# US 5,344,611 A · Vacuum actuated blood collection assembly including tube of clot-accelerating plastic

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- Number: US 5,344,611 A
- Document ID: US5344611A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/075,441
- Filed: 1993-06-14
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1993-06-14
- Assignees: Becton, Dickinson and Company
- Inventors: Erwin A. Vogler; Garry R. Harper; Jane C. Graper
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344611A

## CPC

- B01L 3/5082: {Test tubes per se}
- G01N 33/491: {by separating the blood components (G01N15/05 takes precedence)}
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

An evacuated blood collection assembly includes a plastic container having a plasma-treated inside wall surface and an open end covered by a puncturable septum. The inside wall surface may also be abraded to increase surface area. The invention included a method to make the assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A blood collection assembly comprising a plastic blood collection container having a bottom wall and a side wall defining an open end covered by a puncturable septum, said bottom wall, side wall and septum enclosing an evacuated interior volume of said container, an interior wall surface area of said container being treated with a plasma from a process gas, the plasma-treated wall surface having an accelerated rate of blood clotting in said container relative to the rate in an otherwise identical non-plasma-treated container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said container is fabricated of a plastic selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, impact modified polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said process gas is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

### Claim 4

A blood collection assembly comprising a plastic blood collection container having a bottom wall and a side wall defining an open end covered by a puncturable septum, said bottom wall, side wall and septum enclosing an evacuated interior volume of said container, an interior wall surface area of said container being abraded to have a rough surface and treated with a plasma from a process gas, the abraded and plasma-treated wall surface causing an accelerated rate of blood clotting in said container relative to the rate in an otherwise identical non-abraded, non-plasma-treated container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The assembly of claim 4 wherein said container is polystyrene and said process gas is oxygen.

### Claim 6

A method for preparing a plastic blood collection assembly comprising:
a) exposing an inside wall surface of a plastic container having an open end to a plasma from a process gas to give a plasma-treated inside wall surface;
b) covering said open end with a puncturable septum; and
c) evacuating the container covered by said septum, said plasma-treated wall surface having an accelerated rate of blood clotting relative to the rate in an otherwise identical non-plasma-treated container.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein said container is fabricated of a plastic selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, impact modified polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein said process gas is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

### Claim 9

A method for preparing a plastic blood collection assembly comprising:
a) abrading an inside wall surface of a plastic container having an open end to give a roughened inside wall surface having a greater surface area than that of said plastic container prior to said abrading;
b) exposing said roughened inside wall surface to a plasma from a process gas;
c) covering said open end with a puncturable septum; and
d) evacuating the container covered by said septum.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein said container is polystyrene and said process gas is oxygen.