Needle device for safely collecting blood or injecting drugs

• US 5,070,884 A
• Filed: 02/20/1990
• Issued: 12/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clinical Diagnostic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Columbus, Richard L., Palmer, Harvey J., Porte, Johannes J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rafa, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/481,838
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 128/760-766, 604/48, 604/49, 604/51, 604/192, 604/197, 604/198, 604/236, 604/263, 604/403, 604/411-413
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• 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 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150473 Double-ended needles, e.g. used with pre-evacuated sampling tubes hollow piercing element tip design A61B5/150396; needle sets for catheters A61M25/06; needles for bringing media into the body A61M5/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150641 comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150732 Needle holders, for instance for holding the needle by the hub, used for example with double-ended needle and pre-evacuated tube,
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150748 Having means for aiding positioning of the piercing device at a location where the body is to be pierced means for aiding positioning of devices for bringing media into the body A61M5/427, locating blood vessels A61B5/489
• 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 5/150893 by indicating if used, tampered with, unsterile or defective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150916 by blocking components, e.g. piston, driving device or fluid passageway
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3228 the needle being retracted by a member protruding laterally through a slot in the barrel, e.g. double-ended needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3272 having projections following labyrinth paths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5021 Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes centrifuges B04B5/04

Abstract

A needle device and method of use are disclosed, wherein the needle moves out of and into a protective housing, between two operative positions, one of which causes the housing to shield the needle. Each operative position includes releasable locking detents to temporarily hold the needle in one of those positions, the holding force of one being less than the other. A third position beyond the one that shields the needle in the housing is used to permanently lock the needle in the housing against accidental reuse. The needle device can be used with a blood collection container or a syringe drug delivery container, each one releasably mating with the device during use.

Claims

1. A method of collecting whole blood and separating serum from the cells of the blood, comprising

inserting a phlebotomy tube into a needle mount having a protective sheath slidable thereover,

sliding said needle mount within said protective sheath until a) said needle extends out of said sheath and b) said needle has penetrated said tube,

collecting blood in said tube, said tube including as composite parts thereof, a first chamber for receiving and separating the liquid into at least two phases by spinning the chamber about an axis external to said chamber, said chamber including means for maintaining said phase separation after spinning, a second chamber for collecting the lighter of said at least two phases from said first chamber, said second chamber including a first aperture for recovering said lighter phase from said first chamber and a valve means for controlling the flow of liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber in response to hydrostatic pressure;

removing said tube from said needle,

spinning said tube in a centrifuge until the heavier cell phase is separated from the lighter serum phase,

and removing said lighter phase into said second chamber by increasing the spinning forces sufficiently above the speed used to separate the phases to force said valve to open due to an increased hydrostatic head of pressure.