Disposable blood collection device

Abstract

A blood collection device wherein a double-ended cannula is retracted within the barrel of the device for storage and disposal. The cannula is attached to the device immediately prior to use by being threaded into an aperture formed in a movable disc disposed within the barrel and rotated to a locked operating position for attachment of the cannula and use. After use, the disc is counter-rotated to permit the cannula, mounted to the disc, to be longitudinally retracted completely within the barrel to a position in which the cannula is permanently locked by stopping the disc against further movement. The disc aperture is threaded in the same direction as it is rotated to the operating position to avoid moving the disc out of the locked position during attachment of the cannula to the device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A blood collection device comprising: a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and closed at one end with an axially disposed aperture formed therein so as permit the extension and retraction through said barrel aperture of one end of a double-ended cannula, said cylindrical barrel being open at the other end to permit insertion of a sample collection container into the other end of said cannula and the removal thereof therethrough;   a disc transversely disposed within the barrel and adapted to receive the double-ended cannula by the threaded engagement of threads formed on a boss on the cannula with threads formed in an aperture in the disc so that said one end of the cannula is disposed to one side of the disc and said other end of the cannula is disposed to the other side thereof, said cannula thereby being axially aligned with the barrel;   a longitudinal passage formed in the surface of said barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the barrel closed end through the barrel open end;   a stem connected to the disc within the barrel so as to extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel closed end, in which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc, one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel aperture, and in which, when the disc is moved longitudinally away from the barrel closed end to a preselected disposal position between the barrel open end and the barrel closed end, both ends of the cannula are disposed within the barrel;   locking means for locking the disc in said disposal position;   closing means selectively operable to close the open end of the barrel;   and in which said longitudinal, passage includes a slot portion adjacent the barrel closed end and terminating thereat offset opening so disposed that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end to lock the disc against longitudinal movement, and a disposal position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between the barrel open end and the barrel closed end in a portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture.   
     
     
       2. The blood collection device of claim 1, and in which the slit portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel open end and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel open end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal passage. 
     
     
       3. The blood collection device of claim 2, and including a peripheral flange formed on the barrel at the open end thereof, said flange having an aperture formed therein so as to be in communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit the disc stem to pass through the flange aperture into the longitudinal passage when the barrel open end is not closed by said closing means. 
     
     
       4. The blood collection device of any of the preceding claims, and in which the longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same direction as the threads in the disc aperture, whereby threading the cannula into the disc will urge the disc stem into the offset opening when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end. 
     
     
       5. The blood collection device of claim 4, and in which the disc stem terminates in a finger engaging portion having a finger engaging surface extending substantially normal to the disc stem and laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the barrel and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said finger engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral extremities in a depending rail portion which engages said barrel, whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against said barrel. 
     
     
       6. A blood collection device comprising: a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and closed at one end with an axially disposed aperture formed therein so as permit the extension and retraction through said barrel aperture of one end of a double-ended cannula, said cylindrical barrel being open at the other end to permit insertion of a sample collection container onto the other end of said cannula and the removal thereof therethrough;   a disc transversely disposed within the barrel and to which the double-ended cannula is fixed so that said one end of the cannula is disposed to one side of the disc and said other end of the cannula is disposed to the other side thereof, said cannula thereby being axially aligned with the barrel;   a longitudinal passage formed in the surface of said barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the barrel closed end through the barrel open end;   a stem connected to the disc within the barrel so as to extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel closed end, in which one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel aperture, and in which, when the disc moved longitudinally away from the barrel closed end to a pre-selected disposal position between the barrel open end and the barrel closed end, both ends of the cannula are disposed within the barrel;   locking means for locking the disc in said disposal position;   closing means selectively operable to close the open end of the barrel;   and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion adjacent the barrel closed end and terminating thereat in an offset opening so disposed that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end to lock the disc against longitudinal movements, and a disposal position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between the barrel open end and the barrel closed end in a portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture.   
     
     
       7. The blood collection device of claim 6, and in which the slit portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel open end and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel open end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal passage. 
     
     
       8. The blood collection device of claim 7, and including a peripheral flange formed on the barrel at the open end thereof, said flange having an aperture formed therein so as to be in communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit the disc stem to pass through the flange aperture into the longitudinal passage when the barrel open end is not closed by said closing means. 
     
     
       9. The blood collection device of any of claims 6, 7 or 8, and in which the longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same direction as the threads in the disc aperture, whereby threading the cannula into the disc will urge the disc stem into the offset opening when the disc is adjacent the barrel closed end. 
     
     
       10. In a medical device, the combination of: a cylindrical barrel formed of a resilient material and having a first end and a second end, said second end being open to permit insertion of a container into said second end;   disc means transversely disposed within the barrel so as normally to be positioned adjacent to said first end and having an aperture adapted to receive a cannula in axial alignment with the barrel by the threaded engagement of threads formed on a boss on the cannula with threads formed on the disc means;   a longitudinal passage formed in the peripheral surface of said barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the barrel first end through the barrel second end;   a stem connected to the disc means within the barrel so as to extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc means relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel first end, in which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc means, one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel first end, and in which, when the disc means is moved longitudinally away from the barrel first end to a pre-selected disposal position between the barrel second end and the barrel first end, the cannula is completely disposed within the barrel; and   locking means for locking the disc means in said disposal position;   and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion adjacent the barrel first end and terminating in an offset opening disposed at the first end so that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto when the disc means is adjacent the barrel first end to lock the disc means against longitudinal movement, and a disposal position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between the barrel second end and the barrel first end in a portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture.   
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10, and in which the slit portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel second end and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel second end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal passage. 
     
     
       12. The combination of claim 11, and in which the barrel second end peripheral surface has an axially-aligned aperture formed therein so as to be in communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit the disc stem to pass through the peripheral surface aperture into the longitudinal passage. 
     
     
       13. The combination of any of claims 10, 11 or 12 and in which the longitudinal slot offset opening is offset in the same direction as the disc means threads, whereby threading a cannula onto the disc means will urge the disc stem into the offset opening when the disc means is adjacent the barrel first end. 
     
     
       14. The combination of claim 13, and in which the disc stem terminates in a finger engaging portion having a finger engaging surface extending substantially normal to the disc stem and laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the barrel and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said finger engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral extremities in a depending rail portion which engages the barrel peripheral surface, whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against said barrel. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  In a medical device, the combination of: a cylindrical barrel having a first end and a second end, said second end being open to permit insertion of a container into said second end;   disc means transversely disposed within the barrel so as normally to be positioned adjacent to said first end and having an aperture adapted to receive a cannula in axial alignment with the barrel by the engagement of a boss on the cannula with the disc means at the aperture;   a longitudinal passage formed in the peripheral surface of said barrel so as to extend parallel to the barrel axis from immediately adjacent the barrel first end through the barrel second end;   a stem connected to the disc means within the barrel so as to extend externally of the barrel and generally transverse thereto and operable to initiate longitudinal movement of the disc means relative to the barrel to an operating position adjacent barrel first end, in which, when said cannula is fixed to said disc means, one end of the cannula extends out of the barrel first end, and in which, when the disc means is moved longitudinally away from the barrel first end to a pre-selected disposal position between the barrel second end and the barrel first end, the cannula is completely disposed within the barrel; and   locking means for locking the disc means in said disposal position;   and in which said longitudinal passage includes a slot portion adjacent the barrel first end and terminating in an offset opening disposed at the first end so that the disc stem can be rotated thereinto when the disc means is adjacent the barrel first end to lock the disc means against longitudinal movement, and a disposal position locking aperture formed in a portion of the longitudinal passage between the barrel second end and the barrel first end in a portion thereof comprised by a longitudinal slit, said slot portion narrowing into said slit portion by means of a first camming surface formed on the barrel between the offset opening and the locking aperture. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       16.  The combination of claim 15, and in which the slit portion of the longitudinal passage extends from said first camming surface through said locking aperture toward said barrel second end and terminates between said locking aperture and said barrel second end in a second camming surface which opens from said slit portion into a second longitudinal slot portion formed in said longitudinal passage. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. The combination of claim 16, and in which the barrel second end peripheral surface has an axially-aligned aperture formed therein so as to be in communication with the second longitudinal slot portion to permit the disc stem to pass through the peripheral surface aperture into the longitudinal passage. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.18.  The combination of any one of claims 15, 16 or 17, and in which the disc means is of a first diameter and the barrel has an interior cross-section which is of a second 5 diameter greater than the first diameter, and   the disc stem terminates in a finger engaging portion having a finger engaging surface extending substantially normal to the disc stem and laterally therefrom so as to be disposed externally of the barrel and generally concentrically with a portion thereof, said finger engaging surface terminating at each of its two lateral extremities in a depending rail portion which engages the barrel peripheral surface, whereby said finger engaging portion is stabilized against said barrel so as to suspend the disc means within the barrel by the stem. .Iaddend.