Safety glass break-seal vessel

Abstract

Vessels formed to have a safety glass break-seal are described. The break-seal is formed as a hollow finger-like structure extending into the volume of the vessel which can be easily fractured by applying force to the inner surface of the structure. The break-seal design offers the advantage of being protected from external forces during shipment and handling of the vessel and the advantage of safety in that fracture of the break-seal structure does not leave sharp glass edges accessible to the hands of the user/operator. The safety glass break-seal vessel can be fitted with a secondary closure, such as an elastomeric septum, to provide protected access to the contained composition following fracture of the safety glass break-seal.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A vessel for containing a fluid, said vessel comprising a glass wall having an interior surface defining a volume, and an external surface, wherein at least a portion of said glass wall is formed as a hollow finger-like structure having a base and a base-distal portion extending into the volume, said hollow finger-like structure having an exterior surface forming a portion of the interior surface of the glass wall and an interior surface forming a portion of the exterior surface of the glass wall.  
     
     
         2 . The vessel of  claim 1  having a major axial dimension and a minor lateral dimension and an end wall.  
     
     
         3 . The vessel of  claim 2  wherein the end wall includes the glass wall formed as a hollow finger-like structure.  
     
     
         4 . The vessel of  claim 3  wherein the finger-like projection extends into the volume along an axis substantially parallel to the major axis of the vessel.  
     
     
         5 . The vessel of  claim 3  wherein the finger-like projection extends into the volume along an axis oblique to the major axis of the vessel.  
     
     
         6 . The vessel of  claim 1  wherein the finger-like structure has an arcuate axis.  
     
     
         7 . The vessel of  claim 2  wherein the vessel is sealed and contains a gas.  
     
     
         8 . The vessel of  claim 2  wherein the vessel is sealed and contains a liquid.  
     
     
         9 . The vessel of  claim 1  wherein the vessel is sealed and contains a gas.  
     
     
         10 . The vessel of  claim 1  wherein the vessel is sealed and contains a liquid.  
     
     
         11 . The vessel of  claim 3  wherein the surface of the finger-like projection is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         12 . The vessel of  claim 3  further comprising a flexible septum frictionally engaging an end proximal wall portion of the vessel and defining a supplemental volume with the end wall of the vessel including the portion of the vessel wall formed as the hollow finger-like structure.  
     
     
         13 . The vessel of  claim 11  further comprising a fracture element extending into the hollow finger-like projection and into the supplemental volume defined by the septum and the end wall of the vessel.  
     
     
         14 . The vessel of  claim 13  wherein the surface of the finger-like projection is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         15 . The vessel of  claim 1  wherein the surface of the finger-like projection is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         16 . The vessel of  claim 2  wherein the surface of the finger-like projection is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         17 . The vessel of  claim 6  wherein the surface of the finger-like structure is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         18 . The vessel of  claim 12  wherein the surface of the finger-like projection is scored proximal to its base.  
     
     
         19 . The vessel of  claim 13  wherein the flexible septum is substantially transparent or translucent to allow a user to position and manipulate the fracture element to break the finger-like projection by applying pressure to the flexible septum and the fracture element.  
     
     
         20 . A method for transferring a fluid sample to a closed system having a valved port said method comprising the steps of 
 sealing said fluid in a vessel of  claim 1;     selecting a flexible tube having first and second ends and an internal diameter sized to receive the end wall of the vessel, including the glass wall formed as a finger-like structure, and to sealingly engage the end proximal wall of the vessel and connecting one end of the tube to the valved port of the closed system;    inserting a fracture element into the finger-like projection extending into the vessel;    inserting the end wall of the vessel including the glass wall formed as a finger-like structure into the second end of the tube to form a gas sealed tube connection between the vessel and the valved port;    manipulating the fracture element to break the finger-like structure to allow the contained fluid into the tube; and    opening the valve to access the closed system and to transfer the fluid into the system.    
     
     
         21 . A method for transferring a fluid sample to a closed system having a valved port said method comprising the steps of 
 sealing said fluid in a vessel of  claim 3;     selecting a flexible tube having first and second ends and an internal diameter sized to receive the end wall of the vessel, including the glass wall formed as a finger-like structure, and to sealing engage the end proximal wall of the vessel and connecting one end of the tube to the valved port of the closed system;    inserting a fracture element into the finger-like projection extending into the vessel;    inserting the end wall of the vessel including the glass wall formed as a finger-like structure into the second end of the tube to form a gas sealed tube connection between the vessel and the valved port;    manipulating the fracture element to break the finger-like structure to allow the contained fluid into the tube; and    opening the valve to access the closed system and to transfer the fluid into the system.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of evacuating the tube connection between the vessel and the valved port before breaking the finger-like structure.  
     
     
         23 . A method for manufacture of an internal break-seal on a glass vessel comprising the steps of heating a glass wall of the vessel to the glass softening point and deforming the glass to form a hollow finger-like structure having a base and a base distal portion extending into the vessel, said finger-like structure having an internal surface forming a portion of the exterior surface of the vessel and an external portion forming a portion of the interior surface of the vessel.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of scoring the internal surface of the finger-like structure at its base.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the hollow finger-like structure is formed to have a substantially linear axis.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the hollow finger-like structure is formed to have a substantially arcuate axis.  
     
     
         27 . A method for opening a vessel of  claim 1  comprising the steps of inserting a fracture element into the hollow finger-like structure to contact its interior surface and manipulating said fracture element to apply sufficient force to said surface to fracture the finger-like structure.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the fracture element is manipulated by applying a lateral force to said element.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the fracture element is manipulated by applying an axial force to said element.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the fracture element is manipulated by applying a rotational force to said element.