Projectile blood collection device

• US 7,163,515 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2003
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James H. Mcnenny
• Original Assignee: James H. Mcnenny
• Inventors: McNenny, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoekstra; Jeffrey G
• Application Number:
  US10/651,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,235 Days
• Field of Search: 600/573, 600/578, 600/583, 606/182, 606/181, 606/167, 604/3.15, 604/317, 604/411, 604/6.15
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150404 Specific design of proximal end
• 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 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150923 by means for destroying components or parts, e.g. by cutting or piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15113 Manually triggered, i.e. the triggering requires a deliberate action by the user such as pressing a drive button
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15125 comprising a vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15144 comprising driving means, e.g. a spring, for retracting the piercing unit into the housing

Abstract

This disclosure describes a device for obtaining a blood sample from an intruder at a crime scene to be later analyzed for DNA. A projectile containing a blood-extracting needle for penetrating the skin of said intruder is mounted through a protective chamber and connected to a blood reservoir in the chamber interior. A vacuum is held in both the reservoir and the chamber. The chamber vacuum is released by forward movement of the chamber as it slides within a casing following further penetration of the needle. The vacuum release acts to reduce the ambient pressure within the forward portion of the casing, thus assisting in propelling the needle into the intruder. As the needle reaches maximum extension, a loaded spring within the casing is released, propelling the needle and reservoir away from the intruder.

Claims

1. A blood-collecting apparatus for obtrusively obtaining a blood sample from an intruder at a crime scene to be later analyzed for DNA, comprising:

a blood-extracting needle for penetrating the skin of said intruder;

a blood-collecting reservoir connected in fluid communication to said blood-extracting needle for receiving said blood sample, wherein said connected blood-extracting needle and blood-collecting reservoir form a needle-reservoir assembly;

a first chamber, including a means for mounting said needle-reservoir assembly on said first chamber and a means for holding an initial vacuum in said first chamber;

a cylindrical casing defining a cylindrical interior and a facing at a distal first end of said cylindrical casing having a center hole for receiving said needle-reservoir assembly, wherein said first chamber is slidably mounted in said cylindrical interior;

a means for propelling said needle-reservoir assembly into contact with said intruder;

a means responsive to said contact for distally advancing said blood-extracting needle through said center hole, thus promoting insertion of said needle-reservoir assembly into said intruder; and

a coil spring positioned adjacent the interior side of said facing, including a means for retaining and securing said coil spring in a normally biased mode, and configured to extract and eject said needle-reservoir assembly a substantial distance proximally from said intruder in response to a maximum penetration.

2. The blood-collecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an extension collar comprising an elongate proximally-extending rod and attached to said facing for slidably receiving said blood-extracting needle;

wherein said means for holding an initial vacuum in said first chamber comprises a proximally disposed entrance to said interior of said first chamber;

wherein a plug is inserted in said entrance; and

wherein said rod is configured to punch out said plug in response to said contact and to release said vacuum to reduce pressure in the space occupied by said coil spring and said collar.

3. The blood-collecting apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a distal extension disposed on the exterior of said first chamber and aligned with said means for retaining and securing said coil spring to shear said retaining means for releasing said spring and ejecting said first chamber said needle-reservoir assembly from said casing.