U.S. patent number RE35,539 [Application Number 08/351,563] was granted by the patent office on 1997-06-24 for disposable blood collection device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Care Medical Devices, Inc.. Invention is credited to Jean M. Bonaldo.
United States Patent |
RE35,539 |
Bonaldo |
June 24, 1997 |
Disposable blood collection device
Abstract
A blood collection device wherein a double-ended cannula is
retracted within the barrel of the device for storage and disposal.
The cannula is attached to the device immediately prior to use by
being threaded into an aperture formed in a movable disc disposed
within the barrel and rotated to a locked operating position for
attachment of the cannula and use. After use, the disc is
counter-rotated to permit the cannula, mounted to the disc, to be
longitudinally retracted completely within the barrel to a position
in which the cannula is permanently locked by stopping the disc
against further movement. The disc aperture is threaded in the same
direction as it is rotated to the operating position to avoid
moving the disc out of the locked position during attachment of the
cannula to the device.
Inventors: |
Bonaldo; Jean M. (Upland,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Care Medical Devices, Inc.
(Ontario, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
24138516 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/351,563 |
Filed: |
December 7, 1994 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
160993 |
Dec 2, 1993 |
|
|
|
Reissue of: |
536440 |
Jun 11, 1990 |
05070885 |
Dec 10, 1991 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/573; 600/576;
604/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
5/15003 (20130101); A61B 5/150641 (20130101); A61B
5/150732 (20130101); A61B 5/154 (20130101); A61B
5/150259 (20130101); A61B 5/150389 (20130101); A61B
5/150496 (20130101); A61B 5/150572 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
5/15 (20060101); A61M 5/32 (20060101); A61B
005/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/760,763,764,767
;604/403,408,411 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0364387 |
|
Apr 1990 |
|
EP |
|
8904141 |
|
May 1989 |
|
WO |
|
9002515 |
|
Mar 1990 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Rimell; Sam
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Thornton; Robert R.
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.This is a continuation Ser. No. 08/160,993 filed on Dec. 2,
1993, now abandoned. .Iaddend.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A blood collection device comprising:
a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and closed at
one end with an axially disposed aperture formed therein so as
permit the extension and retraction through said barrel aperture of
one end of a double-ended cannula, said cylindrical barrel being
open at the other end to permit insertion of a sample collection
container into the other end of said cannula and the removal
thereof therethrough;
a disc transversely disposed within the barrel and adapted to
receive the double-ended cannula by the threaded engagement of
threads formed on a boss on the cannula with threads formed in an
aperture in the disc so that said one end of the cannula is
disposed to one side of the disc and said other end of the cannula
is disposed to the other side thereof, said cannula thereby being
axially aligned with the barrel;
a longitudinal passage formed in the surface of said barrel so as
to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the
barrel closed end through the barrel open end;
a stem connected to the disc within the barrel so as to extend
externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and
operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc relative to
the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel closed end, in
which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc, one end of the
cannula extends out of the barrel aperture, and in which, when the
disc is moved longitudinally away from the barrel closed end to a
preselected disposal position between the barrel open end and the
barrel closed end, both ends of the cannula are disposed within the
barrel;
locking means for locking the disc in said disposal position;
closing means selectively operable to close the open end of the
barrel;
and in which said longitudinal, passage includes a slot portion
adjacent the barrel closed end and terminating thereat offset
opening so disposed that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto
when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end to lock the disc
against longitudinal movement, and a disposal position locking
aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between
the barrel open end and the barrel closed end in a portion thereof
comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into
said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the
barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture.
2. The blood collection device of claim 1, and in which the slit
portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming
surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel open end
and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel open
end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion
into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal
passage.
3. The blood collection device of claim 2, and including a
peripheral flange formed on the barrel at the open end thereof,
said flange having an aperture formed therein so as to be in
communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit
the disc stem to pass through the flange aperture into the
longitudinal passage when the barrel open end is not closed by said
closing means.
4. The blood collection device of any of the preceding claims, and
in which the longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same
direction as the threads in the disc aperture, whereby threading
the cannula into the disc will urge the disc stem into the offset
opening when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end.
5. The blood collection device of claim 4, and in which the disc
stem terminates in a finger engaging portion having a finger
engaging surface extending substantially normal to the disc stem
and laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the
barrel and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said
finger engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral
extremities in a depending rail portion which engages said barrel,
whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against said
barrel.
6. A blood collection device comprising:
a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and closed at
one end with an axially disposed aperture formed therein so as
permit the extension and retraction through said barrel aperture of
one end of a double-ended cannula, said cylindrical barrel being
open at the other end to permit insertion of a sample collection
container onto the other end of said cannula and the removal
thereof therethrough;
a disc transversely disposed within the barrel and to which the
double-ended cannula is fixed so that said one end of the cannula
is disposed to one side of the disc and said other end of the
cannula is disposed to the other side thereof, said cannula thereby
being axially aligned with the barrel;
a longitudinal passage formed in the surface of said barrel so as
to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the
barrel closed end through the barrel open end;
a stem connected to the disc within the barrel so as to extend
externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and
operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc relative to
the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel closed end, in
which one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel aperture,
and in which, when the disc moved longitudinally away from the
barrel closed end to a pre-selected disposal position between the
barrel open end and the barrel closed end, both ends of the cannula
are disposed within the barrel;
locking means for locking the disc in said disposal position;
closing means selectively operable to close the open end of the
barrel;
and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion
adjacent the barrel closed end and terminating thereat in an offset
opening so disposed that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto
when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end to lock the disc
against longitudinal movements, and a disposal position locking
aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between
the barrel open end and the barrel closed end in a portion thereof
comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into
said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the
barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture.
7. The blood collection device of claim 6, and in which the slit
portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming
surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel open end
and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel open
end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion
into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal
passage.
8. The blood collection device of claim 7, and including a
peripheral flange formed on the barrel at the open end thereof,
said flange having an aperture formed therein so as to be in
communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit
the disc stem to pass through the flange aperture into the
longitudinal passage when the barrel open end is not closed by said
closing means.
9. The blood collection device of any of claims 6, 7 or 8, and in
which the longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same
direction as the threads in the disc aperture, whereby threading
the cannula into the disc will urge the disc stem into the offset
opening when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end.
10. In a medical device, the combination of:
a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and having a
first end and a second end, said second end being open to permit
insertion of a container into said second end;
disc means transversely disposed within the barrel so as normally
to be positioned adjacent to said first end and having an aperture
adapted to receive a cannula in axial alignment with the barrel by
the threaded engagement of threads formed on a boss on the cannula
with threads formed on the disc means;
a longitudinal passage formed in the peripheral surface of said
barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately
adjacent the barrel first end through the barrel second end;
a stem connected to the disc means within the barrel so as to
extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto
and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc means
relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel
first end, in which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc means,
one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel first end, and in
which, when the disc means is moved longitudinally away from the
barrel first end to a pre-selected disposal position between the
barrel second end and the barrel first end, the cannula is
completely disposed within the barrel; and
locking means for locking the disc means in said disposal
position;
and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion
adjacent the barrel first end and terminating in an offset opening
disposed at the first end so that the disc stem can be rotated
thereinto when the disc means is adjacent the barrel first end to
lock the disc means against longitudinal movement, and a disposal
position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal
passage between the barrel second end and the barrel first end in a
portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion
narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming
surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the
locking aperture.
11. The combination of claim 10, and in which the slit portion of
the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface
through said locking aperture toward said barrel second end and
terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel second end
in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into
a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal
passage.
12. The combination of claim 11, and in which the barrel second end
peripheral surface has an axially-aligned aperture formed therein
so as to be in communication with the second longitudinal slot
portion to permit the disc stem to pass through the peripheral
surface aperture into the longitudinal passage.
13. The combination of any of claims 10, 11 or 12 and in which the
longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same direction as
the disc means threads, whereby threading a cannula onto the disc
means will urge the disc stem into the offset opening when the disc
means is adjacent the barrel first end.
14. The combination of claim 13, and in which the disc stem
terminates in a finger engaging portion having a finger engaging
surface extending substantially normal to the disc stem and
laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the barrel
and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said finger
engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral extremities
in a depending rail portion which engages the barrel peripheral
surface, whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against
said barrel. .Iadd.
15. In a medical device, the combination of:
a cylindrical barrel having a first end and a second end, said
second end being open to permit insertion of a container into said
second end;
disc means transversely disposed within the barrel so as normally
to be positioned adjacent to said first end and having an aperture
adapted to receive a cannula in axial alignment with the barrel by
the engagement of a boss on the cannula with the disc means at the
aperture;
a longitudinal passage formed in the peripheral surface of said
barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately
adjacent the barrel first end through the barrel second end;
a stem connected to the disc means within the barrel so as to
extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto
and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc means
relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel
first end, in which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc means,
one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel first end, and in
which, when the disc means is moved longitudinally away from the
barrel first end to a pre-selected disposal position between the
barrel second end and the barrel first end, the cannula is
completely disposed within the barrel; and
locking means for locking the disc means in said disposal
position;
and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion
adjacent the barrel first end and terminating in an offset opening
disposed at the first end so that the disc stem can be rotated
thereinto when the disc means is adjacent the barrel first end to
lock the disc means against longitudinal movement, and a disposal
position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal
passage between the barrel second end and the barrel first end in a
portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion
narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming
surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the
locking aperture. .Iaddend..Iadd.
16. The combination of claim 15, and in which the slit portion of
the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface
through said locking aperture toward said barrel second end and
terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel second end
in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into
a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal
passage. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The combination of claim 16, and in
which the barrel second end peripheral surface has an
axially-aligned aperture formed therein so as to be in
communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit
the disc stem to pass through the peripheral surface aperture into
the longitudinal passage.
.Iaddend..Iadd.18. The combination of any one of claims 15, 16 or
17, and in which
the disc means is of a first diameter and the barrel has an
interior cross-section which is of a second 5 diameter greater than
the first diameter, and
the disc stem terminates in a finger engaging portion having a
finger engaging surface extending substantially normal to the disc
stem and laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the
barrel and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said
finger engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral
extremities in a depending rail portion which engages the barrel
peripheral surface,
whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against said
barrel so as to suspend the disc means within the barrel by the
stem. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disposable blood collection device
employing a double-ended cannula which is attached to the device
preferably immediately prior to use, locked in an extended position
for use, and retracted entirely within the barrel to a permanently
locked position after use to protect against accidental needle
sticks.
Medical devices using needles which are retained in a retracted
position after the needle is used to guard against accidental
sticks are well known. Such devices are shown, for example, in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,650,468; 4,675,005; 4,692,156; and 4,507,117. Devices
shown in the aforementioned patents are generally of the hypodermic
syringe type, that is, a single needle point normally fixed to the
end of a barrel and covered by a protective guard is utilized to
inject fluids into or extract fluids from the human body. The
needle point is retracted into the syringe barrel and retained
therein by various means after use.
A somewhat different type of device has come into use with respect
to the collection of blood samples. The device includes a
double-ended cannula or needle, again is fixed to one end of the
barrel and covered by a protective guard prior to use. The guard is
removed and the end of the needle so uncovered is inserted into the
patient's vein. A sterile evacuated container is applied to the
other end within the barrel so that the pressure differential
resulting thereby causes blood to be drawn from the vein into the
evacuated container. When the container is filled, it is removed
from the needle, thereby providing a sealed blood sample in the
container. Examples of this type of device are shown in FIGS. 4-6
of U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,744 and in FIGS. 1-3 of U.S. Pat. No.
4,643,199. In each of these devices, a double-ended cannula is
normally fixed to the end of the barrel so that one end extends
from the barrel and is covered by a protective guard prior to use.
After use, the double ended cannula is retracted within the barrel
so as to be disposable without the danger of sticking personnel
thereafter handling it. However, both of these devices require the
user to use both hands in order to retract the needle after use,
and thus are relatively complicated and time consuming in use. In
addition, having the patient-inserted end of the cannula normally
fixed to the end of the barrel takes up additional shipping space
and requires removal of the guard prior to use.
A blood collection device having a double-ended cannula disposed in
a barrel, open at one end to permit the insertion of an evacuated
sample collection container therein onto one end of the
double-ended cannula, and an aperture at the other barrel end to
permit the extension and retraction therethrough of the other end
of the double-ended cannula is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,964,
entitled Blood Collection Device, issued Oct. 4, 1988. Jean A.
Bonaldo, Inventor. This device has a first disc disposed within the
barrel to which the double-ended cannula is fixed so as to extend
to each side thereof and be axially aligned within the barrel in a
shipping position in which the cannula is completely contained
within the barrel prior to use. A second disc, disposed within the
barrel between the first disc and the barrel open end, has an
aperture axially formed therein so as to permit one end of the
cannula to pass therethrough. The first disc and the second disc
are connected together by flexible connectors within the barrel to
permit preselected relative movement therebetween. When the second
disc is moved toward the barrel closed end, the first disc is moved
against the barrel closed end, so that the cannula extends out of
the barrel aperture When the second disk is thereafter moved in the
opposite direction, the first disc is withdrawn by the connectors
from the barrel closed end in a spaced-apart relationship from the
second disc to a position in which both ends of the cannula are
disposed within the barrel. Locking means for locking the first
disc and second disc within the barrel in this spaced-apart
relationship and manual operating means operable for initiating the
movement of said discs to said spaced-apart relationship in
conjunction with said connectors are provided. However, this design
is comparatively expensive to manufacture and assemble, by reason
of the portions of its structure which use two discs connected
together by the flexible connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,310 describes a blood collection device housing
a cylindrical sheath open at one end and partially closed at the
other end with a closed longitudinal slot formed in the sheath. A
piston, disposed in the sheath so as to be slidable between a
cannula-extended position and a cannula retracted position, has a
threaded axial bore adapted to receive a complementary threaded
boss on a cannula so the cannula extends longitudinally through the
piston bore with one end of the cannula in the sheath and the other
end of the cannula extending through the partially closed end of
the sheath when the piston is in the extended position. A radially
extending actuator pin formed on the piston extends through the
longitudinal slot so as to be manipulable with one hand to move the
piston from the extended position to the retracted position to
enclose the cannula within the sheath. The longitudinal slot may
have suitable detent means at one or both ends to provide that the
piston be lightly held in the extended position and locked in the
retracted position. However, because the piston is only lightly
held in the extended position, when the cannula is screwed into the
piston, a possibility exists that excess force will cause the
piston to retract, necessitating holding the piston in place by the
actuator pin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A blood collection according to the present invention is adapted to
hold a double ended cannula in a cylindrical barrel, which is
selectively openable at one end to permit insertion of an evacuated
sample collection container therethrough on to one end of the
double-ended cannula, with an aperture at the other barrel end to
permit the extension and retraction therethrough of the other end
of the double-ended cannula, the barrel having a disc disposed
therewithin and adapted to have the double-ended cannula, which, in
the preferred embodiment, is selectively fixed thereto by means of
a bore in the piston threaded in a first direction and adapted to
receive a complementary threaded boss on the cannula so as to have
one end of the cannula extend to each side thereof and be axially
aligned with the barrel in a disposal position in which the cannula
is completely contained with in the barrel after use and so that
when the disc is moved against the barrel closed end, the disc may
be selectively locked by rotation in said first direction the
operating position to receive the cannula in threaded engagement
therewith, and when the disc thereafter unlocked by rotation in the
opposite direction and moved longitudinally in the direction of the
barrel open end to the disposal position, both ends of the cannula
are disposed within the barrel, with locking means for locking the
disc in the disposal position within the barrel, and manual
operating means operable for initiating the rotary and longitudinal
movement of the disc from the locked operating position to the
locked disposal position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The blood collection device of the present invention is illustrated
in the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals indicate like
parts, and in which:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the blood collection device of this
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of the
blood collection device of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3--3 of FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blood collection device in its
disposition shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a partial isometric view of the blood collection device
in its locked operating position; and
FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the blood collection
device in its locked disposal position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a blood collection
device 10 which has a cylindrical barrel 12 with an open and 14 and
a generally closed end 16, through which a aperture 18 is formed
within a boss 20. The barrel is constructed of resilient material,
such as molded medical grade polypropelyne of approximate wall
thickness, typically in the one- to two-tenths inch range. A double
ended cannula 22 is mounted within the barrel 12 by means of a disc
24 through which the cannula 22 extends so as to be axially aligned
with the barrel, The disc 24 is mounted on the cannula 22 so that a
first blood collecting needle 26 may be extended through the boss
aperture 18 by movement of the disc 24 toward the closed end 16 to
the disposition shown in FIG. 5 and may be retracted to the
disposition shown in FIG. 6 by movement of the disc 24 away from
the closed end 16.
The double ended cannula 22 has a sample transfer needle 28 which
is enclosed within a latex or similar sheath 30 and is used in
conventional fashion to transfer the blood from the patient through
the collecting needle 26 into an evacuated sample collection
container of conventional configuration (not shown), which is
inserted onto the blood collecting needle 26. Such sample
collection containers are well known and are sold, for example
under the trademark VACUTAINER, manufactured by Becton-Dickinson
Company, Rutherford, New Jersey.
The barrel 12 is of circular cross-section with a longitudinal
passage 34 on its periphery terminating at the barrel closed end
16. Opposite the barrel closed end 16, at the barrel open end 14 a
flange 36 is disposed, which surrounds the open end 14. The
longitudinal passage 34 terminates at the barrel closed end 16 in
an offset opening 38. As the longitudinal passage 34 extends toward
the flange 36 from the offset opening 38, the longitudinal passage
34 terminates in a pair of oppositely disposed camming surfaces 40
which narrow the first slot portion 34A of the longitudinal passage
34 to a slit 42 formed in the barrel 12. A disposal position
locking aperture 44 is disposed in the slit 42.
The disc 24 has a stem 46 at the outer periphery thereof so as to
extend into longitudinal passage 34. In the disposition of the
device shown in FIG. 1, the disc stem 46 is disposed between the
camming surfaces 40 and the offset opening 38.
Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown an isometric view,
partially broken away, of blood collection device 10 with the
cannula 22 in its extended position. A solid sheath 48, shown in
dotted lines, may be utilized to protect the blood collection
needle 26 prior to insertion into the patient's vein, after the
cannula 22 has been fixed to the blood collection device 10, as is
explained hereinafter. In FIG. 5, the disc 24 has been moved
laterally to abut the barrel closed end 16 so that the blood
collection needle 26 extends through the aperture 18 formed in the
boss 20 so as to be in its operating position. As is shown in FIG.
5, the disc 24 utilizes a blood collection needle hub 50 which
extends outwardly axially from the disc 24 to seat in the aperture
18 formed in the boss 20 to provide a rigid seat for the blood
collection needle 26 in the barrel 12.
The disc 24 is moved in to the position shown in FIG. 5 by movement
applied manually to the disc stem 46 at a finger engagement portion
52 thereof. The disc stem 46 is disposed and locked in the offset
opening 38 formed in the barrel 12 when the blood collection device
10 is in the configuration shown in FIG. 5. The disc 24 has been
rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 1, which position
is shown in FIG. 5 in dotted lines, so as to have the disc stem 46
disposed in the offset opening 38. The stem 46 is stabilized
against the barrel 12 and held in this rotated position by means of
frictional engagement of a pair of small rails 54, formed on the
underside of the finger engagement portion 52 of the lateral
extremities thereof, with the outer surface of the barrel 12 at the
edge of the offset opening 38.
When it is desired to retract the blood collection needle 26 from
the operating position shown in FIG. 5 to the disposal position
shown in FIG. 6, the disc stem 46 is rotated counterclockwise
manually by means of the finger engagement portion 52 so as to
align a stem portion 56 of the stem 46 with the longitudinal
passage slot portion 34A. The disc 24 is then moved toward the open
end 14 of the barrel by manual longitudinal pressure on the finger
engagement portion 52. This longitudinal movement of the disc 24
away from the closed end 16 of the barrel 12 retracts the blood
collection needle 26 into the barrel 12.
As the disc stem 46 reaches the camming surfaces 40, which are
formed on the longitudinal passage 34 so as to taper inwardly
toward one another, further longitudinal movement of the stem
portion 56 then overrides the camming surfaces 40 to open the slit
42 and permit the stem portion 56 and so the disc 24 to approach
the disposal position locking aperture 44. When the stem portion 56
enters the disposal position locking aperture 44, the camming
action of the stem portion 56 with respect to the slit 42 ends,
permitting the slit 42 to close so as to lock the stem 56 in the
disposal position locking aperture 44. The disc 24 is thereby
locked in its disposal position.
The disc 24 is thereby locked in the disc position shown in FIG. 6,
in which the blood collection needle 26 is retracted within the
barrel 12 and the sample transfer needle 28 is contained within the
barrel 12 short of the open end 14 thereof. The blood collection
device 10, having been used, is therefore in condition for
disposal, with both needle points contained with the barrel 12 so
that personnel involved in the disposition are protected from being
stuck by either end of the double-ended cannula 22. A cap 58 is
preferably attached to the barrel open end 14 by hinges 58A and
then is in manually pressed onto the barrel open end 14 to close
the open end so as to avoid any possibility of sticks from the
sample transfer needle 28 by insertion of a finger into the barrel
open end 14.
In the present invention, the cannula 22 may be molded into the
disc 24. However, in the preferred embodiment, it is desirable, but
not essential, to secure the double-ended cannula 22 to the disc 24
after shipping, storage and similar handling and immediately prior
to actual use, in order to avoid possible contamination of the
needle or accidental sticks. The blood collection device 10 is
configured so that the disc 24, when disposed adjacent to the
barrel closed end 16, may be locked in such an operating
disposition by clockwise rotation of the stem portion 56 which is
attached to the disc 24 into the closed end locking aperture 18.
When so disposed, the disc 24 will be stopped by the stem portion
56 location in the aperture 18 so as to prevent the disc 24 from
moving longitudinally toward the barrel open end 14 without the
counter-rotation of the disc 24 in a counterclockwise direction to
align the stem portion 56 with the longitudinal passage 34,. The
cannula 22 can then be screwed into the disc 24 through the closed
end 18 by means of a threaded aperture 60 axially formed in the
disc 24 and a complementary threaded portion formed on hub 62 of
the cannula 22.
As is shown in FIG. 2, the threaded aperture 60 has clockwise
threads, so that when the cannula boss 62 is threaded thereinto,
the torque applied in threading forces the stem portion 56 against
the longitudinal wall of the offset opening 38, to guard against
accidental retraction of the disc 24 where the cannula 22 is being
attached thereto.
For ease of assembly of the disc 24 into the barrel 12, the
longitudinal slit 42, between disposal position stop aperture 44
and the flange 36, opens through a second pair of camming surfaces
66 into a second longitudinal passage slot 34B, which passes
through the flange 36 at a flange slot 70. The configuration of the
flange slot 70 is complementary to the configuration of the finger
engagement portions 52 of the stem 46, so as to permit passage of
the finger engagement portion 52 therethrough. To assemble the
device 10, other than the cannula 22, the disc 24 is inserted into
the barrel open end 14 with the stem 56 aligned with the
longitudinal passage slot 34B, so that the finger engagement
portion 52 passes through the flange slot 70. The finger engagement
portion 52 is manually urged toward the disposal position stop
aperture 44 so that stem portion 56 engages the second camming
surfaces 66 to open the slit 42 and permit the stem 56 to pass into
the disposal position locking aperture 44, at which time the slit
42 closes, locking the stem 56 in the aperture 44. Because the
barrel is made of resilient plastic material, the slit 42 between
the camming surfaces 40 and the aperture 44 can be opened manually
by inserting an appropriate tool of blade type configuration into
the longitudinal passage 34 and rotating the tool up to ninety
degrees so as to open the slit 42 and permit the stem portion 56 to
pass from the disposal position locking aperture 44 through the
slit 42 and through the camming surfaces 40, at which time any
camming action by the stem 56 on camming surfaces 40 ends, so as to
permit the slit 42 to close. The device is then ready for shipment
and attachment of the cannula, as described above.
* * * * *