Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing – Including sample preparation – Volumetric liquid transfer
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-15
2001-07-24
Warden, Sr., Robert J. (Department: 1744)
Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing
Including sample preparation
Volumetric liquid transfer
C422S105000, C422S105000, C215S236000, C220S816000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06265225
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a cap for a reagent container, which cap is provided with a sealable lid.
Various embodiments for sealing reagent containers have already been developed, by which the evaporation and contamination of reagents which are used for the analysis of biological fluids are to be decreased. DE-A 33 46 517 has already disclosed an opening and closing apparatus for a reagent container which is to prevent evaporation of the fluid. A lid is provided for this, which has a multiplicity of elevations of elastic material on its underside. This lid is mounted onto the reagent container in an airtight manner by a closing mechanism, and it may also still be readily removed from the container when the container contents are frozen.
EP-A-0 509 281 discloses a container closure having a puncturable closure body which permits the removal or addition of fluids by means of a blunt hollow needle, the container closure consisting at least in part of a highly elastic material which is cut into by at least 75% of its thickness at the point of puncture. The closure in this case can be implemented on its own in the form of a stopper or as an insert disk for a closure. However, in this case, there is the risk that the hollow needle becomes contaminated on puncturing the container closure.
Furthermore, EP 0 543 638 discloses a closure which is mounted so as to be able to pivot on an extended arm and, in a first position, seals the orifice of the vessel, and in a second position, does not seal the orifice. In this case the extended arm is provided with a pretensioning apparatus which ensures the sealing of the reagent container.
The object underlying the abovementioned closures is to protect the test samples and reagents from contamination and evaporation. In particular, the reagents which are used for program-controlled analysis of a biological fluid in an analyzer, and from which small amounts of reagent are continually removed over a relatively long period by means of a pipette, must be kept hermetically sealed before, during and after the pipetting and this seal must be ensured even after multiple use. These requirements have not yet been satisfactorily solved by the sealing apparatuses developed hitherto, because the risk of unwanted carry-over of traces of the reagent or of the biological fluid from one vessel to another has not been reliably excluded and adequate protection against evaporation was not provided.
The object was therefore to develop an improved closure for reagent containers which are used in program-controlled analyzers and must remain reliably and hygienically sealed even in the event of multiple use. At the same time, the closure should be as similar as possible in its external dimensions to the closures known and used hitherto, so that the analytical instruments which are already in existence do not have to be modified. Moreover, for a program-controlled analyzer, it is also necessary that it can recognize each reagent vial on the basis of the barcode applied to the exterior in order to be able to select the reagent necessary for a defined determination. However, that is only possible if the reagent is centered in a previously established position in the analyzer, because only then does the barcode become visible at the position recognizable for the automatic reading device.
These objects are achieved by a cap for a reagent container, which cap is provided with a sealable lid which
a) can be pivoted laterally upward from the cap sealing position, with the container being opened, by means of an inclined bistable hinge,
b) bears one or more catches which can come into contact with an apparatus for opening or closing the lid, and
the cap has one or more centering elements by means of which the reagent-container setting position in the analyzer is fixed.
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Bickoni Dieter
Otto Ralf
Wilmes Hugo
Dade Behring Marburg GmbH
Finnegan, Henderson Farabow, Garrett and Dunner L.L.P.
Olsen Kaj K.
Warden, Sr. Robert J.
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