Combination stopper-shield closure

• US 5,738,233 A
• Filed: 07/26/1994
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Burns, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Castellano, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US08/280,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 215/247, 215/249, 215/251, 604/403, 604/415
• 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 is retained within a central aperture in the shield by means of an upper and lower flange, the upper flange having a convex surface for directing residue body fluid away from the center of the flange to reduce contamination. The closure also includes a gas-barrier bonded to the stopper and/or shield to increase the vacuum seal and cam followers extending from the bottom of the shield to interact with cams on the outer surface of the tube to facilitate closure twist-off. In addition, the closure includes flexible tabs around the bottom 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 central aperture surrounded by a wall and an outer skirt with a plurality of cam followers extending from the bottom of said outer skirt that interact with a plurality of cams on an outer wall of a body fluid collection tube to facilitate removing said closure from an open end of the tube;

a sealing element for sealing the tube having an upper flange that is received in said shield, wherein said upper flange in conjunction with said wall of said shield form a well and said upper flange includes a convex surface that directs residue body fluid from said convex surface of said upper flange towards said wall and a body fluid trap between said wall and said convex surface that collects body fluid being directed from said convex surface towards said wall; and

a gas-barrier member bonded to said sealing element and said shield to minimize the thickness of said sealing element, reduce needle penetration force through said sealing element, and improve vacuum retention within the tube.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of cams on the outer wall of the tube are located within a cavity in a ring surrounding the outer wall for capturing body fluid.

3. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing element further comprises a sealing ring that forms a primary seal with a rim at the open end of the tube.