Appeal 2007-1993
Application 10/277,432
BACKGROUND
“Containers for the administration of medical solutions are well
known. Typically, the containers are made from flexible film that is folded
and sealed together along peripheral side edges” (Specification 1). The
containers also typically have an inlet, outlet, and “a device for piercing the
outlet and establishing a fluid communication between the device and the
solution inside the container” (id.).
The Specification discloses “a formed, filled, sealed solution container
with an access port . . . [that] is sealed to the container and has means to
puncture said container” (id. at 3). The port has a valve with a cylindrical
opening slidingly coupled to a perforator that punctures the film, allowing
fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the container (id. at
3-4). In one embodiment, a “tab is attached to the perforator and attached to
the port . . . [so that] the tab is detached from the perforator after the fluid
communication is established” (id. at 4).
DISCUSSION
1. CLAIMS
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 45-50 are on appeal. Claims 6 and 8-44 are
also pending but have been withdrawn from consideration by the Examiner.
Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1. A container comprising:
a film folded to define sides wherein the sides are sealed
to define an interior;
a port defining an outlet through which fluid
communication with the interior is established;
a perforator movably attached to the port for piercing the
film; and
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013