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US3750645A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of collecting blood and separating cellular components thereof

Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Co
•
Filing: 1970-10-20
•
Granted: 1973-08-07
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Expires: 1990-10-20
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Abstract

Abstract A separator tube which allows the separation of serum or plasma from the cells in blood to avoid contamination of the serum or plasma by the red cells. The tube is divided into two chambers formed by a constriction in the tube, which constriction has an inside diameter sufficient to allow the passage of serum or plasma, but not so large as to prevent the formation of an ''''air lock'''' between the chambers when the tube containing the blood is held horizontally. Blood is introduced into the tube, the tube is centrifuged or allowed to settle so that the cells go to the one end and the serum or plasma goes to the other end, the tube is fractured at the constriction into two containers, leaving only serum or plasma in one container and cells in the other. The container holding the serum or plasma can be closed with a stopper, cap or sealing material for transporting to a laboratory for analysis. Such container may be provided with various features to facilitate dispensing of the fluid portion.

Inventors

  • 👤 M Bennett
  • 👤 J Mattaliano

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 13:18
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5021; A; A61; A61J; A61J1/00; A61J1/05; A61J1/06; A61J1/065; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A method for collecting blood and separating the fluid portion from the cellular components of blood comprising the steps of drawing blood from a patient into a tube closed at one end and open at the other end and divided by a constriction into two chambers, the chamber at the open end having a volume between 10 percent and 80 percent of the total volume of the tube, said constriction having an inside diameter between 0.050 inches and 55 percent of the inside diameter of the tube to provide a fracture point and to permit an air lock to form; employing means for concentrating the cellular components in the chamber at the open end and the fluid portion in the other chamber; fracturing the tube at a score line at the constriction into a container holding the fluid portion and a container holding the cellular components; and closing with a seal the fractured end of the container holding the fluid portion for handling.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 163 words
A method for collecting blood and separating the fluid portion from the cellular components of blood comprising the steps of drawing blood from a patient into a tube closed at one end and open at the other end and divided by a constriction into two chambers, the chamber at the open end having a volume between 10 percent and 80 percent of the total volume of the tube, said constriction having an inside diameter between 0.050 inches and 55 percent of the inside diameter of the tube to provide a fracture point and to permit an air lock to form; employing means for concentrating the cellular components in the chamber at the open end and the fluid portion in the other chamber; fracturing the tube at a score line at the constriction into a container holding the fluid portion and a container holding the cellular components; and closing with a seal the fractured end of the container holding the fluid portion for handling.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 in which the means for concentrating the fluid portion and the cellular components into the chambers comprises centrifuging the tube to separate the contents.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 in which the means for concentrating the fluid portion and the cellular components in the chambers comprises allowing the cellular components to settle into the bottom chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1 in which the blood is drawn into an evacuated tube having a penetrable stopper in the open end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 4 in which the tube is inverted before the fluid portion and the cellular components are concentrated in the respective chambers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 5 in which the means for concentrating the fluid portion and the cellular components in the respective chambers comprises centrifuging the tube to separate the contents.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 5 in which the closed end of the tube is provided with a nipple, the nipple is broken off the sealed container holding the fluid portion and the seal is broken allowing such portion to escape through the nipple opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 53 words
The method of claim 5 in which the closed end of the tube is provided with a nipple and the seal is a combination cap and bulb, the nipple is broken off the sealed container holding the fluid portion and such portion is dispensed through the nipple opening by means of the bulb.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
The method of claim 5 in which the closed end of the tube is provided with a nipple and the seal is a cap extending down the side of the container holding the fluid portion, the nipple is broken and such portion is dispensed into the cap, which in turn can act as a sample vessel.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 164 words
A method for collecting blood and separating plasma from the cellular components of blood comprising the steps of drawing blood from a patient into a tube containing an anticoagulant which tube is closed at one end and open at the other end and divided by a constriction into two chambers, the chamber at the open end having a volume between 10 percent and 80 percent of the total volume of the tube, said constriction having an inside diameter between 0.010 inches and 55 percent of the inside diameter of the tube to provide a fracture point and to permit an air lock to form; employing means for concentrating the cellular components in the chamber at the open end and the plasma in the other chamber; fracturing the tube at a score line at the constriction into a container holding the plasma and a container holding the cellular components; and closing with a seal the fractured end of the container holding the plasma for handling.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 164 words
A method for collecting blood and separating plasma from the cellular components of blood comprising the steps of drawing blood from a patient into a tube containing an anticoagulant which tube is closed at one end and open at the other end and divided by a constriction into two chambers, the chamber at the open end having a volume between 10 percent and 80 percent of the total volume of the tube, said constriction having an inside diameter between 0.010 inches and 55 percent of the inside diameter of the tube to provide a fracture point and to permit an air lock to form; employing means for concentrating the cellular components in the chamber at the open end and the plasma in the other chamber; fracturing the tube at a score line at the constriction into a container holding the plasma and a container holding the cellular components; and closing with a seal the fractured end of the container holding the plasma for handling.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 10 in which the blood is drawn into an evacuated tube having a penetrable stopper in the open end.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 11 in which the tube is inverted before the plasma and the cellular components are concentrated in the respective chambers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 12 in which the means for concentrating the plasma and the cellular components in the respective chambers comprises centrifuging the tube to separate the contents.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 12 in which the closed end of the tube is provided with a nipple, the nipple is broken off the sealed container holding the plasma and the seal is broken allowing such plasma to escape through the nipple opening.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1718597A Cited
US2301710A Cited
GB656392A Cited
US2770602A Cited
US3185154A Cited
US3441205A Cited
US3513976A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-08-06 1977-02-05 1977-08-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-08-06 1981-02-05 1981-08-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-08-06 1985-02-05 1985-08-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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