Specimen Container With Elastomeric Septum and Non-Porous Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid specimen containers, such as those for urine, are inefficient for extracting samples and prone to spillage during transport due to vibration, shock, and pressure changes, which can dislodge lids and cause leakage.
Innovation Solution
A specimen container design featuring a cylindrical cup with a septum hole covered by an elastomeric septum and a non-porous seal, which allows easy extraction of liquid samples while maintaining a liquid-tight barrier, and includes a pre-cut to facilitate sample access and self-reclosure, and a witness seal for sterility indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw-on or snap-on lid is used to close the container, then the container can be sealed to prevent leakage, but it becomes time-consuming and inefficient for medical technicians to remove the lid for testing
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into two functional parts: a removable cap portion for easy opening by technicians, and a base portion that remains attached to the container. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be maintained while enabling rapid access to the specimen without removing the entire lid assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid is pre-assembled with the septum and sealing components already in place before the specimen is collected. This preliminary preparation ensures that the sealing mechanism is ready to function immediately, providing both secure closure and easy access capabilities from the outset without requiring additional setup or adjustment during the testing process.
2Device complexity
If a standard lid is used, then the container structure is simple, but the container is prone to spillage during transport due to vibration, shock, and pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system employs local quality enhancement by concentrating sealing functionality at specific locations rather than distributing it uniformly. The septum provides a localized flexible seal at the access point, while the non-porous seal creates a localized rigid barrier at the lid-container interface. This targeted approach to sealing provides superior spillage resistance without requiring complex structures throughout the entire lid.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system combines different material properties to achieve both simplicity and reliability. The septum is made of elastomeric material providing flexibility and elastic recovery, while the secondary seal is made of non-porous material providing rigid barrier protection. This composite sealing approach integrates materials with complementary properties to prevent spillage under various transport conditions while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the septum is made of uniform thickness, then the manufacturing is simple, but it does not provide optimal elastic distension for implement passage and self-reclosure
Solution Approach 1:
The septum incorporates a localized thin region at the center that is specifically designed to be penetrated by sampling implements. This local thinning creates a preferred failure path that requires less force to penetrate while the surrounding thicker regions maintain structural integrity and provide elastic recovery. This non-uniform thickness distribution optimizes both ease of penetration and self-reclosure functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A pre-cut is incorporated into the septum during manufacturing, creating a predetermined weakness or initiation point for tearing. This preliminary action prepares the septum in advance so that when an implement is inserted, the tear propagates easily along the pre-cut line rather than requiring the implement to create a new tear path through uniform material. This significantly reduces the force needed for penetration while ensuring clean, predictable self-reclosure afterward.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The container enhances the ease and efficiency of extracting liquid specimens while preventing spillage during transport and pressure changes, ensuring a secure and sterile sampling process.
Implementation Method 1
the depressed portion and said area of minimum thickness being shaped and configured to elastically distend to pass an implement through a tear in the area of minimum thickness and to be self-reclosing by returning opposite edges of the tear to a substantially contiguous closed condition after withdrawal of the implement
Implementation Method 2
a non-porous seal affixed to the bottom surface of the central portion and having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the seal covers the bottom surface of the septum and creates a liquid-tight boundary between the septum and the bottom surface of the seal
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen container for urine and other liquids is provided having a container lid, an elastomeric septum, a cup, and a non-porous seal. The elastomeric septum covers a septum hole in the lid, and the non-porous seal is affixed to the lid such that it creates a liquid-tight boundary between the septum and the chamber within the bottle. The septum includes a depressed portion and an area of minimum thickness shaped to allow an implement to pass through the area of minimum thickness. The depressed portion may also include a pre-cut which allows the implement to pass through the septum more easily.