WO1989006953A1

WO1989006953A1 - A closing device for liquid that may be infected

Info

Publication number: WO1989006953A1
Application number: PCT/NO1988/000010
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ken Heimreid
Original assignee: Ken Heimreid
Priority date: 1988-02-05
Filing date: 1988-02-05
Publication date: 1989-08-10
Also published as: NO161203C; NO161203B; NO863188L; NO863188D0

Abstract

A closing device for containers (4) for a liquid (5, 6, 7) that may be infected, preferably for containers (4) for use in connection with blood sampling and examination, is divided into two members (1, 2) substantially normal to the plane of the opening of the container (4). The closing device member (2) may advantageously be provided with a through passage (3) in which a filter (3') may, additionally, be provided.

Description

A closing device for liquid that may be infected.

The present invention relates to a closing device for contain¬ ers for liquid that may be infected, especially for containers to be used in blood sampling, and blood examination.

In the health service requirements now tend to be more and more strict as regards hygienic conditions in connection with blood sampling and blood examination, both in routine examination forming part of the daily health service, e.g. blood grouping, determination of blood sedimentation, and the like, but indeed especially in connection with blood sampling in cases of a suspected AIDS infection or a suspected infect¬ ion with the deadly virus "δ-agent" .

For a very large portion of tasks in connection with such blood sampling so called "vacuutainer" is used, i.e. plastic or glass tubes that are evacuated to facilitate suction of blood, and in which tubes, e.g. anticoagulants may be placed in advance, but in which tubes, above all, blood is, e.g. subjected to centrifugation to separate it into serum and red corpuscles, or possibly blood coagel.

Such tubes are closed at one or both ends by a resilient plug which is penetrated by a cannula when blood is introduced.

When the cannula was pulled out of said plug it was, previous¬ ly, impossible to avoid that a drop of blood remained on the plug, a drop of blood which, according to present-day opinion, obviously represents a health hazard to the staff if the blood originates from a patient suffering from hepatite B, or a patient infected with AIDS or δ-agent.

It should be mentioned in this connection that even though the present invention is disclosed with reference to blood sampling and blood examination it will be equally useful in connection with transport, transfer, and examination of infectious liquids . When a cannula is pulled out of a plug as mentioned above there will always remain a drop on the outside surface of the plug, a drop which may represent a health hazard.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate this problem and, thus, improve known technology, and the invent¬ ion, thus, realtes to a closing device for a container for a possibly infected liquid, preferably for use in connection with containers for blood sampling and blood examination. This closing device is characterized by the fact that it is divided into two portions, substantially orthogonally to the axis of the container opening.

The invention will be disclosed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is described in connection with blood sampling and separation, and wherein

Figure 1 shows the situation after a blood transfer cannula is pulled out of a closing device according to the invention, and after separation of the blood into serum, and red corpuscles or blood coagel, Figure 2 shows the same after part of a closing device according to the invention is removed, Figures 3-5 Illustrate insertion and transfer to a tube for ; transport, e.g. of blood serum,

Figure 6 shows how this may be transported and delivered for further examination, and Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the closing device according to the invention.

By the aid of a cannula, not shown, blood is in a convention¬ al manner introduced into a tube, e.g. a "vacuutainer" 4, a cannula, not shown, having penetrated closing device 1, 2, and blood having been introduced into container 4.

The cannula was then pulled out and, as indicated, left a drop of blood behind, as indicated at B. Before or after centrifugation the outside member 1 with the "hazard drop" B is discarded. After separation the blood is separated into serum 5, and red corpuscles or blood coagel 7 with fibrin 6 in between.

As indicated in the Figures the second member 2 of the closing device according to the invention is in the shown embodiment provided with a through passage 3 in which a filter 3 ' is provided in the case shown. It is feasible that, e.g. a thin

10 diaphragm is provided in the through passage 3 as well, at the container end of passage 3, this especially to keep filter 3' in place during centrifugation, but also for regular reasons of hygienic safety.

15 In Figure 3, furthermore, a collecting or transport tube 8 for serum 5 or blood corpuscles 7 is shown. In the shown case the tube is at one end provided with a tip 10 intended for insertion into through passage 3 in the closed internal member 2. Tube 8, however, might e.g. have an open end and be

20 provided with a collar projecting outwards; in this case the unit would have to be held in such a manner that serum 5 can be forced/flows into tube 8.

By urging tube 8 with the closing device member 2 into

25: container 4, e.g. serum 5 is forced into tube 8 in a desired quantity. In the shown embodiment tube 8 is, furthermore, provided with a tip 9, preferably with a filter, not shown, at its other end. Tube 8 also, preferably, consists of a resilient material permitting liquid transferred from tube 4

30 to be squeezed out of orifice 9 as drops 11, when tube 8 is compressed as indicated at 12.

With reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5 the internal member 2 of the closing device according to the invention may be provid¬

35. ed with a diaphragm which partly closes off through passage 3. Such an arrangement will especially be usefull in case it is desired to extract, e.g. serum by the aid of a further syringe 14 with a cannula 15, as indicated in Figure 7. By the aid of a closing device according to the invention, a closing device which is divided into an outer member 1 for discarding, and an inner member 2 which will remain in the container and which is according to Figures 1-5 also used as a plunger, as indicated above, practically any possibility of staff getting in contact with possibly infected blood is avoided.

It" should be mentioned again that the invention is not limited to utilization in connection with blood sampling, and blood examination, it may be usefull in any kind of treatment of liquids where there is a hazard of infection.

The invention may also be used in connection with devices for determining sedimentation in veinous blood, e.g. as disclosed in Norwegian Patent Application No. 86 2150. In the device disclosed in said application a closing device divided into two members, as disclosed in conenction with the present invention, may be utilized in sedimentation tube 1.

As indicated above, utilization of a closing device accord¬ ing to the invention, especially in connection with handling blood, will eliminate practically any possibility of staff getting in contact with the blood, and this represents an essential advance as compared to the technology previously used where this hazard could not at all be excluded.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A closing device for liquid that may possibly be infected, preferably for containers (4) for use in connection with blood sampling and blood examination, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that it is divided into two members (1,

2), substantially orthogonally on the axis of the opening of container (4) .

0^; 2'., A closing device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that closing device member (2) is provided with a through passage (3).

3. A closing device as defined in claim 1, 5 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a filter (3') is provided in passage (3).

4. A closing device as defined in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that in passage (3) in 0 member (2) a diaphragm which may be penetrated by a cannula is provided.

5. A closing device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that member (1) is formed Ξ as a male part, and member (2) as a female part, so that the through passage (3) of member (2) is tightened by a projection inserted in said passage before member (1) is disposed of.

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