Blood transfer devices and methods thereof

A blood transfer apparatus, comprising:

• a blood transfer container having an upper portion configured and arranged to maintain a negative pressure inside the blood transfer container, the negative pressure being sufficient pull a predetermined amount of plasma or serum;
• and
• a sleeve-puncturing assembly including:
• a hollow conduit;
• and
• a sleeve configured and arranged with longitudinal portions to be placed over or engage a blood collection container, the sleeve having:
• an open end configured and arranged to engage with a portion of the blood collection container;
• another end configured and arranged to provide containment of the blood collection container while the open end is engaged with the portion of the blood collection container;
• and
• a lateral portion of the sleeve configured and arranged to provide support to the hollow conduit;
• wherein the hollow conduit and the longitudinal portions of the sleeve are configured and arranged to engage with the blood collection container and the blood transfer container, and while engaged, to pull a predetermined amount of plasma or serum from the blood collection container based on the negative pressure inside the blood transfer container, the hollow conduit including:
• a first end configured and arranged to pierce an upper portion of the blood collection container and to extend a distance sufficient to contact a portion of a blood sample contained within the blood collection container;
• and
• a second end configured and arranged to pierce an upper portion of the blood transfer container, and thereby cause the blood transfer container to pull the predetermine amount of plasma or serum from the blood collection container.

A method for transferring blood from a blood collection container to a blood transfer container, the method including:

• placing a sleeve-puncturing assembly over or engaging with a blood collection container containing plasma or serum separated from cell fraction, thereby piercing a sealed upper portion of the blood collection container with a first end of a hollow conduit and contacting the plasma or serum with the first end of the hollow conduit, wherein the sleeve-puncturing assembly includes:
• a hollow conduit having the first end and a second end;
• and
• a sleeve having an open end, another end, longitudinal portions configured and arranged to be placed over or engage with the blood collection container, and a lateral portion configured and arranged to provide support to the hollow conduit;
• engaging the sleeve-puncturing assembly with a blood transfer container while the first end of the hollow conduit is in contact with the plasma or serum, the blood transfer container having another sealed upper portion configured and arranged to seal a negative pressure inside which is sufficient to pull a predetermined amount of plasma or serum from the blood collection container;
• and
• in response to engaging to the blood transfer container:
• piercing the other sealed upper portion of the blood transfer container with the second end of the hollow conduit;
• and
• pulling the predetermined amount of plasma or serum into the blood transfer container from the blood collection container via the negative pressure.