GB2352233A

GB2352233A - Vial handling device

Info

Publication number: GB2352233A
Application number: GB0000726A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anant Mohanal Ghelani
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-17
Filing date: 2000-01-14
Publication date: 2001-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2020-01-14
Also published as: GB2352233B; GB0000726D0; GB9916719D0

Abstract

A device for the safe handling of a glass vial (10) has two tubular components (15 and 16), each preferably lined with foam rubber (21,22) and at least one containing a plunger (19,20) which can be used to expel the associated vial part (12,13) after use. The vial (10) is broken at the neck (11) using component (15) and then plunger (19) is used to expel the head (13) of the vial. The open body (12) of the vial is held upright in component (16) which stands on a foot (24). A lid (26) can be used to close the component (16) for storage of the broken vial. Arms (28,28') on the upper component (15) have inwardly presented diamond tips (29,29') which can be used to score the neck of the vial when the component (15) is squeezed. Plungers (30,30') on the lower component (16) are used to prevent rotation of the body of the vial while the neck is scored.

Description

2352233 "VIAL HANDLING DEVICE" This invention relates to a vial handling

device, and more particularly to a portable device for the safe handling of glass vials as well as storage of a vial when opened.

Glass vials are in general use throughout the world in medicine and in the pharmaceutical industry. They are used mainly for the storage of' substances used in inoculations using a hypodermic syringe. A typical glass vial is indicated at 10 in the accompanying drawing. It is a closed glass container having a relatively thin neck 11 between body 12 and head 13 portions - Sometimes the neck is scored as at 14 to facilitate breaking. In use of the vial 10 it is held upright in one hand and the head 13 is broken off at neck 11 using the other hand. The needle of a hypodermic syringe is then inserted through the open neck to extract a fluid to be injected from the body 12.

This is quite a dangerous operation. The broken glass may inflict a cut and there are problems both in disposing safely of the broken off head 13 and preventing spillage of the content of the body 12. In such locations as laboratories racks may be provided to support vials but these are not easily transportable and will not be available in the field or in some location temporarily used as a surgery.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, portable device which can be part of the kit of any doctor, nurse or paramedic and which will enable such persons to handle vials safely as well as providing a convenient storage for opened vials.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a device for the safe handling of glass vials comprising upper and lower tubular components dimensioned respectively to receive the body and the head of a vial, at least one said component being provided with a plunger whereby a vial component contained therein may be ejected.

Said plunger preferably has a stem which extends through a closed end of the associated tubular component whereby the plunger may be reciprocated axially of said component.

2.

The interior of at least one of said components is preferably lined with a resilient material.

The lower tubular component may have at a closed end thereof a foot adapted to support said lower tubular component in an upright position when placed on a horizontal surface. Preferably the foot extends from the closed end of the lower tubular conponent sufficiently to accommodate a stem of the associated plunger without said stem having to extend beyond the foot. The foot may be removable.

The upper component may have extending from an open end thereof a skirt the distal end of which is of greater cross sectional area than the lower component.

The lower component may be provided with a removable lid adapted to close an open end thereof and the lid may be flexibly connected to the lower component to avoid it becoming mislaid when not in use to close the lower component.

The upper component may be equipped with means for scoring the neck of a vial and may be squeezable to bring said means into contact with a vial. Means is preferably provided for restraining rotation of the body of a vial contained by the lower component while the upper component is rotated to score the neck of said vial.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a sectional elevation of a device in accordance with the invention.

The device illustrated comprises upper 15 and lower 16 tubular components each having a closed end through the centre of which there extends the respective stem portion 17 and 18 of a respective plunger 19 and 20. Each plunger 19 and 20 is dimensioned to be a loose sliding f it within the associated component 15 and 16, and the dimensions of the latter are such as to receive as a f airly tight f it respectively the head portion 13 and the body portion 12 of a glass vial 10. In the illustrated example the internal diameter of the upper component 15 is 8 mm and the internal diameter of the lower component 16 is 14 mm, while the axial length of the lower component 16 is 60 mm.

3, The interior of each component 15 and 16 has a lining 21 and 22 of resilient material such as foam rubber. This is thick enough to grip and nest the associated vial part 13 and 12 but not so thick as to of fer substantial resistance to reciprocation along the length of the component 15 and 16 of the associated plunger 19 and 20. The end of each stem 17 and 18 remote from the associated plunger 20 and 19 terminates in a button or handle for ease of manipulation.

From the open end of the upper component 15 there extends a skirt 23 the distal end of which is of greater diameter than the lower component 16. From the bottom, closed end of the lower component 16 there extends a skirt-like foot 24, which may be removable and which is designed to support the lower component in an upright position when placed on a horizontal surface. The foot 24 extends from the bottom of the component 16 sufficiently to prevent the stem 17 and the handle at its distal end having to encounter such horizontal surface and thus upset the lower component when stood upright. Alternatively, or in addition, the handle 25 on stem 17 may take the form of a disc so large that it itself may support the component 16 when placed on a horizontal surface.

A lid 26 is provided f or covering the open, upper end of the lower component 16. To prevent the lid 26 becoming mislaid when not in use it is attached to the lower component 16 by a flexible strap 27.

The majority of vials are scored as at 14 to facilitate breaking at the neck. Some however are not. Therefore the device of the invention preferably comprises means for scoring the neck of a vial prior to breaking it. In the embodiment illustrated this means takes the form of arms 28,28' which extend downwardly from the upper component 15 through respective slots in the skirt 23. Each arm 28,28' has at its distal end an inwardly presented diamond tip 29,291. If the upper component 15 is of a non-rigid material, such as a suitable plastics material, it together with the arms 28,28' can be squeezed until the diamond tips 29,291 make contact with the neck of the vial. Rotation of the upper component 15 will then cause scoring at 14 of the neck of the vial. To prevent the body of the vial 10 within lower component 16 rotating with the upper component 15 while this scoring operation is being performed spring loaded plungers 30,30' are pressed inwardly through respective apertures in the lower component 15 to restrain it.

4.

In use of the device illustrated the body 12 of a vial is inserted into the lower component 16 and the plunger 20 is adjusted until the neck 11 of the vial is exposed f rom the upper, open end of component 16. The upper component 15 is then inserted over the head 13 of the vial. If the neck of the vial is not already scored the plungers 30,301 are pressed inward using one hand while the arms 28,28' are squeezed inward using the other hand until the diamond tips 29,291 make contact with the glass. The upper component 15 is then rotated relative to the lower component 16 to score the vial. When the upper component 15 is now moved angularly relative to component 16 it will snap of f the head 13 at the neck 11, leaving the broken off head within the component 15. The skirt 23 will prevent any possibility of a glass splinter flying out of the device. The broken off head can then be carried in the component 15 to a waste bin or other place of disposal and then the plunger 19 can be used to eject the head 13 from the component 15, all without any need to touch the glass.

Conveniently the component 16 is now stood upright on its foot 24 on a table or the like while a hypodermic syringe is used to extract fluid from the body 12 of the vial. Either prior to this or later plunger 20 can be drawn down to enable the body 12 to drop to a position in which its broken neck 11 is no longer exposed above the component 16.

After thus using the vial body 12 it may either be disposed of in a manner similar to the head 13, using the plunger 20 to eject the body 12, or, if the content of the body 12 has not been consumed, the lid 26 can be used to close the lower component 16 which may then, for example, be placed in a refrigerator until it is again needed.

The invention provides a device enabling glass vials to be broken open, used and their broken parts disposed of without any necessity at any point to touch the glass and without risk that, for example, the broken off head of a vial may be dropped or mislaid. The device is simple, small and portable so that it can be included in the kit of medical personnel even in the most primitive or inconvenient conditions, such as when coping in the field with an epidemic. The device provides a solution not only to the safe handling of the broken glass but to the problem of holding a broken vial upright both when using it and for purposes of storage.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device for the saf e handling of glass vials comprising upper and lower tubular components dimensioned resp'ectively to receive the body and the head of a vial, at least one said component being provided with a plunger whereby a vial component contained therein may be ejected.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plunger has a stem which extends through a closed end of the associated tubular component whereby the plunger may be reciprocated axially of said component.

3. A device as claimed in either preceding claim, wherein the interior of at least one of said components is lined with a resilient material.

4. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower tubular component has at a closed end thereof a foot adapted to support said lower tubular component in an upright position when placed on a horizontal surface.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the foot extends from the closed end of the lower tubular component sufficiently to accommodate a stem of the associated plunger without said stem having to extend beyond the foot.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said foot is removable.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper component has extending from an open end thereof a skirt the distal end of which is of greater cross sectional area than the lower component.

8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the lower component is provided with a removable lid adapted to close an open end thereof.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lid is flexibly connected to the lower component to avoid it becoming mislaid when not in use to close the lower component.

6.

10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper component is equipped with means for scoring the neck of a vial and can be squeezed to bring said means into contact with a vial.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 and comprising means for restraining rotation of the body of a vial contained by the lower component while the upper component is rotated to score the neck of said vial.

12. A device for the safe handling of glass vials substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.