GB2287234A

GB2287234A - Sampling container with removable handle

Info

Publication number: GB2287234A
Application number: GB9502240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Herbert Kreuzer
Original assignee: Bibby Sterilin Ltd
Current assignee: Bibby Sterilin Ltd
Priority date: 1994-02-05
Filing date: 1995-02-06
Publication date: 1995-09-13
Also published as: GB9502240D0

Abstract

A sampling container 10 has a handle 22 which is removable from and re-attachable to the container. The handle may be a push fit in a tubular member 18 which is either formed integrally with the container or attached thereto, e.g. by adhesive. Alternatively, the handle may carry a ring (36, figure 3) which screw fits onto the container, or the handle may snap fit onto the container by means of an upper latch and a lower seat (58, 60, figure 6), or the handle may carry a resilient, part circular formation fitting around a ledge on the container (128, figure 8). The container may be closed by a screw cap or integrally hinged cap. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Means for Sampling DESCRIPTION This invention concerns means for sampling a material.

Microbiological examination, chemical analysis and other examination of materials is required in a variety of manufacturing processes, supply industries and laboratory operations. It may either be carried out on a material or batch of materials on a routine basis or be a single test performed, for example, immediately before the material is used.

In one type of analysis a sample is withdrawn from the bulk material, supply line or the like, held in an appropriate container, transported elsewhere, if necessary, and the required tests carried out or parameters measured. In some industries the conventional practice is to use a ladle to withdraw the sample and pour the sample into a bottle which is then stoppered and sent elsewhere for analysis. When the material to be tested is held in a number of separate vessels and each of those contents needs to be sampled, the problem arises of contamination of both the bulk solutions and the sample by any impurities on the surface of the ladle and of cross-contamination due to any foreign material being transferred from one solution to another by the ladle.In the case of, for example, the milk industry a stainless steel ladle was used to extract a sample from each churn or other storage vessel or from bulk tankers, and was kept and cleaned between uses in a sterilising solution.

This method despite its self evident disadvantages was satisfactory in practice as, evidenced by long use and universal acceptance. However in GB 2043031 a method of sampling was proposed comprising the steps of opening a bag or other receptacle which holds in sterile condition a container having a handle, removing the container from the bag or other receptacle by means of the handle, taking up a sample of material in the container and hermetically sealing the container. The handle was removable from the container and in the preferred embodiment was adhered to the side of the container and made of frangible material so that it could be broken off from the container to reduce the space taken up by the container after the sample had been collected.

Whilst the preferred container and handle has been effective, it does have some disadvantages. The handle does not necessarily break off cleanly and can leave sharp edges exposed on the side of the container, which may cause injury.

Furthermore once the container has been used, it cannot easily be reused, even if sterilised, because of the need to attach a fresh handle.

It is with these problems that the present invention is concerned.

According to the present invention there is provided a sampling container having a handle, which handle is removable from and re-attachable to the container.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention a sampling container has on its outer surface a tubular member into which a handle stem can be fitted. The tubular member may be integrally formed with the container or may be attached to the container by any suitable means, such as, for example, by means of adhesive.

The tubular member is preferably of circular cross-section. The tubular member and handle stem are preferably sized so that the handle stem is a push fit into the tubular member, whereby the container is retained on the handle but the handle can be removed without damaging the handle or container. The handle preferably has its free end curved to facilitate gripping and carrying thereof.

The tubular member and the handle may conveniently be moulded from plastics material.

In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle has an end part that is mutually engageable with the container. Preferably the end part of the handle is formed as a ring or a part ring in which the container sits. Preferably the handle and the container are engageable by a relative turning movement of the handle and container when the container is seated in the ring of the handle. For example, the outer surface of the container and the inner surface of the ring may be provided with mutually engaging screw threading. The handle preferably is curved at its free end to facilitate gripping and carrying thereof.

In a third preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle is preferably a snap-fit onto the container.

The handle preferably has at one end a formation for receiving and retaining a sampling container, said formation being deformable to permit fitting of the handle to the container or removal of the handle from the container.

In a preferred form a lower part of the handle is in the form of a resiliently deformable arc having a laterally extending projection from its lower end to provide a seat for the container and a latch at its upper end to fit over the rim of the container. By depressing the deformable section of the handle, the distance between the latch and the seat is increased so that the container can be separated from the handle.

The handle preferably has its upper end curved to facilitate gripping and carrying thereof.

In yet another preferred embodiment, a detachable handle is provided suitable for container of different capacity but having the same circumferential size at a position for attachment of the handle. These containers preferably have an integrally formed closure cap. The handle preferably has at or near one end a resilient, part circular formation which fits about the container.

The handle may be injection moulded of plastics material and may be curved at its free end to provide a gripping portion.

The sampling containers of the invention will usually be provided with closure means therefor, such as a screw cap or a cap may be formed integrally with the container. All parts of the container and handle will usually be moulded from plastics material.

For applications where sample contamination is to be avoided, the container of the invention may be packaged under sterile conditions. Sterilisation of the package may be achieved in any suitable way. The handle may be attached to the container before packaging to reduce handling prior to taking a sample.

This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side section of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 8 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 7.

Referring generally to the accompanying drawings, there are illustrated three types of sampling containers having detachable handles. The containers are used for sampling liquids and will usually be provided with screw caps. The containers with handles may be provided in a sterile package to reduce risk of sample contamination.

Turning to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a sampling container 10 moulded from plastics material is generally an open topped cylinder having a base 14 and a side wall 16. Around the top part of the side wall is screw threading 12 for a screw cap (not shown). A plastics circular section tube 18 is attached to the side wall vertically by means of adhesive 20.

Pushed into the tube 18 is a circular section handle 22.

The handle 22 has a long stem which is curved at its upper end (not shown) to facilitate gripping and carrying of the handle. The handle 22 is dimensioned so as to be a sufficiently tight fit in the tube for the container to be carried by the handle but without risk of it slipping off but not so tightly that the handle cannot be pulled out of the tube when desired, possibly with a twisting motion.

In Figures 3 and 4, a sampling container 10' is similar to the container 10 of Figures 1 and 2 except that below the screw threading for the cap is a multistart screw thread 30. A handle 32 is injection moulded from plastics material and has a main stem 34, a ring-like lateral extension 36 at its lower end and a curved upper part (not shown) for gripping. The ring 36 has on its inner surface screw threading to correspond with the screw thread 30 on the container.

In use the container 10' is placed in the ring and the two turned relative to each other to engage the corresponding screw threads in order to retain the handle on the container. Separation of the handle from the container is a reversal of that process.

Turning to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings, a container 10" similar to the container of Figures 1 and 2 has a handle 50 which is a snap-fit onto the container. The handle 50 is injection moulded of plastics material. The handle 50 has a stem 52, the upper end of which is curved over to form a gripping part (not shown). The lower part 54 of the stem has a resiliently deformable arcuate section 56 at the top of which is a latch 58 and at the bottom of which is a lateral extension 60.

The latch 58 is shaped so as to fit over the rim of the container and the extension 60 is shaped to provide a seat for the container. With the container seated on extension 60, by deforming the section 56, the latch can be fitted over the container rim to fit the handle to the container. To remove the handle, section 56 is pressed towards the container in the direction of arrow A in Figure 5, which raises the latch 58 sufficiently for the container and the handle to be separated.

In Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings a container 100 which may be one of three different capacities A, B or C, as shown in Figure 8 is moulded of plastics material and has an integrally formed cap 102.

The container has a rib 104 around its neck and the cap has an annular rib 106 on its inside surface, which, when the cap is pressed onto the container snaps under the rib 104 of the container to retain the cap on the container. The cap 102 is connected to the container by a hinge 108. The hinge 108 has two sections 109, 110 which are connected to each other and the cap and the container respectively by thinner sections which allow these connections to bend.

The cap has on its underside a raised annular portion 112 providing a space between itself and the container side in which the neck of the container fits when the cap is pressed onto the container.

The container is provided with a removable handle 124 which comprises an elongate stem 126 having its upper end bent over (not shown) for gripping and having at its lower end extending laterally from the stem a part circular extension 128 which snap fits around the container. The stem of the handle has a continuation 130 below the extension 128 at an angle thereto to meet the side of the container. The container has a ledge 130 around its periphery spaced below the cap on which the handle extension 128 sits.

This embodiment has several advantages. The same handle may be used with different capacity containers.

The cap and container may be of one-piece construction.

The handle and the container may be made of the same material and so may be recycled. The container and handle are easy to fit together.

Claims

1. A sampling container having a handle, which handle is removable from and re-attachable to the container.

2. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle has its free end curved.

3. A sampling container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 having a closure means.

4. A sampling container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the closure means is a screw cap.

5. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 having on its outer surface a tubular member into which a handle stem can be fitted.

6. A sampling container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tubular member is integrally formed with the container.

7. A sampling container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tubular member is attached to the container by means of adhesive.

8. A sampling container as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the tubular member is of circular crosssection.

9. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the handle stem is a push-fit into the tubular member.

10. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handle has an end part that is mutually engageable with the container.

11. A sampling container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the handle has an end part formed as a ring or part of a ring in which the container sits.

12. A sampling container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the handle and the container are engageable by a relative turning movement of the handle and the container when the container is seated in the ring of the handle.

13. A sampling container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer surface of the container and the inner surface of the ring are provided with mutually engageable screw threads.

14. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handle is a snap-fit onto the container.

15. A sampling container as claimed in claim 14, wherein the handle has at one end a formation for receiving and retaining the container, said formation being deformable to permit fitting of the handle to or removal of the handle from the container.

16. A sampling container as claimed in claims 14 or 15, wherein a lower part of the handle is in the form of a resiliently deformable arc having a laterally extending projection from its lower end to provide a seat for the container and a latch at its upper end to fit over the container rim.

17. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 having a detachable handle suitable for containers of different capacity but having the same circumferential size at a position for attachment of the handle.

18. A sampling container as claimed in claim 17 having an integrally formed closure cap.

19. A sampling container as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the handle has at or near one end a resilient, part circular formation which fits about the container.

20. A sampling container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 in a sterile package.

21. A sampling container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6 or 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.