Sterile sample injector and method

Abstract

A sterile injector comprises a body having a cavity, a hollow needle positionable at a distal end of the injector, a probe holder receivable within the needle, a probe connected to a distal end of the holder, and a driving element axially displaceable within the cavity, for causing relative motion between the probe and the needle upon displacement of the driving element. A sample is injected into a sealed container by displacing the driving element to a first position causing the probe to extend from the needle, applying the extended probe with a sample, displacing the driving element to a second position causing the sample laden probe to be retracted within the needle, piercing a seal of a sealed container with the needle, and displacing the driving element to a third position distally spaced from the first position, after which the probe is injected into the container interior.

1 . A sterile sample injector for collecting a sample and injecting the same into a sealed container, comprising:
 a) an injector body having an axially extending cavity;   b) a hollow needle with a pointed end which is positionable at a distal end of the injector and configured to pierce a seal of a container;   c) a probe and a probe holder which are connected to each other, the probe holder and the probe being receivable within the hollow needle;   d) a driving element which is axially displaceable within the axially extending cavity, for causing relative motion between the probe and the hollow needle upon axial displacement of the driving element;   wherein the probe is selectively extendable from and retractable into the hollow needle;   wherein the injector is configured such that at least the probe is irreversibly ejectable into the container; and   wherein the probe is detachably connected to the probe holder or to an extension thereof by one or more engagement elements which are configured such that the probe detaches from the probe holder when the probe holder is distally separated from the pointed end of the hollow needle.   
     
     
         2 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe is completely unrestrained by a wall of the hollow needle when the driving element is distally separated from the pointed end of the hollow needle, thereby causing the probe to detach from the probe holder. 
     
     
         3 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the engagement elements comprise one of the following: interengageable hook elements, a concave element in releasable engagement with a circular or spherical element, a tong member, a straight element in releasable engageable with an arcuate hook element, a filament detachably connected to a pin, and an adhesive, or any combination of the aforesaid. 
     
     
         4 . The injector according to  claim 2 , wherein the two interengeageable hook elements comprise a thin element and a terminal element perpendicularly extending from said thin element and arranged such that the thin element of a first hook element is maintained in abutting relation with the terminal element of a second element by a wall of the hollow needle. 
     
     
         5 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe is configured to be retractable into the hollow needle. 
     
     
         6 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises fluid-absorbable material. 
     
     
         7 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe is made of compressible material such to be retractable into the hollow needle and expandable to a thickness greater than the outer diameter of the needle when extending from the hollow needle. 
     
     
         8 . The injector according to  claim 1 , further comprising a manual actuator connected with the driving element for controlling the relative motion between said probe and said hollow needle upon axial displacement of said driving element. 
     
     
         9 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the manual actuator comprises a pin extending into an angled groove formed in a central peripheral portion of the injector body, the pin being guidable within said groove to define a desired axial position of the probe relative to the hollow needle. 
     
     
         10 . The injector according to  claim 1 , further comprising a needle cover which is releasably engageable with the injector body. 
     
     
         11 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the injector body is a hollow cylinder and the driving element is a piston which is axially displaceable within the cylinder, wherein one of the hollow needle and probe holder is attached to the cylinder and one of the hollow needle and probe holder is attached to the piston to cause relative motion between the probe and the needle upon axial displacement of said piston. 
     
     
         12 . The injector according to  claim 10 , wherein the probe holder is attached to a distal end of the piston, the hollow needle is attached to the cylinder, and the pin radially extends from the piston through the groove; or the hollow needle is attached to a distal end of the piston, the probe holder is attached to the cylinder, and the pin radially extends from the hollow needle through the groove. 
     
     
         13 . The injector according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first extension connected to the driving element and a second extension connected to the probe holder. 
     
     
         14 . The injector according to  claim 1 , wherein the probe is detachably connected to the probe holder by a filament which is configured to be torn when the probe holder retracts through a seal of the sealed container. 
     
     
         15 . A method for injecting a sample into a sealed container, comprising:
 axially displacing a driving element within a cavity of an injector body to a first position, thereby causing a probe disposed within a hollow needle to at least partially extend from a pointed end of the needle;   applying a portion of the probe which extends from the pointed end with a sample; axially displacing the driving element to a second position, causing the sample laden probe to be retracted within the needle;   piercing a seal of a sealed container with the needle; and   axially displacing the driving element to a third position distally spaced from the first position and in which third position the probe holder is distally separated from the pointed end of the hollow needle, such that the probe detaches from the sample holder.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising removing a needle cover from the injector in preparation of transfer of the sample to a culture bottle,
 wherein removal of the needle cover allows the piercing pierce and penetration of a rubber membrane of the culture bottle for introducing the probe into the culture bottle interior.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the probe is completely unrestrained by a wall of the hollow needle when the driving element is positioned at the third position, causing the probe to detach from the probe holder. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising prior to axially displacing a driving element within a cavity of an injector body to a first position, taking, with the probe, a biological sample associated with tissue from a living or formerly living entity.