Holder for evacuated test tubes

• US 5,217,694 A
• Filed: 03/25/1992
• Issued: 06/08/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safe-Stik, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Safe-Stik, Inc.
• Inventors: Gibler, Susan H., Gibler, W. Brian, Gibler, Ellen K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres, Ramon
• Application Number:
  US07/857,465
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 422/104, 422/65, 422/99, 422/63, 248/146, 248/311.2, 211/74, 221/123, 221/279, 141/130, 141/132
• US Class Current: 422/562
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders

Abstract

A holder for evacuated test tubes used for blood or bodily fluids having rubber stoppers includes a case having a plurality of channels. The test tubes ride in channels supporting themselves or supported by the flanges of the rubber stoppers. A spring or other mechanism to push or pull the test tubes forwardly along the channels to a forwardmost position is used. At the forwardmost position a separate flap is present which includes a hole aligned with each of the rubber stoppers in the test tubes in this forwardmost position. Thus, when blood or other bodily fluids are transferred from a hypodermic needle-tipped syringe, the needle is pushed through the hole in the flap directly into the rubber stopper of the test tube. When the fluid is transferred, the needle is removed, and the flap can be lifted to remove the test tube which can then be sent to the testing lab.

Claims

1. A holder in combination with evacuated test tubes, said test tubes adapted to receive blood and bodily fluids transferred from a hypodermic needle-tipped syringe wherein said tubes include a test tube portion and a rubber stopper having a radially extended flange;

said holder having at least one channel extending from a front portion to a back portion of said holder and first and second edges alongside said channel, said edges spaced apart to permit said test tubes to slide within the channels and be supported by the radially extended flange of the rubber stopper or the tubes themselves;

means to move said test tubes in said channel from the back of the holder to a forwardmost position of said channel at the front portion;

a flap covering said forwardmost position of said holder, said flap having at least one hole, aligned directly above the rubber stopper of the forwardmost test tube in said channel;

whereby the hypodermic needle-tipped syringe can be inserted and removed from the rubber stopper through said hole directly into a test tube positioned at said forwardmost position, whereby the flap holds the tube in place while the needle is removed.

2. The test tube holder claimed in claim 1 wherein said holder includes a plurality of channels adapted to hold test tubes and a plurality of means to move test tubes riding in said channels to forwardmost positions of each of said channel, at said front portion said flap having a plurality of holes, one each aligned above said forwardmost position of each channel.

3. The holder claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to push said tubes from said back portion to said front portion of said holder comprises a pusher riding in said channel.

4. The holder claimed in claim 3 wherein said holder has a top wall wherein said pusher is urged forwardly by a spring fixed at one end to said pusher and fixed at an opposite end to the top wall.

5. The holder claimed in claim 4 wherein said top wall is hinged to said holder and can be raised to permit insertion of test tubes into said holder.

6. The holder claimed in claim 1 wherein the body of said forwardmost test tube is visible to permit determination if said tube has been filled.

7. The holder claimed in claim 1 wherein said holder comprises a carousel having a plurality of radially extending channels adapted to receive test tubes,

a top, said top having a radially extended access opening,

means to move said top relative to said channels to position said access opening above any one of said channels.

8. A holder having a plurality of rows of evacuated test tubes, said test tubes having a body portion and a rubber stopper top, said stopper having a flange extending beyond the body portion of said test tubes;

said holder including a front portion, back portion and a top;

a plurality of strips extending from said back portion to said front portion, a plurality of channels between adjacent strips, said channels adapted to support the flange of said rubber stoppers and allow said test tube body portion to slide therein;

a plurality of parallel adjacent pusher elements adapted to ride on adjacent strips in each of said channels and push test tubes forwardly in each of said channels to a stop portion, at a forwardmost position in each of said channels and a flap covering said forwardmost position of said channels, said flap having a plurality of holes one each aligned with each of said channels.

9. A holder for evacuated test tubes adapted to receive blood and bodily fluids transferred from a hypodermic needle-tipped syringe wherein said test tubes include a tube portion and a rubber stopper;

said holder having a plurality of channels extending from a front portion to a back portion of said holder and each channel having first and second edges alongside said channel, said edges spaced apart to permit said test tubes to slide within the channels and be supported within said channels;

means to move said test tubes in said channels from the back portion of the holder to a forwardmost position of said channels at the front portion;

a flap covering said forwardmost position of said channel, said flap having a hole, aligned directly above the rubber stopper of the forwardmost test tube in each of said channels;

wherein said flap is hinged to said holder whereby said flap can be lifted to permit test tubes to be removed form said forwardmost positions;

whereby the hypodermic needle-tipped syringe can be inserted and removed from a rubber stopper through said hole directly into a test tube positioned at said forwardmost position, whereby the flap holds the tube in place while the needle is removed.

10. A holder for evacuated test tubes adapted to receive blood and bodily fluids transferred from a hypodermic needle-tipped syringe wherein said tubes include a tube portion and a rubber stopper;

said holder having means to hold a plurality of test tubes and having an access opening providing access to a limited number of said test tubes;

means to move said stored test tubes relative to said access opening so that additional test tubes can be accessed through said access opening;

whereby the hypodermic needle-tipped syringe can be inserted and removed from the rubber stopper into a test tube positioned at said access position;

wherein said holder comprises a carousel having a plurality of radially extending channels adapted to receive test tubes,

a top, having an access opening being radially extended and being provided in said top,

means to move said top relative to said channels to position said access opening above any one of said channels.

11. A holder in combination with evacuated test tubes, said test tubes adapted to receive blood and bodily fluids transferred from a hypodermic needle-tipped syringe wherein said tubes include a test tube portion and a rubber stopper;

said holder having a plurality of channels extending from a front portion to a back portion of said holder and first and second edges alongside said channel, said edges spaced apart to permit said test tubes to slide within the channels;

means to move said test tubes in said channels from the back of the holder to a forwardmost position of said channels at the front portion;

a flap covering said forwardmost position of said holder, said flap having at least one hole, aligned directly above the rubber stopper of the forwardmost test tube in said channel;

said holder further having a top wall wherein said top wall and said flap combine to cover all of said test tubes in said holder;

means to remove said forwardmost test tube from said holder without opening said top wall;

whereby the hypodermic needle-tipped syringe can be inserted and removed from the rubber stopper through said hole directly into a test tube positioned at said forwardmost position, whereby the flap holds the tube in place while the needle is removed.