Patent ID: 7854896

Claim:
A closed system storage plate consisting of: a specimen collection plate having a plurality of wells, wherein each well has an open end, a closed end and a cylindrical wall therebetween defining a well interior for accommodating a plurality of specimens, wherein said specimen collection plate comprises plastic and said plurality of wells comprise borosilicate glass; and a cover that is sealably secured to said specimen collection plate and sealably contacts said plurality of wells at said open end of each well, said cover comprising a frame-shaped structure and a membrane for providing therethrough pierceable probe access to each said well interior, said frame-shaped structure supporting said membrane with portions of said membrane being exposed through said frame-shaped structure, wherein said cover, when disposed on said specimen collection plate over, and between, said wells, sealably isolates said wells from each other at the interface of said cover and specimen collection plate with and without a probe piercing said membrane, said membrane being piercable by the probe above said wells with said cover sealably isolating said wells from each other, said membrane being formed of a thermoplastic elastomer and configured for resealing temporary holes made in the membrane from repeated sampling of each said well by the probe.