Dripless cannula system usable with a sampling container for fluid sampling and operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site

A dripless cannula system usable with a fluid container for fluid sampling and operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said system comprising:

• a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to the fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;
• a vacuum chamber disposed about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, the vacuum chamber having a base, a cylinder extending upward from the base, and an upper end;
• an apparatus enabling movement of the cannula through the vacuum chamber, said apparatus carrying a sealing ring for the vacuum chamber, said apparatus including a central bore receiving a proximal end of the cannula for fixed engagement therewith, to enable conjoint movement of the sealing ring and the cannula in the vacuum chamber;
• an outer blunt cannula provided in the base to receive an inner blunt cannula therein for reciprocable movement;
• and
• a one-way valve disposed in the enabling apparatus between the fluid container and the vacuum chamber to prevent fluid in the fluid container from being drawn into the vacuum chamber when the vacuum chamber is operative to withdraw residual fluid from the sampling site.

A dripless cannula system usable with a fluid container for fluid sampling and operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said system comprising:

• a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to the fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;
• a vacuum chamber disposed about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, the vacuum chamber having a base, a cylinder extending upward from the base, and an upper end;
• a sealing ring disposed in the vacuum chamber, said sealing ring mounted on the proximal end of the cannula for conjoint movement therewith and an annular retaining ring disposed at a distal end of the cannula for engagement with the sampling site;
• a luer lock fitting disposed above the vacuum chamber;
• and
• a one-way valve disposed between the fluid container and the vacuum chamber to prevent fluid drawn into the fluid container from entering the vacuum chamber when the vacuum chamber is operable during the sampling process.

A dripless cannula system usable with a fluid container for fluid sampling and operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said system comprising a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to the fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;

• fluid removing apparatus disposed about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, said apparatus operable following withdrawal of the cannula from the sampling site to receive residual fluids disposed at the sampling site by the sampling process;
• the distal end of the blunt cannula including an annular retaining ring surrounding the cannula, the proximal end of the cannula fixedly connectable to the fluid container;
• and
• a cylindrical shield overlying the cannula, the shield holding at its proximal end a plug of absorbent material having a bore therein for receiving the cannula, the bore in the absorbent plug enabling reciprocal movement of the cannula within the shield, the absorbent material temporarily retained at the sampling site when the cannula is withdrawn to absorb residual fluid generated at the sampling site by the sampling process.

A method of fluid sampling operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said method comprising:

• providing a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to the fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;
• disposing a vacuum chamber about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, the vacuum chamber having a base, a cylinder extending upward from the base, and an upper end;
• providing an apparatus enabling movement of the cannula through the vacuum chamber, said apparatus carrying a sealing ring for the vacuum chamber, said apparatus including a central bore receiving a proximal end of the cannula for fixed engagement therewith, to enable conjoint movement of the sealing ring and the cannula in the vacuum chamber;
• providing an outer blunt cannula in the base to receive an inner blunt cannula therein for reciprocable movement;
• and disposing a one-way valve in the enabling apparatus between the fluid container and the vacuum chamber to prevent fluid in the fluid container from being drawn into the vacuum chamber when the vacuum chamber is operative to withdraw residual fluid from the sampling site.

A method of fluid sampling operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said method comprising:

• providing a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to the fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;
• disposing a vacuum chamber about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, the vacuum chamber having a base, a cylinder extending upward from the base, and an upper end;
• disposing a sealing ring in the vacuum chamber;
• mounting said sealing ring on the proximal end of the cannula for conjoint movement therewith;
• disposing an annular retaining ring at a distal end of the cannula for engagement with the sampling site;
• disposing a luer lock fitting above the vacuum chamber;
• and
• disposing a one-way valve between the fluid container and the vacuum chamber to prevent fluid drawn into the fluid container from entering the vacuum chamber when the vacuum chamber is operable during the sampling process.

A method for fluid sampling operable to minimize fluid loss at a fluid sampling site, said method comprising:

• providing a blunt cannula having a distal end receivable in a fluid sampling site and a proximal end connectable to a fluid container in locking fluid-tight engagement therewith, to provide a fluid path therethrough from said sampling site to said fluid container;
• disposing fluid removing apparatus about the cannula and between the sampling site and the fluid container, said apparatus operable following withdrawal of the cannula from the sampling site to receive residual fluids disposed at the sampling site by the sampling process;
• providing an annular retaining ring at the distal end of the blunt cannula, the proximal end of the cannula fixedly connectable to the fluid container;
• providing a cylindrical shield overlying the cannula, the shield holding at its proximal end a plug of absorbent material having a bore therein for receiving the cannula;
• enabling reciprocal movement of the cannula within the shield;
• and
• temporarily retaining the absorbent material at the sampling site when the cannula is withdrawn to absorb residual fluid generated at the sampling site by the sampling process.