# US 2021/0275068 A1 · Universal transfer adapters and methods of using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0275068 A1 - Document ID: US20210275068A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/193,930 - Filed: 2021-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-06 - Assignees: Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Jay M. MIAZGA; Julie A. SCHNUR; Shan E. GAW; Dylan GUELIG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275068A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/150534: {Design of protective means for piercing elements for preventing accidental needle sticks, e.g. shields, caps, protectors, axially extensible sleeves, pivotable protective sleeves} - B01L 3/563: {Joints or fittings; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors} - A61B 5/150099: {by negative pressure, other than vacuum extraction into a syringe by pulling on the piston rod or into pre-evacuated tubes} - A61M 39/10: Tube connectors or tube couplings - A61M 39/1033: {Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors or bayonet-connectors} - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2200/026: Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details - B01L 2200/04: Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs - B01L 2200/0689: Sealing - B01L 2200/085: Protection against injuring the user - B01L 2200/141: Preventing contamination, tampering - B01L 2300/043: Hinged closures - B01L 2300/044: pierceable, e.g. films, membranes - B01L 2300/0832: cylindrical, tube shaped - B01L 2400/0478: pistons - B01L 2400/0487: fluid pressure, pneumatics - B01L 2400/049: vacuum - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract An apparatus includes a housing defining an inner volume, a distal coupler at least temporarily coupled to a distal end portion of the housing and configured to be placed in fluid communication with a bodily fluid source, a fluid communicator disposed in the inner volume, and a lock coupled to the housing. The lock is transitionable between a first configuration in which the lock couples the distal coupler to housing such that a portion of the fluid communicator extends through a seal of the distal coupler to place the distal coupler in fluid communication with a proximal end portion of the housing and a second configuration in which the lock allows for removal of the distal coupler. The lock is configured to be transitioned back to the first configuration after removing the distal coupler to limit access to the fluid communicator via the distal end portion of the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a housing having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining an inner volume; a distal coupler being coupleable to the distal end portion of the housing, the distal coupler configured to be placed in fluid communication with a bodily fluid source; a fluid communicator disposed in the inner volume of the housing; and a lock coupled to the housing, the lock having a first configuration in which the lock couples the distal coupler to the housing such that a portion of the fluid communicator extends through a seal of the distal coupler to establish fluid communication between the distal coupler and the proximal end portion of the housing, the lock configured to be transitioned from the first configuration to a second configuration to allow the distal coupler to be removed from the housing and with the distal coupler removed, the lock configured to be transitioned from the second configuration to the first configuration to limit access to the fluid communicator via the distal end portion of the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock includes a stage that is in at least temporarily maintained in a first position when the lock is in the first configuration and allowed to be moved to a second position when the lock is in the second configuration, the stage limiting access to the fluid communicator when in the first position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lock is configured to be transitioned from the second configuration to the first configuration after removing the distal coupler from the housing to prevent the stage from being moved from the first position toward the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fluid communicator is a needle having a sharpened distal end portion, the stage configured to limit access to the sharpened distal end portion of the needle when in the first position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a proximal coupler coupled to the proximal end portion of the housing and fluidically coupled to the fluid communicator, the proximal coupler configured to couple to a fluid collection device, the fluid collection device configured to receive a volume of bodily fluid via the fluid communicator when the lock is in the first configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the distal end portion of the housing is configured to receive a portion of a sample reservoir when the lock is in the second configuration and the distal coupler is removed from the housing, the fluid communicator configured to extend into the sample reservoir when the portion of the sample reservoir is disposed in the housing to allow at least a portion of the volume of bodily fluid to be transferred from the fluid collection device to the sample reservoir via the fluid communicator. ### Claim 7 An apparatus, comprising: a housing having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining an inner volume, the proximal end portion having a proximal coupler; a fluid communicator disposed in the inner volume of the housing and fluidically coupled to the proximal coupler; a stage disposed in the housing and movable between a first position and a second position; and a bias member disposed in the housing and in contact with a proximal side of the stage, the bias member configured to bias the stage in the first position such that the stage substantially prevents access to the fluid communicator via the distal end portion of the housing, the bias member allowing the stage to be moved to the second position in response to a force exerted on a distal side of the stage such that a portion of the fluid communicator extends through the stage, thereby allowing access to the fluid communicator via the distal end portion of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fluid communicator is a needle having a sharpened distal end portion, the stage configured to limit access to the sharpened distal end portion of the needle when in the second position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the proximal coupler is configured to couple to a fluid collection device, the apparatus further comprising: a lock coupled to the distal end portion of the housing and transitionable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, the fluid communicator allowed to transfer bodily fluid to the fluid collection device when the lock is in the unlocked configuration and the proximal coupler is coupled to the fluid collection device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fluid collection device is a syringe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a distal coupler removably coupleable to the distal end portion of the housing, the distal coupler is operable in placing the stage in the second position when the distal coupler is coupled to the distal end portion of the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the lock couples the distal coupler to the distal end portion of the housing when in the locked configuration, and the lock allows the distal coupler to be removed from the distal end portion of the housing when in the unlocked configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distal coupler includes a seal, at least a portion of the fluid communicator extends through the seal of the distal coupler when the distal coupler is coupled to the distal end portion of the housing to fluidically couple the distal coupler to the fluid communicator. ### Claim 14 A method of using a transfer adapter, comprising: coupling a fluid collection device to a proximal coupler of the transfer adapter, the transfer adapter having a housing with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal coupler disposed along the proximal end portion, the transfer adapter including a fluid communicator disposed in an inner volume of the housing and fluidically coupled to the proximal coupler; transitioning a lock coupled to the distal end portion of the housing from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration; moving a stage disposed in the inner volume of the housing from a first position in which the stage limits access to the fluid communicator via the distal end portion of the housing to a second position in which at least a portion of the fluid communicator extends through the stage; and allowing a flow of bodily fluid into or out of the fluid collection device coupled to the proximal coupler via the fluid communicator when the stage is in the second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: inserting a portion of a sample reservoir into the distal end portion of the housing while the lock is in the unlocked configuration, the moving of the stage being in response to the inserting of the portion of the sample reservoir. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid collection device is a needle in fluid communication with a bodily fluid source, the allowing the flow of bodily fluid into or out of the fluid collection device via the fluid communicator includes allowing a flow of bodily fluid from the needle to the sample reservoir through the fluid communicator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the fluid collection device is a syringe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: inserting a portion of a distal coupler into the distal end portion of the housing while the lock is in the unlocked configuration, the moving of the stage being in response to the inserting of the portion of the distal coupler; and transitioning the lock from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration to temporarily couple the distal coupler to the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the inserting of the distal coupler is such that at least a portion of the fluid communicator extends through a seal in the distal coupler to fluidically couple the distal coupler to the fluid communicator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the distal coupler is in fluid communication with a bodily fluid source, the allowing of the flow of bodily fluid into or out of the fluid collection device via the fluid communicator includes allowing a flow of bodily fluid from the bodily fluid source to the syringe through the fluid communicator.