CONTAINER FOR A REACTIVE PRODUCT EQUIPPED WITH A SUCTION TUBE

Abstract

A container for a reactive product including a container body having a neck delimiting a neck opening; a closure member comprising a puncturable closure membrane which tightly seals off the neck opening; a suction tube located in the container body and comprising a first end portion attached to the closure member and a second end portion extending in the proximity of the bottom of the container body; and a cap attached to the neck and comprising a passage opening which is located facing the puncturable closure membrane and the first end portion of the suction tube, the cap being configured so as to enable the penetration of a sampling needle through the passage opening and the puncturable closure membrane such that the sampling needle is fluidly connected to the suction tube, and so as to enable the penetration of a venting needle through the passage opening and the puncturable closure membrane such that the venting needle is fluidly connected to an internal volume of the container body.

Claims

1. A container for a reactive product, comprising: a container body comprising a neck delimiting a neck opening; a closure member comprising a puncturable closure membrane which tightly seals off the neck opening; a suction tube located in the container body and comprising a first end portion attached to the closure member and a second end portion extending in proximity to a bottom of the container body; and a cap attached to the neck of the container body, the cap comprising a passage opening which is located facing the puncturable closure membrane and the first end portion of the suction tube, the cap being configured so as to enable the penetration of a sampling needle and the puncturable closure membrane such that the sampling needle is fluidly connected to the suction tube, and so as to enable the penetration of a venting needle through the passage opening and the puncturable closure membrane such that the venting needle is fluidly connected to an internal volume of the container body.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to enable the penetration of the sampling needle through the passage opening and the puncturable closure membrane such that the sampling needle emerges opposite or into the first end portion of the suction tube, and so as to enable the penetration of the venting needle through the passage opening and the puncturable closure membrane such that the venting needle emerges into the internal volume of the container body.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the passage opening is located facing a central portion of the puncturable closure membrane.

4. The container according to claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises a tubular mounting portion which is located in the container body and which extends from the puncturable closure membrane the first end portion of the suction tube being attached to the tubular mounting portion and being fluidly connected to an internal channel delimited by the tubular mounting portion.

5. The container according to claim 4, wherein the passage opening is located facing a central portion of the puncturable closure membrane and the tubular mounting portion extends from the central portion of the puncturable closure membrane.

6. The container according to claim 4, wherein the tubular mounting portion extends according to an extension axis which is parallel to a central axis of the neck of the container body.

7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the puncturable closure membrane seals off the passage opening.

8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the cap is configured to exert a pressure on the puncturable closure membrane, so as to achieve a tight mounting of the puncturable closure membrane on the neck of the container body.

9. The container according to claim 1, wherein the cap includes a bottom wall and a lateral skirt extending from the bottom wall, the passage opening being provided on the bottom wall.

10. A sampling device, including: a frame; a receiving portion including a receiving location configured to receive a container according to any one of the preceding claims; and a sampling head configured to sample at least part of a content of the container when the container is received in the receiving location, the sampling head being movably mounted relative to the frame between an inactive position and a sampling position, the sampling head including a sampling needle which is configured to puncture the puncturable closure membrane of the container and to be fluidly connected to the suction tube of the container when the container is received in the receiving location and when the sampling head is moved into the sampling position, and a venting needle which is configured to puncture the puncturable closure membrane of the container and to be fluidly connected to the internal volume of the container when the container is received in the receiving location and when the sampling head is moved into the sampling position.

11. The sampling device according to claim 10, wherein the sampling head is pivotably mounted relative to the frame about a pivot axis.

12. The sampling device according to claim 10, wherein the receiving portion is movably mounted relative to the frame between a first position in which a container can be inserted into the receiving location of said receiving portion, and a second position in which the sampling needle and the venting needle are able to extend through the puncturable closure membrane of said container.

13. The sampling device according to claim 12, wherein the sampling head is mechanically connected to the receiving portion such that a displacement of the receiving portion from the first position towards the second position automatically causes a displacement of the sampling head from the inactive position towards the sampling position, and such that a displacement of the receiving portion from the second position towards the first position automatically causes a displacement of the sampling head from the sampling position towards the inactive position.

14. The sampling device according to claim 13, wherein the receiving portion is slidably mounted on the sampling head in a direction of displacement.

15. The sampling device according to claim 10, wherein the sampling head includes a positioning portion configured to cooperate with the cap of a container received in the receiving location, so as to position the cap of the container in a predetermined position with respect to the sampling needle.

16. The sampling device according to claim 15, wherein the positioning portion includes a receiving housing which is open downwards and which is configured to at least partially house the cap of a container received in the receiving location.

17. The sampling device according to claim 10, which includes an air filter which is located upstream of the venting needle and which is configured to filter air intended to flow through the venting needle.

18. The container according to claim 2, wherein the passage opening is located facing a central portion of the puncturable closure membrane.

19. The container according to claim 18, wherein the closure member comprises a tubular mounting portion which is located in the container body and which extends from the puncturable closure membrane, the first end portion of the suction tube being attached to the tubular mounting portion and being fluidly connected to an internal channel delimited by the tubular mounting portion.

20. The container according to claim 19, wherein the passage opening is located facing a central portion of the puncturable closure membrane and the tubular mounting portion extends from the central portion of the puncturable closure membrane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0098] Anyway, the invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings representing, as non-limiting examples, several embodiments of this container.

[0099] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a container for a reactive product according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0100] FIG. 2 is a truncated partial perspective view of the container of FIG. 1.

[0101] FIG. 3 is a top view of the container of FIG. 1.

[0102] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sampling device according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0103] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sampling device of FIG. 4 showing a sampling head in an inactive position.

[0104] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sampling device of FIG. 4 showing a sampling head in an intermediate position.

[0105] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sampling device of FIG. 4 showing a sampling head in a sampling position.

[0106] FIG. 8 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the sampling device of FIG. 4 showing a sampling head in the sampling position.

[0107] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of container for a reactive product according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0108] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective top view of the container of FIG. 9.

[0109] FIG. 11 is a truncated partial perspective view of the container of FIG. 9.

[0110] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a sampling device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0111] FIG. 13 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the sampling device of FIG. 12 showing a sampling head respectively in the inactive position and the sampling position.

[0112] FIG. 14 is a truncated perspective view of the sampling device of FIG. 12 showing a sampling head in the sampling position.

[0113] FIG. 15 is a partial longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the sampling device of FIG. 12 showing a sampling head in the sampling position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0114] FIGS. 1 to 3 represent a container 2 for a reactive product, and in particular for a liquid reactive product, according to a first embodiment of the invention. The container 2 represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a vial for a reactive product and has a capacity of less than 300 ml, and may for example have a capacity of 50 ml or 250 ml. In particular, such a container 2 may be used to contain a reactive product the required amount of which per test is about 250 μl or less.

[0115] The container 2 comprises a container body 3 comprising a neck 4 delimiting a neck opening 5. For example, the container body 3 may be made of a plastic material. The container 2 also includes a closure member 6 which is advantageously made in one-piece, and which may for example be made of an elastomer.

[0116] The closure member 6 comprises a puncturable closure membrane 7 which tightly seals off the neck opening 5. The puncturable closure membrane 7 has a disk-like general shape, and is generally planar. The puncturable closure membrane 7 comprises a first face 7.1 oriented towards the inside of the container body 3 and a second face 7.2 opposite to the first face 7.1. According to the first embodiment of the invention, the puncturable closure membrane 7 includes a peripheral mounting portion 8 which is tightly mounted on the neck 4 of the container body 3. For example, the peripheral mounting portion 8 may include an annular mounting groove 9 in which is attached the bottleneck of the neck 4.

[0117] The closure member 6 further comprises a tubular mounting portion 10 which is located in the container body 3 and which extends from the first face 7.1 of the puncturable closure membrane 7. The tubular mounting portion 10 extends more particularly from a central portion 11 of the puncturable closure membrane 7 and according to an axis of extension A which is substantially parallel to a central axis of the neck 4 of the container body 3. Advantageously, the axis of extension A of the tubular mounting portion 10 is coincident with the central axis of the neck 4.

[0118] The tubular mounting portion 10 delimits an internal channel 12 whose end facing the puncturable closure membrane 7 is tightly sealed by the central portion 11 of the puncturable closure membrane 7.

[0119] The container 2 further includes a suction tube 13 comprising a first end portion 13.1 attached to the tubular mounting portion 10, and more particularly attached in the internal channel 12 delimited by the tubular mounting portion 10, and a second end portion 13.2 extending in the proximity of the bottom 14 of the container body 3. Thus, the suction tube 13 is fluidly connected to the internal channel 12 delimited by the tubular mounting portion 10.

[0120] The container 2 further includes a cap 15 which is attached to the neck 4 of the container body 3, and which may for example be made of a rigid plastic material. According to the first embodiment of the invention, the cap 15 is distinct from the closure member 6 and partially covers the puncturable closure membrane 7. Advantageously, the cap 15 is configured to exert a pressure on the puncturable closure membrane 7, and in particular to compress the puncturable closure membrane 7, so as to achieve a fluid-tight mounting of the puncturable closure membrane 7 on the neck 4 of the container body 3.

[0121] As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, cap 15 has a bottom wall 16 and a lateral skirt 17 extending from the bottom wall 16. The inner surface of the lateral skirt 17 comprises a first fastening element 18, such as an annular fastening rib, configured to by snap-fastening with a second fastening element 19, such as an annular fastening groove, provided on an outer surface of the neck 4 of the container body 3. Advantageously, the bottom wall 16 of the cap 15 bears against the second face 7.2 of the puncturable closure membrane 7.

[0122] The cap 15 includes in particular a passage opening 20 which is provided on the bottom wall 16 and which is located facing the central portion 11 of the puncturable closure membrane 7. Advantageously, the central portion 11 of the puncturable closure membrane 7 includes a first membrane portion 11.1 from which extends the tubular mounting portion 10, and a second membrane portion 11.2 which extends around the first membrane portion 11.1. The first and second membrane portions 11.1, 11.2 may for example be concentric.

[0123] The passage opening 20 is more particularly configured so as to enable the penetration of a sampling needle through the first membrane portion 11.1 and into the internal channel 12 of the tubular mounting portion 10, and so as to enable the penetration of a venting needle through the second membrane portion 11.2 and into an annular volume delimited by the neck 4 of the container body 3 and the tubular mounting portion 10. Advantageously, the passage opening 20 is circular, and is sealed, preferably tightly, by the central portion 11 of the puncturable closure membrane 7.

[0124] According to the first embodiment of the invention, the passage opening 20 and the tubular mounting portion 10 extend coaxially, and the central portion of the puncturable closure membrane 7 is located downstream of the passage opening 20 with respect to the direction of insertion of a sampling needle through the puncturable closure membrane 7.

[0125] FIGS. 4 to 8 represent a sampling device 21 according to a first embodiment of the invention which is configured to receive a plurality of containers 2 according to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 to 3. For example, the sampling device 21 can equip an analysis device for in vitro diagnosis.

[0126] The sampling device 21 includes a frame 22, and a plurality of receiving portions 23 each including a receiving location 24 configured to receive a respective container 2. Each receiving location 24 is advantageously open upwards. According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, the sampling device 21 includes a first set of receiving portions including several receiving portions 23, for example four, which are disposed adjacent to each other, and a second set of receiving portions including several receiving portions 23, for example four, which are disposed adjacent to each other.

[0127] Each receiving portion 23 is slidably mounted relative to the frame 22 according to a sliding direction D1 and between a first position (cf. FIG. 5), also called the loading/unloading position, in which the receiving portion 23 is inclined with respect to the vertical and a respective container 2 can be inserted into the respective receiving location 24, and a second position (see FIG. 7), also called storage position, in which the receiving portion 23 extends vertically and holds the respective container 2 in position. Advantageously, the sliding direction D1 of each receiving portion 23 is substantially rectilinear. Each receiving portion 23 may for example include a guide element 25, such as a guide rod, slidably mounted in a respective guide slot 26 provided on the frame 22 and extending according to the sliding direction D1.

[0128] The sampling device 21 further includes a plurality of sampling heads 27 each associated with a respective receiving portion 23, and each configured to sample at least part of the content of a respective container 2 received in the respective receiving location 24. Advantageously, each sampling head 27 is disposed above the respective receiving portion 23.

[0129] Each sampling head 27 includes a sampling needle 28 and a venting needle 29. Each sampling head 27 is more particularly pivotably mounted relative to the frame 22 about a pivot axis B and between an inactive position (cf. FIG. 5) in which the respective receiving portion 23 is in the first position and the sampling head 27 is located at a distance from the cap 15 of the container 2 received in the respective receiving location 24, and a sampling position (cf. FIG. 7) in which the respective receiving portion 23 is in the second position and the sampling needle 28 and the venting needle 29 of said sampling head 27 are configured to extend through the puncturable closure membrane 7 of the container 2 received in the respective receiving location 24. Advantageously, the sliding direction D1 of each receiving portion 23 extends transversely, and for example substantially perpendicularly, to the pivot axis B of the respective sampling head 27.

[0130] The sampling needle 28 of each sampling head 27 is more particularly configured to puncture the puncturable closure membrane 7 of the respective container 2 and to extend into the internal channel 12 of the tubular mounting portion 10 of the respective container 2 when said sampling head 27 is in the sampling position, and the venting needle 28 of each sampling head 27 is more particularly configured to puncture the puncturable closure membrane 7 of the respective container 2 and to emerge into the container body 3 of the respective container 2 when said sampling head 27 is in the sampling position. Advantageously, the sampling needle 27 of each sampling head 27 is also configured to extend partially into the first end portion 13.1 of the suction tube 13 of the respective container 2 when the respective sampling head 27 is in the sampling position, and the venting needle 28 of each sampling head 27 is configured to extend partially into the annular volume delimited by the neck 4 of the respective container 2 and the tubular mounting portion 10 respective when the respective sampling head 27 is in the sampling position.

[0131] According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, each sampling head 27 is mechanically connected to the respective receiving portion 23 such that a displacement of the respective receiving portion 23 from the first position towards the second position automatically and mechanically causes a displacement of said sampling head 27 from the inactive position towards the sampling position, and such that a displacement of the respective receiving portion 23 from the second position towards the first position automatically and mechanically causes a displacement of said sampling head 27 from the sampling position towards the inactive position. Such a configuration of the sampling device 21 allows greatly simplifying the manual operations to be carried out by a user of the sampling device 21, while simplifying the operation of the sampling device 21. These arrangements ensure great ergonomics for the user and great reliability for the sampling device 21.

[0132] Advantageously, each receiving portion 23 is slidably mounted on the respective sampling head 27 in a direction of displacement D2 which extends transversely, and preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the pivot axis B of the respective sampling head 27.

[0133] Thus, after positioning a container 2 in the receiving location 24 of a receiving portion 23, a simple displacement of said receiving portion 23 from the first position towards the second position by a user automatically causes a displacement of the respective sampling head 27 from the inactive position towards the sampling position and therefore a puncture of the puncturable closure membrane 7 of said container 2 by the respective sampling and venting needles 28, 29.

[0134] Advantageously, each sampling head 27 includes a positioning portion 31 configured to cover, and more particularly to cover, the cap 15 of a container 2 received in the respective receiving location 24 and to cooperate with said cap 15, so as to position said cap 15 in a predetermined position with respect to the respective sampling needle 28 and to the respective venting needle 29. Each positioning portion 31 is more particularly configured to align the respective sampling needle 28 with the tubular mounting portion 10 of the container 2 received in the respective receiving location 24 when the respective sampling head 27 occupies the sampling position.

[0135] According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, each positioning portion 31 includes a bottom 32 and a side wall 33 which delimit a receiving housing 34 which is open downwards. The sampling needle 28 and the venting needle 29 of each sampling head 27 extend through the bottom 32 of the respective positioning portion 31 and protrude into the respective receiving housing 34.

[0136] Advantageously, the side wall 33 of each positioning portion 31 is configured to cooperate with the lateral skirt 17 of the cap 15 of the container 2 received in the respective receiving portion 23 when the respective sampling head 27 occupies the sampling position, and each receiving housing 33 is configured to at least partially house the cap of the container received in the respective receiving location when the respective sampling head occupies the sampling position.

[0137] More particularly, each positioning portion 31 includes an insertion opening 35 through which the cap 15 of the respective container 2 could be inserted into the respective receiving housing 34. Advantageously, each insertion opening 35 is internally delimited at least partially by a frustoconical surface which converges towards the bottom 32 of the respective positioning portion 31. Such a configuration of each positioning portion 31 allows ensuring centering of the cap 15 of the respective container 2 with respect to the respective sampling and venting needles 28, 29.

[0138] Each sampling head 27 also includes a biasing device 36 configured to bias the cap 15 of the respective container 2 outside the respective receiving housing 34, when said sampling head 27 is displaced towards the inactive position. Advantageously, each biasing device 36 is disposed in the receiving housing 34 of the respective cover portion 31.

[0139] According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, each biasing device 36 includes a bearing member 37 which is slidably mounted in the respective receiving housing 34 between a protection position in which the respective sampling and venting needles 28, 29 are located set back from the bearing member 37 and a retracted position in which the respective sampling and venting needles 28, 29 protrude from the bearing member 27, and a biasing element 38, such as a coil spring, configured to bias the bearing member 37 towards the protection position. Advantageously, each bearing member 37 is configured to bear against the cap 15 of the container 2 received in the respective receiving portion 23 when said receiving portion 23 is displaced from the first position towards the second position, and each bearing member 37 is configured to be displaced from the protection position towards the retracted position by said cap 15 when the respective receiving portion 23 is displaced from the first position towards the second position.

[0140] The fact that each sampling head 27 is equipped with such a biasing device 36 allows avoiding any risk of a user coming into contact with the sampling and venting needles 27, 28 of the different sampling heads 27, and therefore any risk of injury of the user.

[0141] According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 4 to 8, each bearing member 37 is located in the proximity of the respective insertion opening 35 when the bearing member 37 occupies the protection position, and is located at a distance from the respective insertion opening 35 when the bearing member 37 occupies the retracted position. Advantageously, each positioning portion 31 includes an abutment surface 39 against which the respective bearing member 37 abuts when said bearing member 37 is in the protection position.

[0142] The sampling device 21 further includes a plurality of air filters 41 each associated with a respective sampling head 27. Each air filter 41 is located upstream of the venting needle 29 of the respective sampling head 27 and is configured to filter air intended to flow through the respective venting needle 29 so as to avoid a contamination of the content of the respective container 2 during sampling of part of its content using the respective sampling needle 28. Advantageously, each air filter 41 is fluidly connected to the respective venting needle 29 by an air flow conduit 42.

[0143] FIGS. 9 to 11 represent a container 2 for a reactive product according to a second embodiment of the invention which differs from the first embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 essentially in that the cap 15 and the closure member 6 are made by overmolding and in that the central portion of the puncturable closure membrane 7 is located upstream of the passage opening 20 with respect to the direction of insertion of a sampling needle through the puncturable closure membrane 7.

[0144] Furthermore, according to this second embodiment of the container 2, the cap 15 is removably attached to the neck 4 of the container body 3, and the first fastening element 18 includes an internal thread provided on the inner surface of the lateral skirt 17, and the second fastening element 19 includes an external thread which is provided on the outer surface of the neck 4 of the container body 3 and which is configured to cooperate by screwing with the internal thread provided on the lateral skirt 17.

[0145] In addition, according to this second embodiment of the container 2, the puncturable closure membrane 7 tightly covers the passage opening 20, and the closure member 6 includes an annular sealing rib 43 extending over the second face 7.2 of the puncturable closure membrane 7. Advantageously, the annular sealing rib 43 and the tubular mounting portion 10 extend substantially coaxially.

[0146] The container 2 represented in FIGS. 9 to 11 is a canister for a reactive product and has a capacity greater than 2 L, and may for example have a capacity of about 9 L. In particular, such a container 2 could be used to contain a reactive product whose required amount per test is about 20 ml. For example, such a container 2 may contain a dilution solution or a washing solution.

[0147] FIGS. 12 to 15 represent a sampling device 21 according to a second embodiment of the invention which is configured to receive a plurality of containers 2 according to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 9 to 11, and which differs from the sampling device 21 represented in FIGS. 4 to 8 essentially in that each receiving portion 23 is fixed relative to the frame 22, and in that each positioning portion 31 of each sampling head 27 is configured to exert a pressure on the annular sealing rib 43 of the closure member of the container 2 received in the respective receiving portion 23, when the respective sampling head 27 occupies the sampling position.

[0148] Advantageously, each sampling head 27 of the second embodiment of the sampling device 21 includes a gripping handle 44 so as to enables a manual displacement of said sampling head 27 between the inactive position and the sampling position, and each air filter 41 is housed in the respective sampling head 27.

[0149] According to a variant of the invention, one or more of the containers 2 received in the sampling device 21 represented in FIGS. 12 to 15 are used containers 2, that is to say which have been previously emptied of their content, and are intended to contain used washing solutions or any other liquid wastes. Because of the presence of the puncturable closure membrane on each container according to the present invention, such a container can be safely converted into a transportable waste container. Indeed, although the puncturable closure membrane of such a container has been previously punctured by a sampling needle and a venting needle, the intrinsic properties of the puncturable closure membrane enable it to “close” in a sufficiently tight manner, especially if the puncturable closure membrane is made of a so-called self-healing elastomer. According to the embodiment represented in FIGS. 12 to 15, two of the containers 2 contain reagents and two of the containers 2 are used containers.

[0150] It goes without saying that the invention is not limited only to the embodiments of this container 2 and of this sampling device 21, described hereinabove as examples, on the contrary, it encompasses all variants thereof.