U.S. patent number 3,756,393 [Application Number 05/097,819] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-04 for container for object slides.
Invention is credited to Bernhard Markwitz, Horst Pomp.
United States Patent |
3,756,393 |
Markwitz , et al. |
September 4, 1973 |
CONTAINER FOR OBJECT SLIDES
Abstract
A container for the reception of at least one object slide for
microscope use is provided with a reception recess. In the recess,
support projections for the support of a large object slide face
and stop projections for the abutment of the edges of the object
slide are provided. The container is made up of two body members
made of plastic and having different or similar configuration. A
container for a plurality of object slides is provided with a
predetermined breaking line for the division of the container into
smaller units.
Inventors: |
Markwitz; Bernhard (Hamburg,
DT), Pomp; Horst (Hamburg, DT) |
Family
ID: |
25758260 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/097,819 |
Filed: |
December 14, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 20, 1969 [DT] |
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P 19 63 926.0 |
Jun 23, 1970 [DT] |
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P 20 30 810.5 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/456 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
21/34 (20130101); B65D 85/30 (20130101); B65D
11/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
85/30 (20060101); G02B 21/34 (20060101); B65d
085/48 (); B65d 001/36 (); B65d 069/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/1R,62R,46FR,72 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin - Vol. 8, No. 11, p. 1642 - April
1966..
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Primary Examiner: Summer; Leonard
Claims
What We claim is:
1. A container for supporting and confining a planar rectangular
object slide having a peripheral edge and opposite sides
comprising, in combination, first and second interconnectible body
members each having a peripheral edge and inner side surface, said
first body member having a first peripheral edge flange extending
transversely away from the associated side surface adjacent the
associated peripheral edge, said second body member having a second
peripheral edge flange extending transversely away from the
associated side surface adjacent the associated peripheral edge and
closely telescopically received within said first flange, a
plurality of support projections defined on each of said body
members within the said peripheral flanges thereof extending from
the associated inner side surface having slide supporting surfaces
spaced from the associated inner side surface, a plurality of stop
projections defined on at least one of said members within the
peripheral flange thereof and extending from the associated inner
surface a distance greater than that of said support projections
defined in the associated body member, said stop projections each
including an edge surface transversely disposed to the associated
inner surface, said stop projections being located on the
associated inner surface such that at least two pairs of edge
surfaces are in opposed relation, each pair of opposed edge
surfaces lying in a plane and the plane of said two pairs being
perpendicularly disposed to each other and each said surface is
engagable with a different edge of a slide placed intermediate said
stop projection edge surfaces, said edge surfaces and said support
projections of the associated member defining a slide receiving
recess, said support projections' slide supporting surfaces of said
first and second body members being sufficiently spaced from each
other to receive an object slide therebetween.
2. In a container as in claim 1 wherein said stop projections of
one of said body members extends from the associated inner side
surface a distance substantially equal to the distance the
associated peripheral flange extends from the associated side
surface.
3. In a container as in claim 1 wherein said peripheral edges of
said body members comprise peripheral flanges outwardly extending
from the associated peripheral edge flange, said peripheral flanges
permitting manual grasping of said body members for separating the
same when telescopically interfitted.
4. In a container as in claim 1 wherein stop projections are
defined upon each of said body members, and are similarly arranged
and wherein said support and stop projections of said members are
in opposed aligned relationships upon said first and second body
members being telescopically interfitted.
5. In a container as in claim 1 wherein said support projections
are spaced from said stop projections of the associated body member
wherein the pressing of an object slide within said recess at a
marginal portion of said object slide permits said object slide to
be tilted from said recess.
Description
The invention relates to a container for the reception of object
slides to be used in microscopy, and more particularly to a plastic
container, in which the specimens on the object slides are not
endangered.
The known shipping containers for object slides are preferably made
of fiber board or wood. The slides can only be taken out of these
containers with great difficulty. Further the specimen on the
slides are not sufficiently protected against undesirable contacts.
The volume of such known containers is relatively great as not only
the surface of the container is greater than the surface of the
object slide, but the known containers are relatively thick. Such
thick containers may not be shipped as simple printed matter. This
is an important disadvantage as the object slides used in cytologic
or histologic tests have often to be shipped from the practice of
the physician to test centers. The specimen may be uncovered or be
covered by a very thin cover slide.
The object slide may be simple, relatively thin rectangular glass
plate or about 1 inch .times. 3 inches having a thickness of under
1 mm in one embodiment or may be somewhat thicker in another
embodiment.
On the other hand object slides are known, which have the same
length and width but are provided with quadratic recesses on both
sides, in which for example a drop of blood may be deposited for
counting the leucocytes. The known containers have very serious
disadvantages as they could hardly be sterilized in a sufficient
manner and as the specimen on the object slide may easily contact
the inward faces of the container, so that the specimen will get
dirty or spoiled.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a container
for the reception of object slides which is adapted to be easily
shipped as printed matter.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container which
may be sterilized in a sufficient manner.
Another object is to provide a container, in which the object slide
is contacted by the container only at very small areas without
endangering the specimen.
According to the invention a recess is provided in a first body
member, into which the object slide may be placed. In the recess
there are provided support projections to support the slide at at
least three points on one of the large faces thereof and stop
projections against which at least two opposed edges of the slide
abut, said support projections being lower than said stop
projections. The recess is covered by a second body member.
In such a container the specimen on the object slide will contact
the inner surface of the container, because the slide is supported.
Three support points result in a stable support action. As at least
two opposed edges of the object slide are held only by stop
projections the slide may be very easily taken from the first body
member, when the second body member has been removed. It is of
advantage to provide the support projections in a spaced relation
from the stop edges of the stop projections (for example with a
distance of 10 mm). With such arrangement the object slide may be
simply removed from the container by pressing with a finger on an
area of the object slide near one of the support projections. The
object slide will pivot with respect to this support projection and
one end will rise outof the recess. This end may easily be
seized.
More particularly, in accordance with the invention, there are
provided a recess, support and stop projections in the second body
member, providing a recess, support and stop projections in the
second body member, so that the object slide may be placed in
either body member. If, however, the second body member only serves
as a lid it is sufficient to provide some holding projections on
the inward face of the second body member, said holding projections
being opposed the support projections of the first body member, if
the container is closed.
It is preferred to provide stop projections for all four edges of
the object slide, so that the object slide does not abut against a
peripheral edge flange which is provided on the body member to
define the recess for the reception of the slide. The placing of
the object slide and its removal is thus made easier.
With preferred embodiments of the invention the stop projections
for two opposed edges of the object slide, preferably for the
shorter parallel edges, are of considerable length, whereas the
stop projections for the longer edges of the object slide are only
short.
It has already been stated that object slides of different
thicknesses are used. With respect to this fact it is possible to
provide a container according to the invention, which may receive
the thick and the thin object slides. The object slide is held by
the stop projections in its recess so that in the case of a thinner
object slide the possible movement of the object slide does not
endanger the specimen. The support projections may be provided in
the form of low lands, which are arranged away from the stop
projections at a distance of about 10 mm. Further it is of
advantage, if the support projections and the stop projections for
the longer edges of the object slide are integrated.
According to the invention, one of the body members including a
bottom plate, may be provided with a rim extending in the plane of
the bottom plate and projecting beyond the base of a peripheral
edge flange provided on the plate. The other body member is also
provided with an edge flange. The latter edge flange has outer
dimensions which allow a sliding of the edge flange over the other
edge flange until the free end of the former abuts against the
rim.
To provide a container, which is adapted to the size of a normal
letter, it is advisable to combine two peripheral edge flanges to a
unit, so that the edge flanges have a common central edge flange
section. The adaptation may be enhanced by providing two sets of
two peripheral edge flanges; the flanges of each set having a
central edge flange section being a section of both edge flanges,
are provided on the bottom plate of one of the body members, while
the other body member may be formed as a simple lid member or
correspondingly provided with edge flanges and projections. For an
easy breaking of such multiple-units predetermined breaking
connections are provided between the two sets of edge flanges,
which may be broken by simply bending the container halves.
For a quick and sufficient sterilization the container is made out
of plastic and is preferably injection-molded of polystyrene.
If both the first and the second body member have the same design
pattern, the persons using the container need not to pay attention
whether they place the object slides into the first or the second
body; further it makes no difference, which body member is the top
body member, when the container is opened. With this embodiment
another advantage resides in the fact that both body members have
substantially the same strength and rigidity.
The connection bridge defining the predetermined breaking line may
be formed substantially in the plane of the bottom plates of the
body members or may be displaced towards the interior of the
container. Whether the one or the other configuration is preferred
depends on whether the container shall be divided without opening
it or whether the two body members shall be broken separately into
two body member halves. The displaced bridge allows the breaking of
the closed container so that the object slides inside the container
will not get dirty or the specimen destroyed.
For further objects and advantages of the present invention and for
further understanding thereof reference may now be had to the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a view of the first body member of a first
embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a section along the line II--II of the body member of
FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a view of the second body member of the first
embodiment,
FIG. 4 is a section along the line IV--IV of the body member of
FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 is a detail section corresponding to FIG. 2 in a greater
scale,
FIG. 6 is a detail section corresponding to FIG. 4 in a greater
scale,
FIG. 7 is a view of the first body member of a second
embodiment,
FIG. 8 is a detail section along the line VIII--VIII of the body
member of FIG. 7 in a greater scale,
FIG. 9 is a view of the second body member of the second
embodiment,
FIG. 10 is a detail section along the line X--X of the body member
of FIG. 9.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 6 a first embodiment of the invention
is described. According to FIGS. 1 and 2 the first body member 1
includes a bottom plate 2, on which two periperheral edge flanges 3
of rectangular configuration are provided. Each edge flange 3
defines a recess for the reception of two object slides 4 made of
glass, as will be later described. The dotted lines in FIG. 1
represent these slides.
Each of the peripheral edge flanges 3 defines a space, which is
divided by a central edge flange section 5 in two equal sub spaces
or reception recesses. This arrangement may also be described as to
include four peripheral edge flanges on the bottom plate 2, which
are combined pairwise so that the edge flanges of each pair have a
common central edge flange section 5. As shown in FIG. 2 at the
reference 6 all the edge flanges are of equal height. Along the
shorter edges of the reception recesses 8 and 9 stop projections 7
are provided, the height of which is equal to the height of the
edge flanges 3 with respect to the inward face of the bottom plate
2. The stop projections 7 extend for about 9 mm from the edge
flanges 3 in an inward direction. The minimum length of the stop
projection 7 should be 2 mm.
Adjacent to the longer sections of the edge flanges 3 of
rectangular configuration stop projections 10 are provided, which
are of the same height as the edge flanges 3, but are considerably
shorter than the stop projections 7. With the embodiment the length
of the stop projections 10 is only 1 mm.
The short stop projections 10 are formed integral with support
projections 11 provided within the reception recesses 8 and 9
normal to the longer edge flange sections. The support projection
11 have the form of relatively low lands and rise for example only
1 mm over the inward face of the bottom plate 2.
The difference between the height of the stop projections 7 and 10
and the height of the support projections 11 is 2 mm with the
desired embodiment. This is sufficient for placing the object
slides into the recesses so that one of their large faces is
supported by the support projections, while the short edges of the
object slides 4 abut against the stop projections 7. Being placed
into the reception recess the individual object slide 4 will not
project over the free surface of the edge flanges 3 and the stop
projections 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 the second body member is described
with the general reference number 12. With this embodiment the
second body member has solely the function of covering the first
body member 1 to form a complete container. The second body member
12 includes a cover or lid bottom plate 13 and a lid peripheral
edge flange 14, which is adapted to be smoothly slidable over the
edge flange 3 of the first body member. Further the cover body
member 12 is provided with low holding projections 15 in the form
of lands, which are situated above the supporting projections 11,
if the container is closed.
The free edge face of the peripheral lid edge flange 14 is
referenced 16 in FIG. 4. The distance of the face 16 from the
inward face of the lid bottom plate 13 is 2.8 mm with the shown
embodiment.
The bottom plate 2 of the first body member 1 is provided with a
rim 17 projecting beyond the base of the edge flange 3 in the plane
of the bottom plate. The free edge face 6 of the edge flange 3 has
a distance of 2.3 mm from the inward face of the rim 17. If the lid
body member 12 is moved with its lid edge flange 14 over the edge
flange 3 after the object slides 4 have been placed into the
reception recesses 8 and 9, the container is closed. The holding
projections 15 of the lid body member 12 rise about 1 mm from the
inward face of the body member 12 and contact the other large
surface of the object slide not in contact with the support
projections 11, so that the object slides may not leave the
recesses 8 and 9 the upper plane of which is defined by the free
faces 6.
With the described and shown embodiment the first body member
includes a larger bottom plate 2, on which two peripheral edge
flanges 3 are provided and recesses for two object slides.
According to FIG. 5 the bottom plate 2 is provided with a
constriction 18 which extends parallel to two opposed and parallel
edge flange sections and serves as a predetermined breaking
line.
By applying a very small bending force the both halves of the first
body member may be easily separated by breaking the bridge 19
between the halves.
Correspondingly the lid body member 12 is provided with two lid
peripheral edge flanges 14. Between opposed and parallel section of
these flanges 14 a deep constriction 20 is formed. If the halves of
the lid body member 12 are bent with respect to the constriction
20, the lid body member will break along the bridge 21 in two
substantially equal part containers.
Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 10 another embodiment of the invention
is described. For parts already described in connection with the
first embodiment the same reference numbers are used. The edge
flange faces 6 have a distance of 6 mm from the outer surface of
the bottom plate 2 of the first body member 1. With respect to the
faces 6 the free face of the central section 5 is 2.5 mm deeper.
With this embodiment further supporting projections 22 and 23 are
provided in assist the support projections 11 in supporting the
object slides. The support projections 22 extend parallel and
adjacent to the longer sections of the edge flange 3 and the
projections 23 are parallel and adjacent to the center section 5.
With the known embodiment the support projections 11, 22 and 23 lie
about 0.9 mm deeper than the stop projections 10.
If, for example, an object slide 4 of 1.1 mm thickness is placed in
the recess 9, it will be supported by the support projections 11,
22 and 23 and abut against the stop projections 7 and 10; and will
not project beyond the edge flange 3.
As shown in FIG. 8 the predetermined breaking line differs somewhat
from the breaking line 19 of the first embodiment. A thin
connection bridge 24 is formed in the middle of the bottom plate 2
thus connecting two first body halves 1a and 1b. The bridge 24 is
formed substantially between the faces 6 and the outer free edge of
the halves 1a and 1b to make the breaking of the bridge easier.
In FIGS. 9 and 10 the second body member of the second embodiment
is shown, which substantially differs from the second body member
12. The reference number shall be 25. On a bottom plate 26 there
are provided two edge flanges 27, which are divided in a manner
known from the first body member 1 by central flange sections 28
into reception recesses 29 and 30. In the recesses there are
provided stop projections 31 for the shorter edges of the object
slides and stop projections 32 for the larger edges of the object
slides. Further in each reception recess 29 and 39 support
projections 33 are provided, which extend parallel to the shorter
peripheral edge flange sections, and support projection 34 and 35,
which extend parallel to the longer peripheral edge flange sections
of the edge flanges 27. The reception recesses defined by the stop
and support projections 31, 32 respectively, 33, 34, 35 correspond
to the recesses 8 and 9 in the first body member 1.
The second body member 25 is also divided into two parts 25a and
25b by means of a bridge 36. The bridge 36 is also arranged in a
displaced manner with respect to the free outward surface of the
bottom plage 26.
Analogous to the first embodiment, the outer dimensions of the edge
flange 27 are made smaller to such an extent that the edge flange 3
may slide over the edge flanges 27 to abutment of the flange 3 on a
rim 37 extending in the plane of the bottom plate 26 of the second
body member 25 and projecting beyond the base of the edge flange
27. To allow the engagement of the first and second body members 1
and 25 the distance of the opposed and parallel flange sections of
the edge flange 3 and 27, between which the predetermined breaking
lines 24 and 36, respectively, are provided is 2 mm for the first
body member and 5 mm for the second body member. With the second
embodiment the height difference between the stop and support
projections is again 0.9 mm, so that object slides of different
standard thickness may be shipped in this container without being
able to leave the reception recess.
The specimens on the object slide do not come into contact with the
inward face of the bottom plates of either body member, as for
example with the second embodiment the distance between the inward
face of the bottom plate, 1 mm thickness, and the adjacent face of
the slide 4 amounts to 1.6 mm.
With this embodiment it makes no difference, whether the object
slides 4 are placed into the first or the second body member 1 or
25. After the safe placing of the object slides in the recesses of
one body member the nurse or a like person seizes the corresponding
other body member and closes the container. In the same way it
makes no difference whether the first body member is moved from the
second body member to open the container or vice versa. As the
breaking bridges are displaced from the free surface of the bottom
plates, the multiple-slide container may be divided without opening
the container.
Both embodiments provide a container which has a very low weight
and is easy to clean and sterilize if made of plastic, and of a low
height, so it may be sent by mail, after putting it in a suitable
envelope or addressed correctly in another way. These containers
may be preferably produced by injection molding the plastic. A very
convenient plastic is polystyrene.
* * * * *