Blood collector cylinder with needle ejector

In an apparatus for collecting blood specimens from humans or domestic animals, the apparatus including, in combination, a hollow cylinder having an end wall and an apertured sleeve formed in the end wall adapted to receive a removably mounted needle assembly;

• a blood sample collector tube adapted to fit at least partially within the hollow interior of the cylinder, the collector tube being sealed at one of its ends by a septum pierceable with a needle;
• a needle assembly having an intermediate portion which is dimensioned to fit and be mounted in the apertured sleeve of the hollow cylinder, a first hollow needle portion extending axially outwardly from the hollow cylinder, and a second hollow needle portion extending axially inwardly into the interior of the cylinder, the first and second hollow needle portions being in fluid communication with one another, the first hollow needle portion being adapted to pierce a person's veins, and the second hollow needle portion being adapted to pierce the septum, the improvement comprising:
• (1) means mounted to the cylinder for ejecting the needle assembly from its position mounted in the aperture, the means for ejecting being capable of demounting the needle assembly from the cylinder without need for human hands to touch the needle assembly;
• (2) the apertured sleeve comprising a plurality of split segments;
• (3) means for reversibly engaging the split segments for forming a firm sleeve from said split segments, and (4) wherein the means for ejecting includes a plate which is slightly compressed and biased by the needle assembly when the needle assembly is firmly mounted into the sleeve.

A blood specimen collecting system comprising in combination:

• a hollow cylinder having an end wall wherein an aperture sleeve is formed from a plurality of split segments, the apertured sleeve comprising means for retaining a needle assembly when the split segments are firmly held together;
• a blood sample collector tube adapted to fit at least partially within the hollow interior of the cylinder, the collector tube being sealed at one of its ends by a septum pierceable with a needle;
• a needle assembly having an intermediate portion which is dimensioned to fit and to be mounted in the apertured sleeve of the hollow cylinder, a first hollow needle portion extending axially outwardly from the hollow cylinder, and a second hollow needle portion extending axially inwardly into the interior of the cylinder, the first and second hollow needle portions being in fluid communication with one another, the first hollow needle portion being adapted to pierce a person's veins, and the second hollow needle portion being adapted to pierce the septum;
• first means mounted to the cylinder which is capable of occupying at least two positions relative to the cylinder, the first position being characterized by the first means holding the split segments of the apertured sleeve firmly together, whereby the needle assembly is firmly retained in the sleeve, the first means having a second position relative to the cylinder where the split segments of the sleeve are not held, and
• second means mounted to the cylinder for ejecting the needle assembly from its position mounted into the sleeve, the means for ejecting capable of demounting the needle assembly from the cylinder without need for human hands to touch the needle assembly.