Dispensing from a sterile enclosure

• Main Authors: BARTLETT, JOHN R, BROWN, CEDRIC J A, PHIPPS, RAYMOND H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.05.1979
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILARCONTAINERS; BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; LIQUID HANDLING; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS; OPENING, CLOSING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING

A sterile or sterilizable container in which the contents are sealed has a wall provided by a rupturable membrane. Preferably the outer surface of the membrane is covered by a layer of sheet material peelably adhered thereto. To dispense the contents, another rupturable sheet is adhered to the membrane, having first removed the covering layer if present. The surface of said rupturable sheet remote from the membrane is sterile, and a sterile cutting tool is used to cut through the two rupturable layers to create an opening through which the contents can be discharged. The potentially contaminated outer surface of the container membrane is thus sealed to the adjacent surface of the rupturable sheet, which could also be contaminated, thereby minimizing the risk of such contamination being passed to the contents as they are dispensed from the container.