TWI716610B - Container and lid with multiple seals therebetween and methods for making and using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A moisture tight container includes a container body and a lid preferably linked to the body by a hinge. The body and lid include at least a first seal and a second seal in series to provide a moisture tight seal between the body and the lid. The first seal includes mating of thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic sealing surfaces of the body and lid respectively. The second seal includes mating of thermoplastic-to-elastomeric sealing surfaces of the body and lid, respectively, or of the lid and body, respectively.

Description

Container and lid with multiple seals in between, and manufacturing and using method thereof

The present invention generally relates to containers for products that are susceptible to degradation by moisture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of facilitating repeated opening and closing and comprising two or more seals connected in series between the cover and the body (reliably providing moisture-proof performance after some cycles of opening and closing) Pull-top moisture-proof container. According to the present invention, the container can be used for, for example, medicines, probiotics, health products, diagnostic test strips, and other items sensitive to moisture.

Moisture is harmful to the efficacy of the medicine. When the drug absorbs moisture, the efficiency of the drug for its intended purpose will decrease. Diagnostic test strips (such as blood glucose test strips used in diabetes care) can also be adversely affected by exposure to moisture. Drugs and/or test strips are usually stored in a container. Such a container may include: a body defining an interior for accommodating a product; and an opening leading to the interior. It may also include a cover or cover connected to the body by a hinge as appropriate. By closing the cover on the body to cover and seal the opening, the container is closed and the contents can be safely stored therein. Products such as diagnostic test strips rely on specific environmental conditions to provide an accurate reading when used. If subjected to a specific humidity or relative humidity, these products will provide false readings with high or low deviations. Therefore, moisture will significantly reduce the storage life of these products. Consumers who need diagnostic test strips for testing (such as in the diabetes market) usually do multiple tests within a 24-hour period and depend on the accuracy of the readings they obtain. Drugs and diagnostic test strips will encounter water many times during their life cycle. This encounter can occur during the production phase, during transportation, when the product is stored before sale, when the product is stored after sale, and every time a container containing the product is opened so that the product can be used. Even after the product has been stored in the moisture-proof container, there is still a small amount of moisture entering through the seal, which over time will be harmful to the moisture-sensitive contents in the interior. For this reason, a desiccant material (for example, in the form of a polymer with entrained desiccant) is usually provided in the container to absorb moisture. However, the desiccant material increases the manufacturing cost. An improved seal will be converted into a desiccant to reduce the volume in order to achieve a calculated moisture budget and therefore a less expensive container to manufacture. On the other hand, the seal itself should not significantly increase the cost of manufacturing the container or offset the cost savings achieved by reducing the use of desiccants. In addition, the seal itself must be carefully designed so that it does not require great force to open the seal and at the same time is not particularly easy to open so that the container may inadvertently pop open due to pressure changes that can occur during transportation, for example. In the pharmaceutical and diagnostic packaging industry, it is important to balance product improvement with production efficiency and cost. Therefore, there is a need for an improved open-top container for medical or diagnostic test strips. The improved open-top container is cheap to manufacture and provides a reliable moisture-proof sealing effect after some cycles of opening and closing without large opening force. turn on.

Accordingly, a moisture-proof container is provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The container has a container body with a base and a side wall extending from the base. The body defines an interior that is configured to house a product (eg, such as a diagnostic test strip). The body further has an opening to the interior. A lid is connected to the body by a hinge and is pivotable relative to the container body around the hinge, so that the container in which the lid covers the opening to create a moisture-proof seal with the body in a closed position and Move between open positions where the opening is exposed. When the cover is in the closed position, a plurality of engaged engagement seals connected in series between the body and the cover provide the moisture-proof seal. The plurality of joined engagement seals includes at least a first seal and a second seal. The first seal is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body with a thermoplastic sealing surface of the cover. The second seal is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body with an elastic sealing surface of the cover. The elastic sealing surface includes an elastic ring configured to be compressed by an upper surface of a rim surrounding the opening when the cover is in the closed position. The vertical compression of the elastic ring causes a part of the ring to elastically expand radially into a gap provided between the body and the cover. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a moisture-proof container therefore includes a body and a lid. The body defines an interior for accommodating a product and an opening leading to the interior. The cover is connected to the body by a hinge. The cover is movable relative to the body between a closed position in which the cover covers the opening and engages with the body and an open position in which the opening is exposed. A plurality of seals are located between the body and the cover. When the cover is in the closed position, the seals are connected in series. The plurality of seals includes a first seal that requires an opening force to transform from the closed position to the open position, and a first seal that is combined with the first seal and does not require a force higher than the opening force to transform from the closed position to the open Location one of the second seal. The first seal is formed by engaging the thermoplastic with the thermoplastic sealing surface, and the first seal includes an undercut of the body relative to a central axis of the body. The second seal is formed by engaging the elastomer to the thermoplastic sealing surface, and the elastomer to the thermoplastic sealing surface includes an elastomer formed in the cover or on the body by multi-point injection molding as appropriate. The thermoplastic is incompressible and the elastic system is compressible and preferably elastic.

如資料所展示，加入第二封件導致平均進入量之一大幅減小及濕氣進入量之標準偏差之一驚人大幅減少。標準偏差之此大幅減少係顯著的且自一生產立場來看很重要。本質上，與第一封件組合之第二封件允許濕氣進入量更受控制且可預測(即，較少變動)，使得可更精確地符合容器濕氣預算。此允許減少每小瓶必須之乾燥劑材料且因此減少與減少之乾燥劑材料量相關聯之生產成本。 實例2 執行檢測以量測根據圖6至圖10B中展示之容器實施例之17 ml小瓶之濕氣進入量(群組A')。周圍條件經設定為30˚C及70%相對濕度。在檢測群體中存在144個此容器。比較此等濕氣進入量結果與自檢測2923個容器之一群體(群組B')蒐集之檢測資料，群組B'在材料方面與群組A'之容器相同，惟群組B'之容器僅包含第一封件(塑膠對塑膠)、而不係第二封件(彈性體對塑膠)除外。以下表格展示收集之資料之一並排比較。

如實例1，資料展示加入第二封件導致平均進入量之一大幅減少及濕氣進入量之標準偏差之一驚人大幅減少。 儘管已參考本發明之特定實例來詳細描述本發明，但熟習技術者將明白可在不違背本發明之精神及範疇之情況下做出各種改變及修改。Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a container and its manufacturing method for reducing the amount of moisture entering between the container body of a container and the lid sealing the body. In one aspect, the disclosed embodiment is configured to reduce the amount of moisture that can flow between the body and the cover by providing at least two seals in series, wherein an elastomer is used to interface with the thermoplastic To form this one piece, this only does not increase the force needed to open the container. As used herein, the term "elastomer" will be understood broadly. A particularly preferred elastic system is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), optionally an elastomer having a Shore A hardness of from 20 to 50, preferably from 20 to 40, and more preferably from 20 to 35. Alternatively, the term "elastomer" may include silicone rubber or other preferably injection moldable soft and elastic materials suitable for creating a compression seal against a harder (eg, thermoplastic) surface. In any embodiment, the elastomer should be configured for repeated use, that is, it should not be degraded during some cycles of opening and closing (for example, at least 10, preferably at least 25, and more preferably at least 50 cycles). Optionally, the present invention relates to a container that is produced in a multi-point injection molding process in which an elastic seal is produced in one point and a thermoplastic container is produced in another point. The container embodiment as disclosed herein preferably incorporates a hinged pull-up lid, wherein the body and lid include a low-mass elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal working in tandem with a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal between the body and the lid. The combined seal further reduces the penetration of moisture into the container when it is closed than a separate seal, thereby allowing a longer storage life protection, while still allowing the container to have a low opening force to benefit consumers. The outer container is constructed of two materials, namely (mainly) a base thermoplastic (for example, polypropylene) and an elastomer, preferably a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) as a sealing surface in the present invention. The container has an integrated lid connected to one of the main bodies by a hinge (a living hinge as the case may be), and the lid is designed to be easy to open and close by the consumer. The container has a low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) due to material selection and the nature of thermoplastic versus thermoplastic seal design. The container also incorporates an elastomeric material to create an additional elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal to further reduce MVTR. By further reducing the MVTR, the container needs to be less moisture-proof by any drying method to achieve a target storage life. The combination of seals allows the container to provide a lower MVTR than a reference container with only a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal that would otherwise be comparable, and at the same time allows one that is lower than expected when a thermoplastic-to-elastomer seal is used alone Opening and closing force. In addition, low-quality elastomeric materials will still allow recycling/reuse of external container materials in a container production process. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a thermoplastic hinged pull-top container is constructed of a material with a low vapor transmission rate (for example, polypropylene). In addition, the container lid is designed to incorporate a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal through multi-point injection molding as appropriate, and a sealing mechanism to permanently produce a thermoplastic-to-elastomer seal in the area of the lid seal as appropriate. . The area of the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal can be designed to have an undercut at an angle (or rounded corner or slope) relative to the central axis of the vial. The undercut is not the only part of the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal but is due to The geometric shape also controls the opening and closing force of the vial. In an optional aspect of the present invention, by making the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal and the thermoplastic-to-elastomer seal work in series, the compressive force necessary to be applied to the thermoplastic seal to achieve the same level of moisture ingress is reduced. This can facilitate the reduction of opening and closing forces, thus making it easier for consumers to use the container. This is extremely useful for consumer groups who have difficulty opening and closing containers, such as patients with diabetic neuropathy or the elderly. A thermoplastic versus thermoplastic seal relies on the engagement of two incompressible surfaces that must be very closely matched in geometry to provide a close relationship (e.g., snap fit) and act as an effective moisture barrier. This requires sufficient compressive force to engage the opposed incompressible surfaces, thus forming a seal. The effectiveness of the seal depends on the amount of atmospheric space between the contact area and the surface that allows moisture to pass through (for example, through micro gaps or due to defects or wear and tear of the thermoplastic material). A thermoplastic pair of elastomeric seals rely on an incompressible surface (thermoplastic surface) that engages with a compressible and preferably elastic surface (elastomer surface). This type of seal relies on generating sufficient force between the surfaces to compress the elastomer so that the elastomer "fills" any possible gaps or defects in the opposing incompressible surfaces. This pressure must be maintained at all times when the container is closed to provide moisture resistance and then the pressure must be overcome to open the container. Combining a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal and a thermoplastic-to-elastomer seal in series can reduce the amount of moisture ingress, while still maintaining the container opening force within a range that is ergonomically beneficial to the consumer group. In a best aspect of the embodiments disclosed herein, the elastomer is configured and oriented to the thermoplastic seal such that the compression direction of the seal is parallel to the main axis of the vial and perpendicular to the surface of the seal. Whether the elastic system is located on an inner part of the vial cap, on an outer rim protruding radially from the vial body, or on the top edge of one of the vial bodies arranged around the opening (or both or as appropriate All three), this is the case. In this way, when the vial is opened and closed, the elastomer does not suffer from rubbing the thermoplastic seal and engages or damages the seal (which can happen if the seal is located on the side of the vial rim or on the small When the inner skirt of the cap is on the radial force. This allows repeated opening without compromising the effectiveness of the elastomer on the thermoplastic seal. This configuration makes it possible to use a lower durometer seal material that requires less compressive force than the original one (except for elastomer to thermoplastic seals) and provides a lower opening force and lower entry rate. . In addition, this configuration does not increase the opening force of the seal, unlike a stopper type seal with a radially compressed elastic element. Now referring to the various figures of the drawings in detail, in which the same reference signs refer to the same parts, it is shown in FIG. 1 that it can be used in combination with various features to provide a container of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The container 100 may be primarily made of one or more injection moldable thermoplastic materials, including, for example, a polyolefin, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. According to an optional embodiment, the container may be made of a mixture of mainly thermoplastic materials and a very small proportion of thermoplastic elastomer materials. The container 100 includes a container body 101 having a base 155 and an optionally tubular side wall 105 extending therefrom. The body 101 defines an interior 115 configured to contain a product (eg, a diagnostic test strip) . The side wall 105 optionally terminates at a lip 110 having a top edge. The lip 110 surrounds an opening 107 of the body 101 and leads to the interior 115. A lid 120 is preferably connected to the body 101 by a hinge 140 (a living hinge as the case may be), thereby producing a pull-top container 100 or vial. The lid 120 is pivotable relative to the container body 101 about the hinge 140 so that the container in which the lid 120 covers the opening 107 (preferably to create a moisture-proof seal with the body) is a closed position (see (for example) Figure 4 or Figure 5) and one of the open positions of the exposure opening 107 (see (for example) Figure 1). The container body 101 may optionally include an outer rim 145 protruding radially outward from the side wall 105 and completely enclosing the container body 101 near the top of the container body 101. Depending on the situation, the lip 110 protrudes vertically from the rim 145. Optionally, in any embodiment, the lip 110 has a thickness substantially equal to one of the remaining thickness of the side wall 105. Optionally, in any embodiment, the lip 110 has a thickness slightly smaller than the remaining thickness of the side wall 105. The cover 120 includes a cover base 119 and preferably a hanging skirt 125. The cover 120 further includes a cover outer rim 131 and an optional thumb tab 121 extending radially from the cover 120. In order to close the container 100, the lid 120 pivots around the hinge 140 so that the lid 120 covers the opening 107 and engages the respective engaging sealing surfaces of the lid 120 and the body 101 so that the lid 120 is in the closed position. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to a first variation of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. The body 101 is shown close to the bottom of the figure and the cover 120 is shown close to the top of the figure. As discussed above with respect to FIG. 1, the body 101 optionally includes an outer rim 145 protruding radially around the circumference of the body 101 and close to the top of the body 101. The cover 120 includes a cover outer rim 131 that protrudes radially from the inner part of the overhanging skirt 125 of the cover 120 as appropriate. When the cover 120 is in the closed position, the cover rim surface 208 faces the body rim surface 206. Therefore, when the cover 120 is in the closed position, at least part of the body rim surface 206 and the cover rim surface 208 are engaged with each other. The elastomeric seal 210a is attached to the body rim surface 206. The seal 210a is preferably an annular ring disposed around the circumference of the body rim surface 206. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, an elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal is produced by an elastomeric seal 210a that engages the cover rim surface 208 and is compressed by the cover rim surface 208. The cover 120 includes a cover interior 109 defined by a cover base 119 and a skirt 125. When the cover 120 is in the closed position, the lip 110 of the body 101 extends into the interior 109 of the cover. In this position, the body undercut surface 204 of the body 101 engages with the cover undercut surface 202. Accordingly, a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic sealing surface is formed. In addition, this configuration provides a closed position to hold the cover 120 in the closed position, for example, via a snapped configuration, and prevent it from being opened inadvertently. As shown in Figure 2, the thermoplastic versus thermoplastic seal and closed position are formed by the respective undercut surfaces 204, 202. This can be defined, for example, with reference to an axis 400 extending along the length of the body 101 through a center of the body 101 (see FIG. 4). The cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 are not parallel to the axis 400. In reality, as shown, the cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 are formed at a small angle (for example, from 10˚ to 30˚) relative to the shaft 400. Optionally, the respective undercut surfaces may alternatively be complementary rounded or inclined to mesh with each other. With any of this undercut configuration, when the cover 120 is in the closed position, if a user tries to lift the cover 120 from the body 101 to transform the cover 120 to an open position, an opening force will be required to overcome the cover undercut The force between the surface 202 and the undercut surface 204 of the body. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the cover 120 is shown as optionally including a cover elastomer seal 212 in the form of an annular ring attached to a cover base 119 adjacent or abutting the skirt 125 . Therefore, a seal can be formed between the cover elastomer seal 212 and the top edge 110. This can create an elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal between the cover elastomer seal 212 and the top edge 110 when the cover 120 is in the closed position. As appropriate, the present invention can omit the elastomer seal 212 or the elastomer seal 210, so in an optional embodiment, only a single elastomer to thermoplastic seal is provided. It is envisaged that according to aspects of the present invention, embodiments may include a plurality of different seals connected in series between the cover 120 and the body 101. For example, the seals may include a seal between the cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 and a seal between the elastomer seal 210a and the cover rim surface 208. Alternatively, the two seals may include a seal between the cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 and a seal between the cover elastomer seal 212 and the top edge 110. Although three seals (labeled as seal A to seal C) are shown in FIG. 2, this is only illustrative, because an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention may include two seals or more than three seals. Pieces. For example, there may be a total of three seals, more than three cells, or only two seals as explained above. In addition, at least one of the seals is an elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal and at least one of the seals is a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal. In other words, any two (or more) of the three seals shown can be included as long as it includes a combination of elastomer-to-thermoplasticity and thermoplasticity-to-thermoplasticity. It should be further noted that thermoplastic provides the compression force required to maintain the elastomer to the thermoplastic seal. This configuration does not require the elastomer to act as a source of radial compression force on the thermoplastic seal (for example, as in the case of an elastic stopper inserted into a pipe). Therefore, the elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal does not increase the opening force required to overcome the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal to make the lid 120 transition from the closed position to the open position. In fact, when the cover 120 is in the closed position, the elasticity of the compressed elastomer may cause the respective undercut surfaces 202, 204 to be vertically biased against each other, thereby strengthening or strengthening one of the slight vertical spring forces of the thermoplastic versus thermoplastic seal. Therefore, compared to an original container without an elastic sealing surface, (if any) the slightly smaller vertical spring force generated by the elastomer to the thermoplastic seal can substantially reduce the opening force. As discussed above with respect to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the elastomeric seal 210 a is attached to an upper surface of one of the outer rims 145 of the body 101. FIG. 3 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment in which the elastomeric seal 210b is attached to the cover outer rim 131 and is in contact with the outer rim 145 of the body 101. In this way, with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 2 and the embodiment of FIG. 3, an elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal is formed. 4 shows the seal shown in FIG. 2 and further shows more bodies 101 than shown in FIG. 2. 4 is helpful to illustrate the relationship between the sealing surface formed between the undercut surface 202 of the cover and the undercut surface 204 of the body and the central axis 400 extending along the length of the body 101 and passing through the center of the body 101. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 form an undercut because the seal between these two surfaces is not parallel to the central axis 400. In this way, the undercut between the cover undercut surface 202 and the body undercut surface 204 includes compression force vectors in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The vertical compressive force vector requires an opening force to be applied to separate the cover 120 from the body 101 and thus transform the cover 120 from the closed position to the open position. FIG. 5 shows the seal shown in FIG. 3 and the seal further shows more body 101 than shown in FIG. 3. 5 is also helpful to illustrate the relationship between the sealing surface formed between the undercut surface 202 of the cover and the undercut surface 204 of the body and the central axis 400 extending along the length of the body 101 and passing through the center of the body 101. The configurations and functions of the respective undercut surfaces 202 and 204 of the cover 120 and the body 101 are the same as those shown in FIG. 4 and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity. According to an optional aspect of the present invention, when the ambient conditions are an external minimum of 30°C/80% relative humidity (RH) and an internal maximum of 30°C/1% RH, while allowing an opening force not to exceed When the perimeter of the seal is 3 N/cm, the series combination of a thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal and an elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal can provide a maximum value of 42 µg/day-cm per day through the seal system. One of MVTR. Referring now to FIGS. 6-10B, which show a second exemplary embodiment of a container 300 according to an optional aspect of the present invention. Many features of the container 300 in FIGS. 6 to 10B are similar or identical to the corresponding features of the container 100 in FIGS. 1 to 5. Therefore, only a summary of one of these similar or identical corresponding features is provided here, as in the previously described embodiment. However, it should be noted that the main differences between the embodiments and the additional embodiments. The container 300 includes a body 301 with a base 355 and an optional side wall 305 extending from the base. The body 301 defines an interior 315. The side wall 305 optionally terminates at a lip 310 having a top edge 311. The lip 310 surrounds an opening 307 of the body 301 and leads to the interior 315. In the illustrated embodiment, the container body 301 includes an outer rim 345. The lip 310 protrudes vertically from the rim 345 as appropriate. A lid 320 is preferably connected to the body 301 by a hinge 340 (a living hinge as the case may be), thereby producing a pull-top container 300 or vial. The lid 320 is pivotable relative to the container body 301 around the hinge 340 to allow the container 300 to move between a closed position and an open position. In the embodiment shown, the cover 301 includes a cover base 319 and preferably an overhanging skirt 325 and thumb tabs 321. When the cover 320 is in the closed position, a plurality of engaging seals (including at least a first seal 462 and a second seal 464) connected in series form a moisture-proof seal 460. The first seal 462 is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body 301 with a thermoplastic sealing surface of the cover 320. The first piece 462 is configured to require an opening force to disengage. In the optional embodiment shown, the first seal 462 includes the joint of the undercut surface 404 of the body 301 and the undercut surface 402 of the cover 320. This seal is the same as the undercut-to-undercut seal disclosed above with respect to the container 100 of FIGS. 1 to 5 and therefore will not be explained in further detail here. The second seal 464 is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body 301 or the cover 320 with an elastic sealing surface of the body 301 or the cover 320. In the optional embodiment shown, the second seal 464 is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body 301 with an elastic sealing surface of the cover 320. The elastic sealing surface 430 includes an elastic ring 432 configured to be compressed by a thermoplastic upper surface 311 of a lip 310 surrounding the opening 307 when the cover 320 is in the closed position. As best shown in FIGS. 9 to 10B, the vertical compression of the elastic ring 432 causes a portion of the ring 432 to elastically expand radially into a gap 480 disposed between the body 301 and the cover 320. This operation is now explained in detail. The term "ring" as used herein may refer to a ring-shaped circular element having a central opening. However, a "ring" need not be limited to this configuration and may include a non-circular configuration and an elastic element that is at least partially filled in the center (ie, where one of the openings of a ring originally lies). Therefore, a "ring" may include, for example, a disk-shaped elastic member. Figure 9 shows a partially enlarged cross-section of a container 300 with a lid 320 in the closed position. As shown, a first seal 462 including the joint of the undercut surface 404 of the body 301 and the undercut surface 402 of the cover 320 is provided. The second seal 464 includes the engagement of the thermoplastic upper surface 311 of the lip 310 and the engagement surface 430 of the elastic ring 432 provided on the undercut of the base 319 of the cover 320. As can be seen in FIG. 9, one of the compression seals disposed between the upper surface 311 of the lip 310 and the elastic ring 432 causes the cross section of the ring 432 to appear slightly stepped or zigzag along the engagement surface 430 of the elastic ring 432. The zigzag shape is further judged in the enlarged view shown in FIG. 10B. Figure 10A shows a cross-section of the ring 432 immediately before the ring 432 contacts the upper surface 311 of the lip 310 to form a second seal. As shown in FIG. 10A, when not engaged with the lip, the ring 432 does not have this zigzag shape. The zigzag in the joint surface 430 of the elastic ring 432 is a product of the elastic deformation of the ring 432 due to the sealing engagement with the rim 310. Significantly, the elastic ring 432 is not bound or blocked by one of it closest to the right side 432 _R or the left side 432 _L. Therefore, when the elastic ring 432 is vertically compressed, a part of it elastically expands or moves radially outward, inward, or outward and inward. A gap 480 is provided between, for example, the elastic ring 432 and the skirt 325 of the cover 320 to provide a "living space" for radial expansion of the ring material when the second seal 464 is engaged. 10B shows the radially expanded portion 432 _E of the elastic ring 432 occupying a portion of the gap 480 (shown expanded in the direction E of FIG. 10B). To a certain extent, the expansion in the figure is more exaggerated than the actual implementation, and this is for illustrative purposes only. This radial expansion into the void feature provides at least two important functions. First, it leads to a reduction in the vertical spring force between the elastic body and the rim. Although it is expected to provide some slight spring force to strengthen or strengthen the first seal, excessive spring force can tend to reduce the opening force to the point where the container can inadvertently pop open. On the one hand (especially for elderly and/or diabetic users), it is necessary to achieve an expected low operating force and so low that it will lead to, for example, the inadvertent opening of one of the containers via ordinary pressure changes that would occur in the container during transportation A balance between opening forces. When the elastic body is allowed to expand radially, it can provide an acceptable level of vertical spring force. The second important function is that the contact surface area between the sealing surfaces of the second seal is increased by the radial expansion of the elastic material of the ring. This increase in the surface area of the elastomer to the thermoplastic seal provides a tighter seal at the joining side of the second seal. It should be understood that any of the seal configurations disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 5 can be combined with those disclosed in FIGS. 6 to 10B. By taking the total vial entry rate and subtracting the MVTR (moisture vapor transmission rate) through the thermoplastic that includes the outer shell of the vial, the entry rate performance for the seal alone is measured. In an exemplary embodiment, when the lid is in the closed position, the moisture transmission rate MVTR is less than 370 µg/day at 30°C/80% RH (relative humidity). According to an embodiment of the present invention, in an exemplary embodiment of a 24 ml vial, the weight of a three-phase polymer sleeve with desiccant is 2.5 g to 3.25 g (approximately 3.0 g as the case may be) and moisture The intake is about 400 micrograms per day at 30°C/70% RH. According to an embodiment of the present invention, in an exemplary embodiment of a 17 ml vial, the weight of a three-stage polymer sleeve with desiccant is 2.0 g to 2.75 g (approximately 2.5 g as the case may be) and moisture The intake is about 300 micrograms per day at 30°C/70% RH. The term "three-phase polymer" refers to a polymer including a base polymer, a desiccant, and a channeling agent (channeling agent) with a desiccant entrained, for example, as in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,911,937, 6,080,350, 6,124,006, 6,130,263, 6,194,079 , 6,214,255, 6,486,231, 7,005,459 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0039955, each of these patents is incorporated herein as if it were cited in its entirety. Advantageously, in an optional aspect of the present invention, the second seal allows the use of this desiccant material to be reduced, resulting in lower manufacturing costs. Broadly speaking, the term "moisture proof" is defined as having a moisture ingress of less than 1500 µg of water (after three days), in another embodiment less than 500 µg of water, and in a further embodiment less than 300 µg water, in another embodiment less than 150 µg water, as determined by the following detection methods: (a) 1 gram plus or minus 0.25 gram molecular sieve is placed in the container and the weight is recorded; (b) the container is completely closed (C) Place the closed container in an environmental chamber under the conditions of 80% relative humidity and 72˚F; (d) One day later, weigh the container containing the molecular sieve; (e) After four days, Weigh the container containing the molecular sieve; and (f) subtract the sample on the first day from the sample on the fourth day to calculate the moisture ingress into the container (in micrograms of water). In an exemplary embodiment, when the lid is in the closed position, the combination of the first seal and the second seal provides the container with a lower one than the first seal would provide without the second seal MVTR. In an exemplary embodiment, when the lid is in the closed position, the combination of the first seal and the second seal provides the container with a lower one than the second seal would provide without the first seal MVTR. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the container is used to store diagnostic test strips. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic sealing surfaces is located on a rim protruding radially along one of the outer portions of the body. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the elastomer has a Shore A hardness of from 20 to 50, preferably from 20 to 40, and more preferably from 20 to 35. Those familiar with the technical field of injection molding will generally avoid the use of TPE materials with container closures less than 50 Shore A hardness. This is because these soft TPE materials are often difficult to attach to the base polymer and do not damage or displace the seal during molding. However, through the molding technology developed by Applicants, it is possible to use TPE materials with a hardness less than 50 Shore A for a container seal. The use of such a lower durometer material will produce lower flow resistance during molding, which advantageously produces lower flow resistance during molding, thereby achieving a thinner cross section. It is not easy to produce wrinkles in the finished seal that would adversely affect the integrity of the seal. In addition, the softer the TPE material requires less compressive force to seal, which reduces the possibility of excessive vertical spring force (which could cause inadvertent opening of the container as discussed above). In the design of a pull-top container, the opening force of the lid is one of the key factors to prove that the product characteristics are qualified. When applied to the cover and then one at 20 +/- 2 ⁰ C under a controlled temperature, one 500 mm / min at a constant speed by the upward force on the body of the vial is attached in the bottom side of the base stand vial (Parallel to the axis of the vial), the acceptable range of opening force is 3 lbf to 7 lbf (pound force), preferably a range of 4 lbf to 6 lbf. As discussed above, a container that is too easy to open may be inadvertently opened, and it may be difficult for a user to open a container having an opening force higher than this range. Optionally, by placing a container that has been opened and closed in the surrounding environment in a sealed chamber, and then reducing the external pressure in the chamber during a period of 30 seconds to 1 minute, the inside of the container A pressure difference of at least 450 mBar (this is the maximum pressure difference that a container should be exposed to during commercial air transportation) is generated between the external environment and the resistance to opening under the pressure difference is measured. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the elastomer has a thickness from 0.5 mm to 1.25 mm, and the exposed width of one of the outer vial rims is from 0 mm to 2.5 mm as appropriate. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a vial can be recycled after use. This recycling involves the main material and the chasing arrow corresponds to the recycling level. The vial cap closure with thermoplastic elastomer is designed to have a smaller mass of elastomer to still allow reuse/recycling of the container together with the designated primary material. Therefore, an additional elastomeric seal reduces the moisture penetration rate through the vial container cap seal to allow less demanding desiccant quality. One combination of the seals that work in tandem achieves reduced moisture penetration and low lid opening and closing forces to optimize consumer experience. A low-quality elastomer in the vial cap seal allows the vial to be reused/recyclability of the main material of the vial. It should be noted that although the exemplary embodiment is shown as a circular container with a circular closure, the present invention is not limited thereto. It is envisaged that the present invention can also be used in the context of non-circular pull-top containers to improve the integrity of the seal between the body and the lid. In fact, it should be envisaged that the elastomer-to-thermoplastic seal described herein will be extremely useful for enhancing the integrity of the seal for non-circular containers. For example, the first and second seals as disclosed herein can be used in oval containers, square containers, rectangular containers, quadrangular containers with rounded corners, and many other shapes. As appropriate, the embodiments of the present invention are applied to the shape and configuration of the container disclosed in US Patent Publication No. 2011/0127269, the full text of which is incorporated herein by reference. It should be further noted that the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal (for example, the first seal 462) is not necessarily limited to the configuration shown in the accompanying drawings. For example, in an optional aspect, the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic seal may be disposed between an inner polymer ring that hangs from the bottom side of the lid base and interfaces with a portion of the inner surface of the container body wall. Optionally, in this embodiment, an annular protrusion of the inner polymer ring engages a radial undercut in the inner surface of the container body wall to produce the first seal 462 disclosed with respect to FIGS. 6 to 10B One variant. This variant of the first seal will also need to overcome an opening force to disengage the seal. Examples The present invention will be illustrated in more detail with reference to the following examples, but it should be understood that the present invention should not be regarded as limited to these examples. Example 1 A test was performed to measure the moisture ingress of a 24 ml vial (group A) according to the container embodiment shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 10B. The ambient conditions are set to 30˚C and 80% relative humidity. There are 48 such containers in the tested population. Compare these moisture ingress results with the test data collected from one of the 7553 containers (group B). Group B is the same as the container of group A in terms of materials, but the container of group B only contains the first Except for one piece (plastic to plastic) and not the second seal (elastomer to plastic). The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of one of the collected data.

As shown in the data, the addition of the second seal resulted in a significant reduction in the average ingress volume and a surprisingly large reduction in the standard deviation of the moisture ingress volume. This large reduction in standard deviation is significant and important from a production standpoint. Essentially, the second seal combined with the first seal allows the moisture ingress to be more controlled and predictable (ie, less variable), so that the container moisture budget can be more accurately met. This allows to reduce the desiccant material necessary for each vial and therefore reduces the production costs associated with the reduced amount of desiccant material. Example 2 A test was performed to measure the moisture ingress of a 17 ml vial (group A') according to the container embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 10B. The ambient conditions are set to 30˚C and 70% relative humidity. There are 144 such containers in the test population. Compare the results of the moisture ingress with the test data collected from one of the 2923 containers (group B'). Group B'is the same as the container of group A'in terms of materials, except for group B' The container only contains the first seal (plastic to plastic), but not the second seal (elastomer to plastic). The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of one of the collected data.

As in Example 1, the data shows that the addition of the second seal leads to a large reduction in the average ingress volume and a surprisingly large reduction in the standard deviation of the moisture ingress volume. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific examples of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

100‧‧‧Container 101‧‧‧Container body 105‧‧‧Tube side wall 107‧‧‧Opening 109‧‧Cap inner 110‧‧‧lip 115‧‧‧inner 119‧‧‧cover base 120‧‧‧cover 121 ‧‧‧Thumb tab 125‧‧‧Dangling skirt 131‧‧‧Cover outer rim 140‧‧‧Hinge 145‧‧‧Outer rim 155‧‧‧Base 202‧‧‧Cover undercut surface 204‧‧‧ Body undercut surface 206‧‧‧Main body rim surface 208‧‧‧Cover rim surface 210a‧‧‧Elastomer seal 210b‧‧‧Elastomer seal 212‧‧‧Lid elastomer seal 300‧‧‧Container 301‧‧‧Body 305‧‧‧Sidewall 310‧‧‧Lip 311‧‧Top edge 319‧‧‧Cover base 320‧‧‧Cover 321‧‧‧Thumb tab 325‧‧‧Dangling skirt 340‧‧‧ Hinge 345‧‧‧Outer rim 355‧‧‧Base 400‧‧‧Shaft 402‧‧‧Undercut surface 404‧‧‧Undercut surface 430‧‧Elastic sealing surface 432‧‧‧Elastic ring 432 _L ‧‧‧ The left 432 _R ‧‧‧ is closest to the right 432 _E ‧‧‧Radial expansion part 460‧‧‧Moisture proof seal 462‧‧‧First seal 464‧‧‧Second seal 480‧‧‧Gap

The present invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which the same reference signs indicate the same elements and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a first variation of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the second exemplary embodiments of FIG. 1. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the feature of FIG. 2 according to the first variation of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 and further showing an additional part of a container. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the feature of FIG. 3 according to a second variation of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 and further showing an additional part of a container. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a container in a closed position according to a second exemplary embodiment. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 6 in an open position. Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the section line 8--8 of the container of Figure 7 showing the sealing surface in the lid. Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the section line 9-9 of the container of Fig. 6 showing the joining of the first seal and the second seal that are connected in series to produce a moisture-proof seal. Figures 10A and 10B show the elastic ring of the lid immediately before the engagement with the thermoplastic sealing surface of the body (Figure 10A) and the elastic ring of the lid followed by sealing the elastic ring of the lid and the thermoplastic sealing surface of the body. (Figure 10B) Schematic illustration.

100‧‧‧Container

101‧‧‧Container body

105‧‧‧Tube side wall

107‧‧‧Open

109‧‧‧Inside the cover

110‧‧‧lip

115‧‧‧Internal

119‧‧‧Cover base

120‧‧‧cover

121‧‧‧Thumb tab

125‧‧‧Drape skirt

131‧‧‧Cover outer rim

140‧‧‧Hinge

145‧‧‧Outer rim

155‧‧‧Base

Claims (28)

A moisture-proof container, comprising: a container body having a base and a side wall extending from the base, the body defining an interior configured for accommodating a product, and the body further has an interior leading to the interior An opening; a lid connected to the body by a hinge and pivotable relative to the container body around the hinge so that the container in which the lid covers the opening to create a moisture-proof seal with the body Move between a closed position and an open position in which the opening is exposed. When the cover is in the closed position, the moisture-proof seal includes a plurality of engaging seals connected in series between the body and the cover , The plurality of engaged engagement seals include at least a first seal and a second seal; wherein the first seal is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body with a thermoplastic sealing surface of the cover , The second seal is formed by engaging a thermoplastic sealing surface of the body with an elastic sealing surface of the cover, the elastic sealing surface including a surface configured to surround the opening when the cover is in the closed position An upper surface of a rim compresses an elastic ring, wherein the vertical compression of the elastic ring causes a part of the ring to elastically expand radially into a gap disposed between the body and the cover. Such as the container of claim 1, wherein the first sealing member needs to open force from the closed position to the open position, and the second sealing member combined with the first sealing member does not need to be higher than the opening force from the The closed position changes to the open position. Such as the container of claim 2, wherein the opening force is from 3 lbf to 7 lbf (pound force). Such as the container of claim 1, wherein the elastic ring is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Such as the container of claim 1, wherein in a multi-point injection molding process, the elastic ring has the container body and the lid through injection molding. The container of claim 1, wherein the first seal includes an undercut of the body relative to a central axis of the body. The container of claim 6, wherein the undercut is provided in a lip extending upward from the side wall and surrounding the opening. The container of claim 7, wherein the lid includes a hanging skirt, and the undercut has a surface that engages with a corresponding surface of the skirt to form a surface of the first seal. Such as the container of claim 8, wherein the elastic ring has from 20 to 50. The container of claim 1, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the container has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of less than 400 μg/day at 30° C. and 80% RH. Such as the container of claim 1, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the combination of the first sealing member and the second sealing member provides the container with better performance than the first sealing member without the second sealing member Provides a lower moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). A moisture-proof container, comprising: a. a body, which defines an interior configured for accommodating products, and an opening leading to the interior; b. a lid, which is connected to by a hinge The body, the cover moves relative to the body between a closed position in which the cover covers the opening and engages with the body and an open position in which the cover is not engaged with the body; c. when the cover is in the closed position Position, the body and the cover include a plurality of seals in series therebetween; d. The plurality of seals include at least one first seal that requires an opening force to transform from the closed position to the open position, and the A combination of one piece and no need for a force higher than the opening force to be a second seal from the closed position to the open position; e. The first seal is formed by engaging the incompressible thermoplastic with the thermoplastic sealing surface The first seal includes an undercut of the body relative to a central axis of the body; f. The second seal is formed by engaging the elastomer with the thermoplastic sealing surface, wherein the elastomer seals against the thermoplastic The surface includes a compressible and elastic elastomer formed in the cover or on the body by multi-point injection molding. The container of claim 12, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the container has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of less than 370 μg/day at 30° C. and 80% RH. Such as the container of claim 12, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the combination of the first sealing member and the second sealing member provides the container with better performance than the first sealing member without the second sealing member mention Offer one lower MVTR. Such as the container of claim 12, wherein the opening force is from 3 lbf to 7 lbf (pound force). Such as the container of claim 12, wherein the elastic ring is made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Such as the container of claim 12, wherein in a multi-point injection molding process, the elastomer is injection molded to have the container body and the lid. The container of claim 12, wherein at least one of the thermoplastic-to-thermoplastic sealing surfaces is located on a rim protruding radially along an outer portion of the body. The container of claim 12, wherein at least one of the elastomer-to-thermoplastic sealing surfaces is located on a rim protruding radially along an outer portion of the body. The container of claim 12, wherein the elastomer has a Shore A hardness ranging from 20 to 50. The container of claim 12, wherein when compressed by the thermoplastic sealing surface of the second seal, the elastomer expands radially into an adjacent void. Such as the container of claim 12, wherein the thickness of the elastic body or the elastic ring is from 0.25 mm to 1.25 mm. Such as the container of claim 1, which includes a plurality of test strips stored therein. Such as the container of claim 1, wherein the first sealing member needs to open force from the closed position to the open position, and the second sealing member combined with the first sealing member does not need to be higher than the opening force from the The closed position is transformed into the open position. In a multi-point injection molding process, the elastic ring is injection molded by the container body and the lid, and the first seal includes the An undercut of the body, the undercut is disposed in a lip extending upward from the side wall and surrounding the opening, the cover includes a hanging skirt, the undercut has a corresponding surface of the skirt to engage with to form the first On one surface of the one piece, the elastic ring has a Shore A hardness from 20 to 50. Such as the container of claim 24, which includes a plurality of test strips stored therein. Such as the container of claim 12, wherein in a multi-point injection molding process, the elastic ring is injection molded by the container body and the lid, wherein the elastic ring has a Shore A hardness from 20 to 50, When compressed by the thermoplastic sealing surface of the second seal, the elastomer expands radially into an adjacent gap. Such as the container of claim 26, which includes a plurality of test strips stored therein. Such as the container of claim 26, wherein the thickness of the elastic body or the elastic ring is from 0.25 mm to 1.25 mm.

Images