Patent ID: 8197459

Claim:
A plastic fluid transfer device, comprising: a lid portion; an edge portion formed integrally with the lid portion, the edge portion and lid portion defining a space for receiving a bead of a container closed by an elastic stopper; and a piercing mandrel formed integrally with and extending from the lid portion, the piercing mandrel including a piercing portion configured to pierce completely through a thickness of the elastic stopper from an external surface of the elastic stopper outside the container to an internal surface of the elastic stopper inside the container as the bead is received in the space, the piercing portion including a pointed end and a cylindrical portion of constant diameter, the piercing mandrel further including a sealing portion having a first portion adjoining the cylindrical portion and a second portion extending from the first portion to a position proximate the lid portion, wherein the first portion is sloped from the cylindrical portion to the second portion so as to form an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the piercing mandrel, and wherein the first portion of the sealing portion is configured to be disposed between the external surface of the elastic stopper and the internal surface of the elastic stopper when the piercing mandrel pierces completely through the thickness of the elastic stopper, and the first portion of the sealing portion being configured to seal a tear in the thickness of the elastic stopper formed upon eccentric application of the fluid transfer device to the elastic stopper.