Holder for double ended blood collection retractable needle

Apparatus for use during a medical procedure to draw blood, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a) an insert for supporting a double ended needle having an anterior needle and a posterior needle, said insert including a circular sidewall for shielding the posterior needle and for receiving a blood collection tube in penetrable engagement with the posterior needle;
• b) a cylinder for receiving said insert and for accommodating translation of said insert from a first position wherein the anterior needle of the double ended needle extends from within said cylinder ready to be used in the medical procedure to a second position wherein the anterior needle is disposed within said cylinder and shielded against inadvertent contact by medical personnel;
• c) means for retaining said insert in the first position during the medical procedure, said retaining means including an arm formed as part of said side wall and having a posterior end fixed to said sidewall and a free end disposed anteriorly of the fixed end, a tab extending radially outwardly from the free end, a slot having a posterior end and an anterior end, said slot extending longitudinally in said cylinder for receiving said tab and for accommodating translation of said tab during translation of said insert relative to said cylinder, means disposed in the vicinity of the free end of said arm for interfering with translation of said tab along said slot absent a radial inward displacement of the free end of said arm relative to said slot, a first laterally expanded segment disposed at the anterior end of said slot for receiving said interfering means in response to outward radial movement urged by said arm and for retaining said tab to lock said insert in the first position, and
• d) second means for retaining said insert in the second position on completion of the medical procedure, said second retaining means including a second laterally expanded segment disposed at the posterior end of said slot for receiving said interfering means in response to outward radial movement urged by said arm and for retaining said tab to lock said insert in the second position, said arm being responsive to an anteriorly oriented force imposed upon said insert to urge outward radial movement of said tab to more firmly engage said interfering means into locking engagement with said second laterally expanded segment.

A method for shielding the anterior and posterior needles of a double ended blood collection needle on completion of a blood collection procedure for collecting blood in a blood collection tube penetrably engaged with the posterior needle of the double ended needle, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) translating an insert, which insert removably receives the blood collection tube, supports the double ended blood collection needle and maintains shielded the posterior needle, from an anterior position to a posterior position to draw the anterior needle into the cylinder;
• b) unlocking the insert from the anterior position prior to exercise of said step of translating, said step of unlocking including the step of pushing a tab flexibly attached to the insert radially inwardly to disengage the tab from an anterior location of a slot disposed axially along the cylinder, which slot is of sufficient width to receive the tab, said step of pushing including the step of radially displacing the free anterior end of an arm from the sidewall of the insert and extending anteriorly from the insert, which free end supports the tab and biases the tab radially outwardly from the insert;
• c) said step of translating comprising the step of displacing the tab along the slot after disengaging the tab from the anterior location of the slot;
• d) positioning the tab at a posterior location of the slot to locate the insert in the posterior position;
• and
• e) urging the tab radially outwardly in response to an anteriorly oriented force applied to the insert to more firmly lock the tab at the posterior location of the slot and to lock the insert in the posterior position.

A blood collection tube holder adapted to support a double ended needle with a threaded hub for use in blood collection procedures, said holder comprising in combination:

• a) a cylinder for enclosing the anterior needle of the double ended needle on termination of the medical procedure, said cylinder having an anterior end and a posterior end;
• b) an insert for removably retaining a blood collection tube, said insert being axially translatable within said cylinder from a first position proximate the anterior end of said cylinder to a second position proximate the posterior end of said cylinder on termination of the medical procedure, said insert having an anterior end and a posterior end;
• c) a boss disposed in said insert for maintaining the hub of the double ended needle;
• d) means for locking said insert in the first position to use said holder during the blood collection procedure and for locking said insert in the second position to retain the anterior needle of the double ended needle within said cylinder on completion of the blood collection procedure;
• and
• e) said cylinder including at least one posteriorly extending wing for accommodating insertion and access to a blood collection tube within said cylinder while guarding the posterior needle of the double ended needle against contact by medical personnel when said insert is in the second position, said insert including a posteriorly extending skirt having an inset for receiving and posteriorly aligning said wing upon translation of said insert posteriorly.

A blood collection tube holder for supporting and shielding a double ended needle used in blood collection procedures, which double ended needle includes an anterior needle and a posterior needle, said holder comprising in combination:

• a) a cylinder for enclosing the anterior needle on termination of the blood collection procedure, said cylinder having an anterior end and a posterior end;
• b) an insert for shielding the posterior needle during and on termination of the blood collection procedure and for removably retaining a blood collection tube, said insert being axially translatable within said cylinder from a first position proximate the anterior end of said cylinder to a second position proximate the posterior end of said cylinder;
• c) means for securing the double ended needle with said insert;
• d) means for locking said insert in the first position to maintain the anterior needle extended from within said cylinder and for locating said insert in the second position to maintain the anterior needle retracted within said cylinder;
• and
• e) said locking means including a slot having an anterior end and a posterior end, said slot being disposed within said cylinder, an arm having an end affixed to said insert and a free end disposed anteriorly of the fixed end, tab means extending from the free end of said arm and including an expanded base of a width greater than said slot and a tip in penetrable engagement with said slot, a first laterally expanded segment disposed at the anterior end of said slot for receiving the expanded base of said tab in response to a radial outward force exerted by said arm to lock said insert in the first position, a second laterally expanded segment disposed at the posterior end of said slot for receiving the expanded base of said tab in response to a radial outward force exerted by said arm to lock said insert in the second position, said arm being responsive to an anteriorly oriented force exerted upon said insert when said insert is in the second position to urge radial outward movement of said tab and more firmly lock said tab with said second expanded segment.