Self-sealing fluid conduit and collection device

• US 5,065,768 A
• Filed: 09/13/1988
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safe-Tec Clinical Products Inc.
• Original Assignee: Safe-Tec Clinical Products Inc.
• Inventors: Kendrick, William G. Sr., Coleman, Charles M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US07/243,982
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 128/760, 128/763, 128/765, 128/766, 128/770, 73/864.02, 73/864.03, 604/15, 604/21, 604/51, 604/52, 604/126, 604/134-136, 604/187, 604/90, 604/218, 604/226, 279/41 R
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• 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 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02

Abstract

A self-sealing fluid collection tube is provided with an elongated bore and a fluid entry end. A plug of super-absorbent material is provided within the tube opposite the fluid entry end. This plug is preferably vented and is adapted to seal the tube by expanding when contacted by a fluid, such as blood. After the fluid has been collected, the tube is placed in a pipetter-dispenser in which a plunger, which is inserted into the tube, moves through a calibrated distance thereby advancing the plug into the tube and expelling a selected volume of fluid from the tube. Alternatively, the fluid may be transferred into another receptacle by piercing the sealed plug to form a new vent channel to permit drainage of the collected fluid into a receptacle.

Claims

1. A self-sealing tube comprising a tubular body having an elongated bore and a fluid entry end, and a movable plug of super-absorbent containing composite material provided within said tube, said super-absorbent material adapted to expand when contacted by an aqueous fluid and seal said tube to prevent passage of air and liquids through the plug during centrifugation and expulsion.

2. The tube of claim 1 wherein said plug has an opening provided therein, said opening sized to vent said tube when fluid enters said tube, said opening being closed by the expansion of said plug of super-absorbent material when contacted by said aqueous fluid.

3. The tube of claim 2 wherein said super-absorbent material comprises a super-absorbent polymer and an organic support matrix.

4. The tube of claim 3 wherein said super-absorbent polymer is an acrylic acid containing polymer.

5. The tube of claim 4 wherein said organic support matrix is a member of a class consisting of organic polymers, fats, waxes and thixotropic oils blended into a composite material.

6. The tube of claim 1 wherein said plug of super-absorbent material has a specific gravity greater than the heaviest component of the fluid.

7. The tube of claim 6 wherein said super-absorbent material comprises a super-absorbent polymer and an organic support matrix.

8. A self-sealing blood and body fluid collection tube for capillary collection of blood and other body fluids comprising a unitary tubular body having an elongated bore and a fluid entry end, and a super-absorbent containing composite material comprising a super-absorbent polymer and an organic support matrix provided within said tube opposite said fluid entry end, said super-absorbent material adapted to expand when contacted by one of blood and a body fluid and seal said tube to prevent passage of air and liquid through the plug during centrifugation and expulsion.

9. A self-sealing movable plug for use in a fluid collection tube, said plug provided with a vent channel extending therethrough, said plug being comprised of a super-absorbent containing composite material that will swell to seal said tube and be impermeable during centrifugation and expulsion to air and to liquids after said fluid contacts said vent channel of said plug.

10. The self-sealing plug of claim 9 wherein said plug comprises a super-absorbent material adapted to expand when contacted by said fluid.

11. The self-sealing plug of claim 10 wherein said super-absorbent material comprises a super-absorbent polymer and an organic support matrix.

12. The self-sealing plug of claim 11 wherein said super-absorbent polymer is an acrylic acid containing polymer.

13. The self-sealing plug of claim 11 wherein said organic support matrix is a member of the class consisting of organic polymers, fats, waxes, and thixotropic oils blended into a composite material.

14. The self-sealing plug of claim 9 wherein said plug comprises an acrylic acid polymer dispersed within a support polymeric organic support matrix.

15. The self-sealing plug of claim 9 wherein said fluid is a fluid containing at least two components having a different specific gravity and said plug has a specific gravity greater than the heaviest component of the fluid.

16. The self-sealing plug of claim 9 wherein said fluid is blood.

17. A system for the collection, separation and dispensation of an aqueous fluid containing at least two components having a different specific gravity comprising:

(a) a unitary tubular body having an elongated bore and a fluid entry end, a plug of super-absorbent material provided within said tube opposite said fluid entry end, said plug having a specific gravity greater than the component of the fluid having the highest specific gravity, and at least one sealant material provided within said tube, said sealant material having a specific gravity intermediate that of at least two of the components of the fluid; and

(b) dispensing means adapted to receive said fluid collection tube after the components of said fluid and sealant material within said tube have been separated, said dispensing means comprising;

(i) a housing adapted to receive said tube;

(ii) a rod member extending axially through said housing, said rod member sized to fit into said fluid collection tube;

(iii) an adjustment means connected to said rod member and said housing to permit movement of the rod member relative to the housing;

(iv) a plunger member connected to an end of said rod member, said plunger member extending outward from said housing; and

(v) adjustable stop means provided on said plunger member, said stop means capable of being positioned at any desired one position of several positions on said plunger and adapted to permit said plunger to travel a calibrated distance into said housing, said calibrated distance being directly related to said desired one position of the stop means on said plunger.

18. The system in claim 17 wherein the fluid collection tube has a fluid collection chamber of a known volume and the dispensing means is adapted to expel a pre-determined volume of separated fluid.

19. The system of claim 18 also comprising a hydrophobic coating applied to the inner diameter of one end of said collection tube.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said collection tube is a capillary tube having one end thereof flared outward.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein said dispensing means further comprises:

(a) a housing;

(b) a rod member extending axially through said housing, said rod member sized to fit into said fluid collection tube; and

(c) an adjustment means connected to said rod member and said housing to permit movement of the rod member relative to the housing.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said adjustment means comprises:

(a) a plunger member connected to an end of said rod member opposite said plug means, said plunger member extending outward from said housing;

(b) stop means provided on said plunger member, said stop means adapted to permit said plunger member to travel a calibrated distance into said housing; and

(c) return means engaged on said plunger member, said return means adapted to fully extend plunger a calibrated distance out of said housing.

23. The system in claim 22 wherein said return means is a spring.

24. The system of claim 21 also comprising a plug attached to said rod member, said plug sized to fit into the fluid collection tube.

25. The system in claim 21 wherein said dispensing means further comprises a locking means which secures said collection tube within said housing.

26. The system in claim 17 further comprising identification means provided on said collection tube.

27. The system in claim 26 in which said identification means is at least one of a label applied on said collection tube and a label applied on a cap adapted to cover said collection tube.