← Back to Patent Explorer
US4867172A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Collapsible blood collector

Assignee: Habley Medical Technology Corp
•
Filing: 1988-02-23
•
Granted: 1989-09-19
•
Expires: 2008-02-23
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A low-cost, disposable blood collector which may be collapsed into a low volume disposal package, whereby to maximize both safety and efficiency when discarding the blood collector after use. The blood collector comprises a hollow, collapsible blood collection tube holder for receiving an evacuated blood collection tube, a double-ended hypodermic needle cannula for making a veni puncture and drawing a sample of a patient's blood to a blood collection tube at the interior of the blood collection tube holder, and a collapsible needle cover which surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula. The blood collection tube holder is collapsible from an open, cylindrical configuration, at which to receive a blood collection tube therewithin, to a closed, generally planar configuration, with the blood collection tube removed therefrom. The needle cover is collapsible from an open, expanded configuration, at which the distal end of the needle cannula is exposed for making a veni puncture through the patient's skin, to a closed, generally planar configuration, at which to surround and shield the distal end of the cannula and thereby avoid an accidental needle strike.

Inventors

  • 👤 Terry M. Haber
  • 👤 John A. Lewis

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:25
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/31; A61M5/32; A61M5/3205; A61M5/321; A61M5/3243; A61M5/3275; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/15; A61B5/150007; A61B5/150015; A61B5/15003; A61B5/150206; A61B5/150305; A61B5/150374; A61B5/150381; A61B5/150389; A61B5/150473; A61B5/150496; A61B5/150534; A61B5/150572; A61B5/150664; A61B5/150671; A61B5/150732; A61B5/153; A61B5/154; A61M5/3129; A61M5/3245; A61M2005/3247

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 170 words
A collapsible blood collector comprising: blood collection tube receiving means having proximal and distal ends for receiving a blood collection tube through said proximal end; means to retain a hypodermic needle cannula having proximal and distal ends, such that the proximal end of the cannula is positioned to communicate with a blood collection tube at the interior of said blood collection tube receiving means, and the distal end of the cannula is positioned to make a veni puncture through a patient's skin; and needle cover means movable from a first position, at which to surround and shield the distal end of the needle cannula and thereby avoid an accidental needle strike, to a second position, at which to expose the cannula for making a veni puncture; said blood collection tube receiving means being collapsible from an open, cylindrical configuration, at which a blood collection tube may be received therewithin, to a closed, generally planar configuration at which the blood collection tube is removed therefrom and may not be received therewithin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 170 words
A collapsible blood collector comprising: blood collection tube receiving means having proximal and distal ends for receiving a blood collection tube through said proximal end; means to retain a hypodermic needle cannula having proximal and distal ends, such that the proximal end of the cannula is positioned to communicate with a blood collection tube at the interior of said blood collection tube receiving means, and the distal end of the cannula is positioned to make a veni puncture through a patient's skin; and needle cover means movable from a first position, at which to surround and shield the distal end of the needle cannula and thereby avoid an accidental needle strike, to a second position, at which to expose the cannula for making a veni puncture; said blood collection tube receiving means being collapsible from an open, cylindrical configuration, at which a blood collection tube may be received therewithin, to a closed, generally planar configuration at which the blood collection tube is removed therefrom and may not be received therewithin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 52 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 1, wherein said collapsible blood collection tube receiving means has a plurality of axially extending, parallel aligned hinges and a plurality of axially extending, parallel, movable sections that are interconnected with one another by said hinges, said tube receiving means being collapsible at said hinges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 2, wherein said axially extending hinges are integrally connected to the movable sections of said blood collection tube receiving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 1, wherein said needle cover means is collapsible from an open, expanded configuration, at which to expose the distal end of the needle cannula for making a veni puncture, to a closed, generally planar configuration, at which the distal end is surrounded and shielded.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 4, further comprising catch means to releasably retain said needle cover means in the open configuration with the distal end of the needle cannula exposed for making a veni puncture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 4, further comprising locking tab means to lock said needle cover means in the closed configuration with the distal end of the needle cannula surrounded and shielded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 4, further including opening means through which the distal end of the needle cannula extends so as to be exposed for making a veni puncture when said cover means is in the open configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 128 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 7, wherein said needle cover means comprises pairs of generally planar, proximal and distal cover segments and a plurality of hinges, the distal ends of said distal cover segments being pivotally connected to one another, each proximal end of said distal cover segments being pivotally connected to the distal end of the adjacent proximal cover segment and each proximal end of said proximal cover segments being pivotally connected to the distal end of the blood collector tube receiving means by means of a respective hinge for forming a protective covering around the distal end of the needle cannula when said needle cover means is in the closed configuration, said needle cover means being collapsible into the closed configuration at said hinges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 8, wherein said hinges are integrally formed between adjacent segments of said needle cover means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 4, wherein said needle cover means is hingedly connected to the distal end of said blood collection tube receiving means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 196 words
A collapsible blood collector comprising: blood collection tube receiving means having proximal and distal ends for receiving a blood collection tube through said proximal end, said blood collection tube receiving means being collapsible from an open, cylindrical configuration, at which a blood collection tube may be received therewithin, to a closed, generally planar configuration at which the blood collection tube is removed therefrom and may not be received therewithin; means to retain a hypodermic needle cannula having proximal and distal ends, such that the proximal end of the cannula is positioned to communicate with a blood collection tube at the interior of said blood collection tube receiving means, and the distal end of the cannula is positioned to make a veni puncture through a patient's skin; and needle cover means being in receipt of and movable relative to the needle cannula, said needle cover means being collapsible from an open, expanded configuration, at which the distal end of the cannula is exposed for making a veni puncture through the patient's skin, to a closed, generally planar configuration, at which the distal end of the cannula is surrounded and shielded to thereby avoid an accidental needle strike.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 196 words
A collapsible blood collector comprising: blood collection tube receiving means having proximal and distal ends for receiving a blood collection tube through said proximal end, said blood collection tube receiving means being collapsible from an open, cylindrical configuration, at which a blood collection tube may be received therewithin, to a closed, generally planar configuration at which the blood collection tube is removed therefrom and may not be received therewithin; means to retain a hypodermic needle cannula having proximal and distal ends, such that the proximal end of the cannula is positioned to communicate with a blood collection tube at the interior of said blood collection tube receiving means, and the distal end of the cannula is positioned to make a veni puncture through a patient's skin; and needle cover means being in receipt of and movable relative to the needle cannula, said needle cover means being collapsible from an open, expanded configuration, at which the distal end of the cannula is exposed for making a veni puncture through the patient's skin, to a closed, generally planar configuration, at which the distal end of the cannula is surrounded and shielded to thereby avoid an accidental needle strike.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 22 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 11, wherein said needle cover means is connected to said blood collection tube receiving means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 12, further comprising force translating hinge means by which said needle cover means is connected to said blood collection tube receiving means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 52 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 11, wherein said collapsible blood collection tube receiving means has a plurality of axially extending, parallel aligned hinges and a plurality of axially extending, parallel, movable sections that are interconnected with one another by said hinges, said tube receiving means being collapsible at said hinges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 14, wherein said axially extending hinges are integrally formed with the movable sections of said blood collection tube receiving means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 37 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 11, further comprising catch means to releasably retain said needle cover means in the open configuration with the distal end of the needle cannula exposed for making a veni puncture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 34 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 11, further comprising locking tab means to lock said needle cover means in the closed configuration with the distal end of the needle cannula surrounded and shielded.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 41 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 11, further including opening means through which the distal end of the needle cannula extends so as to be exposed for making a veni puncture when said cover means is in the open configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 128 words
The collapsible blood collector recited in claim 18, wherein said needle cover means comprises pairs of generally planar, proximal and distal cover segments and a plurality of hinges, the distal ends of said distal cover segments being pivotally connected to one another, each proximal end of said distal cover segments being pivotally connected to the distal end of the adjacent proximal cover segment and each proximal end of said proximal cover segments being pivotally connected to the distal end of the blood collector tube receiving means by means of a respective hinge for forming a protective covering around the distal end of the needle cannula when said needle cover means is in the closed configuration, said needle cover means being collapsible into the closed configuration at said hinges.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4573976A Cited
US4664259A Cited
US4664654A Cited
US4731059A Cited
US4758231A Cited
US4735618A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-09-18 1993-03-20 1993-09-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-09-18 1997-03-20 1997-09-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-09-18 2001-03-20 2001-09-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag