GB2154982A

GB2154982A - Combined form and envelope

Info

Publication number: GB2154982A
Application number: GB08505216A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart James Smyth
Original assignee: CONSTAT BUSINESS FORMS Ltd
Current assignee: CONSTAT BUSINESS FORMS Ltd
Priority date: 1984-02-29
Filing date: 1985-02-28
Publication date: 1985-09-18
Also published as: GB2154982B; GB8505216D0

Abstract

A form (10) eg for patient/location data to be written thereon is is secured to an envelope (11) e.g. for a specimen/sample the envelope (11) being of a fusible material and internally liquid proof and closable in a manner to make the interior liquidtight. The methods of closing the open end of the envelope (11) can be by heat sealing, by adhesives or by tying. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging means This invention relates to packaging means suitable for use in delivering, from a point of receipt i.e. a clinic or surgery, or a site to a point of investigation/testing i.e. a laboratory, liquid laboratory specimens or samples of, for example blood or urine taken from a patient whether human or animal. The specimens can also be of soil samples, or can be samples of ashes of other particles requiring forensic examination.

The requirement is for such specimens or samples to be delivered intact and with a form bearing all the necessary details of the patient or location attached thereto. Preferably, the form and specimen/sample do not come into contact with each other. Due to mishandling in transit between the two locations, spillages and sometimes breakages do occur and in such occasions the following problems possibly result:- 1. Handlers can become exposed to infection; 2. The specimen/sample can be rendered useless; 3. The pertaining form can be contaminated; 4. Other adjacent forms and specimens/ samples can become contaminated; 5.Considerable time and effort can be expended in obtaining another specimen/ sample of the patient or from the location concerned, and if any other specimen/sample is contaminated, the consequential time and effort in obtaining further specimens/samples from each of these patients or locations.

Heretofore, methods of delivering such specimens/samples have ranged from simply wrapping the form around a bottle with the specimen/sample therein, the form being held therearound with an elastic band, to a closable paper envelope for a specimen bottle with the delineations of a form printed thereon or with a form attached thereto, such envelope not however being liquidtight. These methods and means do not overcome the problems associated with spillages and/or breakages, and it is an object of the present invention to provide packaging means to obviate or mitigate these problems.

In accordance with the present invention, packaging means comprise a form for patient/location data to be written thereon, the form having at least one straight side to which is secured an envelope for a specimen/sample, the envelope being internally liquid proof and closable in a manner to make the interior liquidtight. The form and envelope are each conveniently of rectangular shape, of the same or substantially the same length dimension along one side and are secured in side-toside relationship to form an elongate package.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of packaging means according to the present invention, showing a form and an envelope having one type of closure and being secured by a first method; Figure 2 is a plan view of the packaging means showing a second type of closure for the envelope with the envelope and form secured by the first method; Figure 3 is a plan view of the packaging means showing a third type of closure for the envelope with the envelope and form secured by the first method; Figure 4 is a plan view of the packaging means showing a fourth type of closure for the envelope with the envelope and form secured by the first method; and Figure 5 is a plan view of the packaging means showing a second method of securing the envelope to the form.

Referring to the drawings, the packaging means comprises a rectangular printed form 10 delineated across its area to provide boxes for patient/location data, the form 10 being of single ply or multiple plies attached at one side. A rectangular envelope 11 preferably of similar breath to the form 10 is secured in end-to-end or side-to-side relation with the form to provide an elongate package with an opening 1 2 for the envelope at the opposite end or side as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 or 5, or one of the sides as shown in Fig. 4. The envelope is to hold a specimen bottle or sample and is internally liquidproof of, for example a fusible material such as plastics material, and is closable at said opening 1 2 in a manner to make the interior of the envelope liquidtight.The methods of securing the envelope to the form can be a first method of strip or spot adhesive 1 8 of the envelope to the reverse of the form, or by a second method of providing a row of apertures 1 7 adjacent to the side of the form and welding or heat sealing the envelope to itself through the apertures. The methods of closure can be 1. By using a heat seal unit to seal the opening of the fusible material of the envelope as shown in Fig. 1 to produce a weld 1 5; 2. By using a self-adhesive strip 1 6 on a flap at the opening of the envelope as shown in Fig. 2; 3. By using a light grade material, the envelope can simply be tied in a knot 1 4 at the opening as shown in Fig. 3: this provides a simple effective seal; 4.By using an envelope with integral mating profiled strip 1 3 one on each major face of the envelope adjacent the opening as shown in Fig. 4; or 5. By simply sealing the envelope with a self-adhesive tape or label in a manner to make the envelope liquidtight.

The packaging means can be manufactured in various ways, viz 1. A simple one ply paper form and an envelope pf plastics material; 2. A multi-ply paper form i.e. a form made of self-copy paper with one or several copies and attached to an envelope of plastics material; and 3. A multi-ply form of treated plastics material attached to an envelope of plastics material. In this latter case, the form would be perforated in such a way that on receipt of that specimen/sample the form can be detached from the envelope and by tearing off other perforations 1 9 a form size can be arrived at, which will confirm to the size required to enable it to be used on, for example a Coulter Blood Analyser. In this case the envelope may be made an integral part of the form.

In use, the specimen bottle/sample is placed in the envelope which is sealed in one or other of the above methods and the relevant patient/location data is written on the form. For convenience, particularly where the envelope encloses a bottle with liquid content, the form at the end secured to the envelope can be perforated at 1 9 along a line inside that part of the form secured to the envelope whereby on receipt at the laboratory the form can be detached from the package, the envelope opened, bottle removed and placed on top of the form and envelope discarded to waste. If any spillage has occured then a proper method of removal from the envelope can be used with minimum risk of infection to the handler, the remaining part of the specimen still then being usable since it has not been contaminated during transit.

The form can be of paper however, it is anticipated that a treated plastic could be used for the form. The envelope can be made from the plastic or materials having the properties of plastic i.e., flexibility, and fluid retention/liquidproof characteristics.

In addition to the first and second methods of securing the plastic envelope to the form the following methods can be employed: 1. By stitching 2. By taping 3. By stapling-i.e. with metal or plastic staples.

The invention described above is advantageous over existing packaging means in that 1. Where the specimen is a liquid, it minimises the possibility of handlers, such as hospital porters and laboratory personnel and others handling the specimens/samples from contracting infectious diseases, especially hepititus; 2. There is certainty that the form and specimen/samples will arrive together at the laboratory; 3. It prevents contamination of other specimens/samples and forms; 4. It saves laboratory time in sorting the specimens/samples and forms. (The saving in time is thought to be considerable); 5. It reduces time, effort and expense in having to submit further specimens/samples in the case of loss of contamination to previously obtained specimens/samples.

The packaging means of the present invention can also be used in which the form can be of small areal dimensions relative to the envelope and be of a size to receive minimum identification data, such an embodiment being of use for freezing an article(s) or a mass.

Claims

1. Packaging means comprises a form for identification data to be written thereon, the form having at least one straight side to which is secured an envelope for containing an article(s) or mass, the envelope being internally liquid proof and closable in a manner to make the interior liquidtight.

2. Packaging means as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the form and envelope are each conveniently of rectangular shape of the same or substantially the same length dimension along one side and are secured in side-to-side relationship to form an elongate package.

3. Packaging means as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the envelope and form are secured together by adhesive.

4. Packaging means as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the form, along one side, has a series of apertures and the envelope of fusible material is secured thereto by heat sealing the envelope to itself through said apertures.

5. Packaging means as claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the envelope is closable in any one of the following methods.

by heat sealing to produce an elongate weld; or by use of a self-adhesive strip on a flap to be closed over the opening; or by tying a knot at the open end; or by providing a two part integral profiled strip matable to produce a liquidtight seal; or by sealing the envelope with a self-adhesive tape or label in a manner to make the envelope liquidtight.

6. Packaging means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

7. Packaging means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

8. Packaging means substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Packing means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Packing means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.