Packaging for push button blood collection set

• US 6,994,213 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Niermann, Volker, Giard, John A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US10/229,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20030062281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 206363-365, 206/368, 206/370, 206477-478, 206/480, 206/438, 604/171, 604/110, 604/198
• US Class Current: 206/363
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150305 Packages specially adapted for piercing devices or blood sampling devices kits for diabetes A61M5/003; packaging in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150503 Single-ended needles 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 5/150587 by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150633 Protective sleeves which are axially extensible, e.g. sleeves connected to, or integrated in, the piercing or driving device; pivotable protective sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15074 Needle sets comprising wings, e.g. butterfly type, for ease of handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/33 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/002 Packages specially adapted therefor combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113; catheter kit packages for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/10 Devices to locate articles in containers for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/2024 the cover being welded or adhered to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/204 the cover having an unsealed portion for initiating removal B65D77/2036 takes precedence

Abstract

A package is provided for a medical device that a spring-driven button-actuated safety shield. The package includes a tray with a bottom wall and sidewall enclosure that extends upwardly from the bottom wall a distance greater than the height or thickness of the medical device. A flange extends outwardly from edges of the sidewall enclosure opposite the bottom wall. At least two gripping towers are formed unitarily with the bottom wall and project upwardly a distance greater than the thickness or height of the medical implement. Gripping towers are spaced from one another and are configured to grippingly engage the medical implement on opposite respective sides of the actuating button for preventing inadvertent actuation of the safety shield while the medical implement is in the tray. A cover extends removably across the flange and is supported by the gripping towers.

Claims

1. A blister package comprising:

a blood collection set with a push button and push button actuated needle safety shield mechanism, said blood collection set having a width and a height; and

a tray unitarily molded from a plastic material and having a bottom wall, a sidewall enclosure extending upwardly from said bottom wall a distance greater than said height of said blood collection set, a peripheral flange extending outwardly from portions of said sidewall enclosure remote from said bottom wall, first and second gripping towers projecting upwardly from said bottom wall at locations spaced from said sidewall enclosure, each said gripping tower having a top wall spaced from said bottom wall a distance greater than said height of said blood collection set, said gripping towers having opposed facing gripping walls spaced from one another by distances no greater than said width of said blood collection set such that said gripping towers grip said blood collection set inserted between said gripping towers, said gripping towers and a cover secured to said peripheral flange and covering said blood collection set, being sufficiently high for preventing inadvertent actuation of said push button from outside said package.

2. The blister package of claim 1, wherein the blood collection set comprises a spring-driven safety mechanism.

3. The blister package of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall is substantially planar.

4. The blister package of claim 3, wherein the peripheral flange is substantially parallel to the bottom wall, and wherein said top walls of said gripping towers are substantially coplanar with said peripheral flange.

5. The blister package of claim 4, wherein said opposed facing walls of said gripping towers are substantially perpendicular to said bottom wall of said tray.

6. The blister package of claim 1, wherein said opposed facing walls of said gripping towers have opposed facing convex surfaces configured for mating with surfaces of said blood collection set and resiliently deflecting sufficiently for gripping said blood collection set inserted between said gripping towers.

7. The blister package of claim 6, wherein each said gripping tower includes a plurality of non-gripping sidewalls, said non-gripping sidewalls converging toward one another at further distances from said bottom wall.

8. The blister package of claim 6, wherein a plurality of portions of said sidewall enclosure converged toward one another to define an overhang, said blood collection set comprising a length of flexible tubing, said tubing being releasably engaged between said overhang and said bottom wall.

9. The blister package of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-gripping tower projecting from said bottom wall at locations spaced from said sidewalls, said non-gripping tower being disposed for positioning a portion of said blood collection set with a push button actuated needle safety shield mechanism between said non-gripping tower and one of said sidewalls.

10. The blister package of claim 1, wherein actuation of said push button occurs by a radial pressure normal to the plane of said bottom wall, and wherein said gripping towers are disposed on opposite respective sides of said push button, such that actuation which is prevented by the height and position of said gripping towers.

11. A method for packaging a blood collection set with a push button actuated needle safety shield mechanism, said method comprising:

providing a blood collection set with a push button and push button actuated needle safety shield mechanism with a needle assembly containing said needle safety shield, a length of tubing projecting from said needle assembly and a fitting at an end of said tubing remote from said needle assembly, portions of said needle assembly having a width and a height;

providing a molded plastic tray having a bottom wall, a plurality of interconnected sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall a distance greater than said height of said needle assembly and a peripheral flange extending outwardly from said sidewalls, first and second gripping towers having tops disposed above said bottom wall a distance greater than said height of said needle assembly for preventing inadvertent actuation of said push button, said gripping towers being spaced from one another a distance no greater than said width of said needle assembly;

placing said blood collection set in said tray such that said portions of said needle assembly are between said gripping towers, with said gripping towers securely positioning said needle assembly between opposed facing sidewalls of said gripping towers; and

securing a removable cover across said peripheral flange.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said sidewalls has a concave recess adjacent said bottom wall, said step of placing said blood collection set in said tray comprising securing said tubing in said concave recess of said sidewall.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the blood collection set comprises a spring-activated needle safety shield mechanism, and the portions of the needle assembly are in proximity to an activating element of the spring-activated needle safety shield mechanism.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein actuation of said push button which occurs by a radial pressure normal to the plane of said bottom wall and further comprising the step of placing said blood collection set in said tray such that said push button of said blood collection set is between said gripping towers, with said gripping towers securely positioning said push button between said opposed facing sidewalls of said gripping towers, such that actuation is prevented by the height and position of said gripping towers.