Cryogenic vial sleeve and related systems and methods
Inventors
Ally, Abdul H. • Simpson, Bruce • Hixon, Scott
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11882824-B2
Publication Date
2024-01-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
A vial sleeve for a cryogenic vial includes a cover portion including a side wall defining a cavity for receiving at least a portion of the vial, and a locking feature configured to operatively engage at least a portion of the vial for resisting movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve. The vial sleeve may include a first label adhered to an exterior surface of the side wall and including a first set of indicia. The first set of indicia may be different from a second set of indicia included on a second label adhered to an exterior surface of the vial.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a vial sleeve for a cryogenic vial that retains the vial by frictional engagement between the vial sleeve and a structure on the vial. The cryogenic vial includes a body having a side wall and a bottom wall defining an interior space, and an annular projection extending axially away from the bottom wall. The vial sleeve includes a base portion with a central bore and a cover portion extending axially away from the base portion, where the cover portion forms a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the vial body.
In the vial sleeve, a detent extends radially inwardly into the central bore and is axially spaced from the first and second surfaces of the sleeve base portion. The detent has a third diameter smaller than the second diameter of the cavity and smaller than the first diameter of the central bore. The detent is configured to frictionally engage the annular projection of the vial so that the frictional engagement and the annular projection are the only resistance of axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve in an axial direction away from the base portion.
The sleeve further supports labeling and relabeling by including a first label on the exterior of the sleeve and a second label on the exterior of the vial with indicia that can be different. The sleeve may include a window or aperture to provide fill-level viewing by aligning with an unobstructed longitudinal gap of the vial. The sleeve can also include machine-readable coding, such as a QR code and optionally RFID, identifying one or more contents of the cryogenic vial.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00012, and clm-00020. Across these claims, the inventive features focus on a detent frictionally engaging an annular projection to resist axial movement away from the base portion, and on structural and information-bearing features for identification and viewing on the vial sleeve, including label indicia, a window or aperture, and machine-readable coding.
Detent frictionally engages annular projection with only axial resistance
A vial sleeve for a cryogenic vial with a base portion defining a central bore and a cover portion defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the vial body, the cover portion extending axially away from the base portion. A detent extends radially inwardly into the central bore and is configured to frictionally engage the annular projection of the vial for resisting axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve, where the frictional engagement of the detent and the annular projection is the only resistance of axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve in an axial direction away from the base portion of the vial sleeve.
Diameters arranged so cavity receives vial body and detent engages annular projection only resistance
A vial sleeve for a cryogenic vial including a base portion defining a central bore having a first diameter configured to receive the annular projection of the vial, and a cover portion extending axially away from the base portion and including a side wall defining a cavity having a second diameter configured to receive at least a portion of the body of the vial. A detent extends radially inwardly into the central bore having a third diameter less than the second diameter and the first diameter, and is configured to frictionally engage at least a portion of the annular projection of the vial for resisting axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve, where the frictional engagement is the only resistance of axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve in an axial direction away from the base portion.
Arcuate tabs sandwich vial body between annular detent and ledge to resist axial movement
A vial sleeve for a cryogenic vial where a ledge is positioned between the neck and the side wall of the vial. The vial sleeve includes a cover portion extending axially away from a base portion and including a side wall defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the body of the vial. An annular detent extends radially inwardly from the side wall into the cavity, and at least one arcuate tab extends radially inwardly from the side wall into the cavity, with the annular detent configured to frictionally engage at least a portion of the vial body. The at least one arcuate tab is configured to extend over at least a portion of the ledge such that the at least one arcuate tab sandwiches the body of the vial between the at least one arcuate tab and the annular detent to resist axial movement of the vial away from the base portion of the vial sleeve.
The independent claims cover a cryogenic vial sleeve that resists axial movement of a vial by frictional engagement of a detent with an annular projection, defined by relative diameters of the central bore, cavity, and detent such that the frictional engagement and annular projection provide the only axial resistance. A further independent claim provides an annular detent together with at least one arcuate tab that extends over a ledge to sandwich the vial body and resist axial movement away from the base portion.
Stated Advantages
Resists axial movement of the vial relative to the vial sleeve in an axial direction away from the base portion.
Provides only resistance of axial movement in the stated axial direction via the frictional engagement of the detent and the annular projection.
Provides visual fill-level assessment via a window or aperture aligned with an unobstructed longitudinal gap.
Enables identification of vial contents via machine-readable coding such as a QR code and optionally RFID.
Enables labeling or relabeling by using a first label on the sleeve exterior with indicia different from a second label on the vial exterior.
Documented Applications
Relabeling of cryogenic vials at cryogenic temperature using a cryocart, including inserting a vial into a cooled sleeve holding updated indicia after removing a vial’s base [procedural detail omitted for safety].
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