Sliding Sleeve for Storage of Samples

The invention concerns a sliding sleeve for storage of samples under sterile conditions, particularly at low temperatures.

Sliding sleeves consist of an inner and an outer cylindrical sleeve, which may be slid into each other at the openings. The interior space of the sliding sleeves pushed into each other is protected against particulate air-carried contamination. For this reason, it has long been used for items that must be packaged under sterile conditions. Recently, they have also been used in cryobanks. In these cryobanks, customers can have any sample preserved by means of liquid nitrogen for any length of time. Primarily, this applies to biological material which has unlimited storage life only at the low temperatures of the liquid nitrogen, such as, for instance, genetic material of rare species of animals and plants, rare blood groups, and small human organ parts. However, technical and chemical materials can also be stored in this manner, for instance, flavor and fragrance materials which cannot yet be fully comprehended analytically.

Since, in many cases, these samples constitute irreplacable materials, the clients frequently desire to protect the sliding sleeves from being opened without authorization.

An object of the invention is to create a sliding sleeve which cannot be opened by a third party except by force.

On the basis of the state of the art the invention accomplishes this object by means of having the outer sleeve extend beyond the inner sleeve to provide an apertured protruding edge through which a sealed wire is threaded.

Accordingly, the invention makes it possible to retain the advantages of the sliding sleeve, namely tight closure of the interior space against particulate contamination, and a compact construction. Simultaneously, the major disadvantage is overcome, namely the ease of opening.

The single FIGURE schematically illustrates a side view partly in section of an embodiment of the invention.

The sliding sleeve represented in the drawing consists of the outer sleeve 1, which opens downwards, and the inner sleeve 2, which is open upwards. In accordance with the invention, the outer sleeve 1 is longer than the inner sleeve 2, whereby the outer sleeve 1 forms a protruding edge 3 when the two are pushed together. According to the invention, there are two opposite borings 4 in the protruding edge 3, through which a fastening wire 5 has been drawn, which is secured by a seal 6. At the open end of the outer sleeve 1, two indentations 7 have been provided, which leave the closed end of the inner sleeve 2 partially free. The indentations 7 make it possible to separate the sleeves without problems after removal of the fastening wire 5.

Instead of the indentations 7, a handle can be applied to be bottom of the inner sleeve 2, by means of which the inner sleeve 2 can be pulled out of the outer sleeve 1. Sufficient prevention of unauthorized opening can also be achieved with only one boring 4, through which a sealable fastening wire can also be inserted, or, in which a lock may be mounted.