DEVICE HAVING A FIRST CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING A BODY FLUID

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for receiving a body fluid, wherein the apparatus comprises a first chamber with a displaceable wall and a second chamber of a constant effective size, said second chamber being movable with respect to the displaceable wall, wherein the apparatus is designed to connect the first chamber and the second chamber during a longitudinally axial movement of the second chamber with respect to the displaceable wall and to transfer body fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber during a movement of the second chamber together with the displaceable wall.

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for receiving a body fluid, wherein the apparatus (1) comprises: a first chamber (2) with a displaceable wall (4) and a second chamber (14) of a constant effective size, said second chamber being movable with respect to the displaceable wall (4), wherein the apparatus (1) is designed to connect the first chamber (2) and the second chamber (14) during a longitudinally axial movement of the second chamber (14) with respect to the displaceable wall (4) and to transfer body fluid from the first chamber (2) to the second chamber (14) during a movement of the second chamber (14) together with the displaceable wall (4).

2. Apparatus (1), in particular, as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first chamber (2) for receiving a body fluid and a second chamber (14), characterized in that the apparatus is designed to connect, during centrifugation for the separation of phases of the body fluid, the first and the second chamber (2, 14); and the body fluid is transferred from the first chamber (2) to the second chamber (14) during the centrifugation process by means of the forces acting in said process.

3. Apparatus (1), in particular, as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first chamber (2) for receiving a body fluid and a second chamber (14), characterized in that the apparatus is designed to carry out a longitudinally displaceable movement, in which the apparatus is compressed; and body fluid is transferred from the first chamber (2) to the second chamber (14).

4. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the two chambers (2, 14) are closed to the environment after receiving the body fluid.

5. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a barrier (9) is arranged between the first chamber (2) and the second chamber (14) and is closed, when the first chamber (2) is filled, and is open when centrifuging.

6. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an opener (22) is arranged between the first and second chamber (2; 14), in order to open a closure of the second chamber (14) during a movement of the second chamber (14).

7. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a selection means (12) is arranged between the first and second chamber (2, 14).

8. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that there is a septum (7) for reclosing the first chamber (2) after filling.

9. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a substance (21), enlarging the inner surface area of the first chamber (2), is arranged in the first chamber (2).

10. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the second chamber (14) has a negative pressure or an air outlet.

11. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first chamber (2) has a cylindrical section (3) and a wall (4), which is supported in a displaceable manner in the cylindrical section (3).

12. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the movement of the displaceable wall (4) is limited by means of a stop element.

13. Apparatus (1), as claimed claim 1, characterized in that the second chamber (14) is arranged on a guide (13) so as to be displaceable relative to the first chamber (2); and a blocking means (18) is provided that prevents the movement of the second chamber (14) relative to the guide (13).

14. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the guide (13) is designed as a movable plunger.

15. Apparatus (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first chamber (2) comprises a cylinder (3) and a displaceable guide (13), which is movable in the cylinder (3); and the second chamber (14), as a container, is mounted on the guide (13) in such a way that during the centrifugation the container is moved relative to the guide (13) in the direction of the first chamber (2), in order to transfer body fluid from the first chamber (2) to the container.

16. Method for transferring body fluid from a first chamber (2) to a second chamber (14) of constant effective size, wherein the effective size of the first chamber (2) is changed by means of a displaceable wall (4); and the second chamber (14) is moved relative to the displaceable wall (4).

17. Method, in particular, as claimed in claim 16, for transferring body fluid from a first chamber (2) to a second chamber (14), characterized by connecting the first and the second chamber (2, 14) during a centrifugation process for the separation of phases of the body fluid and by transferring the body fluid from the first chamber (2) to the second chamber (14) during the centrifugation process by means of the forces acting in said process.

18. Method, as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the second chamber (14) is displaced in the direction of the first chamber (2) without pressure equalization or with pressure equalization.

19. Use of forces, acting during a centrifugation run, for the separation of phases of a body fluid, characterized in that the forces are further used to connect a first chamber (2) and a second chamber (14) and to transfer the body fluid from the first chamber (2) to the second chamber (14).

Description

[0057] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to one exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0058] The foregoing explanations as well as the following description of exemplary embodiments do not constitute a waiver of certain embodiments or features.

[0059] The drawings show in:

[0060] FIG. 1: an apparatus in an isometric view obliquely from above;

[0061] FIG. 2: the apparatus from FIG. 1 in a basic position in a partially sectioned illustration;

[0062] FIG. 3: the apparatus from FIG. 2 after having been filled;

[0063] FIG. 4: the apparatus from FIG. 3 after a centrifugation run; and

[0064] FIG. 5: a detailed view of the apparatus.

[0065] FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of an apparatus 1, which is described in more detail with reference to the following figures.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the apparatus 1 in a partially sectioned illustration. The apparatus 1 is in a first state, which corresponds to a basic position upon delivery of the apparatus 1 and the representation in FIG. 1.

[0067] The apparatus 1 comprises a first chamber 2, which has a variable effective volume. The first chamber 2 has a cylindrical section or, more specifically, a cylinder 3, in which a wall 4 is mounted in a displaceable manner. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cylinder 3 is a circular cylinder; and the wall 4 is a circular area that is adapted to the internal dimensions of the cylinder 3. The wall 4 is displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the cylinder 3. The chamber 2 has an opening 5 that is formed on a transverse surface of the cylinder 3. A connecting part 6 is provided in the area of the opening 5 and is designed to be connected to an external element, such as a cannula or needle. In the area of the opening 5 there is a septum 7, with which a connection to the first chamber 2 can be reversibly established and closed again. The first chamber 2 can be filled with body fluid by means of the external element and the opening 5.

[0068] The wall 4 has at least one opening 8, in the illustrated case a plurality of openings 8, which can be either closed or opened by means of a barrier 9 that is designed as a valve (an umbrella valve). Furthermore, the wall 4 also has a section 10, which extends in the direction of the displacement (longitudinal axis) and on which seals 11 are provided that seal the first chamber 2 when it moves with respect to the wall 4. The seals 11 are designed in the form of O-rings that extend in the circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis. The seals 11 are arranged in receptacles of the section 10. The seals 11 produce a seal between the wall and the cylinder 3.

[0069] Connected to the wall 4 is a selection means 12 that is designed as a filter and together with the barrier 9, which is designed as a valve, can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 3. The wall 4 is connected to a guide 13, which in turn is designed as a cylindrical element in the case, shown in the exemplary embodiment, and extends away from the wall 4.

[0070] A second chamber 14 is arranged on the guide 13 and can be displaced in the guide 13 in the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 3 and the guide 13. The second chamber 14 is designed as a container that has a negative pressure. The second chamber has a constant effective size. The second chamber 14 is closed by means of a sealing means 15. The second chamber 14 is held in the guide 13 by a holder 16 that has an outer dimension that is adapted to the inner dimensions of the guide 13. The holder 16 can be displaced in the guide 13 by sliding. In order to seal towards the outside, the holder 16 has an O-ring 17 that is disposed in a circumferential groove around the holder 16.

[0071] In the state shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a blocking means 18, which is designed as a tear tab, is provided between the guide 13 and holder 16, in order to prevent a relative movement along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus 1 between the holder 16 and, thus, the second chamber 14 relative to the guide 13. The blocking means 18 is arranged between a stop section 19 of the holder 16 and an end-sided section of the guide 13, with said stop section extending in the transverse direction of the longitudinal axis.

[0072] FIG. 3 shows the state of the apparatus 1 from FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, in a state after having been filled with body fluid, in this case with blood. The apparatus 1, in this case the first chamber 2, is filled by connecting the connecting part 6 to a cannula and by moving the wall 4, in order to increase the effective size of the first chamber 2, while one end of the cannula is stuck into a lumen of a human or animal body filled with blood. The body fluid is drawn into the first chamber 2. The wall 4 is moved by gripping a grip section 24, which is formed on the guide 13 transversely to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus 1, and then pulling the wall 4 towards the rear along the longitudinal axis. The grip section 24 is delimited by projections 24a, 24b that are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The projections 24a, 24b extend around the guide 13 along the circumference. When filling with body fluid, the barrier 9, which is designed as an umbrella valve, is closed, so that the first chamber 2 receives the body fluid; and, when the cannula is separated again from the connecting part 6, the body fluid in the first chamber 2 is sterile. For a sterile incubation, a substance 21, which enlarges or rather changes the inner surface area, is provided in the first chamber 2 and can have an inducing effect on the formation of autologous proteins.

[0073] Centrifugation can be performed after or during the sterile incubation. The resulting state of the apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. 4. The blocking means 18 was removed prior to the centrifugation process.

[0074] FIG. 4 shows the state of the apparatus 1 after the centrifugation process, during which process, on the one hand, the body fluid, in this case the blood, was separated into the individual phases; and a movement of the guide 13, the wall 4 and the second chamber 14 was induced due to the forces generated during the centrifugation process. As a result, the body fluid can be separated into individual phases; and, in particular, one of the phases can be transferred to the second chamber 14 during the centrifugation process. By removing the blocking means 18 it is possible for a movement of the second chamber 14 or, more specifically, the holder 16 for the second chamber 14 relative to the guide 13 to take place, so that the holder 16 together with the second chamber 14 moves along the longitudinal axis of the guide 13 or, more specifically, towards the first chamber 2, while the sealing means 15 of the second chamber 14 is pierced by an opener 22, which is designed as a piercing means; and, in so doing, the second chamber 14 is opened. Thus, the second chamber 14 is in fluid communication with the filter 12 and the valve 9.

[0075] By lowering the holder 16 and the second chamber 14 it is possible to apply pressure to the barrier 9, so that the barrier 9, which is designed as a valve, opens the openings 8 of the first chamber 2; and, in so doing, the first chamber 2 and the second chamber 14 are connected to each other. Owing to the forces acting during the centrifugation process, the guide 13 together with the second chamber 14 and the wall 4 is displaced in the direction of the opening 5, so that during the movement caused by the centrifugal forces, the top phase of the phases that are separated from the body fluid is transferred. This state is shown for the end of the transfer in FIG. 4.

[0076] After centrifuging, the container in the form of the second chamber 14 can be removed from the guide 13. For this purpose an operator can grip the apparatus 1 by a grip 23, which is formed on the end of the holder 16, and can take said apparatus out of the centrifuge. Then the apparatus 1 can be held on one side of the grip section 24; and the holder 16 can be pulled out of the guide 13. In the course of removing by means of a longitudinally axial movement of the holder 16 with the chamber 14 away from the opener 22, the sealing means 15 of the second chamber 14 is closed again.

[0077] The container in the form of the second chamber 14 can be removed from the holder 16. The separated phase, located in the second chamber 14, was processed in a sterile manner and transferred sterile from the first chamber 2 to the second chamber 14 without the need for a process step performed by an operator.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the apparatus 1. The curved arrows 25 indicate in schematic form a fluid path that is produced when the barrier 9 is opened. The barrier 9, which is designed as an umbrella valve, opens the openings 8 in the wall 4. The opening of the openings 8 is mainly due to the pressure that is generated by the body fluid and is caused by the displacement of the wall 4 in the direction of the opening 5. The displacement of the wall 4 is indicated by the three arrows on the right and left. Fluid flows from the first chamber 2 through the openings 8, through the selection means 12, and further through the opener 22 into the second chamber 14.