Vials and apparatus for obtaining an aliquot of a sample

1. A biological sample container, comprising a vial configured for holding a liquid-based biological sample;

a vial cap configured to removably seal the vial; and

an access port comprising an opening through the vial cap and a self-sealing septum disposed within the opening, wherein the access port is adapted to admit a needle therethrough for obtaining an aliquot of the biological sample from the vial; and

a solution chamber within the vial cap, wherein the access port is located adjacent to the solution chamber such that the access port provides needle access to the vial but not to the solution chamber, the chamber comprising a sealable opening, the chamber further comprising a flexible membrane incorporated into the vial cap, the flexible membrane configured to open the sealable opening when the flexible membrane is depressed,

wherein the sealable opening is sealed by an openable flap held in a closed position by a locking mechanism that is released by depressing the flexible membrane.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the septum is a rubber septum.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the sealable opening faces an interior of the vial.

4. The container of claim 3 , wherein the flexible membrane coplanar with a top surface of the vial cap.

5. A method of obtaining an aliquot of a liquid-based biological sample disposed in a container, wherein the container is a biological sample container, comprising

a vial configured for holding a liquid-based biological sample;

a vial cap configured to removably seal the vial; an access port comprising an opening through the vial care and a self-sealing septum disposed within the opening, wherein the access port is adapted to admit a needle therethrough for obtaining an alquot of the biological sample from the vial; and

a solution chamber within the vial cap, wherein the access port is located adjacent to the solution chamber such that the access port provides needle access to the vial but not to the solution chamber, the chamber comprising a sealable opening, the chamber further comprising a flexible membrane incorporated into the vial care, the flexible membrane configured to open the sealable opening when the flexible membrane is depressed,

wherein the sealable opening is sealed by an openable flap held in a closed position by a locking mechanism that is released by depressing the flexible membrane, the method comprising:

placing the container inside an automated processor;

automatically inserting a syringe through the septum and into the vial; drawing an aliquot of the biological sample into the syringe; automatically removing the syringe from the vial by withdrawing the syringe back through the septum;

dispensing the transferred aliquot of the biological sample from the syringe into a sample tube; and placing the container and the sample tube in an output tray.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the aliquot of the biological sample is drawn into the syringe using vacuum.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising capping the sample tube after dispensing the transferred aliquot.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising placing the container in a first output tray and placing the sample tube in a second output tray.

9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the solution chamber is configured to hold a volume of solution that is substantially equal to a volume of the aliquot of the biological sample.

10. The container of claim 3 , wherein the sealable opening is sealed by a flap is configured to pivot about a hinge.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sealable opening faces an interior of the vial and the flexible membrane is coplanar with a top surface of the vial cap, the method further comprising adding a volume of solution to the vial by depressing the flexible membrane, thereby opening the sealable opening in the solution chamber so that the volume of solution flows from the solution chamber into the vial.