Protective laboratory specimen bag

Abstract

A composite laboratory specimen bag (A) and method is illustrated which includes folded tubing (D) having a releasable lock (26) for forming a first fluid-tight compartment (B) for containing a laboratory specimen container. J-folded sheeting (E) with a reverse flip (46) forms a second compartment (C) for containing associated paper work. The tubing and sheeting are heat sealed together across a web (32) of the tubing to form a closed top composite bag with side mouth openings (24,48) for the compartments. A protective plate (62) avoids damage to the lock during the heat sealing step.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for producing a unitary specimen bag for packaging a laboratory specimen container and associated paper work comprising: supplying folded tubing having first and second side walls with a fluid-tight closure having first and second linear mating portions carried respectively by said first and second side walls wherein said second side wall comprises a web portion.[.;.].   extending above said first and second linear mating portions;   supplying J-folded sheeting having third and fourth opposing side walls on either side of a fold;   feeding said folded tubing and said J-folded sheeting in a superposed manner to heat sealing means;   forming an upper heat seal across an upper portion of said J-folded sheeting and said web portion of said folded tubing spaced from and generally parallel to said first and second linear mating surfaces joining said sheeting and web together;   forming spaced transverse heat seals at spaced intervals along the length of said superposed folded tubing and J-folded sheeting transverse to said upper heat seal joining said tubing and sheeting together at said spaced intervals to define a first compartment consisting of said first and second side walls joined together and a second compartment consisting of said third and fourth side walls joined together; and   severing said folded tubing and said J-folded sheeting along said spaced transverse heat seals to produce individual specimen bags wherein said first compartment contains said specimen container in a fluid-tight manner and said second compartment contains said paper work.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 including inserting a heat protective plate between said first and second side walls of said folded tubing while .Iadd.the .Iaddend.upper heat seal is being formed. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein said J-folded sheeting is supplied in a form which includes a reverse sheeting flip providing a narrow slit mouth opening for said second compartment. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein said J-folded sheeting is supplied in a form having a reverse sheeting flip with a recessed lip so that said sheeting flip extends past a free end of said fourth side wall providing a recessed mouth opening for said second compartment. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 wherein said web portion extends across said second wall of said first compartment; said second wall of said first compartment and said third wall of said second compartment being joined together by said upper seal providing a double wall between interiors of said first and second compartments. 
     
     
       6. A method for producing a unitary specimen bag for packaging a laboratory specimen container and associated paper work comprising: supplying plastic folded tubing having first and second side walls with a resealable lock having opposed linear mating portions carried by said first and second side walls;   supplying plastic folded sheeting having a third side wall and a fourth side wall which includes a reverse flip;   feeding said folded tubing and sheeting in a superposed manner to heat seal means;   forming a first heat seal across said second, third, and fourth side walls of said superposed sheeting and tubing;   forming a plurality of spaced second heat seals on said superposed sheeting and tubing transverse to said first heat seal to form a first compartment between said first and second side walls and a second compartment between said third and fourth side walls; and   forming said first heat seal in such a manner to form a closed top composite bag with said reverse flip forming a side mouth opening for said second compartment.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6 including inserting a heat protective plate between said first and second side walls of said folded tubing while first heat seal is being formed. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 6 including feeding said tubing with said resealable lock facing downwards and said reverse flip of said sheeting facing upwards. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 6 wherein said folded sheeting is supplied in a form having a reverse sheeting flip with a recessed lip so that said sheeting flip extends past a free end of said fourth side wall providing a recessed mouth opening for said second compartment. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 6 wherein said tubing is supplied in a form having a web which extends across said second wall of said first compartment; said second wall of said first compartment and said third wall of said second compartment being joined together by said seal providing a double wall between interiors of said first and second compartments. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 6 including forming said first heat seal on said .[.second.]. sidewall above said second linear mating portion of said releasable lock. .Iadd. 
     
     
       12.  A method for producing a unitary specimen bag having first and second generally side-by-side compartments for packaging a laboratory specimen container and associated paper work, respectively, comprising: supplying folded tubing for forming said first compartment including first and second side walls with a fluid-tight closure having first and second linear mating portions carried respectively substantially adjacent upper edges of said first and second side walls wherein said second side wall comprises a web portion extending above said first and second linear mating portions;   supplying separate sheeting providing third and fourth side walls and forming said second compartment at a side of said first compartment;   feeding said folded tubing and said sheeting in a prearranged generally side-by-side manner to heat sealing means;   forming an upper heat seal across an upper portion of said sheeting and said web portion of said folded tubing spaced above and generally parallel to said first and second linear mating surfaces joining said sheeting and web portion together;   forming spaced substantially transverse heat seals at spaced intervals along the length of said folded tubing and sheeting transverse to said upper heat seal joining said tubing and sheeting together at said spaced intervals to define said first compartment consisting of said first and second side walls joined together and said second compartment which includes said third and fourth side wall; and   severing said folded tubing and said sheeting along said spaced transverse heat seals to produce individual specimen bags wherein said first compartment is adapted to receive said specimen container in a fluid-tight manner and said second compartment is adapted to receive said paper work..Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       13.  The method of claim 12 including inserting a heat protective plate between said first and second side walls of said folded tubing while said upper heat seal is being formed..Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method of claim 12 wherein said sheeting is supplied to define a reverse flap providing a narrow slit mouth opening for said second compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The method of claim 12 wherein said sheeting is supplied to define a flap that extends past a free end of said fourth side wall providing a recessed mouth opening for said second compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The method of claim 12 wherein said web portion extends across said second wall of said first compartment; said second wall of said first compartment and said third side wall of said second compartment being joined together by said upper seal providing a double wall between interiors of said first 
     
     
        and second compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.17.  A method for producing a unitary specimen bag having first and second generally side-by-side compartments for packaging a laboratory specimen container and associated paper work comprising: supplying first and second plastic side walls for forming said first compartment with a fluid-tight closure having opposed linear mating portions carried by said first and second side walls to define said first compartment and a first bag opening said first bag opening being formed along one of said first and second side walls;   supplying sheeting to provide third and fourth side walls and forming said second compartment at a side of said first compartment having a second bag opening on a side of said specimen bag opposite said first bag opening;   feeding said side walls in a prearranged relation to a thermal sealing means;   forming a first seal across a plurality of said side walls along a line spaced from and generally parallel to said linear mating portion of said fluid-tight closure on said second side wall; and   forming a plurality of second seals between said side walls substantially transverse to said first seal to form said first compartment which includes said first bag opening for receiving and containing said specimen container in said fluid-tight manner, and to form said second compartment which is disposed next to a side of said first compartment and includes said second bag opening for receiving and containing said associated paper   
     
     
        work..Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  The method of claim 17 including inserting a heat protective plate between said first and second side walls of said folded tubing while said first heat seal is being formed..Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  The method of claim 17 wherein said third side wall is supplied to define a reverse flap and a narrow slit mouth opening for said second compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The method of claim 17 wherein said third side wall is supplied to define a reverse flap extending past a free end of said fourth side wall providing a recessed mouth opening for said 
     
     
        second compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.21.  The method of claim 17 wherein said first seal extends across said second wall of said first compartment; said second wall of said first compartment and said third side wall of said second compartment being joined together by said upper seal providing a double wall between interiors of said first and second 
     
     
        compartment..Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  A method for making a composite protective laboratory specimen bag having first and second generally side-by-side compartments for containing a laboratory specimen container and related paper work comprising: forming a first compartment from plastic side walls for containing a lab specimen container in a leak-proof manner on a first side of said composite bag having a first bag opening wherein said side walls have a resealable closure with opposing linear mating portions carried by said side walls for sealing said first compartment in said leak-proof manner;   forming a second compartment from plastic side walls along a second side of said composite bag for containing said related paper work having a second bag opening on said second side of said composite bag opposite said first side;   forming a transverse heat seal along certain ones of said side walls of said first and second compartments near an upper portion of said composite bag generally parallel and spaced from said linear mating portions of said resealable closure to join said first and second compartments together and close said composite bag from a top portion thereof so that entrance to said bag is had only at said first and second bag openings; and   forming a pair of side heat seals extending generally perpendicular to said transverse heat seal sealing side edges of said first and second compartments..Iaddend.