The invention finds particular, but not exclusive, application in the protection of containers for biological samples, such as urine or blood samples taken in drug testing or"doping"procedures for athletes.

A sample taken for such purpose is divided and stored in two separate sample containers, one of which is used for laboratory testing. In the event of a positive doping test, the second sample is opened in the presence of witnesses and the testing repeated to confirm the positive result. Each sample container is typically a standard glass sample bottle or vial, having a conventional screw cap. Thus, there is a requirement to secure such a sample bottle in a tamper-evident fashion so that it is not possible to interfere with the sample once the sample bottle has been closed and sealed. Furthermore, there is a requirement that such sample bottles, which are often made of glass, are provided with some form of protection against fracture during transportation. Previously, such security and protection was provided using sealed security containers, such as that described in WO 94/04425. However, it is often necessary for the sample within the sample bottle to be visible so that, for example, it may be viewed by customs officials when being shipped internationally.

It would be desirable to provide a carrier that can be closed around such sample bottles in a tamper-evident fashion but allows the contents of the bottle and its label to be visible. It must be readily apparent on later inspection of the carrier if there has been any interference with the contents of the bottle. Furthermore, it would be desirable if such a carrier could provide protection for the sample bottle from damage during transportation.

Although the invention herein described is specifically directed to carriers for bottles containing biological samples, it should be understood, that the invention has widespread application, and may be used in other applications where the secure (ie tamper-evident) transportation of material is required.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a carrier formed from two separate parts and adapted to hold a sample bottle in a manner such that the sample bottle is visible between the two parts but the sample bottle closure cannot be accessed without it being apparent on subsequent observation of the carrier.

Preferably the carrier includes a locking mechanism to lock together the two parts of the carrier around the sample bottle.

Preferably the carrier comprises a first part comprising a body and a peripheral wall, adapted to receive and retain one end of the sample bottle with at least one plug extending therefrom with a snap fit connector head ; and a second part comprising a body and a peripheral wall adapted to receive and retain the other end of the sample bottle with a socket adapted to receive and retain the snap fit connector head of said plug.

In a preferred embodiment, each plug comprises a leg with said connector head at a distal end thereof, said leg having a length such that, when the terminal connector head is fully inserted in said socket, a gap remains between the peripheral wall of the first part and the peripheral wall of the second part through which the sample bottle may be viewed.

In the preferred embodiment, the plug is essentially planar and comprises a leg with a terminal connector head attached thereto, the terminal connector head being wider than the leg and having sides tapering inwardly towards the distal end of the plug and an internal opening tapering inwardly towards the proximal end of the plug allowing the sides of the connector head to be resiliently deformed inwardly to reduce the width of the connector head. The opening to the corresponding socket is narrower than the width of the connector head but allows the deformed connector head to enter the socket and, on full insertion, resume its original shape so that the connector head cannot be withdrawn.

Preferably each socket contains an integral locking stud positioned so as to engage with a recess adjoining said internal opening in the connector head when said connector head is fully inserted into said socket. Each socket, and particularly each locking stud, is preferably shaped so as to deform the connector head in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the plug so as to allow the snap fit connector head to pass over said locking stud until the connector head is fully inserted into said socket.

Other preferred and optional features of the described embodiments will be apparent from the following description and accompanying claims.

In order to promote a full understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention, an embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrier in accordance with the present invention containing a sample bottle; Figure 2 is a cross section of the carrier of Figure 1 along the line indicated by the reference X-X.

Figure 3a is a perspective view of the cover part of the carrier of Figure 1 ; Figure 3b is a perspective view of the base part of the carrier of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the plugs on the cover part of Figure 3a, and Figure 5 is a cross section of the base part of the carrier of Figure 3b along the line indicated by the reference Y-Y.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cover part of a preferred embodiment of the carrier.

Carrier 1, shown in the drawings, represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is designed for use with a sample bottle or vial 2 that may contain a liquid or solid sample. A typical sample bottle has a transparent cylindrical body 11, made of glass or plastic, and a removable fluid tight screw fitting cap 12. The carrier

1 of the present invention holds the sample bottle 2 in the manner shown in perspective view in Figure 1 and in cross section in Figure 2.

The carrier 1 comprises two parts referred to herein as the cover part 3 and the base part 4, although these labels are not intended to be limiting. Each part is moulded from a suitably tough and resilient plastic such as polypropylene using conventional moulding techniques such as injection moulding.

The cover part 3 comprises a body 31 with a peripheral wall 34 around its perimeter, said body 31 adapted to receive the end of the sample bottle 2 with the cap 12. The body 31 may contain protective padding 7, described below, and the peripheral wall 34 has a depth sufficient to completely conceal the cap 12 of the sample bottle 2. The precise internal shape of the body 31 and the padding 7 is determined according to the shape of the sample bottle 2 to be carried. In the present embodiment, the internal shape of the body 31 is circular in order to receive a generally cylindrical bottle 2.

Two resiliently deformable legs 32 extend from diametrically opposite sides of said body 31, substantially parallel to the peripheral wall 34. The legs 32 may include longitudinal ribbing to provide additional strength. In addition or alternatively, the legs 32 may have chamfered longitudinal edges and/or have a curvature following the contours of the carrier 1. Each leg 32 has at its end a resiliently deformable snap fit connector head 33 adapted for locking engagement with a corresponding snap fit socket 37, as described below.

The base part 4 comprises a base tray 35 with a peripheral wall 36 shaped so as to fit snugly around the sample bottle 2. The base portion 4 may contain protective padding 8 as described below. On diametrically opposite sides around the base tray 35, and integral to the peripheral wall 36, is a pair of snap fit sockets 37 adapted to receive and lock therein the snap fit heads 33 from the cover part 3.

As mentioned above, the carrier 1 preferably contains protective padding 7,8 which ensures that the sample bottle 2 is held tightly in the carrier 1 and provides protection for the sample bottle 2 against knocks, for example caused by dropping the carrier 1

or by rough handling during transportation. The padding 7,8, in one or each part 3,4 of the carrier 1 also provides a biasing force on the sample bottle 2 towards the other part of the carrier, which assists in firmly locking the connector heads 33 in the sockets 37 as described below. Either or both parts 3,4 of the carrier 1 may contain the padding 7,8 although in a preferred embodiment the padding is contained only in the base part 4. The protective padding 7,8 may be made from any suitable padding material, for example, a foam material such as foamed polystyrene or plastic, or rubber or cork.

The cover part 3 of the carrier 1 is adapted to enclose the cap 12 of the sample bottle 2. In particular, the peripheral wall 34 of the body portion 31 of the cover part 3 is sufficiently extensive to prevent access to the cap 12, the specific dimensions being determined by the sample bottle to be carried. The base part 4 of the carrier 1 is adapted to hold the other end of the sample bottle 2 so as to prevent removal of the cover part 3 from the sample bottle cap 12. The dimensions of the carrier, in particular the depth of the cover part, the base part and the length of the legs are determined such that when the cover part 3 and base part 4 are locked together, the inner dimensions of the carrier hold the sample bottle tightly therein.

In use, the closed sample bottle 2 is placed upright in the base part 4. The cover part 3 is then placed on top of the sample bottle 2 and that the snap fit connector heads 33 are inserted into the snap fit sockets 37. The cover part 3 is then pressed towards the base part 4 so as to fully insert the snap fit connector heads 33 which then engage with the snap fit sockets 37 and lock the cover part 3 and the base part 4 together, locking the sample bottle 2 within the carrier 1 and preventing access to the sample bottle cap 12. In the locked carrier, the sample bottle 2 is still visible between the cover part 3 and the base part 4 as a result of the length of the legs 32.

The snap fit locking mechanism of the preferred embodiment is now described in more detail.

The snap fit connector head 33 is essentially planar and of generally triangular shape.

The head 33 has an essentially arrow shaped plug structure and is integrally attached to the leg 32 with its wider end adjacent to, and wider than the width of, the leg 32 to form hooks 43. The connector head 33 has an opening 41, which may be tapered as illustrated, extending centrally through the head 33 from its distal end that allows the tapering sides 42 of the connector head 33 to be resiliently deformed inwardly so as to reduce the apparent width of the plug perpendicular to the leg 32. Such deformation enables the snap fit connector head 33 to pass through the somewhat narrower opening 38 of the snap fit socket 37. Internally, at the remote end thereof, the snap fit socket 37 has a shape complementary to the connector head 33, thereby allowing the snap fit connector head 33 to resume its original shape when fully inserted into the snap fit socket 37. The snap fit connector head 33 is thus held in the socket by abutment of the hooks 43 against complementary shoulders in the socket 37.

The triangular shape of the connector head 33 is not essential but it provides tapered sides that direct some of the force applied when pushing the plug into the socket so as to close the opening 41. A similar effect could be achieved using, for example, a trapezium shape, provided the shorter parallel side of the trapezium was shorter than the width of the snap fit socket 37.

A locking stud 51 protrudes radially into the snap fit socket 37 and in the locked position engages with the snap fit connector head 33 to prevent withdrawal thereof.

The end of locking stud 51 is sloped to deflect the snap fit connector head 33 radially inwardly over the locking stud 51 as the connector head 33 is inserted into the corresponding socket 37. The internal walls of the snap fit socket 37 are configured to provide sufficient space to accommodate for this deflection of the connector head 33 during insertion. Once the connector head 33 is fully inserted, it resumes its original shape, the opening 41 widens and the locking stud 51 fits into a generally circular recess 44 in the opening 41 thereby holding the opening 41 open and preventing it from being forcibly closed to release the snap fit connector head 33 from the snap fit socket 37.

One potential means to access the sample container 2 without it being readily apparent may be to insert a thin blade between the outer internal edge of the snap fit socket 37 and the leg 32 in order to sever the locking stud 51. It may then be possible to use probes to apply a lateral force to the tapering sides 42 of the snap fit connector head 33 allowing the connector head 33 to be removed from the snap fit socket 37. In order to avoid this possibility, it may be desirable to conceal the opening of the socket 37, especially the outer edge of the opening, when the carrier is closed. This may be achieved by a projection around the outer edge, or the complete periphery, of each leg, located so as to sit just above the opening 38 of the snap fit socket 37 when fully inserted. The projection is preferable moulded integrally with the leg and may take any suitable shape or form. A preferred implementation may be to provide the projection as a step such that the thickness of the leg 32 above the step is greater that the remainder of the leg 32 adjacent the snap fit connector head 33. Any interference with the step or projection will be readily apparent from a cursory inspection of the carrier 1 whereas the clean severing of the locking stud 51 will be essentially internal and may not be so easily detected.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides a carrier which can seal a sample bottle in a tamper-evident fashion while the content of the sample bottle, and any label thereon, remains visible. Furthermore, the carrier described provides protection for the sample bottle against rough handling during transportation.

Various modifications and changes to the described embodiment are envisaged. For example, the snap fit connector head 33 may be exchanged with the snap fit socket 37 on some or all of the connectors such that the socket 37 forms part of the cover portion 3 and the snap fit connector head 33 extends from the base portion 4.

Whilst the locking mechanism of the preferred embodiment uses a pair of plugs and sockets, in other embodiments a single connection may be employed or three or more connectors may be used, equally spaced around the periphery of the carrier.

A defined area of weakness in the legs 32, the cover portion 3 or the base portion 4 to allow the carrier to be broken open at the appropriate time would be useful. Such an area of weakness may comprise a scoring of the legs 32 or a tear off section in the cover portion 3 or base portion 4.

In the embodiment, shown in Figure 6, each of the legs 32 has a pair of score lines 61, 62 of generally V-shaped cross section extending transversely across it. A first score line 61 weakens the area where the leg 32 joins the peripheral wall 34 of the cover part 3. A second score line 62 weakens the area where the leg 32 joins the snap fit connector head 33. The second score line 62 is positioned so that it is just inside the snap fit socket 37 when the snap fit connector head 33 is fully inserted into the snap fit socket 37. This positioning of the score line 62 is advantageous. In particular, anyone attempting to tamper with the locked carrier, and in particular attempting to withdraw the snap fit connector head 33 from the snap fit socket 37, can only grip the leg 32 above the score line. However, any significant force applied to the leg 32 above the score line 62, resulting from an attempt to remove the connector head 33 from the socket 37, will break the leg 32 along the score line 62, thus making it evident that tampering has taken place.

The presence of two score lines 61,62 on each leg 32 facilitates the breaking open of the carrier at an appropriate time, such as when it reaches its correct destination. The carrier may be broken open by rotating the cover part 3 and the base part 4 in opposite directions.

The scoring depth is approximately half the thickness of the leg 32 and therefore does not weaken the legs 32 sufficiently to compromise their ability to transmit the pressure necessary to close the snap fit locking mechanism from the top of the carrier when the carrier is being locked.

The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments but rather includes all such modifications, variations and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.