WO1999008792A1

WO1999008792A1 - Accessories for sealed containers

Info

Publication number: WO1999008792A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/002498
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Rowley
Original assignee: Sterimatic Holdings Limited
Priority date: 1997-08-20
Filing date: 1998-08-20
Publication date: 1999-02-25
Also published as: GB9717506D0

Abstract

An accessory (1) comprises a tubular holder (2) having a base (3). The holder (2) has an axial bore (6) and a deformable seat (7) which holds a piercing element (8) in the bore (6). When the accessory (1) is used for introducing a sample in a bottle (20), having a rubber bung (21), the hollow tube (10) is detached from the accessory (1) and fitted to the outlet (22) of a syringe (23) containing the sample. The holder (2) is then held on the top of the bottle (20) with the bore (6) located above the bung (21) and the tube (10) is introduced into the bore (6) until it contacts the piercing element (8). Downward pressure is then exerted on syringe (23) and causes tube (10) to force element (8) out of seat (7) and to pierce the bung (21). As a result element (8) passes through the bung (21) and tube (10) is introduced into the bottle (20). Because element (8) is contained at all times during this operation, there is no danger for the user to be injured by the piercing element (8).

Description

"Accessories for Sealed Containers"

This invention relates to accessories for sealed containers into which fluid is to be introduced, or from which fluid is to be withdrawn. The fluid may be a blood sample for example. However it should be understood that the term "fluid" is used in this specification to denote any appropriate liquid or gas and even a powder.

In laboratory testing of blood samples, it is conventional practice for the blood samples to be contained in blood culture bottles of standard types provided with self- sealing rubber stoppers. Samples of blood are introduced into the bottles by passing the needle of a syringe through the stopper and dispensing the blood sample from the syringe, the bottle being automatically resealed on withdrawal of the needle from the stopper. However there is a danger that the operator will be accidentally pricked with the needle of the syringe on removal of the needle from the bottle stopper or prior to insertion of the needle. As is well known, so-called "needlestick" can be highly dangerous due to the risk of transfer of blood-borne diseases.

It is an object of the invention to provide an accessory for a sealed container, such as a blood culture bottle, which removes the risk of such needlestick.

According to the present invention there is provided an accessory for a sealed container into which fluid is to be introduced or from which fluid is to be withdrawn, the accessory comprising a hollow tube through which fluid may be introduced into or withdrawn from the container by inserting an end of the tube into the interior of the container, and a piercing element adapted to be engaged by the end of the tube and to be displaced by the tube so that the piercing element is caused to pierce said container part to allow insertion of the end of the tube into the interior of the container to permit fluid to be introduced into or withdrawn from the container and so that, on withdrawal of the end of the tube from the interior of the container, the piercing element is left behind within the container.

Because access to the interior of the container is obtained by forcing of the piercing element through the appropriate part of the container to enable a blood sample to be introduced into the interior of the container by the hollow tube for example, subsequent withdrawal of the hollow tube from the container after dispensing of the sample will cause the piercing element to be left behind within the container and will not present any subsequent risk of needlestick. Furthermore the end of the hollow tube which is withdrawn from the container will be blunt and will not be capable of piercing the skin of the user even if it is accidentally moved into contact with the user's skin. The hollow tube may be an integral part of a syringe or may be connectable to an outlet of the syringe for introducing blood or other fluid into the container, or for withdrawing fluid therefrom.

Such an accessory may also be used for venting the interior of a sealed container, for example for the introduction of air into a blood culture bottle where the culture is to be grown aerobically. In such an application it is preferable that the piercing element is detachably fitted to the end of the tube and is adapted to be forced off the end of the tube when the end of the tube is withdrawn from the container. Thus the piercing element is left behind within the container and the risk of needlestick is removed. The invention also provides a sealed container, such as a blood culture bottle, having a stopper and an accessory in accordance with the invention fitted to the stopper.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred accessories in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a first accessory from above prior to use;

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line A-A in Figure 1 ;

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views showing successive operational steps in use of the first accessory to introduce a blood sample into a culture bottle; and

Figure 7 is a section through a second accessory in use to vent a culture bottle.

The first accessory in accordance with the invention, and its method of operation, will be described below with reference to the introduction of a blood sample from a syringe into a culture bottle. However it should be understood that such an application of the accessory is given only by way of example, and that similar accessories can be used for introducing other liquids or gases into other types of sealed container, or for withdrawing liquids or gases from such containers.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the accessory 1 comprises a tubular holder 2 having a base 3 in the form of three outwardly extending flanges 4 having flat bottom surfaces 5. The holder 2 has an axial bore 6 extending therethrough and a deformable seat 7 by means of which a piercing element 8 is fixedly located within the bore 6. As best seen in Figure 1, the deformable seat 7 comprises four flexible holding members 9 extending inwardly from the wall of the bore 6 and holding the piercing element 8 therebetween. If required the holding members 9 may extend into an annular locating groove (not shown) in the piercing element 8. A hollow tube 10 is connected to the holder 2 by a thin strap 11 and is integrally formed with the holder 2 by plastics moulding. The piercing element 8 is made of hard metal (or alternately is a plastic moulding) and has a suitable pointed shape, for example a generally conical shape, as well as a guide stem 8A. Where the piercing element 8 is made of plastics material, it may be integrally moulded with the holder 2 such that the piercing element 8 is snapped off the holding member 9 when the piercing element 8 is displaced by the tube 10 in use.

When the accessory 1 is to be used for introduction of a blood sample into a culture bottle 20 having a rubber bung 21 as shown in Figure 3, the hollow tube 10 is first detached from the accessory by fracturing the strap 11 and is then attached as a force fit to the outlet 22 of a syringe 23 containing the blood sample. The syringe 23 is of the conventional type used for taking blood samples and comprises a plunger 24 which is axially displaceable within the tubular body 25 of the syringe to dispense the blood sample through the outlet 22, as shown diagrammatically in the upper part of Figure 4. Figure 3 shows the four components of the assembly in an exploded view, that is the syringe 23, the hollow tube 10, the holder 2 and the culture bottle 20.

After fitting of the hollow tube 10 to the syringe 23, the holder 2 is held on top of the culture bottle 20 so that the flat bottom surfaces 5 of the base 4 engage the top of the culture bottle 20 and the bore 6 is located immediately above the bung 21, as shown in Figure 4. The hollow tube 10 on the syringe 23 is then introduced into the bore 6 until the end of the tube 10 contacts the top of the piercing element 8 and the guide stem 8A engages loosely within the end of the tube 10. Downward pressure is then exerted by the user on the syringe 23 so as to cause the tube 10 to force the piercing element 8 out of its seat 7 and cause it to pierce the rubber bung 21, as shown in Figure 5. The guide stem 8A ensures that the piercing element 8 is guided straight downwardly and prevents the piercing element 8 from deviating to one side. The tube 10 is preferably of about the same outer diameter as the piercing element 8 so as not to be significantly obstructed by the holding members 9 as the tube passes through the bore 6. However the flexibility of the holding members 9 will ensure that the holding members 9 are deformed out of the way even if the tube 10 is of a greater diameter.

As the piercing element 8 passes through the rubber bung 21, the tube 10 follows the piercing element 8 through the bung 21 so that the end of the tube 10 is introduced into the interior of the culture bottle 20, and the blood sample is then introduced into the culture bottle 20 by moving the plunger 24 downwardly within the body 25 of the syringe 23. After passing through the rubber bung 21 the piercing element 8 falls to the bottom of the culture bottle 20 where it subsequently remains after removal of the tube 10 from the bottle 20, as shown in Figure 5.

Since the piercing element 8 is fixedly held within the bore 6 of the holder 2 prior to use, and is safely retained within the culture bottle after use, there is no danger of the user being injured by the piercing element. Furthermore, since the hollow tube 10 has a blunt end, there is no danger of needlestick when the tube 10 is withdrawn from the culture bottle 20 which might otherwise result in transfer of blood-borne diseases.

Various modifications of the above described accessory may be contemplated within the scope of the invention. For example, the holder may be provided with one or more downwardly extending engagement parts by means of which the accessory may be clipped to the top of a culture bottle of a particular size so as to attach the holder to the bottle. Alternatively the holder may be already attached to the bung when the bottle is supplied with a single or double piercing element already in place on the top of the bung.

Figure 7 shows a second accessory 30 in accordance with the invention in use with a blood culture bottle 31 having a rubber bung 32. In this case the accessory 30 is provided for the introduction of air into the interior of the bottle 31 to enable a culture to be grown aerobically in a blood sample already contained within the bottle 31. Furthermore the accessory 30 comprises a hollow tube 33 having outwardly extending flanges 34 intended to prevent the tube 33 from being inserted through the bung 32 to any greater extent than shown in the figure. An air filter 35 is fitted in the top of the tube 33 to clean the air passing from the outside into the interior of the bottle 31 in the direction of the arrow 36. A piercing element 37, which is generally in the shape of the tip of a needle and has an air passage 38 extending therethrough, is a push fit on the end of the tube 33 by virtue of engagement of the end of the tube 33 within an internal annular recess 39 in the piercing element 37. In order to vent the container 31 the piercing element 37 on the end of the tube 33 is caused to pierce the bung 32 so as to allow the tube 33 to be passed through the bung 32 as shown in Figure 7. Because the piercing element 37 has an air passage 38 passing therethrough, the interior of the container 31 may then be vented either by simply allowing the passage of air into the container under pressure or by forcing air into the container by means of a syringe (not shown) connected to the tube 33. After venting of the container 31, the tube 33 may be withdrawn and the action of withdrawing the tube 33 through the bung 32 will force the piercing element 37 off the end of the tube 33 with the bung 32 reforming so as to seal the container. The piercing element 37 is thereby left behind within the container 31 and there is no danger of the user being subjected to needlestick on withdrawal of the tube 33 from the container. Furthermore, since the end of the tube 33 is shielded by the piercing element 37 when within the interior of the container 31, the tube 33 will not be contaminated by the blood sample within the container 31, and the risk of transfer of blood-borne disease is minimised.

Claims

1. An accessory for a sealed container into which fluid is to be introduced or from which fluid is to be withdrawn, the accessory comprising a hollow tube through which fluid may be introduced into or withdrawn from the container by inserting an end of the tube into the interior of the container, and a piercing element adapted to be engaged by the end of the tube and to be displaced by the tube so that the piercing element is caused to pierce said container part to allow insertion of the end of the tube into the interior of the container to permit fluid to be introduced into or withdrawn from the container and so that, on withdrawal of the end of the tube from the interior of the container, the piercing element is left behind within the container.

2. An accessory according to claim 1, wherein the piercing element is located within a deformable seat within a bore extending through a holder so that the piercing element can be forced out of the seat by passing the end of the tube through the bore.

3. An accessory according to claim 2, wherein the deformable seat is defined by at least one holding member extending inwardly from a wall of the holder defining the bore.

4. An accessory according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the holder is generally tubular having the bore extending axially therethrough and having a base for engaging said container part.

5. An accessory according to claim 4, wherein the base comprises at least one outwardly extending flange.

6. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the piercing element has a guide stem for engaging within the end of the tube.

7. An accessory according to claim 1, wherein the piercing element is detachably fitted to the end of the tube and is adapted to be forced off the end of the tube when the end of the tube is withdrawn from the container.

8. An accessory according to claim 7, wherein a passage extends through the piercing element to enable fluid to pass through the piercing element.

9. An accessory according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the tube comprises at least one outwardly extending flange for engaging said container part when the end of the tube is inserted into the interior of the container.

10. An accessory according to any preceding claim, further comprising the hollow tube which is adapted to be connected to an outlet of a syringe for introducing fluid into, or withdrawing fluid from, the sealed container.

11. A sealed container and an accessory according to any preceding claim fitted to the container.