Blood sample management using open cell foam

• US 10,219,731 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Ivosevic, Milan, Wilkinson, Bradley M., Newby, C. Mark, Rao, Kishore K. Bokka Srinivasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fisher, Brittany I
• Application Number:
  US15/612,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150236 Pistons, i.e. cylindrical bodies that sit inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slide in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150244 Rods for actuating or driving the piston, i.e. the cylindrical body that sits inside the syringe barrel, typically with an air tight seal, and slides in the barrel to create a vacuum or to expel blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150259 Improved gripping, e.g. with high friction pattern or projections on the housing surface or an ergonometric shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150305 Packages specially adapted for piercing devices or blood sampling devices kits for diabetes A61M5/003; packaging in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150351 Caps, stoppers or lids for sealing or closing a blood collection vessel or container, e.g. a test-tube or syringe barrel caps for bottles or containers in general B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150366 Blood collection bags, e.g. connected to the patient by a catheter comprising means for removing a small sample of collected blood from the bag collection bags as such A61J1/05, A61M1/0209
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150755 Blood sample preparation for further analysis, e.g. by separating blood components or by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/151 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of capillary blood, e.g. by lancets , needles or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15142 Devices intended for single use, i.e. disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/067 Flexible ampoules, the contents of which are expelled by squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1475 Inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/22 using additional holders in conduits, containers or pools for keeping the solid material in place, e.g. supports or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/5621 the complete mixer being collapsible, i.e. the housing can be collapsed
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7546 using squeezing means on a deformable container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 : Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 : Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 : Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 : Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 : Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 : Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 : Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/16 : Surface properties and coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 : pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 : fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/06 : Valves, specific forms thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/08 : Regulating or influencing the flow resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 : using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/088 : by specific surface properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 : with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 : characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 : characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/567 : Valves, taps or stop-cocks in combination with burettes B01L3/0203; in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/36 : Embedding or analogous mounting of samples

Abstract

A specimen transfer device adapted to receive a blood sample is disclosed. The specimen transfer device includes a housing and an actuation member. A deformable material is disposed within the housing and is deformable from an initial position in which the material is adapted to hold the sample to a deformed position in which at least a portion of the sample is released from the material. A viscoelastic member is disposed within the housing between the material and the housing and between the material and the actuation member. The viscoelastic member is engaged with the actuation member and the material such that movement of the actuation member from a first position to a second position deforms the material from the initial position to the deformed position.

Claims

1. A specimen transfer device adapted to receive a sample, comprising:

a housing having a first end, a second end, a sidewall extending therebetween, and an actuation member movable between a first position and a second position;

a deformable material disposed within the housing, the material deformable from an initial position in which the material is adapted to contain the sample to a deformed position in which at least a portion of the sample is released from the material; and

a viscoelastic member disposed within the housing between the material and the sidewall of the housing and between the material and the actuation member,

wherein the viscoelastic member is engaged with the actuation member and the material such that movement of the actuation member from the first position to the second position exerts a force on the viscoelastic member which deforms the material from the initial position to the deformed position.

2. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the material includes pores.

3. The specimen transfer device of claim 2, further comprising a dry anticoagulant powder within the pores of the material.

4. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a dispensing tip at the first end.

5. The specimen transfer device of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a valve disposed within the dispensing tip, the valve transitionable between a closed position and an open position.

6. The specimen transfer device of claim 5, wherein with the material in the deformed position and the valve in the open position, the at least a portion of the sample released from the material may flow through the dispensing tip.

7. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the viscoelastic member has a viscoelastic member hardness.

8. The specimen transfer device of claim 7, wherein the actuation member has an actuation member hardness.

9. The specimen transfer device of claim 8, wherein the viscoelastic member hardness is less than the actuation member hardness.

10. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the actuation member is located at the second end of the housing.

11. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the actuation member is a push button.

12. The specimen transfer device of claim 1, wherein the sample is blood.

13. A lancet and specimen transfer device, comprising:

a lancet housing comprising a forward end, a rearward end, and a puncturing element, the puncturing element at least partially disposed within the lancet housing and adapted for movement between a pre-actuated position wherein the puncturing element is retained within the lancet housing and a puncturing position wherein at least a portion of the puncturing element extends through the forward end of the lancet housing; and

the specimen transfer device of claim 1 engageable with the rearward end of the lancet housing.

14. A blood transfer device adapted to receive a blood sample, comprising:

a housing having a first end, a second end, and an actuation member transitionable between a first position and a second position;

an open cell foam material disposed within the housing and having a dry anticoagulant powder therein;

a first capillary tube in fluid communication with the open cell foam material, the first capillary tube disposed between the first end of the housing and the open cell foam material; and

a second capillary tube in fluid communication with the open cell foam material, the second capillary tube disposed between the second end of the housing and the open cell foam material.

15. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the housing further comprises a lid movable between a closed position in which the open cell foam material is sealed within the housing and an open position in which a portion of the open cell foam material is exposed.

16. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the capillary tube is adapted to receive the blood sample after the blood sample is mixed with the dry anticoagulant powder within the open cell foam material.

17. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the capillary tube includes a dispensing tip.

18. The blood transfer device of claim 17, wherein movement of the actuation member from the first position to the second position dispenses the blood sample through the dispensing tip of the capillary tube.

19. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the second capillary tube is adapted to receive the blood sample after the blood sample is mixed with the dry anticoagulant powder within the open cell foam material.

20. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein movement of the actuation member from the first position to the second position dispenses the blood sample through a dispensing tip of the second capillary tube.

21. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein at least one of an internal surface of the first capillary tube and an internal surface of the second capillary tube includes an anticoagulant coating.

22. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube have different lengths.

23. The blood transfer device of claim 14, wherein the first capillary tube and the second capillary tube have different internal diameters.