U.S. patent number 3,577,980 [Application Number 04/732,617] was granted by the patent office on 1971-05-11 for fluid extraction device.
Invention is credited to Milton J. Cohen.
United States Patent |
3,577,980 |
Cohen |
May 11, 1971 |
FLUID EXTRACTION DEVICE
Abstract
An instant vacuum fluid extraction device in the form of a vial
sealed at one end by a valve and having an axially movable piston
member therein shiftable from extended to retracted positions for
generating a vacuum within the sealed container during movement to
retracted position and means for latching the piston in its
retracted position.
Inventors: |
Cohen; Milton J. (Washinton,
DC) |
Family
ID: |
24944289 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/732,617 |
Filed: |
May 28, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/578; 422/923;
604/228; 604/220; 604/237; 600/579 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
5/150519 (20130101); A61B 5/15003 (20130101); B01L
3/0217 (20130101); A61B 5/153 (20130101); A61B
5/150099 (20130101); A61M 5/315 (20130101); C07D
209/96 (20130101); B01L 3/5453 (20130101); A61B
5/150244 (20130101); A61B 5/150389 (20130101); G01N
35/02 (20130101); B01L 3/5082 (20130101); A61B
5/150351 (20130101); B01L 3/508 (20130101); A61B
5/150236 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C07D
209/00 (20060101); C07D 209/96 (20060101); A61B
5/15 (20060101); A61B 5/145 (20060101); B01L
11/00 (20060101); B01L 3/14 (20060101); B01L
3/02 (20060101); A61M 5/315 (20060101); B01L
3/00 (20060101); G01N 35/02 (20060101); A61m
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/2,215,218,218 (PA)/
;128/218 (NV)/ ;128/234,235,237,(Digest),278 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Camp; Warner H.
Claims
I claim:
1. A fluid extraction device comprising a vial having openings at
its forward and rearward ends in communication with the interior of
the vial, a hollow needle, a valve member mounted on the forward
end of the vial to seal the forward end of the vial with means on
the forward end of the valve member for mounting the needle in
alignment with the vial and a valve interposed between the end of
the needle and the vial for sealing the vial when in normally
closed position and for establishing communication between the
interior of the vial and the needle when in operated position, a
piston plug mounted for axial movement in sealing engagement with
the interior wall of the vial between forward and retracted
positions of adjustment, and actuator rod dimensioned to extend
through the opening in the rearward end of the vial into connection
with the piston plug for axial displacement of the plug between
forward and retracted positions of adjustment with displacement
toward retracted position being effected while the valve is in
closed position to generate a vacuum within the vial between the
piston plug and valve, and means for locking the plug in retracted
position for maintaining vacuum conditions within the vial when the
valve is closed.
2. An extraction device as claimed in claim 1 which includes a
needle cover for covering the needle during nonuse.
3. An extraction device as claimed in claim 1 in which the valve is
formed of a resilient material having a forward passage extending
rearwardly from the forward end of the valve member and dimensioned
to receive an end of the needle and a rearward passage extending
forwardly from the rearward end of the plug in communication with
the vial and a slitted portion extending from the forward end of
the rearward passage to the rearward end of the forward passage for
connecting said passages when in position.
4. An extraction device as claimed in claim 3 in which the slitted
portion between the passages is located beyond the forward end of
the vial to enable flexure alongside the slitted portion to open
the slit.
5. An extraction device as claimed in claim 1 in which the piston
plug comprises a cylindrical member formed of resilient material
dimensioned to extend outwardly into sealing engagement with the
surrounding walls of the vial.
6. An extraction device as claimed in claim 1 in which the means
for locking the plug in retracted position comprises outwardly
extending wings on the forward end portion of the actuator and a
slotted opening in the rearward wall of the vial beyond which the
wings extend when the piston plug is in retracted position whereby
the plug, in retracted position, can be turned to offset the wings
from the slotted opening.
7. An extraction device as claimed in claim 1 in which the means
for locking the piston plug in retracted position comprises a
tubular feed section connected with the actuator rod at its
rearward end portion and dimensioned to overlap the vial, in its
forward position, by an amount corresponding to the length of
travel of the plug between forward and retracted position and
having a cross-sectional dimension at its forward end snugly to
embrace the vial whereby the rearward end wall of the vial
confronts the end of the sleeve as it clears the vial in retracted
position.
8. A method for providing a fluid extraction device as claimed in
claim 1 with a vacuum for the extraction of fluid immediately prior
to fluid extraction comprising the steps of displacing the piston
plug in the vial from a forward position to a retracted position
while the valve is in closed position to generate a vacuum within
the vial, and latching the plug in retracted position to maintain
the vacuum within the vial.
9. A method for fluid extraction comprising providing a fluid
extraction device as claimed in claim 1 with a vacuum for the
extraction of fluid immediately prior to fluid extraction by
displacing the piston plug in the vial from a forward position to a
retracted position while the valve is in closed position to
generate a vacuum within the vial, latching the plug in retracted
position to maintain the vacuum within the vial, inserting the
needle into the source of fluid to be extracted, opening the valve
for communicating the interior of the vial with the fluid source
whereby the vacuum conditions existing within the vial effect
withdrawal of fluid from the source into the vial.
Description
This invention relates to a device for extraction of an increment
of fluid from a vessel or other supply source, such as a sample of
blood, body fluid or the like specimen and it relates more
particularly to a device which operates under vacuum to effect
withdrawal into a sealed container through a hypodermic needle or
the like.
To the present, blood specimens are taken by the insertion of a
hollow needle into the blood vessel after which the fluid is
withdrawn under vacuum in response to the rearward displacement of
a piston member through the vial while the needle remains in the
vessel. This operation is slow and time consuming and requires the
use of both hands as well as very steady hands to effect the
desired rearward movement of the piston while retaining the needle
in the inserted position.
It is an object of this invention to produce a device of the type
described in which a vacuum can be generated in the vial
immediately prior to use so that, upon insertion of the needle into
the vessel for the withdrawal of a liquid specimen, the vacuum
conditions existing in the vial can be made effective for the
smooth and rapid withdrawal of fluid without the need for further
manipulation, which can be operated with one hand to effect fluid
specimen removal, and which is simple in construction and easy in
operation thereby to enable use without the need for highly skilled
or technical labor.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will
hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of
limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the
accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the device embodying the
features of this invention with the elements in their normal
assembled relationship for storage or shipment;
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the device shown in FIG.
1 with the piston member retracted for generation of subatmospheric
conditions within the interior of the vial immediately prior to
use;
FIG. is a sectional elevational view of the device shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 after the specimen has been taken and the actuator removed to
enable shipment or storage of the device with the specimen sealed
therein; and
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are similar to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 with a modified
form of the device.
Referring now to the drawings, the device comprises an elongate
tubular member 10, in the form of a vial of glass, plastic, and the
like preferably transparent and translucent material, which is open
at its forward end 11 and closed by the rear wall 12 having a slot
13 of rectangular or other polygonal shape extending
therethrough.
The forward open end of the vial is formed with a beaded inturned
portion 14 adapted to be received in sealing engagement within a
peripheral groove 15 in the rearward end portion of a resilient
valve member 16 of rubberlike material which is adapted to seal the
open forward end of the vial.
The resilient valve member has a plug portion 17 which extends into
the vial at its forward end and a portion which extends forwardly
beyond the end of the vial with a passage extending continuously
through the plug from the rearward end to the forward end except
for a segment which subdivides the passage into aligned rearward
and forward sections 18 and 19 respectively in which the segment 20
is beyond the end of the vial and is formed with a slit 21
extending in a plane radial to the axis of the passage with the
slit extending from the forward end of the rearward passage 18 to
the rearward end of the forward passage 19 to effect communication
between the passages, when in open position, but which is effective
to seal the passages, when in closed position.
The slit operates as a valve which can be distorted to open
position by pressing upon the plug alongside the segment from
opposite directions in alignment with the slit.
The forward end portion of the valve is provided with a projection
adapted to support a hub member 22 for gripping a hollow needle 23
having a portion which extends rearwardly into communication with
the forward passage 19. An elongate cover is removably mounted on
the hub to protect the needle during nonuse.
A piston and cylinder arrangement is provided in which the interior
of the vial functions as the cylinder and the piston head is in the
form of a tubular section 24 of resilient plastic or rubberlike
material formed with one or more axially spaced ring members 25
dimensioned to extend outwardly into sealing engagement with the
inner walls of the vial. Means are provided on the rearward end
portion of the piston head, in alignment with the opening 13 for
connection with an actuator 26 adapted slidably to extend through
the opening 13 into engagement with the piston head 24. In the
illustrated modification, the means on the end of the piston head
comprises a threaded male member 27 and the actuator comprises an
elongate rod 26 dimensioned to have a length slightly greater than
the length of travel of the piston head through the vial and
provided at its forward end with a threaded female section 28 for
threadably receiving the threaded male member 27 thereby removably
to connect the actuator with the piston.
It will be understood that other means may be provided removably to
connect the actuator rod with the piston head to effect actual
displacement of the piston head within the vial.
Means are provided, on the rearward end portion of the actuator
rod, outwardly of the vial, for manual engagement to effect
displacement of the rod into the vial for attachment and rearwardly
of the vial for retraction of the piston head towards retracted
position. Other means are provided in connection with the rod for
latching the rod and piston in retracted position. One such means,
illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, comprises pins or wings 30 extending
laterally from opposite sides of the rod adjacent its forward end
with the wings being dimensioned easily to pass through the slotted
opening 13 when in alignment therewith but incapable of return
passage therethrough when the actuator rod is turned to offset the
wings from the openings.
Another means, illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, comprises a forwardly
facing tubular section 40 joined at its rearward end onto an
outwardly disposed portion of the actuator rod 26 and which is
formed to a cross-sectional dimension slightly greater than the
vial to enable the tubular member to telescope about the vial, when
in normal position, but which tapers inwardly slightly towards the
forward end so that, when the tubular member is displaced
rearwardly to retracted position, the forward end of the tubular
member will clear the rear wall of the vial with corresponding
flexure of the ends of the tubular member inwardly whereby the rear
wall of the vial functions as a stop, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
Normally, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the piston head 24 is in
its forward position within the tubular vial 10 with the actuator
rod 26 extending through the opening 13 for attachment at its
forward end to the piston plug and with the handle portion of the
rod disposed outwardly of the vial for easy access.
When it is desired to make use of the extractor, the actuator rod
is displaced rearwardly to effect corresponding movement of the
piston until it reaches its retracted position of adjustment within
the vial. As the piston is displaced rearwardly through the vial,
it operates to pull a vacuum in the portions of the vial forwardly
thereof. Return movement of the piston to relieve vacuum is
prevented by the stop that exists as the wings 30 pass through the
slots 13 with slight turning movement of the rod to offset the
wings from the slots after they have passed therethrough.
In the modifications shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, return movement is
prevented as the forward ends of the tubular section 40 clear the
rearward end of the vial to enable deflection of the ends of the
tubular member inwardly to engage the rear wall of the vial as a
stop.
When locked in retracted position, the actuator means can be
disconnected from the piston plug by unscrewing from the male
member as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6. The device is then ready
for use with a vacuum which has been generated in the vial
immediately prior to use. The needle can then be inserted into the
desired vessel and communication established by pressing on the
valve alongside the slit to distort the closure sufficient to
effect opening movement of the slit. Thus direct communication is
established between the needle and the vacuum chamber to withdraw
blood or body fluid from the vessel into the chamber. Momentary
pressure on the valve will operate to withdraw only a small
increment of body fluid for visual inspection to be certain that
the needle has been properly inserted. Thereafter, the valve can be
operated to withdraw as much of the fluid as desired to fill the
vial.
It will be apparent that the device described is of simple
construction and easy in operation to provide a container in which
vacuum is instantly formed immediately prior to use for reliable
operation and in which the vacuum container is constructed with a
manually operated valve that permits selected amounts of body fluid
to be withdrawn for testing the location of the needle or for
withdrawal of variable amounts of fluid, as described.
It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of
construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the
spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following
claims.
* * * * *