Screw cap lidded container

Abstract

A screw cap lidded container for laboratory use includes a container body defining a chamber, a tubular section of the container body that is connected at the rear to the chamber and has a container opening in the front and an external thread on the outer periphery of the tubular section. There is a circumferential first sealing surface on the tubular section and at least one first projection, which projects from the container body at a peripheral position of the tubular section, and a screw cap having an internal thread on the inner periphery that can be screwed onto the external thread with thread play, a second sealing surface on the screw cap can be brought into sealing contact with the first sealing surface, and at least one second projection, which projects at a peripheral position of the screw cap.

Claims

1. A screw cap lidded container for laboratory use comprising: a container body (2) defining a chamber (23), a tubular section (14) of the container body (2) that is connected at the rear to the chamber (23) and has a container opening (21) in the front, an external thread (16) on the outer periphery of the tubular section (14), a circumferential first sealing surface (22) on the tubular section (14), at least one first projection (19, 20), which projects from the container body (2) at a peripheral position of the tubular section (14), a screw cap (26), an internal thread (34) on the inner periphery (33) of the screw cap (26) that can be screwed onto the external thread (16) with thread play, a circumferential second sealing surface (36) on the screw cap (26), that by screwing the screw cap (26) tightly onto the tubular section (14) can be brought into sealing contact with the first sealing surface (22), and at least one second projection (38, 39), which projects from the screw cap (26) at a peripheral position of the screw cap (26), wherein the first projection (19, 20) on a front side, in a circular cylindrical cut surface about a central axis of the tubular section (14) has an increasing shoulder towards the external thread (16), and/or the second projection (38, 39) on a back side in a circular cylindrical cut surface about a central axis of the screw cap (26) has an increasing shoulder towards opening (19), wherein when screwing the screw cap (26) tightly onto the tubular section (14), the first and second projections (19, 20; 38, 39) come into contact and glide onto each other with the at least one increasing shoulder, whereby a forward directed axial force towards the opening of the neck is exerted on the screw cap (26), whereby due to the play between the internal and external thread the internal thread (34) is pressed with a flank against a thread flank of the external thread (16), and an axial displacement of a screw cap (26) takes place which results in a ventilation gap between the sealing surfaces (22, 36), the first and second projections are moved past each other during further screwing tightly and the first and second sealing surfaces (22, 36) attain a sealed setting in which they lie sealed against each other.

2. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the tubular section (14) has the first sealing surface (22) on the inner periphery of the tubular section (14) and the screw cap (26) has the second sealing surface (36) on a stopper (35) projecting from the cap bottom (27).

3. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one first projection (19, 20) on the front side, in the circular cylindrical cut surface about the central axis of the tubular section (14), has a decreasing shoulder, and/or the at least one second projection (38, 39) on the back side, in a circular cylindrical cut surface about the central axis of the screw cap (26), has a decreasing shoulder, such that during further screwing the screw cap (26) tightly from the ventilation position into the sealed position, the first and second projections glide over each other with the at least one decreasing shoulder, whereby the forward directed force exerted on the screw cap (26) is completely or partially absorbed until the sealed setting is attained.

4. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the container body (2) has a plurality of first projections (19, 20) distributed uniformly about the tubular section, and the screw cap (26) has a corresponding number of second projections (38, 39) distributed uniformly about the cap opening (29).

5. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 4, in which the container body (2) has two first projections (19, 20) arranged on diametrically opposed sides of the tubular section (14), and the screw cap (26) has two second projections (38, 39) arranged on diametrically opposed sides of the cap opening (29).

6. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one first projection (19, 20) is convex on the front side, and/or in which the at least one second projection (38, 39) is convex on the back side.

7. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one first projection (19, 20) projects outward from the tubular section (14) behind the external thread (16), and/or in which the at least one second projection projects from the cap casing (28) behind the internal thread (34).

8. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one first projection (19, 20) is a circular cylindrical pin projecting radially from the tubular section (14) behind the external thread (16), and/or in which the at least one second projection (38, 39) is a hump projecting from the cap casing behind the internal thread (34).

9. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one second projection (38, 39) on an outer end has a latching groove (40) into which the at least one first projection (19, 20) latches in the ventilation position, or in which the at least one first projection (19, 20) on the outer end has a latching groove (40) into which the at least one second projection (38, 39) latches in the ventilation position.

10. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 9, in which the latching groove (40) is rounded.

11. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the at least one second projection (38, 39) projects inward from the cap casing (28).

12. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the screw cap (26) has a radial widening (30) on the outer edge of the cap casing (28) thereof, and the at least one second projection (38, 39) is arranged within the widening (30).

13. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the external thread (16) and/or the internal thread (34) have at least one flattening (17, 18) of the thread profile.

14. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, in which the screw cap (26) has a marking (41) on the outside.

15. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, that is a culture flask (1), or a test tube (53), or a roller bottle (44), or a spinner bottle (45), or an Erlenmeyer flask (50), or a laboratory bottle.

16. The screw cap lidded container according to claim 1, whose container body (2) is produced from polystyrene or polycarbonate or from another plastic and/or whose screw cap (26) is produced from polypropylene or polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene or from another plastic or from a combination of the named materials.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1a shows a culture flask with a lid in a ventilation position in a front view,

(3) FIG. 1b is a perspective view at an angle from the front and from the left side,

(4) FIG. 1c is a top view of the culture flask of FIG. 1a,

(5) FIG. 1d shows a partially cut side view from the left side of the culture flask,

(6) FIG. 1e shows an enlarged detail 1e from FIG. 1d;

(7) FIG. 2a shows the culture flask with the screw cap in the sealed setting in a front view,

(8) FIG. 2b is a rear view,

(9) FIG. 2c is a partially cut side view from the left side and

(10) FIG. 2d is an enlarged detail 2d from FIG. 2c;

(11) FIG. 3a shows the container body of the same culture flask in a side view from the left side,

(12) FIG. 3b is a top view of the container body,

(13) FIG. 3c is a rear view of the container body,

(14) FIG. 3d is a longitudinal section and

(15) FIG. 3e is an enlarged detail from FIG. 3d;

(16) FIG. 4a shows the screw cap of the same culture flask in a front view,

(17) FIG. 4b is a top view,

(18) FIG. 4c shows a section along the line c-c from FIG. 4a,

(19) FIG. 4d is a side view, and

(20) FIG. 4e is a rear view;

(21) FIG. 5a shows a spinner bottle,

(22) FIG. 5b shows a roller bottle (FIG. 5b),

(23) FIG. 5c shows an Erlenmeyer flask and

(24) FIG. 5d shows a test tube, respectively in a perspective view from above and from the side;

(25) FIG. 6a shows the spinner bottle,

(26) FIG. 6b shows a roller bottle,

(27) FIG. 6c shows an Erlenmeyer flask and

(28) FIG. 6d shows a test tube, respectively in a side view;

(29) FIG. 7a shows the container body of spinner bottle,

(30) FIG. 7b shows a roller bottle,

(31) FIG. 7c shows an Erlenmeyer flask and

(32) FIG. 7d shows a test tube, respectively in a perspective view from below and from the side; and

(33) FIG. 8a shows the container body of spinner bottle,

(34) FIG. 8b shows the roller bottle,

(35) FIG. 8c shows an Erlenmeyer flask and

(36) FIG. 8d shows a test tube, respectively in a side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(37) While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated.

(38) In the following, the specifications “top”, “above”, “bottom”, and “below” relate to the arrangement of a culture flask with the bottom wall on a horizontal level surface and the cover wall above the bottom wall.

(39) According to FIGS. 1a-1e, 2a-2d and 3a-3d, a culture container 1 according to the invention (called “culture flask” in the following) has a container body 2 (called “flask body” in the following) with a substantially planar bottom wall 3, and a substantially planar cover wall 4, which are aligned parallel to each other. The bottom wall 3 and the cover wall 4 each have a substantially rectangular section in the rear, and a substantially trapezoidal section in the front.

(40) The distance region between the bottom wall 3 and the cover wall 4 is bridged by side walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, which are connected to the edges of the bottom wall 3 and the cover wall 4.

(41) The front edge of the trapezoidal section of the bottom wall is connected to a trapezoidal slanted wall 11. The front edge of the slanted wall 11 ends a short distance behind the front edge of the cover wall 4. The front side wall 10 is arranged between this edge of the slanted wall 11 and the front edge of the cover wall 4. The front side wall 10 extends below the front edge of the slanted wall 11 to the level of the lower side of the bottom wall 3 (see FIGS. 3d and 3e).

(42) The front longitudinal side walls 8, 9 also bridge the distance between longitudinal edges of the slanted wall 11 and the front longitudinal edges of the cover wall 4.

(43) The top of the bottom wall is a planar growth area 12.

(44) An opening 13 is present in a region of the front side wall 10 bordering the cover wall 4, and in the bordering region of the cover wall 4. A lower opening section 13.1 of the opening 13, which is arranged in the front side wall 10, is arranged above the slanted wall 11. Thus the opening 13 is disposed at a distance in the vertical direction from the bottom wall 3.

(45) An upper opening section 13.2, which is arranged in the cover wall 4, widens towards the front side wall 10.

(46) A hollow cylindrical tubular section 14 (call “flask neck” in the following) is securely connected to the edge of the opening 13. The flask neck 14 with the central axis M.sub.R thereof is inclined at an acute angle to the bottom wall 3. At the front end, the flask neck 14 projects upwards beyond the section of the cover wall 4, which is aligned parallel to the bottom wall 3.

(47) The flask neck 14 has a circular cross-section. It has a first flask neck part 14.1, which has the shape of a hollow cylinder. The first flask neck part 14.1 is securely connected at a lower edge section 15.1 of a face side edge 15 to the edge of the lower opening section 13.1 (see FIGS. 3d and 3e).

(48) Further, the flask neck 14 has a second flask neck part 14.2, which is a hollow cylinder segment. The second flask neck part 14.2 is connected at the side edges to the elliptical-shaped edge of the upper opening section 13.2. The second flask part at the face side edge thereof is connected to the upper edge section 15.2 of the first flask neck part 14.1, which projects upward beyond the front side wall 10.

(49) Thus, the flask neck 14 penetrates both the upper region of the front side wall 10 as well as the front region of the cover wall 4. This is particularly advantageous with respect to removing cells from the growth area 12 using a pipette or a scraper. The invention is not limited to culture flasks with this advantageous special feature, rather can also be used with culture flasks in which the flask neck penetrates only a front side wall 10 and not the cover wall 4.

(50) The flask neck 14 has an external thread 16 on the outer periphery for screwing on a screw cap. The external thread 16 advantageously has a single thread pitch. This circulates twice, for example, around the periphery of the flask neck 14. The thread is an acme screw thread, a V-thread, or flat thread, for example. The thread profile in the longitudinal section preferably has straight line thread flanks (see FIGS. 3a and 3d).

(51) On both sides, the external thread 16 has vertical flattenings 17, 18 of the thread profile.

(52) First projections in the shape of circular cylindrical pins 19, 20 project outwards, located on diametrically opposed sides of the flask neck. The pins 19, 20 are arranged on the flask neck 14, on the side of the external thread 16 facing away from the outer end of the flask neck 14. They are aligned horizontally and positioned precisely on the central plane of the flask neck 14. Due to the circular cylindrical shape thereof, the first projections are convex on the side of the external thread 16. The pins 19, 20, in a cylindrical circular area around the central axis of the flask neck 14, have a contour converging toward the external thread 16.

(53) The flask neck 14 has a container opening 21 at the front end. Further, the flask neck has a circumferential, conical first sealing surface 22 on the front end on the inner periphery thereof. The first sealing surface 22 surrounds the container opening 21.

(54) The walls 3 to 11 define a chamber 23 (also called “culture chamber 23”).

(55) The bottom wall 3 and the side walls 5 to 10 and the first flask neck part 14.1 belong to a flask lower part 24. The cover wall 4 and the second flask neck part 14.2 belong to a flask upper part 25.

(56) The flask upper part at the edge is circumferentially connected to the upper edges of the side walls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and at the rear end of the first flask neck part 14.1. The connection is an ultrasonic weld connection, an infrared weld connection or an adhesive bond. With respect to the suitably constructed shape of the edges and performing the connections, reference is made to the patent applications EP 13 000 264.5 and U.S. 61/754,180, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

(57) According to FIGS. 1d and 4a-4e, a screw cap 26 for closing the flask neck has a circular cap bottom 27 and a hollow cylindrical cap casing 28, connected to the edge of the cap bottom. The cap casing 28 borders a cap opening 29 opposite from the cap bottom 27. The cap casing 28 has a widening 30 there. Starting from the widening 30, axially-extending grip ribs 31 are arranged on the outside of the cap casing 29 that are uniformly distributed about the outer periphery 32 of the cap casing 28.

(58) The screw cap 26 has an internal thread 34 on the inner periphery 33. This thread advantageously has a single thread pitch. The thread is an acme screw thread, a V-thread, or flat thread, for example. The thread profile in the longitudinal section preferably has straight line thread flanks. The thread profile, for example, circulates twice around the inner periphery 33 of the cap casing. The internal thread 34 is matched to the external thread 16, wherein a specific thread play exists between the internal thread and the external thread.

(59) A stopper 35 in the shape of a bulge circulating around the central axis M.sub.s of the screw cap 26 projects backwards from the inside of the cap bottom 27. The stopper on the outer periphery has a second sealing surface 36 which is formed to seal at the first sealing surface 22 of the flask neck 14.

(60) In the region of the widening 30, the cap portion has in the longitudinal section a step-shaped face surface 37. There, the cap casing 28 at the inner periphery 33 is provided with second projections 38, 39 in diametrically opposed peripheral positions.

(61) The second projections 38, 39 project from the lower step of the step-shaped face surface 37 in the axial direction of the screw cap 26. They do not project to the rear beyond the widening 30. The second projections 38, 39 are hump-shaped. The second projections 38, 39 have a bulge in a circular cylindrical section surface circumferential about the central axis M.sub.s of the screw cap 26, that is directed backward away from the internal thread 34. The second projections 38, 39 each have a rounded latching groove 40 at the outer end.

(62) The cap bottom 27, on the outside, has a marking 41.

(63) The flask body 2 is preferably produced from polystyrene. The lower part of the flask 24 and the upper part of the flask 25 are injection molded separately and then subsequently connected together. The screw cap 26 is preferably integrally injection molded from polypropylene.

(64) According to FIGS. 1a-1e, 2a-2d and 3a-3e, the screw cap 26 is screwed onto the flask neck 14. Due to the thread play, the screw cap 26 can be tilted slightly with respect to the flask neck 14. During screwing tightly, the first projections 19, 20 glide with their increasing shoulders over the increasing shoulders of the second projections 38, 39, until they latch in the latching groove 40. Here, the internal thread 34 with the front thread flank thereof is pressed against the rear thread flank of the external thread 16 (FIG. 1d). Due to that, the screw cap 26 can no longer be tilted with respect to the flask neck 14, but rather is held in a defined alignment. In this ventilation setting, the second sealing surface 36 does not yet lie against the first sealing surface 22, but rather a circumferential ventilation gap 42 is formed in between, having a specific ventilation cross-section (FIG. 1e). This is connected via the spiral-shaped ventilation channel 43, running circumferentially between the front flank of the external thread 16 and the rear flank of the internal thread 34, through the cap opening 29 to the surrounding area. Additionally, the ventilation gap 42 in the region of the flattenings 17, 18 of the external thread 16, is connected to the cap opening 29 and the surrounding area.

(65) The ventilation setting is set for cultivating cells, tissues and microorganisms in the incubator. The ventilation setting is indicated to the user in that the marking 41 is located at 3 o'clock (FIG. 1a, b).

(66) After cultivation, the user can close the screw cap 26 by further tightening the screw cap 26. The sealed setting is attained when the marking 41 is located at 5 o'clock (FIG. 2a). During tightly screwing, the decreasing shoulders of the second projections 38, 39 glide over the decreasing shoulders of the first projections 19, 20 until the second projections 38, 39 are released from the first projections 19, 20. As a result, the thread play is active again, until the second sealing surface 36 lies sealing on the first sealing surface 22. Due to the thread play, an exact alignment of the second sealing surface 36 on the first sealing surface 22 is supported, and thus a good seal (FIGS. 2c and 2d).

(67) For opening the culture flask 1, the user unscrews the screw cap 26 in the opposite direction beyond the ventilation setting until the cap is separated from the flask neck.

(68) With the following description of the example embodiments from FIGS. 5 to 8, the specifications “top” and “bottom” relate to a vertical alignment of the container with the bottom wall on the bottom and the at least one container opening on the top.

(69) A roller bottle 44 and a spinner bottle 45 each have a hollow cylindrical container body 46, 47 with a planar bottom wall 48, 49 and at least one flask neck 14 on the upper end. The roller bottle 44 has only a single flask neck 14. The spinner bottle 45 has a central wide flask neck 14.1 and on the side thereof a further, less wide, flask neck 14.4, 14.5 inclined in different directions.

(70) An Erlenmeyer flask 50 has a substantially conical container body 51 with a planar bottom wall 52 and a flask neck 14 on the upper end. The flask neck 14 of the culture containers 44, 45, 50, named above, are formed like the flask neck 14 of the culture flask 1 from FIGS. 1a-1e, 2a-2d and 3a-3e.

(71) A test tube 53 has a slender cylindrical container body 54 with a conical bottom wall 55 and a tubular section 14 with external thread 16 at the upper end. The tubular section 14 is formed corresponding to the flask neck of the culture flask 1 described above.

(72) The flask necks 14, or respectively the tubular section 14 can be closed using screw caps 26, or respectively 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, which are formed according to the screw cap 26 of the culture flask 1 described above.

(73) The culture containers from FIGS. 5a-d, 6a-6d, 7a-7d and 8a-8d can be ventilated using the setting of the screw caps 26, or respectively 26.1, 26.2, 26.3 in the ventilation setting and are sealed by tightly screwing the screw cap. They can be used advantageously for cultivating samples.

(74) This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(75) 1 culture container (culture flask) 2 container body (flask body) 3 bottom wall 4 cover wall 4.1 rectangular section 4.2 trapezoidal section 5-10 side walls 11 sloped wall 12 growth area 13 opening 13.1 lower opening section 13.2 upper opening section 14, 14.3-14.5 tubular section (flask neck) 14.1 first flask neck part 14.2 second flask neck part 15 face side edge 15.1 bottom edge section 15.2 top edge section 16, 16.1-16.3 external thread 17, 18 flattening 19, 19.1-19.3 first projections (pins) 20, 20.1-20.3 21 container opening 22 first sealing surface 23 chamber (culture chamber) 24 flask lower part 25 flask upper part 26 screw cap 27 cap bottom 28 cap casing 29 cap opening 30 widening 31 grip rib 32 outer periphery 33 inner periphery 34 internal thread 35 stopper 36 second sealing surface 37 face surface 38, 39 second projection 40 latching groove 41 marking 42 ventilation gap 43 ventilation channel 44 roller bottle 45 spinner bottle 46, 47 container body 48, 49 bottom wall 50 Erlenmeyer flask 51 container body 52 bottom wall 53 test tube 54 container body 55 bottom wall