Combination needle cover and venipuncture device tray and method of using same

• US 4,106,621 A
• Filed: 07/26/1976
• Issued: 08/15/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sorenson Research Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sorenson Research Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Sorenson, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman, Steven E.
• Application Number:
  US05/708,968
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 128/184, 128/215, 128/218 R, 128/218 S, 206/364-365, 206/367, 206/461, 206/467, 206/469-470, 206/498, 206/525, 206/532, 206/804, 229/44 R
• US Class Current: 206/365
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/002 Packages specially adapted therefor combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113; catheter kit packages for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2575/3245 by peeling off the non-rigid sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2575/366 through a preformed opening in the recessed sheet, e.g. the opening being defined by weakened lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2575/367 through a preformed opening in the flat sheet, e.g. the opening being defined by weakened lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/326 and forming one compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/328 the compartments being interconnected, e.g. by small channels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/366 and forming one compartment

Abstract

A venipuncture device package which when opened serves as a combination needle cover and venipuncture device tray from which a venipuncture device may be withdrawn or inserted with one hand without having to apply any force to the package. In one preferred embodiment, a blister cover made of ductile plastic is configurated to form a venipuncture device tray which is separably joined to a strip of paper backing to form the package. The tray is constructed so as to facilitate angular deformation of the tray into a hand-displaceable needle cover once the strip of paper has been partially peeled away to expose the handle of the venipuncture device while maintaining the needle of the venipuncture device enclosed within the package. In other presently preferred embodiments, the tray is constructed so that it may be broken open at a predetermined location so as to form a hand-displaceable needle cover having the handle of the venipuncture device exposed while maintaining the needle of the venipuncture device enclosed within the package. The method of using the preferred embodiments is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A sterile package for venipuncture devices, said package being constructed in part of ductile material so that it can be angularly deformed when opened and comprising:

a top blister cover for the venipuncture device formed of ductile, transparent plastic, said blister cover being preformed to define a needle portion, a handle portion, and a handle restraining portion disposed between the needle portion and the handle portion, said handle restraining portion having a generally parabolic cross-sectional shape of smaller transverse and longitudinal dimensions than said needle and handle portions, said parabolically shaped handle restraining portion also defining a communicating passageway between said needle and handle portions, the needle portion and handle portion also each having a sloped surface that joins the parabolically cross-sectional shaped handle restraining portion so as to converge at the base of the handle restraining portion, thereby defining a bending location at said handle restraining portion which facilitates angular deformation of the top blister cover into an upright tray which fully exposes the handle of the device to finger access after bending the package, said handle restraining portion also defining an opening to the needle portion of the cover of sufficient diameter so as to allow withdrawal of the device without applying significant force to remove the blister cover when it is angularly deformed, said blister cover also having a peripheral flange circumscribing the base of the blister cover and defining front and rear surface-engaging edges for supporting the blister cover on a flat surface after it has been angularly deformed;

a flat strip of paper peelably joined to the blister cover so as to completely enclose the entire venipuncture device within the blister cover, said strip being peeled away from the handle portion of the blister cover and the handle restraining portion of the blister cover so as to partially expose the handle of the venipuncture device to finger access while at the same time maintaining the needle of the venipuncture device enclosed within the sterile needle portion of the blister cover, said handle of the venipuncture device being completely exposed to unobstructed finger access only after the blister cover has been angularly deformed; and

adhesive means disposed between the blister cover and strip of paper for peelably joining the blister cover to the paper, thereby forming a normally closed package for enclosing the entire venipuncture device until such time as the paper is peeled away from the handle portion and handle restraining portion of the blister cover so as to partially expose the handle of the venipuncture device in order to accommodate withdrawal of the device from the package.

2. A method of accessing a venipuncture device from a package, the package having a preformed blister cover and a closure strip peelably joined to the blister cover, said blister cover being formed so as to define a needle portion, a handle portion and a handle restraining portion disposed between the needle portion and the handle portion, said handle restraining portion having a generally parabolic cross-sectional shape of smaller transverse and longitudinal dimensions than said needle and handle portions, said parabolically shaped handle restraining portion also defining a communicating passageway between said needle and handle portions, the needle and handle portion also each having a sloped surface that joins the parabolically cross-sectional shaped handle restraining portion and that converges at the base of the handle restraining portion, thereby defining a bending location at said handle restraining portion, the method comprising the steps of:

peeling said closure strip away from said handle and handle restraining portions so as to expose essentially only the handle of the venipuncture device;

bending said package at the bending location defined on said package so as to expose essentially the entire handle of said device to finger access without exposing the needle of said device, thereby also forming a device tray which is self-supporting in an upright position;

placing the bent package in an upright position upon an essentially level surface; and

removing the venipuncture device from the package.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

restraining the handle of the venipuncture device by said handle restraining portion of the blister cover when the blister cover has been angularly deformed, thereby preventing the handle of the device from slipping back into the blister cover after the blister cover has been angularly deformed; and

presenting a guide for the needle of the venipuncture device, said guide being defined at least in part by the handle restraining portion of the deformed blister cover.

4. A sterile package for venipuncture devices, said package being constructed in part of ductile material so that it can be angularly deformed when opened and comprising:

a top blister cover made of ductile, transparent plastic, the blister cover having a single raised portion that covers the entire venipuncture device, said raised portion having a cross-sectional size which will permit the device to be withdrawn from the blister cover with one hand without having to apply any significant force to remove the cover when opened, said blister cover also having a peripheral flange formed so as to circumscribe the base of the raised portion, said flange having a fold line scribed thereon to facilitate bending of said peripheral flange at the fold line, said flange also defining front and rear surface-engaging ends that support the package on a flat surface after it has been angularly deformed, said blister cover also having a plurality of score lines scribed across the surface of the raised portion of the blister cover so as to facilitate breaking said raised portion open along said score lines when the blister cover is angularly deformed, said score lines converging at said fold line and defining a detachable section of said raised portion of blister cover, said detachable section being located on the raised portion of the blister cover so as to permit essentially only the handle of said venipuncture device to be fully exposed when the package is angularly deformed;

a flat cover joined to the peripheral flange of said blister cover, said flat cover enclosing the venipuncture device within the blister cover; and

means disposed between the blister cover and the flat cover for adhesively joining the flat cover to the blister cover.

5. A method of opening a package which encloses a venipuncture device, the package having a raised blister cover and a closure strip joined to the blister cover and enclosing the device therewithin, said blister cover having a peripheral flange with a fold line scribed thereon, and said blister cover further having a plurality of score lines scribed on the blister cover so as to converge with said fold line, thereby defining a detachable section of said blister cover, the method comprising the steps of:

breaking said blister cover open along a first score line in the vicinity of the handle;

bending said closure strip and said peripheral flange of said blister cover at said fold line into an angular configuration;

breaking the blister cover open along a second score line so as to permit removal of said detachable section of blister cover;

placing said package in an upright position upon an essentially level surface; and

removing the venipuncture device from said package.