim 2, wherein the outer protective body, the inner container, and the cap are disposed in a sterilized housing.

16. The device for protecting a sample of claim 2, wherein the inner container contains an additive.

17. The device of claim 2, wherein the additive comprises SFS, a coating, a gel, a clot activator, a surfactant, an isolate, or an anticoagulant compound.

18. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to be disposable in a centrifuge after being assembled.

19. The device of claim 2, wherein the inner container is configured for isolating a platelet rich fibrin clot.

20. The device of claim 3, further comprising a strap and a fastener disposed at a top portion of the outer protective body, wherein the strap is configured to be fastened over the open end of the outer protective body.

21. The device of claim 2, wherein the inner container is made of glass or PET.

22. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a ridge disposed on an inner surface of the lid; and a boss disposed on an outer surface of the outer protective body; the ridge is configured to couple with the boss.

23. The device for protecting a sample according to claim 7, wherein a shock-reducing substance is provided in the void.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to equipment and devices for healthcare for protecting an inner container. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for protecting a container capable of containing a fluid sample for storage, analysis, or processing in medical, pharmaceutical, clinical, forensic, dental, industrial, agricultural, environmental, and veterinary applications.

Background

Particularly in the biomedical and healthcare industries, blood is drawn for various tests to assess the health of animals. Depending on the intended application, the tubes or the storage, transport and handling of blood may have additives that promote or inhibit coagulation. From a blood sample, the intended application may require testing or processing of serum or plasma. For this purpose, the blood is placed in a test tube together with additives.

Modern blood collection tubes and test tubes are made of plastic and require treatment with additives, particularly in applications requiring centrifugation to obtain serum or plasma supernatant. Almost exclusively plastic can be used, since glass test tubes and blood collection tubes present the following risks: damage; sample contamination; laboratory contamination; contamination and injury to the personnel handling the sample; and the transmission of blood-borne pathogens and diseases. Thus, tube and blood collection tube materials, additives, and instructions are regulated by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. food and drug administration, which typically require the use of plastic tubes and blood collection tubes.

Traditionally, blood collection tubes have been made of glass, particularly since the middle of the 20 th century. The glass tube does not require a coagulation additive because the silica in the glass already promotes coagulation. Blood cells and platelets will clot and will fall to the bottom of the tube during centrifugation, leaving a supernatant of serum or plasma.

Glass test tubes and blood collection tubes are well suited for biomedical and health care applications requiring plasma or serum recovery. For example, new regenerative therapies using platelet rich plasma and platelet rich fibrin require the extraction of human blood, spinning of the sample in a centrifuge, recovery of the supernatant, and treatment of the human with the supernatant that may or may not be further processed. These applications differ from drawing blood for in vitro health screening only, as a portion of the sample (supernatant containing platelet rich plasma or serum) is returned to the human body.

In a particular example, the use of platelet rich fibrin in dental surgery is becoming increasingly popular due to accelerated healing. Other applications include alopecia treatment, wrinkle treatment and anti-aging treatment, and orthopedic treatment. These treatments typically require multiple courses of treatment. Multiple courses also mean more exposure to additives in the plastic tube.

Plastic test tubes are typically treated with silicone and silica. Inhalation and internal exposure to silica can lead to fibroids and subsequently cancer. Exposure to additives can create an industrial occupational hazard to personnel in the manufacturing industry. A person treated with their own serum or plasma may be exposed to additive residues, sometimes directly into the blood if the serum or plasma is injected or topically applied to an open wound or suture. In addition, hormone interferents such as bisphenol a may leach from the plastic into the sample and supernatant to be used for treatment.

Thus, exposure of the sample to additives inherently present in plastic tubing should be avoided or eliminated while still complying with government regulations.

Disclosure of Invention

There is a need for a cost effective and durable device for use in conjunction with a destructible inner container at least partially filled with a sample. The device generally comprises an inner container housed in a cavity of an outer protective body. The outer protective body may be fixedly or removably attached to the inner container.

The inner container is capable of holding a sample, which may be a body fluid such as blood or serum, a soil or water sample, a pharmaceutical preparation or a nutritional product. The inner container is configured to fit within an interior cavity defined by the outer protective body.

The cap prevents the sample placed in the inner container from being contaminated or discharged. The lid is configured to be securable over the upper end of the outer protective body while providing a vacuum seal and positional stability for the inner container. The cover is configured to be frictionally secured on the upper end of the outer protective body. The frictional securement provides enhanced stability and contamination prevention for the means for protecting the inner container.

The outer protective body has a boss provided at an upper end thereof. The boss is configured to securely receive the cover thereon. This embodiment provides an effective way of retaining the lid on the means for protecting the inner container and the sample. A strap may be implemented to secure the inner container with its own lid or cap when the outer protective body does not receive the lid or cap thereon.

The device may be present in a single use or multiple use sterile package after autoclaving. Multiple devices may be present in a single sterile package and may be configured according to the intended application. For example, the specialized packaging can be configured for platelet rich fibrin applications in dental and oral surgery.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 4 illustrates another side cross-sectional view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged side cross-sectional view of an open end of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container in sterile packaging.

Fig. 7 shows a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container.

Fig. 8 shows an exploded view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container with a strap.

Reference numerals of the drawings

10-device

11-inner container

12-external protective body

13-shell

14-internal Chamber

15-open end

16-periphery

17-elongated tubular housing

18-open upper end

19-lip part

20-lobe

21-wall

22-cover

23-substrate

24-receiving part

25-cap

26-first seal

27-second seal

28-belt

29-Ridge

30-point of attachment

32-fastener

33-sterilized housing

34-space

40-band

41-fastener

42-closed end

Detailed Description

The present disclosure generally provides an apparatus for protecting an inner container, particularly for use in industries such as biomedical, healthcare, dental, agricultural, industrial, and veterinary health and wellness.

According to the present disclosure, the device generally comprises an inner container housed in a cavity of an outer protective body. The outer protective body may be fixedly or removably attached to the inner container. The inner container is capable of holding a sample, which may be a body fluid such as blood or serum, a soil or water sample, a pharmaceutical preparation or a nutritional product.

In a preferred embodiment, the inner container is made of glass, such as borosilicate glass, and the outer protective body is made of a molded or extruded plastic, such as polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"). In a preferred embodiment, the outer protective body is translucent or transparent to allow the sample in the inner container to be visible. The glass inner container is compatible with the sample for storage and handling, while the plastic outer protective body prevents damage to the inner container and destruction and contamination of the sample.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer protective body can be removed and autoclaved for interchange or recycling. However, in some embodiments, the outer protective body may be fixably attached to the inner container for single use. The protective body is preferably configured to fit in a standard centrifuge and test tube holder.

In a preferred embodiment, and under sterile conditions, the applied lid and/or cap will create a vacuum seal, but still provide, enabling the needle to be pierced into the inner container for recovery of the sample. The sample may then be further processed, applied to or within an animal body, or used in vitro experiments.

Specialized sterile packaging can be customized to the intended application. For example, dental and oral surgery using platelet-rich fibrin may require one to six devices in sterile packaging for a single use, while environmental applications may require twelve-pronged packaging for various sample sites.

Preferably, the device should be handled with safety measures like any other collection tube or test tube, for example when the device is not in use, or when an inner container, cap, lid or tape is placed on or inside the outer container of the device, the device is placed in a holder.

The sample may comprise a solid, liquid or gas. If the outer protective body is removably coupled, the sample may be deposited into the inner container before or after the inner container is inserted into the outer container or protective body.

In the following sections, detailed descriptions of examples and methods of the present disclosure will be given. The description of the preferred and alternative examples is merely exemplary, and it is to be understood that variations, modifications, and alterations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it should be understood that these examples do not limit the scope of the basic disclosed aspects as defined by the claims.

Referring to fig. 1, an exploded view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container is shown. The device 10 for protecting an inner container ("the present device") comprises an inner container 11 and an outer protective body 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner vessel 11 comprises an elongated tubular housing 13 defining an internal cavity 14 therein, with an open end 15 disposed opposite the closed lower end. The lower end may have any suitable shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the closed lower end portion has a dome shape. The open upper end 15 is defined by a peripheral rim 16.

Further, the inner container 11 is configured to receive therein a biological sample, a medical sample, a fluid, a food, or a chemical sample. The inner container 11 is made of a contamination-free material. In one embodiment, the inner container 11 is made of glass. When glass is used, blood clotting is facilitated in the chamber 14, wherein the biological, medical or chemical sample is a blood sample.

In another embodiment, inner container 11 further comprises at least one additive, such as an SFS coating, a gel, a clot activator, a separator, or an anticoagulant compound. In another embodiment, inner container 11 is vacuum sealed by a cap 25, which cap 25 may secure lid 22 or be independent of lid 22, depending on the type of inner container used, such as a standard tube or vacuum sealed tube. The inner container 11 may be any container configured to receive a sample therein.

In one embodiment, the inner container is configured to be disposable in a centrifuge when assembled with the outer protective body 12. In another embodiment, the inner container is configured for the manufacture of Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF). In yet another embodiment, the inner container is configured for In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) testing. In another embodiment, the outer protective body 12 comprises an elongated tubular housing 17, the elongated tubular housing 17 defining a cavity therein having an open upper end 18. The upper end 18 of the opening is defined by a lip 19.

The outer protective body 12 is configured to house the inner container 11 therein. The outer protective body 12 is configured to protect the inner container 11 from damage. The outer protective body 12 is made of a breakage resistant material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), plastic, latex, ceramic, fiberglass, metal, flexible glass, rubber, melamine, tempered glass, polypropylene, paper, rough glazed ceramic, metallic glass, or a combination of the above materials. The outer protective body 12 is further configured to be shock resistant, meaning that the outer protective body 12 can withstand impacts without damaging internal components, such as the inner container 11 or biological, medical or chemical samples, as well as liquids and food or other consumable samples disposed therein. In one embodiment, the length of the inner container 11 from the periphery to the bottom is longer than the outer protective body 12, such that a portion of the inner container 11 extends beyond the lip 19 of the outer protective body 12. The lip 19 defines a boss 20, the boss 20 having a wall 21 extending upwardly therefrom. When the device for protecting samples 10 is placed in a vertical position, the projections 20 are oriented on a horizontal axis and the walls 21 are oriented on a vertical axis. The outer protective body 12 is dimensioned to receive the inner container 11 in its cavity.

For example, the outer protective body may be 15 cm long and the inner container may be 10 cm or 12 cm long. In another example, the outer protective body and the inner container may have the same length. Conventional sizes and shapes may be achieved.

Referring to fig. 2, a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container is shown. The device 10 for protecting an inner container is configured to be arranged in a containment position and an open position. The containment position is defined such that the inner container is removably disposed within the outer protective body 12. Furthermore, in the accommodated position, the cap 22 engages on the outer protective body 12 to ensure that no leakage of the biological, medical or chemical sample occurs in the unlikely event of rupture of the inner container.

Referring to fig. 3, a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container is shown. The outer protective body 12 includes an engagement portion configured to receive the cap 25. In the embodiment shown, depending on the configuration, a cap 25, or alternatively a cover 22, may be attached to the outer protective body 12 and aligned with the lip 19 provided on the upper portion of the outer protective body 12. This embodiment ensures that: when the first seal 26 is formed between the inner container 11 and the inside of the base 23 of the cap 25, fluid does not escape from the cavity of the inner container 11. Alternatively, a second seal 27 is formed between the outer protective body 12 and the cap 25 or cover 22 at the lip 19.

In the embodiment shown, the cover 22 is vertically lower than the periphery of a cap 25 provided around the cover 22. In this embodiment, the recess is more easily located and more easily pierced by the needle. Alternatively and depending on the configuration of the inner container, the cap 25 may be vertically lower than the cover 22. For example, the gap may be 0.2mm to 2 cm.

Referring to fig. 4, another side cross-sectional view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container is shown. In the embodiment shown, the cover is frictionally secured to the means for protecting the sample. A first seal 26 is frictionally formed between inner container 11 and base 23 of lid 22. In addition, a second seal 27 is frictionally formed between the outer protective body 12 and the overlapping portion 40 of the receptacle 24 of the cap 22.

Referring to fig. 5, an enlarged side cross-sectional view of an open end of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container is shown. In one embodiment, the means for protecting the sample comprises a fastener 32 disposed between the attachment point 30 of the cover 22 and the outer protective body 12.

In the embodiment shown, the fastener includes a ridge 29 and a boss 20. A ridge 29 is provided on the inner surface of the outer protective body 12. The boss 20 is disposed on an outer surface of the receiver 24. When the device for protecting a sample is placed in the locked position, the projections 20 will pass under the ridge 29, so that the lid is frictionally secured to the outer protective body 12.

Referring to fig. 6, a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container in a sterile package is shown. In one embodiment, the sterilized housing 33 is configured to receive the inner container, the outer protective body, and the lid therein. By packaging the device for protecting a sample 10 in a sterilized housing 33, it is ensured that the device for protecting a sample will be sterile at the time of use. In the embodiment shown, the sterilized housing 33 is transparent. The sterilized housing 33 is made of any suitable material, such as plastic.

Referring to fig. 7, a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary apparatus for protecting an inner container is shown. In one embodiment, a void 34 is defined between the inner container 11 and the outer protective body 12. The voids 34 may have any desired size. In one embodiment, the void 34 extends completely between the inner container 11 and the outer protective body 12. In another embodiment, the voids 34 are at least partially filled with a solid, liquid, or gas.

Referring to fig. 8, an exploded view of an exemplary device for protecting an inner container with a band is shown. In the embodiment shown, the outer protective body 12 comprises a strap 40, said strap 40 being provided on one end of the outer protective body, preferably opposite the closed end 42. The strap 40 is configured to interact with the fastener 41 such that the inner container 11 may be secured in the outer protective body 12 by the strap. This configuration allows a wider variety of internal containers to be used with the device. The outer body of the present device may be made of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyethylene terephthalate, plastic, latex, ceramic, fiberglass, metal, and any breakage resistant material.

The device may be used with an inner container made of glass, ceramic, porcelain, plastic, and may also have additives such as SFS, coatings, gels, clot activators, surfactants, isolates, or anticoagulant compounds.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any disclosure or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations of the disclosure.

Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in combination in a plurality of embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Thus, particular embodiments of the present subject matter have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed disclosure.