Specimen mailer

Claim 2

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size and shape, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends, the long leg including means defining an elongate, laterally-enclosed aperture therein extending from an opening of said aperture in the free end of said long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving a specimen container; the short leg of each said part including means defining a cavity therein and an opening of said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving an end of a specimen container; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end opening of the elongate, laterally-enclosed aperture in said other part opening into the opening of the cavity in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disposed within said elongate laterally-enclosed aperture of either part is completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 3

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a plurality of holes therein extending from respective openings of said holes in the free end of said long leg through the long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving specimen containers; the short leg of each said part including means defining a cavity therein and an opening of said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving an end of a specimen container, the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end openings of the holes in said other part opening into the opening of the cavity in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disposed within any of said holes of either part is completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 4

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a plurality of holes therein extending from respective openings of said holes in the free end of said long leg through the long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving specimen containers; the short leg of each said part including means defining a cavity therein and an opening of said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving an end of a specimen container, the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end openings of the holes in said other part opening into the opening of the cavity in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disposed within any of said holes of either part is completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 5

The package of claim 2 wherein the cavity opening of each said part is elongate in shape and each of said plurality of holes opens into said elongate cavity when said two parts are mated, said cavity having a plurality of inward protuberances dividing said cavity into a plurality of spaces corresponding in number and position to the respective openings of said holes.

Claim 6

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a hole therein extending from an opening of said hole in the free end of said long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving a specimen container; the short leg of each said part including means defining a cavity therein and an opening of said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving an end of a specimen container; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end opening of the hole in said other part opening into the opening of the cavity in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disposed within said hole of either part is completely enclosed by said package, each said part further having a flat recess disposed within the inside face of its long leg for receiving a substantially flat sheet of absorbent material.

Claim 7

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a hole therein extending from an opening of said hole in the free end of said long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving a specimen container; the short leg of each said part including means defining a cavity therein and an opening of said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving an end of a specimen container; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end opening of the hole in said other part opening into the opening of the cavity in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disposed within said hole of either part is completely enclosed by said package, each said part further having a flat recess disposed within the inside face of its long leg for receiving a substantially flat sheet of absorbent material.

Claim 8

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a plurality of elongate apertures therein extending from respective openings of said apertures in the free end of said long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving a specimen container, and means defining openings of each said elongate aperture along its longitudinal dimension out of said inside face of said long leg; the short leg of each part including means defining a plurality of cavities therein and respective openings of each said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving ends of specimen containers, each said cavity of the short leg and a respective aperture of its corresponding long leg opening into one another where the two legs are connected; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end openings of the elongate apertures in said other part opening into respective openings of the cavities in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that specimen containers disposed within said elongate apertures of either part are completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 9

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined together perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining a plurality of elongate apertures therein extending from respective openings of said apertures in the free end of said long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof for receiving a specimen container, and means defining openings of each said elongate aperture along its longitudinal dimension out of said inside face of said long leg; the short leg of each part including means defining a plurality of cavities therein and respective openings of each said cavity in the inside face of said short leg for receiving ends of specimen containers, each said cavity of the short leg and a respective aperture of its corresponding long leg opening into one another where the two legs are connected; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part and the end openings of the elongate apertures in said other part opening into respective openings of the cavities in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that specimen containers disposed within said elongate apertures of either part are completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 10

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining an elongate hole extending from an opening in the free end of the long leg through the long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof, and means defining an elongate aperture extending longitudinally through the long leg from an opening in its free end toward the corresponding short leg and defining an opening of said aperture out of the inside face of the long leg, for receiving specimen containers; the short leg of each said part including means defining a first cavity therein, corresponding in position to the opening of said hole in the other of said two parts when they are mated, and an opening of said first cavity in the inside face of said short leg, and means defining a second cavity therein and openings of said second cavity in the inside face of said short leg and into said second elongate aperture of said long leg, for receiving respective ends of specimen containers; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part, and the end openings of the hole and elongate aperture in said other part opening into the openings of said first and second cavities, respectively, in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disclosed within said hole or elongate aperture of either part is completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 11

A reusable package for safely shipping fragile, elongate specimen containers, said package comprising: two L-shaped, matable parts of substantially identical size, each said part having a long leg with a free end and an inside face, and a short leg with a free end and an inside face; the long leg and the short leg of each said part being joined perpendicularly at ends thereof opposite said respective free ends; the long leg including means defining an elongate hole extending from an opening in the free end of the long leg through the long leg toward the corresponding short leg thereof, and means defining an elongate aperture extending longitudinally through the long leg from an opening in its free end toward the corresponding short leg and defining an opening of said aperture out of the inside face of the long leg, for receiving specimen containers; the short leg of each said part including means defining a first cavity therein, corresponding in position to the opening of said hole in the other of said two parts when they are mated, and an opening of said first cavity in the inside face of said short leg, and means defining a second cavity therein and openings of said second cavity in the inside face of said short leg and into said second elongate aperture of said long leg, for receiving respective ends of specimen containers; the inside face of the short leg of one part being disposed adjacent the free end of the long leg of the other part, and the end openings of the hole and elongate aperture in said other part opening into the openings of said first and second cavities, respectively, in said one part when said two parts are mated, such that a specimen container disclosed within said hole or elongate aperture of either part is completely enclosed by said package.

Claim 12

The package of claim 6 further comprising means defining a flat recess in the inside face of the long leg of each part for receiving a substantially flat sheet of absorbent material.