Blood collection tube holder

• US 5,219,333 A
• Filed: 02/28/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fenwal Incorporated (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Medical Safety Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Sagstetter, William E., Wanderer, Alan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAHR, JENNIFER DOYLE
• Application Number:
  US07/828,309
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/187, 604/197, 604/198, 604/199, 604/232, 128/763
• US Class Current: 604/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150496 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the double-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• 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 5/150717 manually removed
• 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 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position

Abstract

An insert (14) for supporting a double ended needle (94, 98) during a blood collection procedure is translatably mounted with a cylinder (12) for retracting the anterior needle (98) into the cylinder (12) on completion of the procedure to prevent needle stick while the posterior needle (94) remains continually shielded against needle stick by the insert (14). An anterior lock position stabilizes the double ended needle (94, 98) during the blood collection procedure and a posterior lock position retains both ends (94, 98) of the needle shielded. Ramps (130, 132) may be associated with the posterior lock position to prevent further translation of the insert (14) and reuse of the holder (10). For a reusable holder embodiment, the used double ended needle (94, 98) is retracted, safely enclosed and locked inside the cylinder (12). The anterior end (30) of the cylinder (12) is adapted for receiving the open end (90) of a conventional needle shield (96) to permit gripping of the needle supporting hub (92) and disengagement of the needle (94, 98) from the insert (14) without exposure to needle stick. A replacement needle may then be mounted in the insert (14) and the holder (10) reused.

Claims

1. A needle inserting device for penetrable insertion into a tissue and for protecting personnel against accidental needle stick, said device comprising in combination:

a) a needle having a pointed end;

b) means for supporting said needle, said supporting means having a unitary tab means extending outwardly from said supporting means;

c) a housing means for axial translation of said supporting means within said housing means, thereby selectively shielding said needle, said housing means having open anterior and posterior ends and a slot disposed therein;

d) said unitary tab means engages said slot for supporting and guiding said tab means to accommodate axial translation of said supporting means for extension of said needle outwardly through said anterior end of said housing means and for retraction of said needle within anterior end of said housing means; and

e) a positive lock means for preventing disassembly of said supporting means from said housing means, said positive lock means comprising said unitary tab means of said supporting means and said slot of said housing means, each having a lateral and longitudinal dimension, wherein one of said lateral and longitudinal dimension of said tab means is less than or equivalent to the homologous dimension of said slot and the remaining said lateral or longitudinal dimension of said tab means is greater than the remaining homologous dimension of said slot, thereby providing positive lock means for preventing translation of said tab means inwardly through said slot of said housing means to cause disassembly of said supporting means from said housing means.

2. A needle inserting device for penetrable insertion into a tissue and for protecting personnel against accidental needle stick, said device comprising in combination:

a) a needle having a pointed end;

b) means for supporting said needle, said supporting means including a longitudinal axis coincident with said needle and having a tab means unitary with and extending radially outwardly from said supporting means with respect to the longitudinal axis of said supporting means;

c) a housing means for axial translation of said supporting means within said housing means, thereby selectively shielding said needle, said (guard) housing means having open anterior and posterior ends and a slot disposed therein;

d) said tab means extends through and outwardly of said slot of said guard means;

said unitary tab means engages said slot of said housing means for supporting and guiding said tab means to accommodate axial translation of said supporting means for extension of said needle outwardly from said housing means and for retraction of said needle within said housing means; and

e) said tab means comprising unitary wing means for precluding translation of said tab means radially inwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of said supporting means through said slot to a location completely within the inner wall of said (guard) housing means, said wing means and said slot each having a lateral and longitudinal dimension, said wing means having a longitudinal dimension less than or equivalent to the longitudinal dimension of said slot and said wing means having a lateral dimension greater than the lateral dimension of said slot to preclude translation of said wing means radially inwardly through said slot.

3. A method for assembling a needle inserting device for penetrable insertion into a tissue and for protecting personnel against needle stick, said needle inserting device comprised of a supporting means with a pointed needle and a housing means for axially translating said supporting means within said housing means and thereby selectively shielding said needle, said housing means having a longitudinal axis, anterior and posterior openings and a slot disposed therein, said supporting means including a longitudinal axis coincident with said needle and a tab unitary with said supporting means, said tab means extending radially outwardly of said supporting means in respect to the longitudinal axis of said supporting means and said tab means mounted on a flexible resilient arm extending from a posterior fixed end in said supporting means to an anterior free end in said supporting means to accommodate inward radial movement of said tab means in respect to the longitudinal axis of said supporting means, said tab means having a unitary wing with opposed ends extending in opposed directions from said tab means, wherein following assembly of said housing means onto said supporting means said opposed ends of said wing means being positioned outwardly of said housing means a distance sufficient to extend beyond the opposed axial sides of said slot to preclude translation of said wing means radially inwardly through said slot in respect to the longitudinal axis of said supporting means, said method comprising the steps of:

a) depressing said resilient arm of said supporting means to radially inwardly displace said tab means;

b) sliding the anterior end of said supporting means and the inwardly displaced tab means into the posterior opening of said housing means;

c) rotating said supporting means about to the longitudinal axis of said housing means to locate one end of said wing in penetrable engagement with said slot and in overlapping relationship with an axially aligned edge of the penetrated said slot; and

d) exteriorizing the other end of said wing means in overlapping relationship with the other opposed axially aligned edge of the penetrated slot.

4. A blood collection tube holder for use with a detachably attached double ended needle having a threaded hub from which hub extends an anterior needle and a posterior needle, said holder comprising in combination:

a) a cylinder for shielding the anterior needle against inadvertent needle stick after a venipuncture procedure, said cylinder having an open end and a necked down end defining a collar having a passageway extending therethrough in communication with the interior of said cylinder;

b) a cylindrical insert telescopingly engagable with said cylinder for shielding the posterior needle against inadvertent needle stick and for axially translating the anterior needle through said passageway and to shield the anterior needle within said cylinder, said insert having an open end for removably receiving at least a part of a blood collection tube and a necked down end having an internally threaded boss for engaging the threaded hub of the double ended needle to position the posterior needle within said insert for penetrably engaging the blood collection tube and to position the anterior needle exterior of and extending from said insert;

c) a longitudinally extending slot disposed along said cylinder;

d) a flexible resilient arm extending from a posterior fixed end in said cylindrical insert to an anterior free end of said arm in said insert, a tab means integrally part of and extending radially outwardly from the anterior free end of said arm for engaging said slot and for guiding said insert upon relative translational movement between said insert and said cylinder;

e) first detent means in said cylinder for positionally retaining said tab means relative to said slot to define the exposed position of the anterior needle and the contained position of said insert within said cylinder and second detent means in said cylinder for positionally retaining said tab means relative to said slot to define the shielded position of the anterior needle and the extended position of said insert posteriorly from said cylinder;

f) an irreversible means for preventing repositioning of said tab means to a position anterior of said second detent means; and

g) means for preventing disassembly of said insert from said cylinder, said preventing means comprising means for precluding translation of said tab radially inwardly through said slot and through each of said first and second detent means to a location completely within the inner wall of said cylinder.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including ramp means disposed on said housing means adjacent said slot and extending radially outwardly posteriorly, said ramp means including a butt end terminating proximate said second detent means wherein said butt end of said ramp means interferes with said tab means in said second detent means, thereby preventing repositioning of said tab means to a position anterior of said second detent means.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said ramp means comprises a ramp disposed on opposed sides of said slot.

7. A blood collection tube holder for use with a detachably attached double ended needle having a hub from which hub extends an anterior needle and a posterior needle, said holder comprising in combination:

a) a cylinder for shielding the anterior needle against inadvertent needle stick after a venipuncture procedure, said cylinder having a posterior open end and an anterior open end;

b) a cylindrical insert telescopingly engagable with said cylinder for shielding the posterior needle against inadvertent needle stick and for axially translating the anterior needle relative to said cylinder to expose the anterior needle from within said cylinder, said insert having a posterior open end for removably receiving at least a part of a blood collection tube and an anterior end having a boss for engaging the hub of the double ended needle to position the posterior needle within said insert for penetrably engaging the blood collection tube and to position the anterior needle exterior of and extending from said insert;

c) a longitudinally extending slot disposed along said cylinder;

d) tab means unitary with and extending from said insert for engaging said slot and for translating along said slot to guide said insert upon relative translational movement between said insert and said cylinder;

e) first detent means in said cylinder for positionally retaining said tab means relative to said slot to define the exposed position of the anterior needle and the contained position of said insert within said cylinder and second detent means in said cylinder for positionally retaining said tab means relative to said slot to define the shielded position of the anterior needle and the extended position of said insert posteriorly from said cylinder;

f) an irreversible means for preventing repositioning of said tab means to a position anterior of said second detent means; and

g) means for preventing disassembly of said insert from said cylinder, said preventing means comprising said tab means with a unitary wing disposed radially outwardly of said cylinder, said wing has a longitudinal dimension less than or equivalent to the longitudinal dimension of any of said slot and said first and second detents and a lateral dimension greater than the lateral dimension of said slot and said first and second detent means, thereby precluding disassembly of said insert from said cylinder.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including ramp means disposed on said housing means adjacent said slot and extending radially outwardly posteriorly, said ramp means including a butt end terminating proximate said second detent means, wherein said butt end of said ramp means interferes with said tab means in said second detent means, thereby preventing repositioning of said tab means to a position anterior of said second detent means.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said ramp means comprises a ramp disposed on opposed sides of said slot.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 with said tab means positioned in said second detent means, wherein butt end of said ramp means interferes with wing of said tab means, thereby preventing repositioning of said tab means to a position anterior of said second detent means.