Medical fluid collection device

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston sealingly and slidingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to seal the barrel adjacent the bore such that the interior of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm is a sealed volume,
• means, mechanically connected to the piston and comprising a handle which extends out of the bore, for manually moving the piston in the bore to create a region of subatmospheric pressure in the barrel;
• and
• means, secured to the barrel, for mechanically locking the piston in position in the barrel to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the region.

A self-sealing conduit assembly comprising:

• a double ended needle;
• a disc secured to an intermediate portion of the needle;
• a resilient sleeve secured to the disc to extend around a portion of the needle;
• a pierceable, translucent plug secured to the sleeve such that the plug is positioned to contact and seal one end of the needle in an extended position to prevent fluids from leaking therefrom, said plug being moveable along the needle to a retracted position in which the one end of the needle extends out of the plug;
• said sleeve acting to bias the plug into the extended position.

A medical fluid collection system comprising:

• a conduit having at least one sharpened end;
• a pierceable member positioned around the sharpened end of the conduit;
• means for resiliently biasing the member into a first position, in which the member serves to block the passage of fluids out of the sharpened end of the conduit, such that the member is movable to a second position, in which the sharpened end of the conduit is positioned out of the member and fluids are free to pass out of the sharpened end of the conduit;
• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston sealingly and slidingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to seal the barrel adjacent the bore such that the interior of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm is a sealed volume;
• means for manually moving the piston in the bore to create a region of subatmospheric pressure in the barrel;
• means for locking the piston in position in the barrel to maintain the subatmospheric pressure in the region;
• the pierceable member shaped to fit against the pierceable diaphragm such that pressure on the barrel acts to move the pierceable member to the second position and to push the sharpened end of the conduit through both the pierceable member and the pierceable diaphragm into the interior of the bore;
• means, included in the barrel, for retaining the pierceable member against the diaphragm;
• the biasing means acting to bias the pierceable member to the first position after the pierceable diaphragm has been removed from the conduit.

A medical fluid collection system comprising:

• a double ended needle;
• a disc secured to an intermediate portion of the needle;
• a resilient elastomeric sleeve secured to the disc to extend around a portion of the needle;
• a pierceable, translucent plug secured to the sleeve such that the plug is situated around and in contact with one end of the needle in an extended position to prevent fluids from leaking therefrom, said plug having a convex outer surface adjacent the one end of the needle and a resilient lip positioned around the convex outer surface, said plug being movable along the needle to a retracted position in which the one end of the needle extends out of the plug, said sleeve acting to bias the plug into the extended position;
• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston slidingly and sealingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm secured to the barrel to seal an interior volume of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm, said diaphragm defining a recess shaped to receive and position the outer surface of the plug such that, when the plug is positioned in the recess and the barrel is urged toward the disc, the one end of the needle passes through the plug and the diaphragm into the interior volume of the barrel;
• means, mounted adjacent the diaphragm, for interlocking with the lip on the plug to provide a holding force tending to secure the plug adjacent the diaphragm;
• means for manually moving the piston in the barrel away from the diaphragm to reduce the pressure in the interior volume;
• and
• means for locking the piston in a selected position to maintain a reduced pressure in the interior volume.

A medical fluid collection system comprising:

• a double ended needle;
• a disc secured to an intermediate portion of the needle;
• a resilient elastomeric sleeve secured to the disc to extend around a portion of the needle;
• a pierceable, translucent plug secured to the sleeve such that the plug is situated around and in contact with one end of the needle in an extended position to prevent fluids from leaking therefrom, said plug having a substantially spherical outer surface adjacent the one end of the needle and a resilient lip positioned around said outer surface, said plug being movable along the needle to a retracted position in which the one end of the needle extends out of the plug, said sleeve acting to bias the plug into the extended position;
• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston slidingly and sealingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm secured to the barrel to seal an interior volume of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm, said diaphragm defining a substantially concave recess shaped to receive and position the outer surface of the plug such that, when the plug is positioned in the recess and the barrel is urged toward the disc, the one end of the needle passes through the plug and the diaphragm into the interior volume of the barrel;
• means mounted adjacent the diaphragm, for interlocking with the lip on the plug to provide a holding force tending to secure the plug adjacent the diaphragm;
• means for manually moving the piston in the barrel away from the diaphragm to reduce the pressure in the interior volume;
• and
• means for locking the piston in a selected position to maintain a reduced pressure in the interior volume.

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• means for defining a fluid collection chamber;
• means for manually generating a subatmospheric pressure in the chamber;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to the chamber defining means such that a first side of the diaphragm forms a side of the chamber;
• and
• means for locking the generating means in place at different, selectable locations to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the chamber and to provide different volumes in said collection chamber.

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston sealingly and slidingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to seal the barrel adjacent the bore such that the interior of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm is a sealed volume;
• means for manually moving the piston in the bore to create a region of subatmospheric pressure in the barrel;
• and
• means for locking the piston in position in the barrel at different selectable locations to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the region and to provide different capacities of sealed volume in the bore.

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• means for defining a fluid collection chamber;
• means for manually generating a subatmospheric pressure in the chamber;
• and
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to the chamber defining means such that a first side of the diaphragm is in fluid communication with the chamber;
• said diaphragm defining a recess and a resilient, annular ring positioned partially to overhang the recess.

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston sealingly and slidingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to seal the barrel adjacent the bore such that the interior of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm is a sealed volume;
• means for manually moving the piston in the bore to create a region of subatmospheric pressure in the barrel;
• and
• means for locking the piston in position in the barrel to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the region;
• said moving means comprising a flexible cord attached to the piston to extend out of the barrel.

A medical fluid collection device comprising:

• a barrel defining a bore;
• a piston sealingly and slidingly positioned in the bore;
• a pierceable diaphragm mounted to seal the barrel adjacent the bore such that the interior of the bore between the piston and the diaphragm is a sealed volume;
• means for manually moving the piston in the bore to create a region of subatmospheric pressure in the barrel;
• and
• means for locking the piston in position in the barrel to maintain subatmospheric pressure in the region;
• said diaphragm defining a recess and a resilient, annular ring positioned partially to overhang the recess.