WO2005087611A1

WO2005087611A1 - Safety container for biological samples

Info

Publication number: WO2005087611A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000129
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio Caccavale
Original assignee: Claudio Caccavale
Priority date: 2004-03-11
Filing date: 2005-03-10
Publication date: 2005-09-22
Also published as: ITRM20040127A1

Abstract

A container for vials or bottles for the collection of biological samples, consisting of a hard material; resistant to holding with needles, and comprising: hermetic closing means; opening means such that the container cannot be closed again. A kit for the collection, the preservation and the transport of biological samples comprising at least one container according to the invention and at least one vial or bottle with closing means, able to be housed therein. The container and the kit are used for biological samples to be subjected to anti-doping analyses.

Description

SAFETY CONTAINER FOR BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

The invention relates to a secure container for bottles or vials containing biological samples, to be subjected to analyses, diagnostic assays and, in particular, to anti- doping tests. The invention further relates to a kit comprising one or more containers of the invention and bottles or vials for the biological sample to be analysed.

In the sector of the collection, preservation, transport and analysis of biological samples to be analysed, in particular athletes' blood and/or urine, there is a need for containers that allow a secure preservation, the safeguard of the privacy of the person subjected to analysis and the impossibility of tampering with the content of the container.

The author of the present invention has devised a container that solves the problems of the prior art. The container is made of strong, and hard material, preferably plastic, more preferably polycarbonate, and it is able to house a single vial or bottle in which the biological sample has been placed. The container is of the single-use type, and it is tamper-proof: once it is closed, it can only be opened by breaking it. The closing means are hermetic, in order to prevent any alteration of the sample contained therein, by the injection of extraneous liquids. Moreover, to safeguard to privacy of the person who is subjected to anti-doping testing, preferably the container bears, indelibly printed, appropriated alphanumeric recognition system (in high- relief) .

Therefore, the invention relates to a container for vials or bottles for the collection of biological samples of a person to be subjected to analysis, consisting of a hard material, and resistant to holing with needles, comprising: a) hermetic closing means; b) opening means such that the container, once it is opened, cannot be closed again.

Preferably, the container also comprises cataloging means to safeguard the person's privacy.

Preferably, the container has essentially cylindrical shape and is composed of two half-cylinders, each provided with set and snap-in closing means, such that they cannot be detached again, once the container is closed. More preferably, the closing means are at least two tab - housing systems.

In a preferred embodiment, the first of the two half- cylinders is provided, along its edge, with a continuous extruded line and the second of the two half-cylinders is provided, along its edge, with a continuous slot, such that when the two half-cylinders are matched, when the container is being closed, the extruded line enters the slot, thereby obtaining a hermetic closure of the container itself that prevents the insertion of material by means of needles or otherwise.

Preferably, the container is provided with a circumference line of less resistance, for a reduced thickness of the walls of each of the half-cylinders along the semi- circumferences, which allows the breaking of the closed container by torsion and cracking along said circumference line.

Preferably, the cataloging means to safeguard the person' s privacy are obtained with identical alphanumeric code, in high-relief, on both the half-cylinders of the container 1, making it "unique" and easily identifiable. The codes univocally identify the person from whom the sample originates . The preferred material of the container 1 is polycarbonate, but the person versed in the art will readily understand that other materials can be equally used, provided they have the described characteristics.

Moreover, the person versed in the art shall understand that ^• the invention also includes containers with a different shape from the one described herein.

A further object of the invention is a kit for the collection, the preservation and the transport of biological samples comprising at least one container of the invention and vials or bottles with closing means, able to be housed inside the container.

The present invention shall now be described with reference to an embodiment thereof, but the person versed in the art shall readily understand that variations may be made.

Reference shall be made to the following figures: - Figure 1 is a lateral perspective view of the two half-cylinders 2a and 2b of the container 1, with at the centre the vial 3 containing the biological sample. Figure 2 is a lateral perspective view of the two half-cylinders 2a and 2b of the container 1, in which the vial 3 containing the biological sample is housed in the half-cylinder 2a, before the hermetic closure. Figure 3 is a lateral perspective view of the closed container 1 in upright position. Figure 4 is a lateral perspective view of the closed container 1 in upside down position.

In accordance with Figures 1 and 2, the container 1 is provided with a first half-cylinder 2a and with a second half-cylinder 2b, able to house the vial 3 provided with security closure cap 4. Each of the half-cylinders 2a and 2b is provided with two tabs, respectively 5a' and 5a' ' , and 5b' and 5b' ' . When the container 1 is closed, the tabs come to be set in the respective housings 6b' , 6b' ' , 6a' , 6a' ' , without being detachable, unless they are broken.

The two half-cylinders 2a and 2b have each a median semi- circumference line 7a and 7b in which the material has lesser thickness, such that the closed container 1 can be opened by torsion and cracking along the line 7 (7a-7b) and thereafter cannot be closed again.

Advantageously, the edge of the half-cylinder 2a is provided with an extruded line 12a and the edge of the half-cylinder 2b is provided with a slot 12b, such that when the two half-cylinders 2a and 2b are juxtaposed to be closed, the line 12a is inserted into the slot 12b thereby obtaining a hermetic closure of the container 1, preventing the insertion of extraneous substances after closure.

Advantageously, the two bases of the half-cylinders 2a and 2b have a double bottom (9a', 9a'', 9b', 9b'') made in such a way that the line that joins the inner bases (10a' -10b' and 10a' '-10b'') is offset with respect to those of the outer bases (11a' -lib' and 11a' ' -lib' ' ) , to prevent the injection of liquids through the slots, and to obtain a better housing of the vial 3.

In accordance with Figures 3 and 4, the container 1 is provided with a univocal alphanumeric cataloging and recognition system 8a' , 8a' ' , 8b' , 8b' ' .

Claims

1. A container for vials or bottles for the collection of biological samples, consisting of a hard material, resistant to holing with needles, and comprising: a) hermetic closing means; b) opening means such that the container cannot be closed again.

2. Container as claimed in claim 1, with essentially cylindrical shape and composed of two half-cylinders, each provided with hermetic closing means comprising set and snap-in closing means, such that the two half- cylinders cannot be detached again, except by breaking them.

3. Container as claimed in claim 2 in which the set and snap-on closing means are at least two set-in tab - housing systems.

4. Container as claimed in claim 2 or 3, provided with a circumference line of less resistance, due to a reduced thickness of its walls, which allows the breaking of the closed container by torsion and cracking along said circumference line.

5. Container as claimed in claims 2 through 4, wherein the hermetic closing means further comprise an extruded line along the edge of a half-cylinder and a slot along the edge of the other half-cylinder, such that when the two half-cylinders are juxtaposed to be closed, the extruded line is inserted into the slot thereby obtaining a hermetic closure of the container.

6. Container as claimed in one of the previous claims, comprising means for cataloging the biological sample to safeguard the person's privacy.

7. Container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cataloging means to safeguard the person' s privacy are obtained by impressing in indelible fashion identical alphanumeric codes on both the half-cylinders of the container.

8. Container as claimed in the previous claims being- made of polycarbonate.

9. A kit for the collection, the preservation and the transport of biological samples comprising at least one container according to one of the previous claims and at least one vial or bottle with closing means, able to be housed therein.

10. Use of the container as claimed in one of the claims 1 through 8 or of the kit of claim 9 for the collection and the transfer of biological samples to be subjected to anti-doping assays.