NL1034300C2 - Packaging assembly for packaging clinical or infectious substances such as feces and urine samples, has sleeve provided for guiding closure for closing container so that fluid remains sealed inside container by specific inner pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly (1) has a moisture proof container with a body and a closure (3) to protect substances inside the container. An opening (4) is provided in the body for introduction of substances into the container. A sleeve (2) is provided for guiding the closure for closing the moisture proof container so that fluid remains sealed inside the container by inner pressure of about 0.95 Pascal. The body is manufactured from plastic. An independent claim is also included for a method for packaging clinical or infectious substances.

Description

Title: Postal packaging for research substances and method for placing research substances in a postal packaging

The invention relates to a postal package for research substances.

The invention also relates to a method for placing test substances in a plastic sleeve.

Research substances such as clinical and / or infectious substances are often examined separately in a research center. To this end, these substances are temporarily placed in postal packages and, for example, sent via post or courier service.

Shipments sent via, for example, 10 research centers, companies, universities and / or hospitals via a postal network, must be securely packaged. For the posting of such shipments, standards have already been developed for which UN 3373, relating to clinical specimens, and UN 2900 and UN 2814, relating to infectious substances, can be cited as an example. It follows, for example, from the standards that the mail package must be air and leak-tight, also with an internal pressure, for example an under or over pressure of at least 0.95 bar. It also applies that the mail package must remain air-tight and leak-tight within a certain temperature range. Furthermore, the substances must be surrounded by three packages and the postal package must be relatively rigid. These and other requirements are set, among other things, because gas formation in the clinical and / or infectious substances could occur, which could result in high pressure in the mail packaging. A test tube in which gas has been formed could, as it were, explode in the mail package and / or disperse gases. For example, a 1034300! m 2 test tube may fail under internal pressure from methane gas formed by faeces. In such a case, the postal package 1 must hold.

Since it is undesirable that parts of the material and / or gases resulting therefrom move outside the postal package during transport, and in order to meet the aforementioned standards, known postal packages for clinical and / or infectious substances are often firmly constructed. That sturdiness is achieved, for example, by taking measures such as the use of several packages over one another, over-dimensioning of the packaging material and / or application of large quantities of tape. In addition, the space between the package and the substance container, for example a test tube, can be filled with filling material. The combination of a close connection of the filling material to the container, the choice of the filling material and the sturdy packaging provides protection against external shocks and / or external pressure. This prevents the holders of the clinical and / or infectious substances from breaking so that certain gases or parts of the clinical and / or infectious substances would spread to the environment undesirably.

The manufacture of postal packages containing clinical and / or infectious substances can, as described above, often be characterized by individual ad how measures. Each individual postal package is manually adapted to the clinical or infectious substance and / or its container. Known mail packages are therefore often inefficient, and it is furthermore uncertain whether the desired or required safety, for example according to one of the aforementioned UN standards, is met.

An object of the invention is to provide a relatively safe and efficient mail package.

This object and / or other objects can / can be achieved with a post package for research substances, the post package comprising an assembly of a sleeve and a closure, the sleeve having a height, width and length, the height being less than the width, and the sleeve is substantially made of plastic, is relatively rigid for protecting said substances and has an opening for introducing said substances into the sleeve at least along the width and height, the closure being adapted to closing the opening at least in a moisture-tight manner and provided with a first engagement edge, the sleeve being provided with a second engagement edge approximately parallel to the opening for guiding and / or holding the first engagement edge of the closure for said at least moisture-tight seal so that the package remains sealed at least in a moisture-tight manner with an inner pressure of at least about 0.95 bar.

In this description internal pressure can be understood to mean a pressure difference between inside and outside the package, for example an underpressure or overpressure in the package. A safe as well as efficient mail package is achieved with the invention. Existing mail packages are still mainly designed to protect against external influences, whereby obligations to also protect against high pressure, preferably overpressure, are possibly fulfilled afterwards.

In addition, it is uncertain whether the packages are also moisture-tight, let alone airtight. The invention provides a plastic package and therefore relatively lightweight package that remains at least moisture-tight, and in a particular embodiment even airtight, with a relatively high internal pressure in the package of 0.95 bar.

Moreover, the mail package according to the invention is prefabricated and can be used several times in an efficient manner. The cooperating engagement edges are manufactured such that the closure can open and close the sleeve several times at least in a moisture-tight manner, in principle without adding or removing material. Ad how * 4 solutions, such as mailboxes sealed with tape, are therefore unnecessary.

The mail package is also preferably flat in such a way that it can be suitable for being pushed through / in a letterbox. This renders the invention suitable in principle for being sent via a conventional postal company, for example to an investigating agency.

Said aim and / or other objectives can / can also be achieved with a method for placing research substances, preferably clinical and / or infectious substances, in a mail package, at least in a prefabricated plastic sleeve, wherein at least one holder with a research substance is placed through an opening in the sleeve, said opening being closed with the aid of a prefabricated seal so that the sealed sleeve can withstand an inner pressure of at least 0.95 bar, the sleeve being able to be opened and closed several times with the aid of of the closure.

To clarify the invention, exemplary embodiments according to the invention will be further elucidated with reference to the drawing. Therein: Fig. 1 shows a postal package; Fig. 2 is an exploded drawing of a mail package; Fig. 3 shows a scenario of a use of a postal package; Fig. 4A a cap; Fig. 4B shows a detailed view of a cut cap; Fig. 5 shows a scenario of a use of a postal package; Fig. 6A is a schematic representation of an exploded drawing of a mail package; Fig. 6B shows a part of a mail package; Fig. 7A shows an opening of a mail package; Fig. 7B shows an opening of a mail package; Fig. 8 a detailed view of a mail package; Fig. 9 a simulated representation of voltages in the mail package.

In this description, the same or corresponding parts have the same or corresponding reference numerals. In the drawing, only exemplary embodiments are shown. The elements used for this are only given as examples and should not be construed as being restrictive in any way. Other components can also be used within the scope of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a prefabricated mail package 1 according to the invention. This same embodiment is shown in an exploded view in Figure 2.

The postal package 1 is adapted to send further research substances to be investigated or tested, for example clinical and / or infectious substances. The postal package 1 is in principle suitable for sending any research substances, so for example also substances / biological materials that are to be tested and / or are potentially dangerous, etc. An illustrative example in which a postal package 1 according to the invention can be used is for sending faeces and / or urine samples from and / or to hospitals.

A mail package 1 that is suitable for dispatching clinical and / or infectious substances and can preferably withstand an inner pressure of 0.95 bar comprises an assembly of a prefabricated plastic sleeve 2 and a prefabricated seal 3. In this description, under pressure a pressure difference within and outside the package 1 is to be understood, wherein a preferred embodiment of the package 1 is adapted to withstand in particular an under and / or over pressure of 0.95 bar. The sleeve 2 has a height H, a width B and a length L, wherein the height H is generally smaller than the width B and the length L, so that a relatively flat package 1 is achieved. The height H and the width B are preferably such that 6 the package 1 can be pushed through a standard letter box, for example on the street or from a front door, with which the package 1 is suitable for sending via a conventional mail network, for example. Also, the mail package 1 would, for example, be efficiently placed in a mail box at a company or hospital for further processing. The height H, width B and length L of the sleeve 2 can vary within the sleeve 2, for example, in one embodiment of the sleeve 2, the height H and the width B decrease in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve 2.

Parallel to the width and height direction, the sleeve 2 has an opening 4 for the introduction of the clinical and / or infectious substances to be sent. These substances will usually be in certain sealed containers, for example think of test tubes 16 or inner packages 18, before the substances are placed in the sleeve 2. Thus, one or more test tubes can be positioned in the sleeve 2.

As can be seen in figures 1 and 2, in one embodiment the closure 3 comprises a sliding closure 5 and a cap 6. The sliding closure 5 has two first engagement edges 7 at the top and bottom. The sleeve 2 has two second engagement edges, in the form of longitudinal guides 8, near the top and bottom of the opening 4 and approximately parallel to it. The sleeve 2 is rounded on the sides 23 and on the rear side 24, inter alia so that stresses in the material of the sleeve 2, for example with a relatively high internal pressure, are distributed in a favorable manner. The sleeve 2 is closed by placing the cap 6 over the edges 11 of the opening 4 and then sliding the slide closure 5 parallel to the opening 4 over the cap 6 and along the sleeve 2 in the width direction of the sleeve 2. The first engagement edges 7 of the sliding closure 5 then slide along the longitudinal guides 8, which longitudinal guides 8 both guide and retain the sliding closure 5, so that the cap 6 in position, i.e. 7, is moisture-tight and / or substantially air-tight, over the opening 4, sit down. With such a cooperation of closure 3 and sleeve 2, it is possible to achieve a flat mail package 1, which preferably fits through a letterbox, while the package 1 remains moisture and / or airtight, even with an inner pressure of 0.95 bar or higher. Thereby, the closure 3 can be used several times so that a standard mail package 1 can be achieved which can be used several times and existing ad how solutions are in principle no longer needed.

In this description, incidentally, moisture or airtight is to be understood to mean at least enough moisture or airtight to comply with standards UN 3373, UN 2900 and / or UN 2814. Airtight should be seen as the equivalent of gas-tight. For example, it may be that over time periods of years some escape of gas from the mail package 1 could take place, but that this is so little that it will not present any danger. Air or moisture tight is therefore understood to mean 'sufficient air or moisture tight'.

In one embodiment, the sliding closure 5 has, for example, one engagement edge, for example one continuous engagement edge. The sleeve 2 can also comprise only one engagement edge, at least longitudinal guide 8, for instance entirely around the sleeve 2. In yet other embodiments, the sleeve 2 and the slide closure 5 are provided with a plurality of engagement edges.

A step scenario for the use of a mail package 1 is hereby illustrated with reference to figure 3. Step a illustrates the taking from a tube holder 19 of a test tube 16 containing a substance 17. Step b illustrates the placement of the tube 16 in an inner package 18. The inner package 18 encloses one or more tubes 17 and / or other material so that they will preferably substantially not shift after they have been placed in the sleeve 2. The inner package 18 can also distribute the pressure 2 which can be exerted on the inner package 18 from inside or outside. To this end, the 8 sleeve 2 can for instance also be filled with filling material. Filling material can be used in addition to or instead of the inner package 18. For example, it may enclose the inner package 18 so that the inner package 18 will substantially not shift.

Step c illustrates the placing of the inner package 18 in the sleeve 2. After placing the tube 17, at least the inner package 18, in the sleeve 2, the sleeve 2 is closed. In step d the cap 6 is positioned and pressed against the sleeve 2, whereafter in step e the sliding closure 5 is slid over the cap 6 by guiding the engagement edges 7, 8 alongside each other. Then, as illustrated in step f, the whole package 1 can be placed in an envelope 20, which envelope 20 is provided with an address 21. Instead of an envelope 20, for example, a box can also be used, for example a box delivered by a transport or postal company. Advantageously, in step g the package 1 is then pushed through a letter box 22 to be transported with the regular mail network. This principle can be repeated several times with the same mail package 1. Such use provides a time and cost-efficient way of sending research substances in general, and infectious and clinical substances in particular.

Figures 4A and 4B show a loose cap 6, with which the sleeve 2 is closed. In figure 4B, for illustration, a part of the cap 6 is cut along a line IVB, shown in figure 4A. As a result, it can be seen that the cap 6 comprises a seal 9 which ensures a leak and airtight closure between the cap 6 and the sleeve 2, at least if the cap 6 is pressed against the sleeve 2, for example through the slide closure 5. The seal 9 is made, for example, from an elastomer, such as, for example, a rubber or any thermoplastic elastomer, which is suitable to serve as an air or moisture-tight sealant. The seal 9 is preferably manufactured such that it fits well into a ledge 10 of the cap 6 and does not release the seal 9 from the cap 6. For example, the seal 9 can be cast along with the cap 6 during the plastic molding process. For an air and / or moisture-tight closure, the seal 9 connects closely to the edge 11 of the opening 4, the closure 11 being surrounded by the seal 9 for sealing purposes. The cap 6 is provided with reinforcing ribs 12 for reinforcement. of the cap 6 is made of polypropylene, the seal 9 being made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

For closing the sleeve 2, the cap 6 is pushed against the edge 11, whereafter the sliding closure 5 is slid over the cap 6 and with the aid of the first engagement edges 7 along the longitudinal guides 8, up to a stop 13. The use of a slide closure 5 is advantageous, for example, if a high internal pressure is present in the sleeve 2, for example due to gas formation. As illustrated in Figure 5, such formed gas 14 is discharged during sliding back of the slide closure 5 along the opening 4 in direction R, with a part of the slide closure 5 holding the cap 6 in place. This prevents the danger that the cap 6 suddenly comes loose or something similar. Moreover, the slide closure 5 can be removed by hand in such a way that the body and limbs of the user do not stand in the path of the cap 6 should it nevertheless tend to come loose due to high pressure. If a too high internal pressure 20 is present, this will be observed during the sliding back of the sliding closure 5, for example by a hissing sound of escaping gas 14 along the cap 6. Then, for example, the sliding closure 5 can be immediately pushed back again to return the mail package 1 to air. and / or to close off in a moisture-tight manner, or, if the gases 14 will pose little danger, the gas 14 can first be discharged to subsequently fully retract the slide closure 5.

In a relatively inexpensive and / or simple to manufacture and also sturdy embodiment, the slide fastener 5 is a folded plate. For fitting the slide closure 5 around the cap 6, the plate is folded around two first folding lines 5a. For forming the first engagement edges 7, the plate is folded around second folding edges 5b. Two sides 5c of the slide fastener 5 therefore run between the folding edges 5a, 5b approximately parallel to the upper and lower sides of the sleeve 2. A relatively sturdy and close-resistant, as well as relatively inexpensive and simple embodiment can be made of metal, preferably of steel. manufactured. In another embodiment, the slide closure 5 is made, for example, from plastic.

In one embodiment, the longitudinal guide 8 of the sleeve 2 is reinforced with reinforcing ribs 15, in order to be able to absorb high forces which, for example, can be exerted by the first engagement edge 7 with a high internal pressure in the sleeve 2. The ribs 15 are, for example, arranged as a kind of strut on the side of the opening 4. With these ribs the longitudinal guides support 8, while moreover the longitudinal guiding function of the longitudinal guide 8 is not affected.

It is advantageous if the inner volume of the package 1 is as large as possible while the mail package 1 fits through a letterbox. According to certain regulations, a letterbox in the Netherlands must be at least 265 mm wide and 32 mm high. Accordingly, the closure 3 has, for example, a maximum width of 265 mm and preferably slightly smaller, for example 264 mm, and a maximum height of 32 mm, preferably 31.5 mm. Likewise, the sleeve 2 has a maximum width of 265 mm, preferably 264 mm, and a maximum height of 32 mm, preferably 31.5 mm. With these dimensions, the mail package 1 fits through most letterboxes. The preferred dimensions of the mail package 1 are slightly smaller than said minimum width and height of letterboxes in the Netherlands, for example about 1 and 0.5 mm respectively, to fit through the letterbox even in the case of small deviations and / or to leave space free for an envelope 20 around the package 1. The dimensions 30 may vary depending on the requirements for letterboxes per area or state.

11

As can be seen in the embodiment of Figure 6A, a first height H1 and width B1 of a first cross-section D1 of the sleeve 2 near the opening 4 are smaller than a second height H2 and width B1 of a second cross-section D2, located at some distance from the opening 4. The first cross-section D1 of the sleeve 2, near the opening 4, is slightly smaller than the second cross-section D2 of the sleeve 2, so that the sleeve 2 tapers in the direction of the opening 4. A third height H3 and width B3 of the closure 3 is preferably approximately equal to the second height H2 and width B2 of the sleeve 2 at a distance from the opening 4. In the embodiment shown, the closure 3 is formed by a cap 6 and a sliding closure 5, so that the third height H3 and width B3 of the closure 3 can be equal to the height H3 of the slide closure 5 and the width B3 of the cap 6. By increasing the cross-section of the sleeve 2 away from the opening 4, a further relatively large volume despite the limitation imposed by the fact that the cap 6 must enclose the edge 11 in an air-tight and / or moisture-tight manner.

To further illustrate the tapering, in figure 6B a half of a sleeve 2 is shown with a cross-section along D1, the plane of which is perpendicular to the opening 4. It can be seen here how the height H decreases in the direction of the opening 4 .

The sleeve 2 is preferably relatively inflexible so that shocks and / or pressure from the outside can be absorbed somewhat for situations such as the fall of a mail package 1 or the bottom of a stack of mail of the mail package 1. In such situations, the 2 remaining test tubes, at least holders 16, are not affected by pressure and / or shocks.

It is advantageous if the stiffness and elasticity of the sleeve 2 are such that the sleeve 2 can be slightly deformed by at least one person, so that the size of the opening 4 changes. As schematically shown in Figs. 7A and 7B, the height H1 of the opening 4 increases by applying pressure FI, F2 to the sides 23 of the sleeve 2. The pressure F1, F2 which results in said deformation can In principle, an average person can be exerted on the sleeve 2. Figure 7A shows the opening 4 of the sleeve 2 in front view when no pressure is exerted on the sides 23 of the sleeve 2. Figure 7B shows the opening 4 in front view when pressure F1, F2 is applied to the sides 23 of the sleeve 2. As a result, the height H1 of the opening 4 increases and the width B1 decreases. In one embodiment, the stiffness and elasticity of the sleeve 2 are optimized such, for example by means of a Finite Elemental analysis, that the height H1 can be increased by at least 2 mm, or even 10 mm, for example by an average person, by pressure F1 , Exercise F2. When the pressure F1, F2 is released, the sleeve 2 and the aperture 4 spring back to its original shape, shown in Figure 7A. This function makes it easier to fill the sleeve 2, for example when the content, for example an inner package 18, may initially fit through the opening 4 with difficulty, but by applying said pressure F1, F2 to the sides 23 and thereby increasing the height H1 can still be slid through opening 4 relatively easily. After the contents have been introduced, the pressure F1, F2 is released again so that the sleeve 2 returns to its original form. For example, the content is then somewhat clamped by the sleeve 2.

Although several plastics may be suitable, PET appears to be a favorable material for realizing the correct ratio of stiffness and elasticity for a sleeve 2 according to the invention. PET is also a suitable material for a relatively large temperature range, since the sleeve 2 must, for example, be able to withstand high temperatures and / or large temperature differences at high pressures. Moreover, PET is a suitable material for reuse for a relatively long time.

13

In one embodiment, the sleeve 2, for example with PET, is advantageously made transparent, so that the contents of the package 1 can be observed in a simple manner, of course while maintaining the desired pressure resistance of at least 0.95 bar. Moreover, this enhances the safety of the product since it can then be observed before opening of the package 1 whether the contents would have been damaged. Such embodiments of a sleeve 2 can, for example, but not exclusively, be manufactured by injection molding. Other embodiments of mail packages 1 according to the invention can, however, also be manufactured by means of other plastic manufacturing techniques, for example by blow molding. From a production-technical point of view, the increase of the height H in the direction away from the opening 4 can be realized, for example, by repelling the sleeve 2 relatively hard and / or squeezing the sleeve 2 slightly when it is removed from the mold and / or retractable. to use mold parts.

In order to prevent stresses, which arise, for example, from a high internal pressure in the sleeve 2, from concentrating, it is advantageous to provide the sleeve 2 with rounded sides 23, 24. It should be realized here that rounded sides 23 and / or rear sides 24 can limit the volume of the contents of the mail package 1.

In one embodiment, the wall of the sleeve 2 at the sides 23 is slightly thicker than the average wall of the sleeve 2, which is illustrated in Figure 8. Figure 8 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 1, with a cross section D4 of the sleeve 2 is indicated. The wall thickness d1 of the sleeve on the top and bottom is approximately constant, while the wall thickness on the sides 23 increases to a maximum thickness d2. Increasing the wall thickness at the sides 23 helps to prevent the boiling from advancing unfavorably, as shown by a Finite Element Analysis. With a thickening in the side wall 23, a lightweight and / or transparent package 1 can be achieved which, despite its light weight, is nevertheless resistant to high pressure, without undesired deformations and whereby a high volume is also retained in the package 1. For example, the wall thickness d1 over the flat parts of the sleeve 2 is approximately 1.5 mm and the maximum wall thickness d2 at the sides 23 is approximately 3.6 mm.

In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous if the sides 23 and / or rear sides 24 comprise straight pieces, instead of convex ones, so that extra volume can be created. For example, the side and / or rear side has a right angle with respect to the top and bottom of the sleeve 2.

Figure 9 shows a finite element calculation of a closed mail package 1, in which the various advantageous aspects mentioned above can be found. This mail package 1 is designed with thickened wall thicknesses d2 as described above. The stresses in the package 1 are simulated which occur when an internal pressure of 0.95 bar is present in the package 1. Because figure 9 originally relates to a color representation, for the sake of clarity, areas 25 have been indicated separately where the stress in the material is relatively high, at least approaching 50 MPa. A second area 26, which extends approximately over the sides 23, is indicated by dotted lines, which second area also exhibits a relatively high voltage, in this case around 30 MPa, but not as high as said first area 25. Over the it has generally been found that the tension is relatively high, despite the thickened wall thickness 25 d2 present there, at the sides 23. This underlines the usefulness of an increasing wall thickness d2 at the sides 23 in a mail package 1, which is made suitable for fitting by mailboxes 22.

In certain embodiments, UN3373, UN2814 and / or UN2900 indications are cast into sleeve 2. This is more efficient because a prefabricated and tested postal package 1 does not have to be verified, for example by a postal company employee or postal worker, or package 1 actually meets the relevant requirements.

The described and many comparable variations, as well as combinations thereof, are considered to fall within the scope of the invention as outlined by the claims. Of course, different aspects of different embodiments and / or combinations thereof can be combined and exchanged within the framework of the invention.

For example, several embodiments are suitable for meeting the requirements of the aforementioned standards UN2814, UN2900 and / or UN3373. The aspects and / or combinations thereof can also serve per se as a basis for a separate invention with which advantages per se are already achieved. For example, the principle of the closure 3, for example the cap 6 with slide closure 5 and / or the manner of closure, can be considered as a separate invention. The optimized walls of the sleeve 2, i.e., for example, the tapering of the sleeve 2, the varying wall thickness and / or the temporary deformability of the sleeve 2, can also be regarded as a separate invention. Thus, it is not to be limited solely to the embodiments mentioned.

1034300

Claims (22)

1. Mailing package for research substances, wherein the mailing package comprises an assembly of a sleeve and a closure, the sleeve having a height, width and length, the height being smaller than the width, and the sleeve being substantially made of plastic, is relatively rigid for protecting said substances and has an opening at least along the width and height direction for introducing said substances into the sleeve, the closure being arranged to close the opening at least in a moisture-tight manner and provided with a first engagement edge, wherein the sleeve is provided with a second engagement edge approximately parallel to the opening for guiding and / or holding the first engagement edge of the closure for said at least moisture-tight closure so that the package remains water-tight at an inner pressure of at least approximately 0.95 bar. Mail package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the closure and / or the sleeve in the undeformed state is approximately 265 mm or smaller, in particular approximately 264 mm or smaller, and the height in the undeformed state is approximately 32 mm or smaller, in particular approximately 31.5 mm or smaller, in particular so that the package can be pushed through a letterbox. 3. Mail package, preferably according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height and / or width of the cross-section of the sleeve near the opening and in the direction of the opening decreases slightly so that the sleeve has a smaller height and width near the opening than when viewed in the longitudinal direction away from the opening, preferably so that if the opening is closed by the closure, the closure extending beyond the edge of the opening along 1034300 the sleeve, the height and width of the closure are approximately equal to the height and width of the sleeve spaced from the opening. Mail package according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve is rounded at the sides. Mail package according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall thickness of the sleeve increases slightly at the sides. 6. Postal package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stiffness and elasticity of the material of the sleeve are such that the sides can be pressed at least towards each other so that the opening decreases in width direction while it increases at least 2 mm in height direction, and such that after releasing the pressure, the opening assumes approximately its original shape. Mail package according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve is substantially made of PET. 8. Mail package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure is arranged to be slid over the opening at least partly parallel to the opening, the first engagement edge of the closure being guided along the second engagement edge of the sleeve. 9. Mail package as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the closure comprises a cap and a slide closure and wherein two said first engagement edges form part of the slide closure for sliding the slide closure along two second engagement edges of the sleeve, so that after sliding the slide closure the holds the cap in place, even at the stated inner pressure of 0.95 bar. 10. Mail package according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slide closure comprises a folded plate and wherein the first engagement edge is a folded end of the plate. 11. Postal package according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the package is suitable for reuse. % Mail package according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap comprises a seal, which seal is preferably made from an elastomer. 13. Postal package as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the package cooperates with filling material and / or an inner package which preferably surrounds the substance or at least one container of the substance at least partially in a form-fitting manner, so that the substance remains approximately in position within the package . A method wherein test substances are placed in a mailing package 10 according to any one of the preceding claims. A method in which a mail package according to any one of claims 1 to 14, containing test substances, is placed in a letter box and / or pushed through. 16. Method for placing research substances, preferably clinical and / or infectious substances, in a mailing package, at least in a prefabricated plastic sleeve, wherein at least one container with a research substance is placed in the sleeve via an opening, said opening having is closed with the aid of a prefabricated seal so that the sealed sleeve can withstand an inner pressure of 0.95 bar, whereby the sleeve can be opened and closed several times with the aid of the seal. 17. Method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one holder is placed in an inner package so that the inner package connects to the at least one holder, wherein the inner package with the at least one holder is placed in the sleeve. A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein filling material is placed in the sleeve so that it connects to the at least one container and / or the inner package in the sleeve. 19. Method as claimed in any of the claims 16-18, wherein during placing of the inner package in the sleeve on the sides of the sleeve pressure is exerted so that the opening increases slightly in height and decreases in width and wherein after placing the inner package in the sleeve pressure is relieved so that the opening automatically returns to its original shape. A method according to any one of claims 16-19, wherein after placing the test substances in the sleeve, the opening is closed at least in a moisture-tight manner by sliding at least a part of the closure parallel to the opening along the sleeve. 21. Method as claimed in any of the claims 16-20, wherein the sealed sleeve is transported and / or picked up and / or delivered thereby by a postal company or courier. A method according to any one of claims 16 - 21, wherein the sealed sleeve is provided with an address and is pushed through a letterbox. 15 1034300