Blood Collection Tube Holder with Single Needle

Abstract

To provide a blood collection tube holder for protecting patients and healthcare workers.SOLUTION: A blood collection tube holder 10 with a retractable single needle, the blood collection tube holder comprises a body 12 including substantially parallel and laterally spaced apart barrel and needle retraction cavities separated by a partial wall (facilitating movement of the retractable single needle from the barrel cavity into alignment with the needle retraction cavity to initiate needle retraction). The barrel and a frontal attachment attached to the barrel are configured to, by cooperative action of the barrel and the needle, relatively slidingly move in an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle to initiate needle retraction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical device useful for drawing blood from a human or animal. The device is often referred to as a "blood collection tube holder" or "blood tube holder" because it is configured for use in combination with conventional commercially available "blood collection tubes" or "blood tubes" manufactured and sold by a variety of different companies. The present invention relates to a single-use blood collection tube holder having a single needle that is retractable into a limited space within the device after use to protect patients and medical personnel from accidental needle sticks and reduce the possibility of pathogenic contamination due to accidental needle sticks. One aspect of the present invention relates to a blood collection tube holder having a body including a barrel cavity and a needle retraction cavity disposed generally parallel to each other and laterally spaced apart by a partial wall, and configured such that a single retractable needle can be moved from the barrel cavity to a position aligned with the needle retraction cavity to initiate needle retraction. Another aspect of the invention relates to a blood collection tube holder having a barrel and a front attachment attached to the barrel, the barrel and the front attachment acting in cooperation to permit relative sliding movement therebetween transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle. [Background technology]

[0002] <Description of Related Art> Conventional blood collection tube holders are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,810,775; Reissue Patent Nos. RE39,107; 8,496,600; 9,247,899, and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 20160310057; 20180008180; and 2018 / 0008181.

[0003] Some such devices have two separate needles, including a forward-facing veinpuncture needle and a rearward-facing discharge needle. The discharge needle penetrates a stopper located at the front of the blood collection tube when the blood collection tube is inserted into the open rear end of the barrel. After the fluid sample is collected, the blood collection tube is removed from the barrel of the blood tube holder and a polymeric sheath expands to cover the rearward-facing tip of the needle and prevent bodily fluids from leaking out the open rear of the barrel. One such device has a hinged cap at the rear of the barrel such that closing the cap after removal of the blood collection tube retracts both the discharge needle and the vein puncture needle rearwardly into the barrel, making the device "safe" and non-reusable.

[0004] More recently disclosed blood collection tube holders include a long, rearwardly biased, single needle with pointed ends facing both forward and rearward. After a fluid sample is drawn and the blood collection tube is removed, an actuator having a needle retraction cavity therein is depressed, which moves the actuator into a position fully aligned with the needle, and both ends of the needle are biased rearward into the needle retraction cavity of the device, initiating retraction of the needle, making the device "safe" and non-reusable.

[0005] More recently disclosed blood collection tube holders include separate venipuncture and withdrawal needles, with a venipuncture needle retraction cavity disposed adjacent and parallel to the barrel, either as a separate chamber integral with the barrel or as part of the barrel's front attachment. The venipuncture needle is biased rearward and retraction of the venipuncture needle is initiated by a lateral sliding movement of at least a portion of the barrel's front attachment. During that movement, the forwardly projecting venipuncture needle moves laterally out of alignment with the rearwardly facing withdrawal needle and into approximately coaxial alignment with the needle retraction cavity. Once the venipuncture needle is approximately aligned with the needle retraction cavity, the rearward bias retracts the venipuncture needle to a "safe" position within the device, while the withdrawal needle remains in its original position within the barrel. Before or after needle retraction occurs, the blood collection tube can be removed from the barrel and an elastomeric sheath will expand over the rear tip of the withdrawal needle to prevent bodily fluids from leaking out the open rear end of the barrel.

[0006] Notwithstanding the improvements and advantages achieved through the use of the above disclosed devices, there remains a need for a blood collection tube holder which includes a single needle which can be retracted after use by sliding the front attachment laterally relative to the barrel, so that the entire needle can be repositioned generally coaxially with a needle retraction cavity of sufficient length made integral with the barrel. Summary of the Invention

[0007] <Summary of the Invention> The disclosed blood collection tube holder includes a generally cylindrical body, a front attachment, and a retractable single needle having a venipuncture end or tip and a fluid delivery end or tip in opposing orientations. The body and front attachment are configured to cooperate to allow the body to slide laterally relative to the single needle prior to the needle being retracted. In one satisfactory embodiment of the invention, the body further includes a generally cylindrical barrel cavity and an integrally formed needle retraction cavity that are generally parallel and spaced apart by a partial wall. The partial wall is preferably configured to allow the fluid delivery end of the single needle to be slidably moved laterally from a first position in which the single needle is generally centrally and coaxially aligned with the barrel cavity to a second position in which the single needle is generally aligned in line with the retraction cavity. The barrel cavity is configured to receive and support a conventional blood collection tube that operatively engages the single-needle fluid dispensing end.

[0008] The venipuncture end of the single needle projects forwardly from the front attachment and is preferably covered by a selectively removable needle cap prior to use. The front attachment further comprises a tube holder connector that partially covers the open front end of the barrel by frictional engagement, and a slide member that slidably engages the tube holder connector along an axis generally transverse to the longitudinal axis through the single needle. A rearwardly biased needle holder is attached to the single needle in fixed relation, and the slide member is configured to seat and support the needle holder. The tube holder connector further includes a transverse slot that allows relative transverse movement of the single needle between the first and second positions when opposing pressure is manually applied to the body and slide member to generally align the needle holder and the needle retraction cavity to initiate retraction of the single needle into the needle retraction cavity. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the selectively removable needle cap further includes a locking arm that prevents premature alignment of the slide member and the needle retraction cavity, thereby preventing initiation of single needle retraction before the blood collection tube holder is used to collect blood. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] The device of the present invention will be further described and illustrated in relation to the following figures. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a blood collection tube holder of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 1 with the needle cap removed. [Diagram 3] 3 is a rear perspective view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 1; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blood collection tube holder substantially as shown in FIGS. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a front view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 1 rotated 90 degrees clockwise about its longitudinal axis. [Figure 6] 6 is a rear view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 4 with the needle cap removed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a right side view of the blood collection tube holder of FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a left side view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 1 rotated 180 degrees clockwise about its longitudinal axis. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is an exploded perspective view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 7 with the venipuncture needle retracted. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 5 with the needle cover removed and the venipuncture needle retracted. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 14-14 in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a view of the blood collection tube holder of FIG. 2 with the needle retracted. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an enlarged detailed view of the needle support member of FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of the needle support member of FIG. 16 rotated 180 degrees clockwise about a longitudinal axis through the blood collection tube holder of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an enlarged detailed view of the tube holder connector of FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the tube holder connector of FIG. 18 rotated 180 degrees clockwise about a longitudinal axis through the blood collection tube holder of the present invention. [Figure 20]FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 20-20 in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] 1-11, blood collection tube holder 10 includes a body 12, a front attachment including a tube holder connector 24 and a slide member 38, a needle cap 40 (FIGS. 1 and 3), and a single retractable needle 30 (FIG. 2). Body 12 includes a barrel 16, a barrel cavity 14, a needle retraction chamber 20, and a rear flange 22 disposed about a rear opening of barrel 16. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, single retractable needle 30 projects forwardly from a needle support member 46 of slide member 38 of the front attachment.

[0011] 4-6 and 8-10, the blood collection tube holder 10 is shown in a pre-use position with a selectively removable needle cap 40 positioned over the single retractable needle 30 and frictionally engaging axially extending and circumferentially spaced ribs formed about a needle support member 46 (see FIG. 7). Prior to the single retractable needle 30 being used to draw blood from a patient, a locking support arm 42 (see FIGS. 10-11) is deployed to prevent relative sliding movement between the body 12 and the slide member 38. The slide member 38 further includes a front face 44 from which a needle support member 46 projects forwardly around a portion of the single retractable needle 30, as best seen in FIG. 7.

[0012] 10-11, the single retractable needle 30 further includes a forward facing venipuncture end 32 and a rearward facing fluid dispensing end 34. Prior to using the blood collection tube holder 10 to insert a blood collection tube (not shown) into the barrel cavity 14 to draw blood from a patient, the selectively removable needle cap 40 is in place and the collapsible elastomeric sheath 26 covers and protects the fluid dispensing end 34 of the single retractable needle 30, as described above. 10, the single retractable needle 30 is generally centered within the barrel cavity 14 and laterally spaced from the needle retraction cavity 76 in the needle retraction chamber 20 of the body 12. When the blood collection tube is inserted into the barrel cavity 14 of the barrel 16 of the body 12, the sheath 26 collapses rearwardly around the single retractable needle 30 such that the fluid outlet end 34 penetrates the elastomeric stopper of the blood collection tube to allow fluid communication between the venipuncture end 32 of the single retractable needle 30 and the interior of the blood collection tube from which the collected blood is dispensed. When the single retractable needle 30 is in the pre-use position shown in FIG. 10, the needle 30 is generally centered within the barrel cavity 14 and laterally spaced from the needle retraction cavity 76 in the needle retraction chamber 20 of the body 12.

[0013] 10-11, the single retractable needle 30 is preferably attached in a fixed axial relationship to the needle holder 28, 92, which further includes a rearwardly extending annular projection 94 for frictionally engaging the forwardly extending end of the elastomeric collapsible sheath 26, which is preferably a rubber sleeve. The biasing member, e.g., a compressible coil spring 36, is preferably seated within the bore 60 (FIG. 16) of the needle support member 46 around the central portion of the needle 30 and the forwardly facing shaft portion of the needle holder 26. When the biasing member is compressed during assembly of the blood collection tube holder 10, it contacts and engages the front side of the head 92 of the needle holder 28. As long as the single retractable needle 30 is in its forwardly projecting position, the head 92 of the needle holder 28 is biased rearwardly relative to the front attachment and body 12 of the blood collection tube holder 10.

[0014] 11, 16-17 and 20, the slide member 38 of the front attachment of the main body 12 (FIG. 7) is further provided with positioning blocks 54, 56 facing each other. These positioning blocks are engageable with the head 92 of the needle holder 28 (FIG. 11) to allow the needle holder 28 to move laterally as described below. The laterally extending top rail 50 and bottom rail 52 are slidably engaged with the laterally extending top rail 68 and bottom rail 70, respectively, of the tube holder connector 24. Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, the slide member 38 is preferably provided with projections 96, 98 (FIG. 17). These projections are adapted to fit into recesses 100 (bottom of the tube holder connector 24) of the tube holder connector 24. 10 and 11, a circumferentially extending arcuate ring 64 of the tube holder connector 24 and an annular wall 62 of the tube holder connector 24 are provided which cooperate to provide a frictional engagement between the tube holder connector 24 and the forward facing edge of the barrel 16 of the body 12. The frictional engagement is preferably sufficient such that the tube holder connector 24 remains attached to the forward end of the barrel 16 when opposing pressure is applied to the textured touch surfaces 74, 48 as described below.

[0015] 5-6 and 13 show opposing arcuate edges 88, 90 and opposing flat edges 84, 86 for flange 22. Figures 5-6 show the relative positions of slide member 38 and tube holder connector 24 when needle 30 is in the unretracted position, and Figure 13 shows the relative positions of slide member 38 and tube holder connector 24 when needle 30 is in the retracted position.

[0016] 5 and 7-11, for the front attachment of the body 12, the slide member 38 is provided with a textured touch pad 48 and the tube holder connector 24 is provided with a textured touch pad 74. By applying manual pressure in opposite directions to each touch pad, the body 12 is adapted to move the slide member 38 in a direction that causes the touch pads to rotate. 38 10, the needle holder 28, the compression spring 36, and the single retractable needle 30 can slide laterally relative to the needle holder 28, the compression spring 36, and the single retractable needle 30. This movement is preferably lateral, such that the dispensing end 34 of the single retractable needle 30 slides laterally relative to the partial wall 82 (FIG. 10). Reduced height part12-15 show the blood collection tube holder 10 of the present invention with the single retractable needle 30 in the fully retracted position, with the single retractable needle 30 in the fully retracted position.

[0017] Other variations and modifications of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification together with the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, the scope of the invention disclosed herein is limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor and / or applicant is legally entitled.

Claims

1. 1. A blood collection tube holder comprising: a single retractable needle including a venipuncture end and an injection end, the venipuncture end and the injection end being opposed to one another and in coaxial alignment along a single longitudinal axis; a barrel including a barrel cavity configured to receive a blood collection tube; a needle retraction cavity disposed longitudinally parallel to the barrel cavity and separated therefrom by a partial wall; a slide member slidably coupled to the barrel and including a needle support member; the partial wall is configured such that the sliding member can move the single retractable needle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the single longitudinal axis from a first position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end are longitudinally aligned with the barrel cavity, beyond the partial wall, to a second position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end are longitudinally aligned with the needle retraction cavity, thereby allowing the single retractable needle to begin longitudinal retraction into the needle retraction cavity.

2. a tube holder connector having a transverse slot, the tube holder connector configured to frictionally engage the front end of the barrel; The blood collection tube holder of claim 1 , wherein the single retractable needle passes through the lateral slot when moved from the first position to the second position.

3. 3. The blood collection tube holder of claim 2, further comprising a longitudinal slot formed by said partial wall between said barrel cavity and said needle retraction cavity, said retractable single needle passing through said longitudinal slot when moved from said first position to said second position.

4. The partial wall includes an inner wall at least partially separating the barrel cavity and the needle retraction cavity, the inner wall including a forward portion of reduced height; The blood collection tube holder of claim 3 , wherein said longitudinal slot is defined at least in part by said forward portion of said inner wall.

5. 1. A blood collection tube holder comprising: a single retractable needle having a single longitudinal axis and including a venipuncture end and an injection end, the venipuncture end and the injection end being opposed to one another and in coaxial alignment along the single longitudinal axis; a barrel having a barrel cavity, a front end and a rear end, the barrel being configured such that a blood collection tube can be inserted into the barrel cavity and engaged with the dispensing end of the single retractable needle; a needle retraction cavity disposed parallel to the barrel cavity; a slide member slidably coupled to the front end of the barrel and including a needle support member; an inner wall formed between the barrel cavity and the needle retracting cavity, the inner wall including a rear portion separating the barrel cavity from the needle retracting cavity and a front portion having a height reduced from the height of the rear portion and allowing communication between the barrel cavity and the needle retracting cavity; the forward portion of the inner wall is configured to allow the sliding member to laterally move the single retractable needle from a first position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end are longitudinally aligned with the barrel cavity to a second position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end are longitudinally aligned with the needle retraction cavity; a blood collection tube holder, wherein when the dispensing end of the single retractable needle is retracted beyond the forward portion of the inner wall into the needle retraction cavity and into the needle support member such that the single retractable needle is longitudinally retracted to a fully retracted position, both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end of the single retractable needle are maintained in alignment with the needle retraction cavity.

6. A blood collection tube holder as described in claim 5, wherein the needle support member is configured to slidably engage and hold the retractable single needle with the barrel and the needle retraction cavity to enable movement of the retractable single needle from the first position to the second position.

7. a tube holder connector frictionally engaging the front end of the barrel; The blood collection tube holder of claim 6 , wherein the slide member slidably engages the tube holder connector.

8. the slide member includes a first outwardly facing touch surface; the tube holder connector includes a second outwardly facing touch surface, the second outwardly facing touch surface disposed substantially opposite the first outwardly facing touch surface; 8. The blood collection tube holder of claim 7, wherein movement of the single retractable needle from the first position to the second position to initiate retraction to the fully retracted position is accomplished by applying pressure to the first outwardly facing touch surface and the second outwardly facing touch surface transverse to the single longitudinal axis.

9. further comprising an integrally molded body; the unitarily molded body includes the barrel cavity, the needle retraction cavity, and the inner wall; 6. The blood collection tube holder of claim 5, wherein the dispensing end passes through a space between the forward portion of the inner wall and an outer wall of the integrally molded body during lateral movement of the single retractable needle from the first position to the second position.

10. 1. A blood collection tube holder comprising: a single retractable needle having a single longitudinal axis and including a venipuncture end and an injection end, the venipuncture end and the injection end being opposed to one another and in coaxial alignment along the single longitudinal axis; a barrel having a barrel cavity and a body including a needle retraction cavity; the barrel cavity and the needle retraction cavity are laterally spaced apart and separated by a partial wall and communicate with each other through a reduced height portion formed forward of the partial wall; a blood collection tube holder configured to allow the single retractable needle to move laterally from a first position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end of the single retractable needle are longitudinally aligned with the barrel cavity to a second position in which both the venipuncture end and the dispensing end of the single retractable needle are longitudinally aligned with the needle retraction cavity to begin retraction of the single retractable needle into the needle retraction cavity.

11. Further comprising a front attachment; 11. The blood collection tube holder of claim 10, wherein the barrel and the front attachment are configured for relative sliding movement along an axis lateral to the single longitudinal axis in a cooperative manner between the barrel and the front attachment, such that retraction of the single retractable needle can be initiated by moving the single retractable needle laterally into alignment with the needle retraction cavity.

12. 12. The blood collection tube holder of claim 11, wherein the reduced height portion of the partial wall is configured to allow the dispensing end of the single retractable needle to slide laterally from the first position in which the entire length of the single retractable needle is coaxially aligned with the barrel cavity to the second position in which the entire length of the single retractable needle is coaxially aligned with the needle retraction cavity.

13. The front attachment is a slide member including a forwardly projecting needle support; a tube holder connector configured to engage a front end of the barrel in a fixed relationship and partially cover the front end of the barrel; 12. The blood collection tube holder of claim 11, wherein the sliding member slidably engages the tube holder connector along a second axis that is substantially transverse to the single longitudinal axis of the single retractable needle.

14. a needle holder mounted in fixed relationship to the single retractable needle; a spring engaging the needle holder and biasing the needle holder rearwardly against the forwardly projecting needle support of the slide member; the slide member is configured to support the needle holder such that the needle holder and the single retractable needle are movable from the first position to the second position along the second axis; the spring is configured to bias the needle holder rearwardly into the needle retraction cavity upon reaching the second position to move the needle holder and the single retractable needle to a fully retracted position; 14. The blood collection tube holder of claim 13, wherein when the retractable single needle is in the fully retracted position, the venipuncture end is disposed within the forwardly projecting needle support and the withdrawal end is disposed within the needle retraction cavity.

15. 1. A blood collection tube holder comprising: a barrel including a rear end configured to receive a blood collection tube; a needle retraction cavity parallel to the barrel; a unitary wall at least partially separating the barrel and the needle retraction cavity, the unitary wall including a reduced height portion, the reduced height portion forming a longitudinal slot that allows communication between the barrel and the needle retraction cavity; A needle holder, a retractable single needle including: (1) a venipuncture end projecting forwardly from said needle holder and in fixed relationship thereto; and (2) an injection end projecting rearwardly from said needle holder and in fixed relationship thereto, said venipuncture end and said injection end being longitudinally aligned; a tube holder connector including a transverse slot configured to frictionally engage the front end of the barrel in a fixed relationship; a slide member including a needle support member, supporting the needle holder and slidably engaging the tube holder connector to permit lateral sliding movement of the single retractable needle through the lateral slot and to move the venipuncture end and the withdrawal end of the single retractable needle together from a first position where both the venipuncture end and the withdrawal end of the single retractable needle are aligned with the barrel to a second position where both the venipuncture end and the withdrawal end of the single retractable needle are aligned with the needle retraction cavity to initiate retraction of the needle holder; the dispensing end is disposed within the barrel in longitudinal alignment with the barrel when the single retractable needle is in the first position, and is disposed within the needle retraction cavity in longitudinal alignment with the needle retraction cavity when the single retractable needle is in the second position; the venipuncture end is disposed in longitudinal alignment with and forward of the needle support member when the single retractable needle is in the first position, and is disposed within and longitudinally aligned with the needle support member when the single retractable needle is in the second position; A blood collection tube holder, wherein when the single retractable needle is retracted into the needle retraction cavity, both the venipuncture end and the withdrawal end of the single retractable needle are maintained in alignment with the needle retraction cavity.

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