US4884684A — Containment device for biological materials

Claim 1

Independent Claim 156 words

A containment device for sealing and protecting containers of hazardous or biological materials comprising a resilient energy-absorbent cushion of aqueous fluid sorbent material that retains its ability to sorb fluid after responding to impact, the cushion having a plurality of openings, each opening being adapted for receiving a respective container of hazardous or biological material, the openings being arranged such that each opening is surrounded by sufficient sorbent material to sorb leakage of material from its respective container if the container and/or if any additional containers break and to resiliently absorb impact energy when the device is impacted, with the material resiliently returning to its original configuration after impact, and a case of aqueous fluid resistant material for receiving and enveloping the fluid sorbent material, the case including two generally stiff-flexible portions having parts adapted for complementary interengagement and adapted to receive means for sealing the portions together to form an air and fluid tight package.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 156 words

A containment device for sealing and protecting containers of hazardous or biological materials comprising a resilient energy-absorbent cushion of aqueous fluid sorbent material that retains its ability to sorb fluid after responding to impact, the cushion having a plurality of openings, each opening being adapted for receiving a respective container of hazardous or biological material, the openings being arranged such that each opening is surrounded by sufficient sorbent material to sorb leakage of material from its respective container if the container and/or if any additional containers break and to resiliently absorb impact energy when the device is impacted, with the material resiliently returning to its original configuration after impact, and a case of aqueous fluid resistant material for receiving and enveloping the fluid sorbent material, the case including two generally stiff-flexible portions having parts adapted for complementary interengagement and adapted to receive means for sealing the portions together to form an air and fluid tight package.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

A containment device according to claim 1 wherein said parts overlap so that the sealing means holds the portions in overlapping relationship.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

A containment device according to claim 2 further including tape to provide the sealing means for sealing the portions together.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

A containment device according to claim 2 wherein each portion of the case includes a base and a flange providing the parts and extending generally perpendicularly from the perimeter of the base, the flanges being adapted for overlapping interengagement.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

A containment device according to claim 4 wherein the portions of the case are separable.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

A containment device according to claim 4 wherein the case is formed of transparent or translucent material that permits leakage from the containers to be observed without opening the case.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

A containment device according to claim 4 further including reinforcing means adjacent the cushion for providing rigidity to the case.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

A containment device according to claim 7 wherein the reinforcing means includes a reinforcing strip of generally rigid material positioned between the flanges and the cushion, the reinforcing strip being sized to maintain sufficient spacing between the bases of the portions of the case for the cushion to be received therein while permitting the flanges of the portions to overlap.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

A containment device according to claim 8 wherein the reinforcing means further includes a reinforcing sheet positioned between at least one of the bases and the cushion.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

A containment device according to claim 4 wherein the cushion includes a plurality of sheets of sorbent material secured together in face-to-face relationship.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

A containment device according to claim 10 wherein the cushion includes a sheet of sorbent material secured to the base of each portion of the case.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 50 words

A containment device according to claim 1 wherein the cushion includes two separable sections of aqueous fluid sorbent material in which the container-receiving openings are formed, the sections being adapted for face-to-face interengagement, and the openings of one section being staggered with respect to the openings of the other section.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 48 words

A containment device according to claim 1 wherein the cushion has sufficient aqueous fluid sorbent material around each opening to isolate each container from its nearest other containers so that if hazardous or biological material leaks from one or more containers it will be isolated from other containers.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

A containment device according to claim 13 wherein the cushion has sufficient aqueous fluid sorbent material around each opening to provide a leak-sorbing safety factor of three or higher around each opening.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A containment device according to claim 13 wherein the cushion has a percentage void volume available for sorbing aqueous fluid of between approximately 50 and 95 percent.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

A containment device according to claim 15 wherein the cushion material includes nonwoven, fibrous surfactant-treated polyolefinic material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

A containment device according to claim 16 wherein the nonwoven, fibrous polyolefinic material includes blown microfiber material having discrete solid entities uniformly dispersed therein, the entities being adapted to interact with aqueous fluid material and/or biological material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 154 words

A containment device for sealing and protecting a container or hazardous or biological materials comprising a resilient energy-absorbent cushion of aqueous fluid sorbent material that retains its ability to sorb fluid after responding to impact, the cushion having an opening adapted for receiving a container of hazardous or biological material, the opening being surrounded by sufficient sorbent material to sorb leakage of material from the container if it breaks and to resiliently absorb impact energy when the device is impacted, with the material resilient returning to its original configuration after impact, and a case of aqueous fluid resistant material for receiving and enveloping the fluid sorbent material, the case including two generally stiff-flexible portions, each portion including a base and a flange extending from the perimeter of the base, the flanges being adapted for overlapping interengagement and adapted to receive means for sealing the portions together to form an air and fluid tight package.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 154 words

A containment device for sealing and protecting a container or hazardous or biological materials comprising a resilient energy-absorbent cushion of aqueous fluid sorbent material that retains its ability to sorb fluid after responding to impact, the cushion having an opening adapted for receiving a container of hazardous or biological material, the opening being surrounded by sufficient sorbent material to sorb leakage of material from the container if it breaks and to resiliently absorb impact energy when the device is impacted, with the material resilient returning to its original configuration after impact, and a case of aqueous fluid resistant material for receiving and enveloping the fluid sorbent material, the case including two generally stiff-flexible portions, each portion including a base and a flange extending from the perimeter of the base, the flanges being adapted for overlapping interengagement and adapted to receive means for sealing the portions together to form an air and fluid tight package.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

A containment device according to claim 18 further including tape to provide the sealing means for sealing the portions together.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 72 words

A containment device according to claim 18 further including reinforcing means adjacent the cushion for providing rigidity to the case, the reinforcing means including a reinforcing strip of generally rigid material positioned between the flanges and the cushion, the reinforcing strip being sized to maintain sufficient spacing between the bases of the portions of the case for the cushion to be received therein while permitting the flanges of the portions to overlap.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

A containment device according to claim 18 wherein the case is formed of transparent or translucent material that permits leakage from the container to be observed without opening the case.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-12-04	1993-06-05	1993-12-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-12-04	1997-06-05	1997-12-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-12-04	2001-06-05	2001-12-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Containment device for biological materials

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