U.S. patent number 3,855,997 [Application Number 05/378,349] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-24 for sterile specimen trap.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cinco Medical Health Supply Corporation. Invention is credited to Philip H. Sauer.
United States Patent |
3,855,997 |
Sauer |
December 24, 1974 |
STERILE SPECIMEN TRAP
Abstract
A sterile specimen trap for use in a system for withdrawing
fluid from a patient by suction to collect and contain a fluid
specimen for later analysis having a container open at one end and
a closure means mounted over an opposite, open end of the container
which may be operated to close and seal the interior of the
container so that the container may be removed from the system
while the fluid specimen it holds is maintained in a sterile
condition. The closure means has two independently formed members,
at least one of which is angularly movable about a central axis
common to each to align or misalign correspondingly spaced openings
formed in each member with a fluid conduit means and a suction
conduit means to establish or eliminate communication of the
interior of the container with the system, respectively.
Inventors: |
Sauer; Philip H. (Bolingbrook,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Cinco Medical Health Supply
Corporation (Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23492783 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/378,349 |
Filed: |
July 11, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/573; 215/309;
215/332; 222/483; 604/319; 422/916 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
10/0045 (20130101); B01L 3/50825 (20130101); A61M
1/0001 (20130101); A61B 2050/0063 (20160201); B01L
2400/0644 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
10/00 (20060101); A61M 1/00 (20060101); B01L
3/14 (20060101); A61B 19/02 (20060101); A61B
19/00 (20060101); A61b 010/00 (); A61m
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/2F,2G,275-278,DIG.5
;215/44,46R,DIG.3 ;137/800 ;141/65,384 ;222/483,486,489,519 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Howell; Kyle L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Walters; Gomer W.
Claims
I claim:
1. A sterile specimen trap particularly adapted for use in
obtaining a fluid specimen and maintaining said specimen in a
sterile condition for laboratory analysis comprising:
container means open at one end to receive said fluid specimen, and
closure means mounted over said open end of said container means to
close and seal the interior of said container means and prevent
contamination of said interior of said container means, said
closure means including a first annular cover member and a second
annular cover member, said second cover member being mounted on
said first cover member, said second cover member and said first
cover member being angularly movable relative to one another about
a concentric central axis, each of said cover members having a pair
of correspondingly spaced openings formed in them to communicate
the interior of said container means with fluid specimen conduit
means and suction conduit means, respectively, when said openings
are aligned, said second cover member being held in a stationary
position relative to said specimen conduit means and said suction
conduit means by cover retaining means, said cover retaining means
comprising an adapter cap having open end portions of said fluid
specimen conduit means and said suction conduit means mounted
thereon and opening therethrough, said adapter cap means being
mounted on said first cover member in such a manner that said
second cover member is sandwiched between said adapter cap and said
first cover member and said open end portions of said fluid conduit
means and said suction conduit means are aligned with said openings
formed in said second cover member, a portion of said second cover
member engaging said adapter cap to prevent movement of said second
cover member relative to said adapter cap, said first cover member
and said second cover member thereby being angularly movable
relative to one another to align the openings formed in said first
cover member with the openings formed in said second cover member
to communicate said fluid conduit means and said suction conduit
means to the interior of said container means to trap the fluid
specimen therein, said first cover member and said second cover
member being alternately movable in an opposite manner relative to
one another, after a desired amount of the fluid specimen has been
trapped in said container means, to close said openings and
eliminate communication to the interior of said container means to
preserve the sterility of the specimen trapped in said container
means.
2. The specimen trap set forth in claim 1 wherein said adapter cap
is a generally cup-shaped cap inverted for mounting over said first
cover member, said second cover member and said container means,
and having a downwardly extending flange portion integrally formed
with and disposed about the periphery of a disc-shaped body
portion, said adapter cap having inner engaging means disposed on
the interior surface of said downwardly extending flange portion to
engage corresponding outer engaging means disposed about the
exterior surface of a similarly-shaped downwardly extending
peripheral flange integrally formed on said first cover member and
engaging said container means on its interior surface, said inner
engaging means and said outer engaging means cooperating to prevent
relative axial movement of said adapter cap and said first cover
member while allowing relative angular movement of said adapter cap
and said first cover member to permit alignment and, alternately,
closure of the openings formed in said first cover member and said
second cover member.
3. The sterile specimen trap set forth in claim 2 wherein said
inner engaging means includes a plurality of inwardly extending
protrusions formed on the interior surface of said downwardly
extending flange portion of said adapter cap, and said outer
engaging means includes a plurality of generally L-shaped slots
formed on the exterior surface of a downwardly extending portion of
said first cover member, said protrusions being received in said
slots to mount said adapter cap on said first cover member and said
container means, and being movable within said slots to allow said
first cover member, and said adapter cap and said second cover
member engagingly held stationary by said adapter cap, to be moved
relative to one another to align the openings in said first and
second cover members, and establish communication to the interior
of said container means, and, alternately, to misalign and close
said openings.
4. In a system for obtaining respiratory, gastric and other fluids
from a patient for laboratory analysis, including fluid conduit
means in communication at one end thereof with the patient, vacuum
means to establish suction in the system to withdraw the fluid from
the patient, and suction conduit means in communication at one end
thereof with said vacuum means, the improvement comprising a
specimen trap in communication with the patient through an opposite
end of said fluid conduit means and in communication with said
vacuum means through an opposite end of said suction conduit means
to receive and contain, in a sterile condition, fluid withdrawn
from the patient through the fluid conduit means, including
container means open at one end to receive said fluid, closure
means mounted over said open end of said container means to close
and seal the interior of said container means from contamination,
said closure means having at least two independently formed
members, each of said members having correspondingly spaced
openings formed therethrough, at least one of said members being
angularly movable about a central axis of said closure means
relative to the other member, and adapter means having said open
opposite ends of said fluid conduit means and said suction conduit
means mounted thereon and opening therethrough, said adapter means
being mounted on said closure means and engaging at least one
member of said closure means to allow relative angular movement of
said members of said closure means such that said openings formed
in said members may be aligned with one another and with said open,
opposite ends of said fluid conduit means and said suction conduit
means to provide access to the interior of said container means and
establish suction in the system for withdrawing fluid into said
container means, and, alternately, so that said openings may be
misaligned with one another to close the interior of said container
means and maintain the fluid trapped in said container means in a
sterile condition.
5. The improvement set forth in claim 4 wherein said closure means
includes a first annular cover member and a second annular cover
member, each of said cover members having a pair of correspondingly
spaced openings formed in them to communicate the interior of said
container means with said fluid conduit means and said suction
conduit means, respectively, said second cover member being mounted
on said first cover member, said first cover member and said second
cover member being angularly movable relative to one another about
said central axis of said closure means when said second cover
member is engaged by said adapter means.
6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein said adapter means
is an adapter cap mounted on said first cover member over said
second cover member in such a manner that said second cover member
is sandwiched between said adapter cap and said first cover member
and said opposite open ends of said fluid conduit means and said
suction conduit means carried by said adapter cap are aligned with
said corresponding openings formed in said second cover means, a
portion of said second cover means engaging said adapter cap to
prevent movement of said second cover means relative to said
adapter cap, said first cover member and said second cover member
being thereby angularly movable relative to one another a certain
angular distance about said central axis of said closure means to
align said openings in said first cover member with the
correspondingly-spaced openings formed in said second cover member
to communicate said fluid conduit means and said suction conduit
means to establish suction in the system and withdraw fluid from
the patient, said first and second cover members being alternately
movable, after a desired amount of fluid has been trapped in said
container means in an opposite manner relative to one another to
close said openings and preserve the sterility of said
specimen.
7. The improvement set forth in claim 6 wherein said adapter cap is
a generally cup-shaped cap inverted for mounting over said first
cover member, said second cover member and said container means,
and having a downwardly extending flange portion integrally formed
with and disposed about the periphery of a disc-shaped body
portion, said adapter cap having inner engaging means disposed on
the interior surface of said downwardly extending flange portion to
engage corresponding outer engaging means disposed about the
exterior surface of a similarly shaped downwardly extending
peripheral flange integrally formed on said first cover member and
engaging said container means on its interior surface, said inner
engaging means and said outer engaging means cooperating to prevent
relative axial movement of said adapter cap and said first cover
member while allowing relative angular movement of said adapter cap
and said first cover member to permit alignment, and, alternately,
closure of the openings formed in said first cover member and said
second cover member.
8. The improvement set forth in claim 7 wherein said inner engaging
means includes a plurality of inwardly extending protrusions formed
on the interior surface of said downwardly extending flange portion
of said adapter cap, and said outer engaging means includes a
plurality of generally L-shaped slots formed on the exterior
surface of said downwardly extending portion of said first cover
means, said protrusions being received in said slots to mount said
adapter cap on said first cover member and said container means,
and being movable within said slots to allow said first cover
member and said second cover member engagingly held by said adapter
cap to be angularly moved relative to one another about said
central axis of said closure means to align said openings and
establish communication to the interior of said container means,
and, alternately, to misalign and close said openings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus used in withdrawal of fluids
from a patient in medical and surgical procedures, and, in
particular, to a trap used in a suction system to collect such
fluids.
Specimen traps for use in connection with a suction aspiration
system to obtain and collect respiratory, gastric and other fluid
specimens from body cavities for laboratory analysis or other
purposes are well known. Such specimen traps are normally
cylindrical containers which are closed at their bottom ends and
closed by a cap at their open top ends. The cap may threadedly
engage the container or snap or friction-fit on to it and normally
has openings formed through it which act as fittings to carry a
suction conduit extending from vacuum source and a similar, fluid
conduit extending between the specimen trap and a suction
instrument or catheter disposed in the patient.
When the vacuum source is activated, suction is established within
the system and fluid is aspirated out of the body cavity of the
patient, through the fluid conduit means and into the larger
diameter specimen trap. When a satisfactory amount of fluid has
been collected, the system is disconnected from the vacuum source
and the trap is disconnected from the system so that the fluid may
be taken to a laboratory for analysis. Most present collection
systems have used plastic, disposable containers as fluid traps in
order to reduce the cost of such systems.
A serious problem is created by presently available specimen traps
because of the high possibility of contamination of the fluid
collected within the trap while the trap is being disconnected from
the system and transported or stored prior to analysis. An attempt
has been made at reducing the possibility of contamination by
providing a container having a friction-fit top cover fitted with
two lengths of tubing for suction and fluid connections. The tubing
may be adapted to bronchoscope suction instruments or suction
catheters and connected to the vacuum source, respectively. After
the specimen is collected, the specimen trap may be closed by
joining together the two connecting tubes. Even this type of trap
still has the serious disadvantage that the tubing must be
connected together to transport the specimen and therefore, the
trap, while being disconnected from the system, is subject to
possible contamination of its interior. Contamination may also be
created by interlocking the tubing during storage. Thus, there is
no presently available device which completely isolates the
interior of the specimen trap from all possible contamination
before, during, and after collection of the specimen.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a sterile disposable specimen trap
having a unique closure means which may be moved to open the
interior of the container forming the trap into communication with
the conduit means carrying fluid from the patient and the vacuum
source and, alternately, is movable to close and seal this interior
when a desired amount of fluid specimen has been obtained. In this
manner, the interior of the specimen trap is never exposed to any
possible source of contamination and the trap may be removed from
its connection to the system without any possible adverse effect on
the sterility of the specimen.
The specimen trap of this invention overcomes the disadvantages of
the prior art by a generally cylindrical container means closed at
its bottom end and open at its top end but having a closure means
securely mounted on it over its top end. This closure means is
formed of two independent cover members, at least one of which is
angularly movable relative to the other about a central axis common
to both. Each member has a pair of openings formed in it which may
be aligned by movement of one of the members a certain angular
distance about their central axis to allow the interior of the
container to communicate, through these openings, with both the
fluid conduit and the suction conduit.
The second independent cover member includes a generally annular
disc having a downwardly extending boss at its center, which is
mounted on a first independent cover member for relative movement
with respect thereto. The first cover member is also preferably
annular in configuration, having a downwardly extending flange
disposed about its periphery so that it may be mounted over the
upper edges of the top open end of the container.
The above specimen trap assembly is preferably fit into a specimen
collection system having an adapter cap similar in configuration to
the second cover member, that is, having a downwardly extending
peripheral flange disposed about a generally annular body portion,
and carrying a fluid conduit and a suction conduit which open
therethrough. This adapter cap is mounted over the closure means by
inserting an inwardly protruding engaging element into
bayonet-shaped slots formed on the exterior surface of the first
cover member, thereby locking the adapter cap to the first cover
member and the container. The adapter cap also has means disposed
on its interior surface to engage the second cover member, which is
sandwiched between the adapter cap and the first cover member. The
second cover member will thereby be maintained in a stationary
position relative to the adapter cap in which the openings formed
in the second cover member are aligned with the open ends of the
fluid conduit and the suction conduit carried by the adapter
cap.
This unique construction allows the container and first cover
member, and the adapter cap and second cover member to be moved
angularly relative to one another since the interior engaging means
formed on the adapter cap will be moved along and within the slots
formed in the first cover member. When the engaging means are moved
to the end of the slots, the openings formed in the first cover
member will be automatically and properly aligned with the
corresponding openings in the first cover member and the adapter
cap. When the vacuum is initiated, therefore, suction will be
established throughout the system and fluid specimens may be drawn
from the patient through the fluid conduit means into the specimen
trap.
Alternately, when a sufficient specimen has been collected, the
container and first cover member, and the adapter cap and second
cover member may be moved relatively in an opposite direction, the
engaging means moving within the bayonet slot, until the openings
are brought back to their original, misaligned positions, thereby
positively sealing the interior of the specimen trap and its
contents.
The present invention, therefore, overcomes the possibility of
contamination of the specimen collected in the container, since the
interior of the container is never opened to any external sources
of contamination.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an
automatically sterile specimen trap which is simple and inexpensive
in construction, yet completely eliminates the possibility of
contamination of the fluid specimens collected in the trap.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a sterile
specimen trap which may be operated within a specimen collection
system in an automatic and sterile manner.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automatically
sterile specimen trap having closure means movable to effectively
close and seal the interior of the specimen trap from contamination
and, alternately, to open the interior of the trap to fluid and
suction conduits in a specimen collection system.
It is one more object of this invention to provide an automatically
sterile specimen trap which is particularly adapted for use in
connection with a fluid specimen conduit means and a suction
conduit means carried by an adapter cap to form a system for
aspirating fluid from bodily cavities.
These and other important objects of the present invention will
become evident from the following detailed description of the
invention taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the collection portion of a system
for aspirating fluid from a patient, including the sterile specimen
trap of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded fragmentary view of the fluid collection
system shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the top portion of the
specimen trap, the members forming the closure means and the
adapter cap which carries the fluid and suction conduits;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the specimen trap of
this invention taken generally along the central axis of the
specimen trap of the present invention showing the construction of
the closure means and its relationship to the container and adapter
cap; and,
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the specimen trap of this invention
taken generally along line 3--3 in FIG. 3 showing, in hidden lines,
the openings formed in the members of the closure means and the
relative angular movement of these members.
Referring now to the drawings, and, in particular, to FIG. 1, the
sterile specimen trap assembly of the present invention is shown
generally at 10. This specimen trap assembly 10 includes a
generally cylindrical container or trap 12 which is preferably
closed at its bottom end and open at its top end, as shown in FIG.
2. A closure means 14 whose elements are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
and which will be discussed in detail below, is mounted over the
open top end of the container 12. The closure means 14, in turn,
has an adapter or fitting cap 16 mounted over it. This adapter cap
16 carries the proximal ends of a fluid specimen conduit 18 and a
suction conduit 20. Both the fluid conduit 18 and the suction
conduit 20 may be formed of commonly used, clear or opaque plastic
tubing and may be, in turn, fitted at their distal ends, to a
conventional flexible catheter or a bronchoscope attachment (not
shown) and tubing leading to the source of vacuum (not shown),
respectively. This fitting may be accomplished by suitable means
such as the frusto-conical fitting adapter 24 shown in FIG. 1. The
suction conduit 20 may also have a suction valve 22 disposed in it
to control the suction in the system.
Closure means 14 includes a first cover member 30 and a second
cover member 32. First cover member 30 is preferably formed having
an annular body portion 31, a downwardly extending peripheral
flange portion 34 and an upwardly extending peripheral flange 35.
First cover member 30 is mounted directly over the open top end of
container 12 by means of interior ribs 36 shown in FIG. 4 which are
received securely within corresponding exterior mounting grooves 48
disposed about the outer surface of container 12. When ribs 36 are
slid into grooves 48, first cover member 30 will be held in a
substantially stationary position relative to container 12. The
tight fit between flange 34 and container 12 will prevent any
leakage into or out of container 12.
Second cover member 32 is preferably a disc-shaped element having a
downwardly extending boss 44 which is received into a boss opening
46 formed in first cover member 30. Second cover member 32 is held
captive within flange 35 of first cover member 30, this
construction reducing possibilities of leakage or movement between
the two. First cover member 30 has a pair of spaced openings 40
formed on a chord or diameter of body portion 31, on opposite sides
of boss opening 46. Second cover member 32 has a correspondingly
disposed pair of openings 42 formed with an inward taper, as shown
in FIG. 3, on a chord or a diameter of member 32 and on opposite
sides of boss 44. Openings 40 and 42 are correspondingly located on
their cover members with respect to a central axis of rotation 28
extending through boss 44 and boss opening 46. In this manner, by
manipulation of first cover member 30 and second cover member 32,
relative to one another, the openings 42 and 40 may be aligned with
one another to form a continuous opening through closure means
14.
Adapter cap 16 has a body portion 51 which carries the proximal,
open ends of fluid conduit 18 and suction conduit 20 as shown in
FIG. 2. Adapter cap 16 has a downwardly extending flange 50
disposed about the periphery of this body portion 51 which is
similar in configuration to the downwardly extending flange of
first cover member 30.
Adapter cap 16 is mounted over closure means 14, as shown in FIG.
3, in the following manner. The downwardly extending flange 50 of
adapter cap 16 has a series of inwardly extending interior engaging
means in the form of protrusions or gussets 52 disposed about the
interior surface of downwardly extending flange 50. These
protrusions 52 are formed so that they may be received in a number
of corresponding exterior engaging means 38 formed about the
exterior surface of downwardly extending flange 34 of first cover
member 30. These exterior engaging means are preferably in the form
of L-shaped or bayonet slots having an upwardly extending leg
approximately the width of the protrusion 52 to be received
therein. The adapter cap 16 is thus placed over closure means 14 so
that protrusions 52 are received within the upward leg of bayonet
slots 38. This acts to lock adapter cap 16 in a relatively
stationary lateral position with respect to container 12 and
closure means 14.
Adapter cap 16 has a means for engaging second cover member 32 to
prevent movement of the second cover member 32 about central axis
28 relative to adapter cap 16 which might misalign openings 42 with
the open ends of the fluid and suction conduits. It is clear that
such a means could be formed by corresponding dimples and
depressions on adapter cap 16 and cover member 32, respectively, or
by protrusions on the interior of the adapter cap 16 which would
engage a vertical slot formed in the side of second cover member 32
in a fashion similar to that discussed above for the adapter cap
and the first cover member. The means preferred in this invention,
however, include a pair of circular lips 58 which extend downwardly
from the open ends 56 of conduit means 18 and 20, respectively, and
are inwardly tapered or frusto-conical in configuration and of a
dimension such that they may be inserted into the similarly shaped
frusto-conical openings 42 formed in second cover member 32.
The adapter cap 16 is placed over closure means 14 and container 12
with relative angular positions of the interior protrusions 52 and
the engaging lips 56 being such that a protrusion 52 enters the
upward leg 38a of each slot 38, and lips 58 enter the
correspondingly spaced and formed openings 42 in second cover
member 32. With the lips 58 inserted into openings 42 as shown in
FIG. 3, first cover member 30 will be angularly movable relative to
adapter cap 16 and second cover member 32 by virtue of the shape of
bayonet slots 38.
Bayonet slots 38 are, as their name indicates, formed with a narrow
leg or groove 38b extending peripherally along the surface of
downward flange 34 of second cover member 32. This generally
horizontal leg 38b is formed of a width such that it receives the
height of the interior engaging means or protrusions 52, as shown
in FIG. 3, to allow these engaging means 52 to be moved within and
along it.
In the above manner, the adapter cap 16 and second cover member 32,
which is held stationary relative to this adapter cap by the lips
58 engaging openings 42, may be unitarily and angularly moved about
central axis 28 relative to first cover member 30, which is held in
an angularly immovable position relative to container 12, until
openings 42 and 40 are aligned and the openings 56 of conduits 18
and 20 are communicated to the interior of the container 12. This
relative movement ab out central axis 28 may be accomplished by the
operator either holding the container 12 stationary with one hand
while twisting the adapter cap 16 to move the protrusions 52 within
leg 38b of slots 38, or, alternatively, holding the adapter cap
stationary while twisting the container 12 and first cover member
30 in an opposite direction.
If suction is now communicated to the system by opening valve 22,
it will act to withdraw fluid through fluid conduit 18, through a
rigid fluid conduit extension 60 which extends donwardly from one
opening 40 in first cover member 30 and into the interior of
container 12. When a desired amount of fluid specimen has been
collected, the adapter cap 16 and second cover member 32 and, the
first cover member 30 and container 12 may be moved angularly
relative to one another, in a manner opposite that previously used,
to misalign the openings of their original condition and close and
seal the interior of the container.
By use of this specimen trap assembly, the interior of the
container is never opened to the atmosphere, or other possible
sources of contamination, from the moment of its manufacture until
it is opened in a laboratory by sliding first cover member 30 off
the container 12 to gain access to the fluid specimen. The closure
means 14 is originally disposed on the container during manufacture
with the openings 42 and 40 in misaligned position and the
container 12 and closure means 14 are removed from the adapter cap
16 after the specimen has been collected with the openings once
again in misaligned position.
The second cover member 32 is mounted on first cover member 30 by
virtue of the boss 44 which is of such a dimension that the cover
members are not freely movable relative to one another without the
use of some force to overcome the friction between them. This
prevents accidental alignment of the openings.
It is clear that the unique closure means 14 which prevents
contamination of the interior of the container 12 is operable by
means other than an adapter cap 16. For example, the conduits 18
and 24 might be snap-fitted into openings 42 and second cover
member 32 held stationary while first cover member 30 and container
12 are moved. However, for reasons of sterility, a fitting carrying
conduit, such as adapter cap 16, is preferred. It is further clear
that cover members 30 and 32 need not be of annular configuration
so long as they are rotatable about the same axis to assure
alignment of the openings in each.
The materials suitable for manufacture of the specimen trap
assembly of this invention include materials conventionally used in
this type of medical and surgical appliances, such as steel, or
stainless steel, but preferably disposable type materials such as
plastics. While the invention has been described with respect to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in
the art that various modificaions may be made without departing
from the principles of the invention.
* * * * *