Abstract:
Packaging  1  for use in the transport of an item through the mail, the packaging comprising first  3  and second  5  components that can be assembled to define a storage cavity for the item to be transported and an opener  11, 13  operable to open the packaging  1 , wherein said components  3, 5  cannot be reassembled once said opener  11, 13  has been operated to open the packaging.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to packaging. One particularly preferred embodiment of the invention relates to packaging for use in the transport of materials through the mail. In one illustrative embodiment these materials are hazardous materials such as blood or other bodily fluids.  
           [0002]    The present invention, and its advantages over the prior art, will now be described with particular reference to the transport of hazardous materials, such as blood samples or the like, through the mail. However, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the teachings of the invention will prove useful in a variety of different circumstances. As a consequence, the following description should not be read as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.  
         BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    As an alternative to hand delivery or expensive courier services, it has previously been proposed to transport materials, such as blood samples for example, by mail from a location where the samples are obtained (such as a Doctor&#39;s surgery or hospital for example) to another location (such as a laboratory) where tests can be undertaken upon the samples supplied.  
           [0004]    For these tests to be undertaken, the packaging employed in the transport of the samples must be sufficiently robust to ensure that the samples are in a good condition when the laboratory receives them. It is also desirable, in the event that the samples have been damaged during transit, for that damage to be apparent when the packaging is first opened so that the likelihood of the individual opening the package coming into contact with the materials, or injuring themselves on the damaged packaging, is reduced.  
           [0005]    It is also preferred for the packaging to be shaped so that it can be posted through a conventional letterbox in order to avoid delaying delivery of the package simply because the recipient&#39;s premises are not open when delivery is attempted. This is of particular importance given the recently proposed reduction in the number of daytime postal deliveries in the United Kingdom. An appropriately shaped package would also be convenient for the sender since such a package would not have to be taken to a post office for posting, but could instead be posted through the posting slot of any conventional mailbox.  
           [0006]    Another preferred requirement for packaging is that it must be difficult, and preferably impossible, for third parties to interfere with the samples within the packaging without detection of the interference by the recipient. For example, if blood samples have been taken as part of a drug testing programme for athletes, then no-one but the appropriate authorities should be able to gain undetected access to the samples if the results of the testing are to be legally enforceable.  
           [0007]    United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2,184,421 discloses a mailer for blood products that is typical of previously proposed packaging. The mailer described in this document comprises an insulating foam bag in which glass ampoules containing blood are held by a series of foam tubes that have been joined to one another. The tubes are held in place within the bag by wedge-shaped packing bags, and the mailer is closed by two safety closures with backwardly facing barbs that resist accidental removal.  
           [0008]    A problem with this mailer is that whilst it does provide some protection to the ampoules, it is still possible to break those ampoules by flexing or crushing the packaging. It is also possible to remove the safety closures and then reapply them without detection. Another problem with this mailer is that it is not possible to determine whether the ampoules are intact before the mailer is opened, and as a consequence there is a significant risk of injury to the person opening the mailer.  
           [0009]    United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2,213,457 discloses packaging which is more robust than that proposed in UK Application No. 2,184,421, but which still suffers from problems associated with verifying that the contents are intact before opening, and that they have not been interfered with during transit.  
           [0010]    U.S. patent application Ser. No. 5,620,097 discloses a mailer that is designed to facilitate the transport of thin, generally flat substrates bearing dried blood spots, for example, through the mail. The mailer disclosed in this document, if adapted for the transport of larger samples, would also be affected by some of the problems mentioned above, in particular those affecting the packaging described in UK Patent Application No. 2,213,457.  
           [0011]    It is an aim of the present invention to avoid, or at least reduce, some or all of the problems described above.  
         STATEMENT OF INVENTION  
         [0012]    In pursuit of this aim, one embodiment of the invention provides packaging for use in the transport of an item through the mail, the packaging comprising (preferably two) components that can be assembled to define a storage cavity for the item to be transported and an opener which is operable to open the packaging, wherein said components cannot be assembled once said opener has been operated to open the packaging.  
           [0013]    By virtue of this arrangement it is easy for a recipient of the packaging to determine whether or not an attempt has been made to tamper with the contents during transit.  
           [0014]    Another embodiment of the invention provides packaging comprising a first component and a second component that can be locked together to define a cavity, a translucent or transparent inner receptacle coupled to said first component and engageable with a formation on the inside of the second component to form a sealed compartment within said cavity, said compartment being sized to accept an item or items to be transported, a remaining portion of said cavity outside of said compartment providing another storage location for further items to be transported, wherein the lock between the first and second components is such that it cannot be opened once engaged, and wherein an opener is provided to enable one of said components to be broken open to provide access to the interior of the packaging, the arrangement being such that the first and second compartments cannot be locked together once said opener has been operated.  
           [0015]    Preferred features of these embodiments are set out in the dependent claims. Other advantages of the embodiments are set out elsewhere in the description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the front of packaging in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the rear of the packaging shown in Fig. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the inside of the packaging shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 a  is an enlarged partial section along the line a-a in FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is an exploded top perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 3 with an anti-lock insert removed;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the packaging;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inside of a top part of the packaging;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 7 a  to  7   g  are various views of a bottom part of the packaging;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 8 a  to  8   f  are various views of an inner receptacle of the packaging;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 a  is a schematic representation of a sample bottle;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 9 b  is a schematic illustration of sample bottle that has been wrapped in an absorbent covering and placed inside a clear press-sealable bag;  
         [0028]    [0028]Figs. 10 a  to  10   d  are schematic views of the assembled packaging (including sample bottles) before posting;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 11 is a plan view of the underside of an adhesive label fixable to the outside of the packaging;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the packing with the label of FIG. 11 partly affixed thereto;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 13 and 14 are front and rear views, respectively, of the packaging after all of the label shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 has been adhered to the packaging; and  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 15 is a plan view of an illustrative alternative construction for the inner receptacle shown in FIGS. 8 a  to  8   f.   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]    Embodiments of the invention illustrating presently preferred best modes for practising the invention will now be described with particular reference to the use of the packaging as a mailer for hazardous materials such as blood samples. It will be appreciated that the mailer can be used for a variety of different functions, and in a variety of different ways and thus that the following description should not be read as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.  
         [0034]    As will now be explained in detail, the packaging of the preferred embodiment comprises an inner receptacle that is secured within the bottom part of a two-part outer housing. The packaging is supplied with an insert that must be removed before the packaging can be used. The insert is provided to prevent respective complementary components of an engagement mechanism from engaging to lock the top part to the bottom part until the packaging is ready to be placed in the mail. Preferably the outer housing and inner receptacle are formed by injection moulding, and are of polypropylene and clear polycarbonate respectively. In a highly preferred embodiment, the packaging of the invention is of a material that can be recycled.  
         [0035]    As mentioned above, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the front of an item of packaging  1  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The packaging illustrated in FIG. 1 is in an unlocked state where a top part  3  and a bottom part  5 , that together define an outer housing  7 , can be freely separated. FIG. 2 illustrates the rear of the packaging shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0036]    As shown in the drawings, the packaging is generally rectangular in cross section so that it can easily be fitted through most normal posting box apertures. As an example, for United Kingdom posting boxes it is preferred that the packaging is no thicker than 50 mm, no wider than 150 mm and no taller than 180 mm. These dimensions may be varied at will to account for differently shaped posting slots in different countries.  
         [0037]    Clearly visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a continuous line  9  that comprises a line of weakness in the outer housing  7 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the line  9  defines a generally rectangular strip  11  that extends from the front of the packaging, and around one side of the packaging to the rear thereof. One end of the strip  11  (otherwise referred to herein as an opener) is formed with a pull-tab  13  adjacent a half-moon shaped aperture  14  in the outer housing that is provided to make it easier for a user to grasp the pull tab when the packaging is opened (as will later be described). Joining either end of the strip  11 , and extending around the other side of the packaging is another line of weakness  15  that enables the top part  3  to be separated from the bottom part  5  when the packaging is opened.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the inside of the packaging  1  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown, the packaging includes an inner receptacle  17  that is secured (as will later be described) within the bottom part  5  of the outer housing  7 . Clearly visible in FIG. 3 is an anti-lock insert  19  that functions to prevent respective complementary components of an engagement mechanism from engaging to lock the top part  3  to the bottom part  5  until the packaging is ready to be used. Just visible below the bottom edge of the top part  3  are end portions of two of a number of barbed resilient tabs  21  which form the component of the aforementioned engagement mechanism provided on the top part  3  of the packaging  1 . As will later be described, the barbed tabs  21  can engage with corresponding slots  23  (forming the component of the aforementioned engagement mechanism provided on the top part  3  of the packaging  1 ) to lock the top part  3  to the bottom part  5 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 3 a  is an enlarged partial section along the line a-a in FIG. 1 that illustrates how the insert  19  (which could be of cardboard or plastic for example) functions to prevent the top part  3  from locking to the bottom part  5 . The insert  19  is shaped to rest on an internal lip  25  formed about the inside of the peripheral edge of the bottom part  5 . With the insert placed within the bottom part  5  the barbs on the resilient tabs  21  are prevented from engaging with the slots  23 , and as a consequence the top part  3  cannot be locked to the bottom part  5 .  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 4 is an exploded top perspective view of the packaging of FIG. 3 with the anti-lock insert  19  removed. The inside of the bottom part  5  is divided in two by a curved medial wall  26  to define a first cavity  28  in which the internal receptacle  17  can be fitted, and a second cavity  27  that is provided with a number of structural supports  29  which help to strengthen the packaging against damage.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the packaging  1 . As shown, the underside  33  of the packaging  1  has two openings  35  with barbed internal walls (see FIG. 7 f  for example) that engage with barbed tabs  67  depending from a bottom wall of the inner receptacle, to hold the inner receptacle within the packaging  1 . Each end of the underside of the packaging is formed with a generally T-shaped structure  39  that allows the bottom part  5  of the packaging  1  to be stood upright.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inside of the top part  3  of the packaging  1 . A number of indented channels  41  are formed in the peripheral wall of the top part, and the above described barbed tabs  21  each extend from a back wall  43  of a respective indented channel behind a portion  45  of the top part peripheral wall that bridges each of the aforementioned channels  41 . The bridging portions  45  function to obstruct access to the barbs  21  from outside of the packaging when the barbs are secured in the slots  23 . The barbed tabs are interconnected by a series of structural reinforcing walls  47  that are provided to increase the strength of the top part.  
         [0043]    A cap  49  is formed inside one end of the top part, and a peripheral wall  51  of the cap  49  is spaced from the peripheral wall of the top part to form a slot  53  that the open end of the inner receptacle  17  can fit into when the top part  3  and the bottom part  5  are fitted together. The cap  49  has a domed internal cavity  55  formed by a number of interconnected reinforcing walls  57  to increase the strength of the cap. A number of detents  54  (two of which are visible) are formed on the inside of the peripheral wall of the top part  3 , and extend inwardly from the peripheral wall into the slot  53 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIGS. 7 a ,  7   b ,  7   c  and  7   d  are, respectively, schematic elevations of the front of the bottom part  5 , the back of the bottom part  5 , the left side of the bottom part  5 , and the right side of the bottom part  5 . FIG. 7 e  is an underneath plan view of the bottom part  5  showing the T-shaped structures  39  and slots  35 .  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 7 f  is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 7 d  showing the curved medial wall  25  that defines the first cavity  26  in which the internal receptacle  17  can be fitted, and the second cavity  27 . Also visible are the reinforcing structural walls  29 , the aperture  14  in the outer housing formed alongside the pull tab  13 , and the barbed internal walls  59  of the two openings  35  in the underside  33  of the bottom part  5 . FIG. 7 g  is a top plan view of the inside of the bottom part along the line B-B in FIG. 7 f.    
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 8 a  is a perspective view of the inner receptacle  17 . As shown, the receptacle is hollow, and generally cylindrical with one open end and another closed end.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 8 b  is an elevation of the inner receptacle  17 . In the preferred embodiment the receptacle is formed of clear polycarbonate so that the contents of the receptacle can be viewed before they are removed. The receptacle is also formed with a channel  61  running around the outside of the peripheral wall of the receptacle close to the open end thereof. The channel  61  is sized to accept an o-ring (not shown) that forms a seal against the inside of the slot  53  when the top and bottom parts of the packaging are fitted together. A number of notches  63  are formed in the peripheral wall of the receptacle, and are positioned so that they engage with the detents  54  projecting inwardly from the peripheral wall of the top part  3  when the top part is coupled to the bottom part.  
         [0048]    The closed end of the receptacle is formed with a pair of recesses  65 , and a barbed projection  67  is formed in each recess. The barbed recesses are arranged to engage with the barbed internal walls  59  of the two openings  35  in the underside  33  of the bottom part  5  to secure the inner receptacle to the bottom part  5 . FIG. 8 e  is a plan view of the underside of the closed end of the inner receptacle.  
         [0049]    In the preferred arrangement the strength of the coupling between the inner receptacle  17  and the bottom part  5  is greater than the strength of the coupling between the detents  54  and notches  63 . This arrangement is preferred so that the inner receptacle  17  will decouple from the top part  3  (when the packaging is opened) before the inner receptacle  17  will decouple from the bottom part  5 . In an alternative embodiment, where is desired to extract the receptacle from the packaging before decoupling it from the top part  3 , the opposite arrangement could instead be provided.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIGS. 8 c  and  8   d  are lateral and longitudinal cross-sectional views, respectively, illustrating a pair of reinforcing internal walls  69  that increase the strength of the inner receptacle (by bracing the peripheral wall of the receptacle), as well as serving to divide the interior of the inner receptacle into two compartments  71 . FIG. 8 f  is a plan view of the inner receptacle showing the internal walls  69  and compartments  71 .  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 9 a  is a schematic representation of a sample bottle  73  of the type commonly used for blood samples, urine samples, or other potentially hazardous samples. The bottle  73  comprises a hollow cylinder  75  that is closed by a cap  77  screw-threaded or snap-fitted thereon. As shown in FIG. 9 b , in the preferred embodiment the bottles are wrapped in an absorbent or super-absorbent covering  79  which is impregnated with appropriate chemicals to induce a colour change on contact with fluid of the type enclosed within the bottle. The bottle and absorbent covering are then placed inside a clear, press-sealable bag  81  (such as a plastic or polythene bag for example) that is sealed before being placed in one of the compartments  71  of the inner receptacle  17 . This arrangement is preferred because the clear bag allows the individual opening the bag to immediately see whether there has been a colour change in the absorbent covering indicative of a leak from the bottle.  
         [0052]    As an alternative to providing a covering that has been impregnated with chemicals it may simply be sufficient to colour the covering so that the contents of the bottle would be visible is they were to be spilt onto the covering. For example, if the sample were blood then the covering could be dyed white so that the red blood is clearly visible if it should leak from the bottle during transit.  
         [0053]    FIG  10   a  is a longitudinal cross sectional view of packaging in which a pair of sample bottles sealed in clear bags (as shown in FIG. 9 b ) have been placed in respective compartments  71  of the inner receptacle  17  before snap fitting the top part  3  to the bottom part  5 . As shown, the open end of the receptacle is received in the groove  53  shown in FIG. 6, and the O-ring provided within the channel  61  formed around the outside of the receptacle serves to seal the inside of the cap  49  and receptacle  17  from the remainder of the packaging.  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 10 b  is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 10 a  showing the extent of the second cavity  27  within the bottom part  5 . The cavity  27  can be used for a variety of different purposes, and is ideal for storing any paperwork associated with the samples (such as paperwork identifying the individual providing the sample).  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 10 c  is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line B-B in FIG. 10 a , and provides a plan view of the interior of the packaging  1 , showing the two compartments  71  in the receptacle  17 , the two press-sealable bags  81  (and sample bottles  73 ), and the second cavity  27 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 10 d  is an enlarged partial sectional view along the line C-C through a barbed tab  21  and associated slot  23  that have engaged as the top  3  and bottom  5  parts of the packaging  1  have been fitted together. As shown, the bridging portion  45  (explained in detail above in connection with FIG. 6) has obscured the slot  23  so that access to the barbs  21  from outside of the packaging when the barbs are secured in the slots  23  is obstructed. In practice this means that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for third parties to disengage the barbed tabs from the slots (to open the packaging) without damaging or marking the packaging in some way.  
         [0057]    In the preferred embodiment the arrangement is such that when the top part has been snap-fitted onto the bottom part, the sealing O-ring on the receptacle and the snap-fit tab and slot couplings provide a substantially waterproof seal which can only be broken by tearing off the generally rectangular strip  11  that extends from the front of the packaging, and around one side of the packaging to the rear thereof. As a consequence of this arrangement it is difficult, and probably impossible, for third parties to tamper with the contents of the packaging without that tampering being evident.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 11 is a plan view of the underside of a self-adhesive label  83  fixable to the outside of the packaging, as will now be described, to provide an additional means of preventing undetected tampering with the contents of the packaging  1 . The adhesive label comprises an outer surface (of paper for example) which is coupled to one or more release papers by a layer of adhesive that can be revealed by pealing away the release paper(s). Once the adhesive has been revealed the label can be stuck to the outside of the packaging. The outer paper surface is provided with areas (not shown) for the user to insert the address of the recipient, and optionally the address of the sender.  
         [0059]    The label  83  comprises a first portion  85  which is normally affixed to the back of the bottom part of the packaging (as shown in FIG. 12) by the manufacturer of the packaging before it is delivered to the customer for use. The first portion includes a pair of parallel rectangular panels  87 ,  89  (shown shaded in FIG. 11) extending from one side of the label  83  to the other which are not backed with adhesive. Each rectangular panel is provided with a series of perforations, and is arranged to overlie the line of weakness forming the strip  11  (see FIG. 2) on the back of the packaging  1 . The remaining portion  91  of the label  83  is backed with release paper, which can be peeled off by a user so that they can adhere the remaining portion of the label to the front of the packaging.  
         [0060]    As shown, the remaining portion  91  includes a generally C-shaped section  93  (shown shaded) extending from one side of the label  83  to the other. As with the rectangular panels  87 ,  89  mentioned above, the C-shaped section is not backed with adhesive. A line of perforations is provided, and the c-shaped section is arranged to overlie the line of weakness forming the strip  11  and pull-tab  13  (see FIG. 2) when the remaining portion  91  is adhered to the front of the packaging  1 .  
         [0061]    The label  83  also comprises an aperture  95  which is provided to ensure that postage stuck onto the outside of the packaging, or pre-paid postage indications printed or otherwise formed on the outside of the packaging, are still visible once the remaining portion of the label has been stuck down.  
         [0062]    [0062]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the packaging with the label of FIG. 11 partly affixed thereto (i.e. a view of the packaging in the form in which it most likely will be delivered to customers for use). Once the user has packed the sample bottles in the clear bags (described above in relation to FIG. 9 b ), the bags can be placed in the receptacle and any accompanying paperwork can be placed in the neighbouring second cavity (see FIG. 10 a  for example). The top part can then be snap-fitted onto the bottom part to permanently connect the one to the other. At this point, the user can remove the release paper on the underside of the remaining portion, and the remaining portion can be folded down (in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 12) and adhered to the front of the packaging. FIGS. 13 and 14 are front and rear views, respectively, of the packaging after the label shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 has been adhered thereto. Clearly visible are tear-off strips  96 ,  97  that are bordered, respectively, by the rectangular panels and the C-shaped section mentioned above (neither of which are visible). Also clearly visible is the aperture  95  through which a postage mark can be viewed.  
         [0063]    Once the packaging has been appropriately addressed and the appropriate postage has been applied (if required), the packaging can then be consigned to the mail simply by posting it through the posting slot of any posting box.  
         [0064]    The recipient of the packaging, on receipt thereof, can immediately see whether the packaging has been tampered with in transit by inspecting the label to see if any attempt has been made to remove it. If the label is damaged, then a second inspection may be required to see whether an attempt has been made to prise or decouple the top part away from the bottom part.  
         [0065]    If the packaging appears not to have been tampered with, the user can then proceed to open it by lifting an end  98  of the C-shaped section (which is without adhesive—as shown in FIG. 11) to reveal the half-moon shaped aperture  14 . The user can then gain access to an extreme edge of the pull-tab  13  via the aperture  14 , and pull the pull-tab  13  away from the front face of the packaging. The user can then continue to pull on the pull-tab  13  to peel the strip  11  and the tear-off strips  96 ,  97  of the label away from the packaging (by breaking the lines of weakness bounding the rectangular strip  11 ). When the strip has been removed the top part  3  is secured to the bottom part only by a column  99  of the packaging that incorporates the aforementioned line of weakness  15  (see FIGS. 1 and 2).  
         [0066]    At this stage a preliminary check on the contents of the inner receptacle  17  can be made by looking through the space in the packaging where the strip  11  used to be, and through the clear (i.e. transparent) wall of the receptacle to see if the covering  79  visible through the bags  81  has been discoloured. If the covering is discoloured then a leak has occurred during transit and the user knows not to open the packaging, or at least to take extra care when opening the packaging.  
         [0067]    If the covering  79  is not discoloured, then the user can be confident that a leak has not occurred, and can proceed to separate the top and bottom parts of the packaging. Separation is accomplished by pulling the remaining portion of the top part away from the remaining portion of the bottom part until the line of weakness  15  in the column  99  breaks whereupon the top part can be removed.  
         [0068]    The user is then able to gain access to the bags containing the samples and to the accompanying paperwork (if any is supplied). Advantageously, the bottom part is free standing—by virtue of the aforementioned T-shaped structures  39 —and thus provides a handy storage compartment for the samples and paperwork whilst the samples are tested. This arrangement also helps to make sure that the samples do not become separated from their accompanying paperwork.  
         [0069]    It is apparent from the above, that the packaging of the preferred embodiment provides a robust means for transporting hazardous and/or delicate samples through the mail. A chief advantage of the packaging of the preferred embodiment is that it is provided with two anti-tamper devices that provide an immediate indication to someone receiving the packaging of any attempt to tamper with the contents. An associated advantage of this is that the packaging can only be used once, and as such there is no possibility of a given item of packaging with a prepaid postage indication being used repeatedly thereby defrauding the postal services. A further advantage is that the packaging permits at least a cursory check to be made on the contents of the packaging before the contents are opened. Other advantages of the preferred embodiment will be apparent from the above description.  
         [0070]    It will also be understood that modifications may be made to the particular embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0071]    For example, FIG. 15 is a plan view of one such modification where the inner receptacle has been arranged to permit four samples to be stored therein. The receptacle can be further modified, as required, to permit a fewer or greater number of samples (i.e. one or more samples) to be stored therein.  
         [0072]    As another example, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the tear strip may extend about substantially the entire periphery of the bottom part, or in other words that it is not necessary for the tear strip  11  to leave the aforementioned column  99  of material.