Holder for blood collection needle with blunting mechanism

A needle holder apparatus comprising:

• a shell dimensioned and configured for receiving and holding a sample collection tube therein and for carrying thereon a needle cannula;
• an actuator movably disposed in the shell for engaging and moving a blunting member axially within the shell;
• a transmitter device connected to the shell and being configured to contact a sample collection tube which may be inserted into the shell and to move obliquely relative to the motion of the sample collection tube;
• and a positive motion cam engagement between the transmitter device and the actuator to convert the oblique motion of the transmitter device into axial motion of the actuator, wherein the apparatus is biased to dispose the actuator in the forward position.

A blood collection needle comprising:

• a shell dimensioned and configured for receiving and holding a sample collection tube therein;
• a needle cannula carried on the shell;
• a blunting member disposed telescopically within the needle cannula for movement between a withdrawn position which disposes the needle in a sharpened configuration and a blunting position which disposes the needle in a blunted configuration;
• and a mechanism for moving the blunting member to the withdrawn position when a sample collection tube is inserted into the holder and for moving the blunting member to the blunting position when the sample collection tube is withdrawn from the shell.

A blood collection needle comprising:

• a shell dimensioned and configured for receiving and holding a sample collection tube therein;
• a needle cannula carried on the shell;
• a blunting member disposed telescopically within the needle cannula for movement between a withdrawn position which disposes the needle in a sharpened configuration and a blunting position which disposes the needle in a blunted configuration;
• an actuator movably disposed in the shell, the actuator being secured to the blunting member so that the blunting member can be moved axially between the blunting position and the withdrawn position by movement of the actuator;
• a movable transmitter device connected to the shell and being configured for contact with a sample collection tube which may be inserted into the shell, the transmitter device being configured to move obliquely relative to the motion of a sample collection tube in the shell;
• a biasing member positioned and configured to urge the blunting member to the blunting position upon withdrawal of such sample collection tube from the shell;
• and a linkage between the transmitter device and the actuator to convert the oblique motion of the transmitter device into rearward motion of the actuator, to move the blunting member at least from the blunting position to the withdrawn position.