Clot retainer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A clot retainer for generally separating serum from a patient blood specimen enclosed in a container having a closure, the clot retainer comprising:
- an elongate shaft;
a piercing tip positioned on an end of the elongate shaft to pierce the closure on the container to insert the clot retainer into the container without removal of the closure; and
fingers to displace solid components of the patient blood specimen toward a base of the container while allowing the serum to flow through interstices between the fingers, each of the fingers comprising a solid extension member having a first end connected to the elongate shaft and a second free end and being moveable from a first position, in which the finger is ready for use and is in a generally radially extending position, to a second position, in which the finger is ready for insertion and is in a generally axially extending position along the elongate shaft, each of the fingers being in the second position during insertion prior to returning to the first position after insertion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clot retainer for generally separating liquid from solid components in a specimen enclosed in a container having a closure. The clot retainer includes fingers that are adapted to displace solid components of the specimen. The clot retainer can be inserted through the closure of the container without removing the container. A method of separating liquid from solid components in a specimen is also disclosed.
43 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A clot retainer for generally separating serum from a patient blood specimen enclosed in a container having a closure, the clot retainer comprising:
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an elongate shaft; a piercing tip positioned on an end of the elongate shaft to pierce the closure on the container to insert the clot retainer into the container without removal of the closure; and fingers to displace solid components of the patient blood specimen toward a base of the container while allowing the serum to flow through interstices between the fingers, each of the fingers comprising a solid extension member having a first end connected to the elongate shaft and a second free end and being moveable from a first position, in which the finger is ready for use and is in a generally radially extending position, to a second position, in which the finger is ready for insertion and is in a generally axially extending position along the elongate shaft, each of the fingers being in the second position during insertion prior to returning to the first position after insertion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A clot retainer for generally separating liquid from solid in a specimen enclosed in a container having a closure, the clot retainer comprising:
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an elongate shaft; a piercing tip positioned on an end of the elongate shaft to pierce the closure on the container to insert the clot retainer into the container without removal of the closure; and specimen separation fingers to displace solid components of the specimen toward a base of the container while allowing the liquid to flow through interstices between the specimen separation fingers, each of the specimen separation fingers comprising a solid extension member having a first end and a second free end, the first end of the specimen separation fingers connected to the elongate shaft at a position apart from the piercing tip and being moveable from a first position, in which the specimen separation finger is ready for use and is in a generally radially extending position, to a second position, in which the specimen separation finger is ready for insertion and is in a generally axially extending position along the elongate shaft, each of the specimen separation fingers being in the second position during insertion prior to returning to the first position after insertion.
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20. A method of harvesting serum from a patient blood specimen, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a container enclosing a patient blood specimen, the container having a closure and a base; providing a clot retainer comprising an elongate shaft having a piercing tip positioned thereon and solid elongated fingers extending from the elongate shaft; inserting the clot retainer, piercing tip first, into the container by piercing the closure with the piercing tip, the solid elongated fingers displacing solid components of the patient blood specimen toward the base of the container to separate the solid components from serum components in the patient blood specimen; and harvesting the separated serum components from the container. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A combination closure and clot retainer for generally separating serum from a patient blood specimen enclosed in a container, the combination comprising:
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an elongated shaft, comprising; a base member having first and second ends; and a piercing member adjustably disposed on the first end of the base member so as to slidably move onto or into the base member to accommodate containers of various lengths; a closure positioned on the second end of the base member; a piercing tip positioned on an end of the piercing member to pierce a clot in the specimen; and solid elongated fingers connected to the elongate shaft to displace solid components of the patient blood specimen toward a base of the container while allowing the serum to flow through interstices between the fingers. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification