U.S. patent number 3,913,562 [Application Number 05/433,909] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-21 for disposable package for collecting and transporting cultures for laboratory analysis.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Moore-Perk Corporation. Invention is credited to Billy E. Brown, Francis C. Moore, Leon R. Perkinson.
United States Patent |
3,913,562 |
Moore , et al. |
October 21, 1975 |
Disposable package for collecting and transporting cultures for
laboratory analysis
Abstract
A culture package having a pair of separable panels defining two
compartments, one holding a sterile absorbent swab and the other
supporting a rupturable container for a liquid organism-sustaining
medium. At least one of the panels is transparent and flexible,
permitting the swab to be viewed in its compartment and allowing
the container to be ruptured by finger pressure so that the liquid
therein may drain into the adjoining swab compartment. A sheath of
distinctive color is removably fitted on the swab handle. By
gripping only the sheath, a user may withdraw the swab and later
return and reseal it within its compartment without contaminating
the swab handle. In one form of the invention, the package includes
a third slide-containing compartment oriented with respect to the
swab compartment, and to the package as a whole, so that a surface
of the slide is exposed when the package is opened for swab
removal. The disclosure includes a description of structure for
facilitating the extraction of the swab and slide from their
compartments, for supporting the slide to protect it from breakage
during mailing and handling of the package, and for insuring that
liquid released from the rupturable container will enter and remain
in the swab compartment.
Inventors: |
Moore; Francis C.
(Indianapolis, IN), Perkinson; Leon R. (Indianapolis,
IN), Brown; Billy E. (Indianapolis, IN) |
Assignee: |
Moore-Perk Corporation
(Indianapolis, IN)
|
Family
ID: |
23722024 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/433,909 |
Filed: |
January 16, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
435/307.1;
206/363; 435/810; 206/210; 206/438; 604/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
10/02 (20130101); A61B 10/0096 (20130101); Y10S
435/81 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
10/00 (20060101); A61B 010/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/2B,2W,269,272
;195/139,140 ;206/210,361,363,438,439 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Howell; Kyle L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dawson, Tilton, Fallon &
Lungmus
Claims
We claim:
1. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and resealably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an enlongated handle and an absorbent tip portion; said panels
being vertically elongated and having a pair of unsealed tab
portions at the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective
panels and stripping the same apart; said compartment having an
enlarged upper portion housing the upper end of said handle and a
reduced lower portion containing the lower end of said handle and
said absorbent tip; said one panel being provided with an
outwardly-bulging and transversely extending pliable intermediate
portion between said upper and lower portions of said compartment
to permit downward folding of said one panel along a transverse
fold line extending through said pliable intermediate portion
without substantially reducing the cross sectional area of the
compartment's lower portion immediately therebelow.
2. The package of claim 1 in which at least one of said panels is
gas permeable to permit gas sterilization of said package and its
contents.
3. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and resealably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an elongated handle and an absorbent tip portion; said panels being
vertically elongated and having a pair of unsealed tab portions at
the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective panels and
stripping the same apart; said compartment having an enlarged upper
portion housing the upper end of said handle and a reduced lower
portion containing the lower end of said handle and said absorbent
tip; said one panel being provided with an outwardly bulging and
transversely extending pliable intermediate portion between said
upper and lower portions of said compartment to permit downward
folding of said one panel along a transverse fold line extending
through said pliable intermediate portion without substantially
reducing the cross sectional area of the compartment's lower
portion immediately therebelow; each of said panels having an upper
section above said transverse fold line and a lower section below
said transverse fold line; the lower section of at least one of
said panels being formed to define a second compartment having at
its lower end a passage communicating with the lower portion of
said first-mentioned swab compartment; and a rupturable container
disposed within said second compartment and containing an
organism-sustaining liquid, whereby, said container may be ruptured
by squeezing said flexible panels of said second compartment to
permit said liquid to drain through said passage into the
swab-containing first compartment.
4. The package of claim 3 in which said passage slopes downwardly
from said second compartment to said first compartment.
5. The package of claim 3 in which a transverse vent passage joins
the upper end of said second compartment and said first compartment
above the tip portion of said swab.
6. The package of claim 3 in which said container comprises a pouch
formed essentially of metal foil.
7. The package of claim 3 in which the upper section of at least
one of said panels is formed to define a third compartment; a
microscope slide being removably supported in said third
compartment; a surface of said slide being exposed as said one
panel is folded downwardly along said transverse fold line.
8. The package of claim 7 in which said third compartment is
substantially deeper than the thickness of the slide contained
therein; and means provided within said third compartment for
maintaining said slide out of surface contact with said panels.
9. The package of claim 8 in which said means comprises pairs of
resilient shoulders provided by said one panel; said shoulders
defining channels therebetween for releasably holding said slide
with its surfaces in spaced relation relative to said panels.
10. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and resealably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an elongated handle and absorbent tip portion; and a tubular
resilient sheath slidably and removably carried by said handle and
visible through said transparent panel; said panels being separable
to uncover said sheath for permitting the manual removal of said
swab from said compartment, and the manual return of said swab to
that compartment, without direct touching of the handle of the swab
with the fingers; said sheath being slidably removable from said
handle after said swab has been returned to its compartment to
expose the unsheathed handle and provide visual indication through
the transparent wall of the resealed package that such package has
been opened and that a specimen culture has been taken; said panels
being generally rectangular in shape and having a pair of unsealed
tab portions at the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective
panels and stripping the same apart; said compartment having an
enlarged upper portion housing the sheathed portion of said handle
and a reduced lower portion containing the lower end of said handle
and said absorbent tip; said one panel being provided with an
outwardly bulging and transversely extending pliable area between
said upper and lower portions of said compartment to permit
downward folding of said one panel along a transverse fold line
extending through said pliable area without substantially reducing
the cross section of the compartment's lower portion immediately
adjacent said area.
11. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and resealably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an elongated handle and absorbent tip portion; and a tubular
resilient sheath slidably and removably carried by said handle and
visible through said transparent panel; said panels being separable
to uncover said sheath for permitting the manual removal of said
swab from said compartment, and the manual return of said swab to
that compartment, without direct touching of the handle of the swab
with the fingers; said sheath being slidably removable from said
handle after said swab has been returned to its compartment to
expose the unsheathed handle and provide visual indication through
the transparent wall of the resealed package that such package has
been opened and that a specimen culture has been taken; said panels
being generally rectangular in shape and having a pair of unsealed
tab portions at the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective
panels and stripping the same apart; said compartment having an
enlarged upper portion housing the sheathed portion of said handle
and a reduced lower portion containing the lower end of said handle
and said absorbent tip; said one panel being provided with an
outwardly bulging and transversely extending pliable area between
said upper and lower portions of said compartment to permit
downward folding of said one panel along a transverse fold line
extending through said pliable area without substantially reducing
the cross section of the compartment's lower portion immediately
adjacent said area; each of said panels having an upper section
above said transverse fold line and a lower section below said
transverse fold line, the lower section of at least one of said
panels being formed to define a second compartment having at its
lower end a passage communicating with the lower portion of said
first-mentioned swab compartment; and a rupturable container
disposed within said second compartment containing an
organism-sustaining liquid; whereby, said container may be ruptured
by squeezing said flexible panels of said second compartment to
permit said liquid to drain downwardly through said passage into
said swab-containing first compartment.
12. The package of claim 11 in which said passage slopes downwardly
from said second compartment to said swab-containing first
compartment.
13. The package of claim 11 in which a transverse vent passage
joins the upper end of said second compartment and said first
compartment above the tip portion of said swab.
14. The package of claim 11 in which said container is a pouch
formed essentially of metal foil.
15. The package of claim 11 in which the upper section of at least
one of said panels is formed to define a third compartment; a
microscope slide being removably supported in said third
compartment; a surface of said slide being exposed as said one
panel is folded downwardly along said transverse fold line for
removal of said swab.
16. The package of claim 15 in which said third compartment is
substantially deeper than the thickness of the slide contained
therein; and means provided within said third compartment for
maintaining said slide out of surface contact with said panels.
17. The package of claim 16 in which said means comprises pairs of
resilient shoulders provided by said one panel; said shoulders
defining channels therebetween for releasably holding edge portions
of said slide with the opposite surfaces of the slide in spaced
relation relative to said panels.
18. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and releasably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an elongated handle and an absorbent tip portion; said panels being
vertically elongated and having a pair of unsealed tab portions at
the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective panels and
stripping the same apart; said compartment having an upper portion
housing the upper end of said handle and a lower portion containing
the lower end of said handle and said absorbent tip portion; said
panels being foldable away from each other along a transverse fold
line extending between the upper and lower portions of said
compartment; each of said panels having an upper section above said
transverse fold line and a lower section below said transverse fold
line; the lower section of at least one of said panels being formed
to define a second compartment along said first-mentioned
compartment and having at its lower end a passage communicating
with the lower portion of said first-mentioned swab compartment;
the lower section of at least one of said panels also being formed
to define a transverse vent passage joining the upper end of said
second compartment and said first compartment above the tip portion
of said swab; and a rupturable pouch disposed within said second
compartment, said pouch having flexible walls and containing an
organism-sustaining liquid; whereby, said pouch may be ruptured by
squeezing said flexible panels of said second compartment to permit
said liquid to drain through said passage into the swab-containing
first compartment.
19. The package of claim 18 in which said passage slopes downwardly
from said second compartment to said first compartment.
20. The package of claim 18 in which said pouch is formed
essentially of metal foil.
21. A disposable package for collecting and transporting culture
specimens for laboratory analysis comprising a pair of flexible
panels separably and resealably secured together by zones of
pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed therebetween; one of said
panels being formed of transparent plastic material; at least one
of said panels being formed to define an elongated compartment
between said panels; a swab disposed within said compartment having
an elongated handle and an absorbent tip portion; said panels being
vertically elongated and having a pair of unsealed tab portions at
the upper ends thereof for gripping the respective panels and
stripping the same apart; said compartment having an upper portion
housing the upper end of said handle and a lower portion containing
the lower end of said handle and said absorbent tip portion; said
panels being foldable away from each other along a transverse fold
line extending between the upper and lower portions of said
compartment; each of said panels having an upper section above said
transverse fold line; the lower section of at least one of said
panels being formed to define a second compartment having at its
lower end a passage communicating with the lower portion of said
first-mentioned swab compartment; and a rupturable container
disposed within said second compartment and containing an
organism-sustaining liquid; whereby, said container may be ruptured
by squeezing said flexible panels of said second compartment to
permit said liquid to drain through said passage into the
swab-containing first compartment; the upper section of at least
one of said panels being formed to define a third compartment; a
microscope slide being removably supported in said third
compartment; a surface of said slide being exposed as said panels
are folded apart from said tab portions and about said transverse
fold line.
22. The package of claim 21 in which said third compartment is
substantially deeper than the thickness of the slide contained
therein; and means provided within said third compartment for
maintaining said slide out of surface contact with said panels.
23. The package of claim 22 in which said means comprises pairs of
resilient shoulders provided by said one panel; said shoulders
defining channels therebetween for releasably holding said slide
with its surfaces in spaced relation relative to said panels.
Description
BACKGROUND
U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,129 discloses one form of package for
maintaining a culture specimen in viable condition for laboratory
testing. The unit includes a swab with an absorbent swabing tip, a
flexible plastic tube, and a frangible glass ampoule filled with a
suitable organism-sustaining medium. In use, the tube is opened,
the swab removed and, after a specimen of bacteria is taken by
contacting the absorbent end of the swab with the throat or other
portion of the patient's body, the swab is returned to the tube and
the glass ampoule is crushed to release the liquid for maintaining
the culture specimen in viable condition until it reaches the
testing laboratory. While such a system is simple and has achieved
substantial use in the medical field, the provision of a glass
ampoule might be regarded as objectionable because of a remote but
possible danger that glass fragments might pierce the wall of the
plastic tube and because such fragments might also become entrapped
in the absorbent material of the swab and interfere with subsequent
culturing procedures. Furthermore, since the swab must be handled
during a sampling procedure, there is a real possibility that the
handle of the swab will lose its sterility and that organisms on
the handle might contaminate the specimen and cause misleading test
results. Efforts to avoid such contamination problems have resulted
in alternative or modified constructions as disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,282,114, 3,308,039, 2,902,146, and 3,513,830.
A major shortcoming of many packages in commercial use for the
transport of culture swabs is that notinfrequently they fail to
achieve the main objective of keeping the specimens in moist and
viable condition during such transport, often because the packages
are incapable of being sealed sufficiently tightly to prevent
evaporative loss and drying of the swabs during the interval
between the taking of the specimens and the testing procedures.
Even where such packages are capable of being tightly sealed, the
integrity of that seal may be broken through rough handling during
mail delivery.
Under ideal conditions, a moist specimen received by a
bacteriological laboratory is promptly placed and incubated on an
agar plate containing the appropriate nutrient base for culturing
the particular organism under investigation. In many instances,
negative test results cannot be taken to mean that pathogenic
organisms are absent, but only that the particular organism
selected to be analyzed, a selection commonly made in advance by
the physician or pathologist, is lacking. It is entirely possible
that negative results might be obtained, and pathogenic organisms
might be overlooked, because of a failure to select the most
suitable culture media for growth of such an organism. Laboratory
screening techniques are well known for differentiating bacterial
types but, unfortunately, the medium responsible for moistening the
swab and maintaining the organisms in living condition in transit
to the laboratory also tends to destroy or reduce the effectiveness
of such screening techniques. Thus, Gram staining, correlated with
the basic morphology exhibited by a particular organism in a
Gram-stained smear, is known to be useful in making tentative
generic identification of organisms, thus enabling intelligent
selection of suitable culture media for isolation and confirmation;
however, the suspension of organisms in a sustaining medium in a
culture pack ordinarily forecloses use of the Gram stain procedure
when the specimen reaches the laboratory.
Other references indicating the state of the art are U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,674,007, 3,163,160, 2,835,246, and 3,759,375.
SUMMARY
A principal object of this invention is to provide a culture
package which overcomes or greatly reduces the problems and
deficiencies associated with prior packages as described above.
More specifically, it is an object to provide a disposable package
for collecting and transporting culture specimens which is easily
opened and resealed, readily allows a swab to be removed from and
replaced into its compartment without directly touching or
contaminating the handle of the swab, provides a clear visual
indication that the package has been opened and that a culture
specimen has been taken, is easily manipulated to direct an
organism-sustaining liquid into the swab chamber to moisten the
absorbent tip of the swab and maintain the bacterial specimen in
viable condition for laboratory testing, presents no danger that
the walls or panels of the package might be pierced or cut during
such manipulation, and affords means to receive and preserve in the
same package a bacterial smear which may be used in laboratory
screening techniques for making tentative generic identification of
the organism for purposes of selecting a suitable culture
media.
The package includes a pair of flexible panels which are separably
and resealably secured together by zones of pressure sensitive
adhesive disposed therebetween. At least one of the panels is
formed of transparent plastic material. An elongated swab-receiving
compartment is formed between the panels and a swab, having an
elongated handle and an absorbent tip portion, is supported within
that compartment. Each panel is generally of rectangular shape,
having an upper section and a lower section. To facilitate
separation or peeling apart of the upper sections, the panels are
provided with a pair of unsealed tab portions at their upper
ends.
As the tab portions and the upper sections of the panels are
stripped apart, the upper portion of the swab compartment is opened
and the swab handle is exposed so that it may be easily removed. In
the best mode presently known for practicing the invention, the
handle of the swab carries a tubular, resilient, and distinctively
marked sheath. By gripping the protective sheath, a user may
extract and use the swab, and then replace it in its compartment,
without directly touching the handle. After a culture specimen has
been taken and the swab has been returned to its compartment, the
sheath is slipped off of the handle and the panels of the package
are resealed. Since the distinctively colored or marked sheath has
been removed from the swab handle, and since that fact is readily
ascertained by visual inspection of the swab through the
transparent wall of the package, the absence of the sheath serves
as a clear and positive indication that the package has been opened
and a culture specimen has been taken.
The lower section of the package is provided with a second
compartment having a passage which communicates with the lower end
of the swab-receiving compartment. Within the second compartment is
a container or envelop holding an organism-sustaining liquid
medium. By applying a squeezing force to the flexible panel walls
which define the second compartment, a user may easily rupture the
container or envelop to cause the liquid to drain downwardly
through the passage into the first compartment where it is absorbed
by the tip portion of the swab. A vent passage extending between
the upper portion of the second compartment and the swab
compartment (at a point well above the absorbent tip of the swab)
prevents liquid from returning to the second compartment when
finger pressure is released.
The upper and lower sections of the package, and of each of its
flexible panels, are generally delimited by a transverse fold line.
When the package is fully opened, the upper sections are spread
apart along that fold line to expose the sheathed handle of the
swab. Removal of the swab is also facilitated by the fact that the
upper portion of the swab compartment is of enlarged cross
sectional dimensions and by the further fact that at least one of
the panels is provided with an outwardly bulging and transversely
extending pliable area at the juncture of the swab compartment's
upper and lower portions. The outwardly bulging pliable area
permits downwardly folding of the panels along the transverse fold
line without at the same time substantially reducing the cross
section of the compartment's lower portion immediately adjacent
thereto.
In the illustrated embodiment, the upper section of the package
includes a third compartment which is opened as the upper sections
of the panel are separated to expose the sheathed swab handle. The
third compartment supports a conventional microscope slide.
Shoulders provided by one of the panels holds the slide in place
while at the same time exposing one of the slide's surfaces so that
after a culture specimen has been taken and before the swab is
returned to its compartment the absorbent end of the swab may be
wiped across the slide to provide a smear for subsequent laboratory
staining and morphological examination. Resealing of the package
seals the slide in its compartment with its opposite surfaces
spaced from the walls of the panel, thereby protecting the
bacterial smear and also protecting the frangible slide as a whole
against breakage or damage in transit to the laboratory. Upon
arrival at the laboratory, the panels of the package may be easily
peeled apart and, by flexing one of the panels to spread the
slide-retaining shoulders, the slide may be readily released for
Gram staining and microscopic examination. Based on the results of
the screening procedure, a suitable culture media may be selected
for culturing the microorganisms maintained in viable condition on
the moist absorbent tip of the swab.
The package is disposable and is inexpensively constructed so that
it may be economically discarded after its purpose has been served.
The package may be marketed in sterile condition and, at least in a
preferred form, one of the wall panels of the package is gas
permeable to permit gas sterilization of the package and its
contents either during the manufacture process or immediately prior
to use.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent
as the specification proceeds.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a culture package embodying the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the upper section of
the package in opened condition and the sheathed end of the swab
exposed for removal of the swab from its compartment.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the swab following
complete removal from the wrapper.
FIG. 4 is a similar fragmentary perspective view illustrating the
swab as it is being returned to the swab compartment and, in broken
lines, illustrating the removal of the sheath following complete
replacement of the swab.
FIG. 5 illustrates the package after it has been resealed and
showing the step of rupturing the pouch containing the
organism-sustaining liquid to cause such liquid to flow into the
swab compartment to moisten the absorbent tip of the swab.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 6--6
of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line
7--7 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line
8--8 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line
9--9 of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a
culture pack including a wrapper consisting of a pair of generally
rectangular panels 11 and 12 secured together by a coating or layer
of tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive 13 in selected areas extending
about the compartments or chambers to be described more fully
hereinafter. The adhesive may be selected from any of a variety of
pressure-sensitive adhesives which are capable of maintaining a
tacky condition when exposed to sterilizing gases (such as ethylene
oxide) and over extended storage periods, although a particularly
effective adhesive has been found to be polyisobutylene rubber
adhesive marketed under the designation R-135 by Avery Products
Corporation of Painseville, Ohio.
In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the facing panel 11
is formed of transparent plastic material and the rear or backing
panel is formed of paper which is permeable to sterilization gases.
Various plastics may be used for fabrication of the front panel
such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride. At least the front panel
is transparent and both panels are highly flexible and readily
bendable. At their upper ends, each panel is provided with a tab
portion 11a and 12a free of adhesive connection so that the tab
portions may be easily gripped when the upper section of the
package is to be stripped and spread apart as indicated in FIG. 2.
While it is preferred that the backing panel 12 be formed of a
gas-permeable material, it is to be understood that it too may be
formed of plastic, either clear or opaque, and that the contents of
the package may be sterilized by other techniques such as by
sterile-packaging procedures.
One of the panels (panel 11) is formed or molded so that in
combination with the other panel it defines a vertically elongated
compartment or chamber 14. A swab 15 is disposed in that chamber,
the swab comprising an elongated body or handle formed of plastic
or wood having an absorbent tip portion 16 formed of cotton or
other suitable absorbent material. The swab is conventional in
construction except that a tubular sheath 17 is removably fitted
about the upper portion of the handle. The sheath is formed from a
non-porous flexible plastic or paper and is distinctively marked in
contrast with the handle of the swab so that a user may at a quick
glance ascertain whether the sheath is in place or has been removed
from the swab. Thus, the sheath may contain a brightly colored
pigment if, as is usually the case, the handle of the swab is white
or neutral in color. Since panel 11 is transparent, the swab and
its sheath are clearly visible when the package is sealed as
illustrated in FIG. 1.
In opening the package, the upper sections of panels 11 and 12 are
peeled apart down to a transverse fold line indicated by the
numeral 18 in FIG. 1. The lower portions of the panels below that
line remain sealed together. When the upper sections of the panels
have been so separated, the sheathed handle portion of the swab is
fully exposed as illustrated in FIG. 2. By gripping the sheath and
squeezing it slightly to force its walls into snug engagement with
the swab handle portion disposed therein, the swab may be easily
lifted from its compartment without directly touching the swab
handle with the fingers. It will be observed that the swab
compartment 14 has upper and lower portions 14a and 14b
respectively; the upper portion being enlarged transversely to
facilitate removal of the swab in the manner described. The upper
and lower portions of the swab compartment meet along transverse
fold line 18 and in that area the bottom of the enlarged upper
portion is further enlarged to provide an outwardly and laterally
bulging intermediate zone or area 19. The outward bulge or
enlargement permits the material of panel 11 to fold upon itself as
the upper section of that panel is flexed downwardly without at the
same time appreciably closing or constricting the opening at the
upper end of lower portion 14b. Consequently, even when the upper
section of panel 11 is bent at substantially right angles to the
lower section of that panel, as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the swab
may be easily lifted from or returned to its compartment.
A second compartment 20 is spaced laterally from the lower portion
14b of swab compartment 14, the second compartment including a
tapered passage sloping downwardly from the bottom of compartment
20 to the lower end of compartment 14. Within the smaller
compartment 20 is a sealed pouch or container 22 containing saline
or a suitable aqueous solution for moistening the tip 16 of the
swab and for sustaining organisms in viable condition until the
culture specimen reaches the laboratory for analysis. The pouch may
be ruptured by squeezing together the walls of the second
compartment in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5. Upon rupturing of
the pouch with the package supported in the upright position
illustrated, the organism-sustaining liquid is free to drain into
the bottom of the swab compartment as indicated by arrows 23. The
upper end of compartment 20 is in direct communication with the
swab compartment 14 (at a point spaced well above swab tip 16) by
means of a vent passage 24. The vent passage prevents the
sustaining or holding fluid from being drawn upwardly into sloping
passage 21 should the walls of compartment 20 be released suddenly
following rupture of pouch 22.
In the form illustrated in the drawings, a third compartment 25 is
provided for supporting a conventional microscope slide 26 formed
of glass or plastic. The location of compartment 25 is critical; it
will be observed that such compartment is disposed in the upper
section of the package above transverse fold line 18. Consequently,
when the package is fully opened to permit removal of swab 15, the
slide 26 is supported in the recess of panel 11 so that one surface
of the slide is substantially fully exposed. Referring to FIGS. 6
and 7, it will be noted that the wall portions 27 defining the
perimeter of compartment 25 are provided with spaced shoulders 28.
The shoulders define channels or recesses 29 receiving edge
portions of the slide 26, supporting the slide in compartment 25 so
that opposite surfaces of the slide are spaced a substantial
distance from the walls 25a and 25b of panels 11 and 12. The
shoulders serve to retain the slide within the recess of panel 11
when the package is opened, and protect the slide against impact
forces directed against panels 11 and 12 when the package is
sealed. Also, as described hereafter, the spacing between the
surface of slide 26 and wall portion 25b prevents the wall from
contacting a biological smear applied to the slide. Because of the
resilient or flexible material from which the panels, particularly
panel 11, are formed, the slide may nevertheless be released and
removed for staining and microscope examination after the package
has been reopened by simply deforming or flexing panel 11 to urge
the edges of the slide out of channels 29.
When a culture specimen is to be taken, a sterile package, held in
the position shown in FIG. 1, is opened by pulling apart tabs 11a
and 12a and peeling the upper sections of panels 11 and 12 until
the sheath handle of swab 15 and one surface of the supported slide
26 are fully exposed (FIG. 2). The sheath is then gripped between
the fingers, squeezed slightly, and lifted as shown in FIG. 3 to
withdraw the swab from its compartment. The absorbent end of the
sterile swab is then brought into whatever portion of a patient's
body a culture is to be taken. Before the swab is returned to its
compartment, the absorbent tip, with the culture speciment thereon,
is wipped across the exposed face of slide 26 to provide a
bacterial smear useful in the laboratory for preliminary screening
procedures. With the swab still held only by the removable sheath,
the swab is then returned to its compartment in the manner
illustrated in FIG. 4. Finger pressure is released slightly from
the sheath to permit the sheath to be slipped off of the upper end
of the swab. If desired, to help hold the swab in its compartment,
the walls of lower compartment portion 14b may be squeezed between
the fingers. The upper sections of panels 11 and 12 are then
released so that except for one important and distinguishing
difference the resealed package assumes the appearance illustrated
in FIG. 1.
That difference lies in the fact that sheat 17 has been removed
from the handle of the swab and, because of the absence of the
distinctive marking or coloration which it provides, an observer
would immediately conclude that the package has been opened and
resealed and, therefore, that a culture specimen has been taken. It
is to be noted that such specimen is taken without directly
touching the swab or the slide with the fingers. The entire
procedure of opening the package, taking a culture specimen,
applying a smear to slide 25, returning the swab to its
compartment, and resealing the package may be carried out without
contaminating the swab and slide except, of course, by the culture
specimen itself.
After the package has been resealed, compartment 22 is compressed
in the manner already described, and as shown in FIG. 5, to rupture
the pouch 22 and saturate the absorbent tip of the swab with
sterile organism-sustaining liquid. The pouch may be formed of foil
or plastic, or a laminate of the two, and preferably has its lower
portion weakened, as by a selectively rupturable heat-seal line, to
facilitate the downward discharge of liquid into sloping passage 21
although, as already pointed out, when the package is supported in
the manner illustrated in FIG. 5, the released liquid enters the
bottom of the swab compartment under the influence of gravity.
While in the foregoing an embodiment of the invention has been
disclosed in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these
details may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention.
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