Patent US4296862A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4296862A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Devious path bacterial barrier
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1979-08-27
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Granted: 1981-10-27
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Expires: 1999-08-27
Abstract
Abstract A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway to a sterile environment from an external environment, including a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior environment and with the other of the openings for communicating with the sterile environment, a pathway extending between the openings and with the pathway extending within the flat member and along the plane of the flat member for interconnecting the openings and providing an air/gas pathway between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an area to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior environment communicating with the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening communicating with the sterile environment.
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Armentrout
- 👤 George H. Schneider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:47
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/24; A; A61; A61B; A61B50/00; A61B50/30; A61L; A61L2/00; A61L2/26; A61L2202/00; A61L2202/10; A61L2202/18; A61L2202/182
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of a sealed package from an exterior environment through an aperture in one wall of the package, including a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member on opposite sides of the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior environment and with the other of the openings for overlying the aperture in the one wall of the package, a pathway extending between the openings of the flat member and with the pathway extending within the flat member and along the plane of the flat member for interconnecting the openings and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an eara to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior environment to the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
188 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of a sealed package from an exterior environment through an aperture in one wall of the package, including a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member on opposite sides of the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior environment and with the other of the openings for overlying the aperture in the one wall of the package, a pathway extending between the openings of the flat member and with the pathway extending within the flat member and along the plane of the flat member for interconnecting the openings and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an eara to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior environment to the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 1 additionally including individual pockets located at at least some of the bends and with the pockets extending in at least one direction of the air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 2 wherein the pockets are located at the bends in both directions of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 1 wherein the flat member is formed from two portions each having a part of the pathway formed as a groove in one surface and with the surfaces contiguous and with at least a portion of each groove overlying the other to provide a continuous pathway between the grooves in each portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 4 wherein the two portions including the grooves are substantially identical and with one portion rotated relative to the other to form the continuous pathway.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 1 wherein the flat member is formed from a single portion having a groove in one surface and with the surface contiguous with the wall of the package to provide the continuous pathway.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
139 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway for two opposite directions of air/gas flow, including an elongated pathway for two opposite directions of air/gas flow including a plurality of bends at periodic positions along the pathway, an opening at one end of the pathway for communication with an exterior environment, an opening at the other end of the pathway for communication with a sterile environment, and a plurality of individual pockets located at at least some of the plurality of bends along the pathway and in at least one direction of air/gas flow along the pathway from the one end to the other end and with the individual pockets providing for trapping any bacteria introduced into the pathway at the one end and with all of such bacteria trapped before the other end of the pathway.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
139 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway for two opposite directions of air/gas flow, including an elongated pathway for two opposite directions of air/gas flow including a plurality of bends at periodic positions along the pathway, an opening at one end of the pathway for communication with an exterior environment, an opening at the other end of the pathway for communication with a sterile environment, and a plurality of individual pockets located at at least some of the plurality of bends along the pathway and in at least one direction of air/gas flow along the pathway from the one end to the other end and with the individual pockets providing for trapping any bacteria introduced into the pathway at the one end and with all of such bacteria trapped before the other end of the pathway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 7 wherein the elongated pathway is formed within a flat member and along the plane in which the flat member lies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 8 wherein the flat member is formed from two portions each having a part of the pathway formed as a groove in one surface and with the surfaces contiguous and with at least a portion of each groove overlying the other to provide a continuous pathway between the grooves in each portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 9 wherein the two portions including the grooves are substantially identical and with one portion rotated relative to the other to form the continuous pathway.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 8 for use with a wall portion wherein the flat member is formed from a single portion having a groove in one surface and with the surface contiguous with the wall portion to provide the continuous pathway along the groove.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 7 wherein the pockets are located at the bends in both directions of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
170 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of a sterile environment from an external environment, including a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior environment and with the other of the openings for communicating with the sterile environment, a pathway extending between the openings and with the pathway extending within the flat member and alon g the plane to the flat member for interconnecting the opening and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an area to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior environment communicating with the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening communicating with the sterile environment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
170 words
A devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of a sterile environment from an external environment, including a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior environment and with the other of the openings for communicating with the sterile environment, a pathway extending between the openings and with the pathway extending within the flat member and alon g the plane to the flat member for interconnecting the opening and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an area to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior environment communicating with the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening communicating with the sterile environment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 13 additionally including individual pockets located at at least some of the bends and with the pockets extending in at least one direction of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 14 wherein the pockets are located at the bends in both directions of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 13 wherein the flat member is formed from two portions each having a part of the pathway formed as a groove in one surface and with the surfaces contiguous and with at least a portion of each groove overlying the other to provide a continuous pathway between the grooves in each portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 16 wherein the two portions including the grooves are substantially identical and with one portion rotated relative to the other to form the continuous pathway.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The devious path bacterial barrier of claim 13 for use with a wall portion wherein the flat member is formed from a single portion having a groove in one surface and with the surface contiguous with the wall portion to provide the continuous pathway along the groove.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
199 words
A sterile package including a devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of the interior of the package from the exterior of the package, including a wall portion, an aperture in the wall portion of the package for communicating with the interior of the package, a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior and with the other of the openings for communicating with the aperture in the wall portion of the package, a pathway extending between the openings and with the pathway extending within the flat member and along the plane of the flat member for interconnecting the openings and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an area to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior to the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening communciating with the aperture.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
199 words
A sterile package including a devious path bacterial barrier for providing an air/gas pathway into and out of the interior of the package from the exterior of the package, including a wall portion, an aperture in the wall portion of the package for communicating with the interior of the package, a flat member lying within a plane and having spaced openings extending into the flat member and with one of the openings for communicating with the exterior and with the other of the openings for communicating with the aperture in the wall portion of the package, a pathway extending between the openings and with the pathway extending within the flat member and along the plane of the flat member for interconnecting the openings and providing an air/gas pathway for both directions of air/gas flow between the one opening of the flat member and the other opening, and the pathway including a plurality of bends along its length and with each bend providing an area to trap any bacteria introduced into the pathway from the exterior to the one opening and with all the bacteria trapped at a distance along the pathway before the other opening communciating with the aperture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The sterile package of claim 19 additionally including individual pockets located at at least some of the bends and with the pockets extending in at least one direction of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sterile package of claim 20 wherein the pockets are located at the bends in both directions of air/gas flow along the pathway.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
The sterile package of claim 19 wherein the flat member is formed from two portions each having a part of the pathway formed as a groove in one surface and with the surfaces contiguous and with at least a portion of each groove overlying the other to provide a continuous pathway between the grooves in each portion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The sterile package of claim 22 wherein the two portions including the grooves are substantially identical and with one portion rotated relative to the other to form the continuous pathway.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The sterile package of claim 19 wherein the flat member is formed from a single portion having a groove in one surface and with the surface contiguous with the wall of the package to provide the continuous pathway.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-10-26 | 1985-04-27 | 1985-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-10-26 | 1989-04-27 | 1989-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-10-26 | 1993-04-27 | 1993-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |