Combination stopper-shield closure

• US 5,494,170 A
• Filed: 05/06/1993
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Burns, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Castellano, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US08/058,854
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 215/247, 215/249, 215/251, 604/415, 604/403
• US Class Current: 215/247
• 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 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/002 Closures to be pierced by an extracting-device for the contents and fixed on the container by separate retaining means

Abstract

A combination stopper and shield closure for sealing the open end of an evacuated body fluid collection tube to retain the vacuum therein. The stopper and shield are made by co-injection molding with the stopper being retained within a central aperture in the shield by means of an upper and lower flange or a plurality of plugs extending from the stopper into the shield. The upper flange has a convex surface for directing residue body fluid away from the center of the flange to reduce contamination, a gas-barrier to increase the vacuum seal and prevent contamination, cam followers in the base of the shield to interact with cams on the surface of the tube to facilitate closure twist-off, and flexible tabs around the base of the shield to prevent the tube/closure assembly from being pushed out of a needle holder during body fluid collection.

Claims

1. A closure for sealing an open end of a body fluid collection tube comprising:

a shield having a wall;

a stopper for sealing the tube that is received in said shield and includes a top surface, wherein said top surface of said stopper in conjunction with said wall of said shield form a well, and said top surface includes a convex portion that directs residue body fluid from said convex portion towards said wall; and

a gas-barrier member bonded to said shield to improve vacuum retention within the tube and protect said well from contamination.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said stopper further comprises a body fluid trap surrounding said convex portion that collects the residue body fluid being directed from said convex portion towards said wall.

3. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said shield further comprises an outer skirt having a plurality of projections extending from an interior surface of said outer skirt into said shield, said projections on said outer skirt positioned to mate with an outer wall of the tube to securely lock said closure onto the tube and retain the vacuum within the tube.

4. A closure according to claim 3, wherein said shield further comprises a cam follower ring around said outer skirt that interacts with a cam ring on the outer wall of the tube to facilitate unlocking and removal of said closure from the tube when said closure is rotated on the open end of said tube.

5. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said stopper further comprises a lower flange with a lip that forms a primary seal with an inside wall and a rim at the open end of the tube to minimize the thickness of said stopper and reduce needle penetration force through said stopper.