Specimen collection and shipping kit and container therefor

Abstract

A shipping container is provided for shipping specimens from collection sites to testing facilities. The container includes a base for holding a specimen-containing vial during shipment. The base includes a compartment for receiving at least one implement used in collecting the specimen. Resealable closure means are provided for closing and sealing the shipping container to allow the container to be opened and inspected during shipment and resealed for final shipment to the testing facility. A specimen collection and shipping kit includes the container, at least one vial and at least one collecting implement.

1 . A specimen collection and shipping kit, comprising: 
 at least one implement for collecting a specimen;    at least one vial for storing the collected specimen;    a shipping container for shipment to a testing facility, the shipping container including    a protective box to hold the vial during shipment,    a compartment for placing the implement thereinto for shipment with the vial, and    resealable closure means for closing and sealing the shipping container to allow the container to be opened and inspected during shipment and resealed for final shipment to the testing facility.    
   
   
       2 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 1  wherein said protective box defines a box-like base having a cavity for receiving and holding the vial during shipment.  
   
   
       3 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 2  wherein said box-like base includes a plurality of said cavities for receiving and holding a plurality of said vials.  
   
   
       4 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 3  wherein said cavities are in a cluster with said compartment located alongside the cluster of cavities.  
   
   
       5 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 4  wherein said cluster of cavities is located centrally of the box-like base, with a pair of said compartments along opposite sides of the cluster of cavities.  
   
   
       6 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 1  wherein said vial includes a cup-like body and a lid to cover and close the body.  
   
   
       7 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 1  wherein said shipping container comprises a one-piece structure fabricated of foldable sheet material.  
   
   
       8 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 7  wherein said sheet material comprises corrugated cardboard or plastic.  
   
   
       9 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 7  wherein said shipping container includes an inner flap foldable over the protective box and the vial held thereon.  
   
   
       10 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 9  wherein at least a portion of said inner flap is at least translucent td afford visualization of the vial therebeneath.  
   
   
       11 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 9  wherein said inner flap is foldable over the compartment and the implement placed therewithin.  
   
   
       12 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 11  wherein at least a portion of said inner flap is at least translucent to afford visualization of the vial and the implement therebeneath.  
   
   
       13 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 9  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flap and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       14 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 13  wherein said outer flap includes a first releasable seal and at least a second reseal.  
   
   
       15 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 14  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means respectively correlated to said first releasable seal and said second reseal to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in effecting the seal and reseal.  
   
   
       16 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 15  wherein said indicia means are on the inner flap.  
   
   
       17 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 9  wherein said inner flap comprises a first inner flap, and including a second inner flap foldable over the first inner flap.  
   
   
       18 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 17  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flaps and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       19 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 1  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereon including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in initially packing the container and subsequently inspecting the container.  
   
   
       20 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 19  wherein said indicia means include indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       21 . The specimen collection and shipping kit of  claim 1  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereon including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       22 . A shipping container for shipping specimens from collection sites to testing facilities, comprising: 
 a base for holding a specimen-containing vial during shipment, the base including a compartment for receiving at least one implement used in collecting the specimen; and    resealable closure means for closing and sealing the shipping container to allow the container to be opened and inspected during shipment and resealed for final shipment to the testing facility.    
   
   
       23 . The shipping container of  claim 22  wherein said base is a box-like structure having a cavity for receiving and holding the vial during shipment.  
   
   
       24 . The shipping container of  claim 23  wherein said box-like base includes a plurality of said cavities for receiving and holding a plurality of said vials.  
   
   
       25 . The shipping container of  claim 24  wherein said cavities are in a cluster with said compartment located alongside the cluster of cavities.  
   
   
       26 . The shipping container of  claim 25  wherein said cluster of cavities is located centrally of the box-like base, with a pair of said compartments along opposite sides of the cluster of cavities.  
   
   
       27 . The shipping container of  claim 22  wherein said shipping container comprises a one-piece structure fabricated of foldable sheet material.  
   
   
       28 . The shipping container of  claim 27  wherein said sheet material comprises corrugated cardboard or plastic.  
   
   
       29 . The shipping container of  claim 27  wherein said shipping container includes an inner flap foldable over the base, the specimen-containing vial in the base and the implement-containing compartment.  
   
   
       30 . The shipping container of  claim 29  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flap and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       31 . The shipping container of  claim 30  wherein said outer flap includes a first releasable seal and at least a second reseal.  
   
   
       32 . the shipping container of  claim 31  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means respectively correlated to said first releasable seal and said second reseal to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in effecting the seal and reseal.  
   
   
       33 . The shipping container of  claim 32  wherein said indicia means are on the inner flap.  
   
   
       34 . The shipping container of  claim 29  wherein said inner flap comprises a first inner flap, and including a second inner flap foldable over the first inner flap.  
   
   
       35 . The shipping container of  claim 34  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flaps and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       36 . The shipping container of  claim 22  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereof including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in initially packing the container and subsequently inspecting the container.  
   
   
       37 . The shipping container of  claim 36  wherein said indicia means include indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       38 . The shipping container of  claim 22  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereon including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       39 . A shipping container for shipping specimens from collection sites to testing facilities, comprising: 
 a base for holding a collected specimen; and    a resealable closure means for closing and sealing the base to allow the container to be opened and inspected during shipment and resealed for final shipment to the testing facility.    
   
   
       40 . The shipping container of  claim 39  wherein said base is a box-like structure for receiving and holding the collected specimen.  
   
   
       41 . The shipping container of  claim 39  wherein said shipping container comprises a one-piece structure fabricated of foldable sheet material.  
   
   
       42 . The shipping container of  claim 41  wherein said sheet material comprises corrugated cardboard or plastic.  
   
   
       43 . The shipping container of  claim 41  wherein said shipping container includes an inner flap foldable over the base and the collected specimen held in the base.  
   
   
       44 . The shipping container of  claim 43  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flap and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       45 . The shipping container of  claim 44  wherein said outer flap includes a first releasable seal and at least a second reseal.  
   
   
       46 . The shipping container of  claim 45  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means respectively correlated to said first releasable seal and said second reseal to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in effecting the seal and reseal.  
   
   
       47 . The shipping container of  claim 46  wherein said indicia means are on the inner flap.  
   
   
       48 . The shipping container of  claim 43  wherein said inner flap comprises a first inner flap, and including a second inner flap foldable over the first inner flap.  
   
   
       49 . The shipping container of  claim 48  wherein said shipping container includes an outer flap foldable over the inner flaps and providing said resealable closure means.  
   
   
       50 . The shipping container of  claim 39  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereof including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the protocol in initially packing the container and subsequently inspecting the container.  
   
   
       51 . The shipping container of  claim 50  wherein said indicia means include indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       52 . The shipping container of  claim 39  wherein said shipping container includes indicia means thereon including indicia to be filled in by a user to indicate the contents of the container.  
   
   
       53 . A blank formed from a single sheet of material to be folded into a specimen collection and shipping container, comprising: 
 a generally rectangular bottom panel having first and second opposite sides and third and fourth opposite sides with all sides being mutually perpendicular to each other;    a platform panel attached to the first side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the platform panel is foldable over the bottom panel in an elevated position, the platform panel being configured for holding a specimen-containing vial during shipment;    an inner panel attached to the third side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the inner panel is foldable over the platform panel and the vial held thereby; and    an outer panel attached to the second side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the outer panel is foldable over the inner panel.    
   
   
       54 . The blank of  claim 53  wherein said platform panel is of a smaller size than the bottom panel whereby a compartment is formed along at least one side of the platform panel to create a compartment for receiving an implement used in the collection of a specimen.  
   
   
       55 . The blank of  claim 53  wherein said inner panel comprises a first inner panel, and including a second inner panel attached to the fourth side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the second inner panel is foldable over the first inner panel.  
   
   
       56 . The blank of  claim 53 , including a closure panel attached to a free end of said outer panel along at least one longitudinal fold line whereby the closure panel is foldable over an outside of the bottom panel.  
   
   
       57 . The blank of  claim 53  wherein said elevated platform panel is blanked with a plurality of apertures to form cavities for holding a plurality of specimen-collecting vials.  
   
   
       58 . A blank formed from a single sheet of material to be folded into a specimen collection and shipping container, comprising: 
 a generally rectangular bottom panel having first and second opposite sides and third and fourth opposite sides with all sides being mutually perpendicular to each other;    an inner panel attached to the third side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the inner panel is foldable over the bottom panel in a box-like configuration;    an outer panel attached to the second side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the outer panel is foldable over the inner panel; and    a closure panel foldable over an outside of the bottom panel.    
   
   
       59 . The blank of  claim 58  wherein said inner panel comprises a first inner panel, and including a second inner panel attached to the fourth side of the bottom panel along longitudinal fold lines whereby the second inner panel is foldable over the first inner panel.