Fluid sample delivery apparatus

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a sample holding vial having a side wall and a bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial in sealing engagement with the side wall and having an axially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is depressed in the vial, and a sampling tip engageable with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for depressing the plunger in the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions forming a fluid-tight seal through which the sample is delivered to the tip, the sampling tip being seated in the socket by movement of the sampling tip, and the force required to initiate movement of the plunger being greater than the force required to seat the tip whereby the plunger does not begin to move until the tip is fully seated in the socket, the plunger including a deformable skirt which is urged outwardly against the side wall of the vial by pressurization of the fluid sample as the plunger is moved toward the bottom of the vial.

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a vial having a side wall and a bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial in sealing engagement with the side wall and displaceable in response to a predetermined force, said plunger having an axially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is moved toward the bottom of the vial, and a sampling tip engageable with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for moving the plunger toward the bottom of the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions which form a fluid-tight seal when seated together, the force required to seat the plug and socket portions being less than the predetermined force whereby the plug is fully seated in the socket before the plunger begins to move when the sampling tip is moved toward its extended position, the plunger fitting tightly in the bottom portion of the vial and remaining at the bottom of the vial when the sampling tip is retracted with sufficient force to separate the plug and socket portions of the tip and plunger.

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a sample holding vial having a side wall and an upwardly convex bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial in sealing engagement with the side wall and having an axially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is depressed in the vial, the lower side of the plunger being upwardly concave and mating closely with the bottom wall of the vial whereby substantially all of the sample is delivered from the vial when the plunger is depressed to the bottom of the vial, and a sampling tip fabricated of a non-metallic material engageable with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for depressing the plunger in the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions forming a fluid-tight seal through which the sample is delivered to the tip.

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a vial having a side wall and an upwardly convex bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial insealing engagement with the side wall and displaceable in response to a predetermined force, said plunger having an axially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is moved toward the bottom of the vial and an upwardly concave lower side which mates closely with the bottom wall whereby substantially all of the sample is discharge from the vial when the plunger is depressed to the bottom of the vial, and a sampling tip engageable with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for moving the plunger toward the bottom of the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions which form a fluid-tight seal when seated together, the force required to seat the plug and socket portions being less than the predetermined force whereby the plug is fully seated in the socket before the plunger begins to move when the sampling tip is moved toward its extended position.

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a sample holding vial having a side wall and a bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial in sealing engagement with the side wall and having an axially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is depressed in the vial, and a sampling tip engageable with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for depressing the plunger in the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions forming a fluid-tight seal through which the sample is delivered to the tip, the sampling tip being seated in the socket by movement of the sampling tip, and the force required to initiate movement of the plunger being greater than the force required to seat the tip whereby the plunger does not begin to move until the tip is fully seated in the socket, the plunger fitting tightly in the bottom portion of the vial and remaining at the bottom of the vial when the sampling tip is retracted with sufficient force to separate the plug and socket portions of the tip and plunger.

In apparatus for delivering a fluid sample:

• a vial having a side wall and a bottom wall, a plunger slideably mounted in the vial in sealing engagement with the side wall and displaceable in response to a predetermined force, said plunger having an aially extending passageway through which the sample is delivered as the plunger is moved toward the bottom of the vial, and a sampling tip engageable:
• with the plunger and movable between axially extended and retracted positions for moving the plunger toward the bottom of the vial, said sampling tip and said plunger having mating plug and socket portions which form a fluid-tight seal when seated togehter, the force required to seat the plug and socket portions being less than the predetermined force whereby the plug is fully seated in the socket before the plunger begins to move when the sampling tip is moved toward its extended position, the plunger including a deformable skirt which is urged outwardly against the side wall of the vial by pressurization of the fluid sample as the plunger is moved toward the bottom of the vial.