Abstract
A system for taking blood samples from a patient, including a peristaltic pump having a rotor with a moving surface and a fixed surface for lodging therebetween a flexible tube and a head member for attachment of a sample holder tube support member, and a blood sampling device including a needle holder having a tubular portion for supporting a hypodermic needle having a connection base, the needle holder including a conduit with an inlet and an outlet, where the inlet has the tubular portion, the sample holder tube support member, and the flexible tube having a first end in fluid communication with the needle holder and a second end in fluid communication with the support member.
Claims
1.-37. (canceled)
38. Blood sampling device comprising: a needle holder having a tubular portion for supporting a hypodermic needle having a connection base, said needle holder having a conduit with an inlet and an outlet, where said inlet includes said tubular portion, a sample holder tube support member and a flexible tube having a first end in fluid communication with said needle holder and a second end in fluid communication with said support member, wherein the support member has a cylindrical upper portion having a connector in an interior thereof, and said connector includes an end portion for connection in fluid communication with said tubular portion.
39. Blood sampling device according to claim 38, further comprising: the hypodermic needle having the connection base for being mounted on said tubular portion.
40. Blood sampling device according to claim 38, wherein said cylindrical upper portion has a plurality of openings.
41. Blood sampling device according to claim 38, wherein the support member includes at least two semi-cylindrical walls extending from the cylindrical upper portion, mutually separated by lateral openings, and has four semi-cylindrical walls mutually separated by four lateral openings.
42. Blood sampling device according to claim 38, further comprising: an attachment for retaining the needle holder in the support member.
43. Blood sampling device according to claim 38, wherein; at an end of said support member, a security mechanism is connected to a self-sealing stopper for allowing air to pass for filling said device with simple venous pressure.
44. A system for taking blood samples, comprising: a pump for extracting blood, wherein said pump is a peristaltic pump having a rotor with a moving pumping surface and a fixed pumping surface for lodging therebetween a flexible tube, a head member for attachment of a sample holder tube support member, wherein the head member has an upper engagement portion, in the form of a horizontal U and a lower portion having a cross section smaller than the upper portion, and a blood sampling device according to claim 38, wherein said cylindrical upper portion is a same size as said upper engagement portion of the head member, such that the cylindrical upper portion can be lodged in an interior of the upper engagement portion by inserting the cylindrical upper portion along the horizontal U.
45. System according to claim 44, wherein the head member comprises a sample holder tube presence sensor, and at least one of a filling level sensor or a filling speed sensor.
46. System according to claim 44, wherein the head member comprises a spring retainer for the support member.
47. System according to claim 44, further comprising: a device for positioning the fixed surface relative to the moving surface and for moving the fixed surface between a spaced apart position and a pumping position, where the device further includes a snap fitting for reversibly fixing the fixed surface relative to the pumping surface, and a biasing member urging said fixed surface to the spaced apart position.
48. System according to claim 44, further comprising: an electronic controller for the device and a data viewing screen.
49. System according to claim 44, wherein, at an end of said support member, a security mechanism is connected to a self-sealing stopper for allowing air to pass for filling said device with simple venous pressure.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0062] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which, without any limiting character, preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0063] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first ejection device according to the invention.
[0064] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the ejection device of FIG. 1.
[0065] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the ejection device of FIG. 1.
[0066] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the ejection device of FIG. 1 mounted on a syringe.
[0067] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a second ejection device according to the invention.
[0068] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the ejection device of FIG. 5.
[0069] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of a third ejection device according to the invention.
[0070] FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a fourth ejection device according to the invention.
[0071] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sampling device according to the invention.
[0072] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the sampling device of FIG. 9 mounted on a pump for the extraction of blood according to the invention with the positioning means in an open position.
[0073] FIG. 11 is the same view as FIG. 10, but with the positioning means in a closed position.
[0074] FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of the pump of FIG. 10, with the positioning means in an open position.
[0075] FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the pump of FIG. 10, with the positioning means in a closed position.
[0076] FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of the pump of FIG. 10, with the positioning means in an open position.
[0077] FIG. 15 is a lower front perspective view of a head member according to the invention.
[0078] FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a support member according to the invention.
[0079] FIG. 17 is a lower front perspective view of the support member of FIG. 16 mounted in the head member of FIG. 15.
[0080] FIGS. 18 and 19 are views of a sampling device having the needle holder mounted in the connector of the sample holder support member.
[0081] FIG. 20 is a view equivalent to that of FIG. 17 where the support has a security mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0082] In FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a first embodiment of an ejection device for a hypodermic needle 1 suitable for ejecting the hypodermic needle 1 from a carrying device 3 for the hypodermic needle 1 according to the invention. The hypodermic needle 1 has a connection base 5 and a tube 7 having a sharp-pointed end. In this first embodiment, the ejection device is integrally attached to the connection base 5. The ejection device is provided with lever means having a lever 8 which is attached to the connection base 5. The lever 8 has a first end 9 remote from the connection base 5 and a second end 111 which is disposed between the connection base 5 and the front wall 13 of the carrying device 3 which, in this particular case, is a conventional syringe. The syringe has a hollow cylindrical body with a front wall 13 having an outlet orifice from which there extends a tubular portion 15 (not visible in FIGS. 1 to 4, but visible, for example, in FIG. 5) on which the connection base 5 of the needle 1 is mounted. The front wall 13 acts as an abutment surface 17. In FIG. 2 there are to be seen in greater detail the lever means: the lever 8 has the general form of an inverted U having a transverse partition 9 which connects the arms of the U at an intermediate point. The lever means are attached to the connection base 5 through this partition 19, such that they may rock about the joint area between the connection base 5 and the partition 19.
[0083] The user of the syringe, to eject the hypodermic needle 1 from the syringe, has only to move the first end 9 of the lever 8 in a forward direction (namely, push it with a finger to separate it from the syringe) in this way the second end 11 moves towards the front wall 13 of the syringe and urges the connection base 5 in an outward direction. Thus, with a movement of one finger of the same hand that is holding the syringe the needle 1 may be easily ejected.
[0084] In FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a second embodiment of an ejection device for a hypodermic needle. In this case, the transverse partition 19 is attached to the front wall 13 of the syringe. Therefore, in this case, to eject the needle 1, the user must push the first end 9 in a backward direction. Thus, the second end 11 will move in a forward direction and will eject the needle 1. It is of particular interest when using syringes with an eccentric cone.
[0085] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of an ejection device for a hypodermic needle 1. In this example, the needle carrying device 3 for the hypodermic needle 1 is not a syringe, but is a needle holder. The needle holder has a conduit with an inlet 21 and an outlet 23. The inlet 21 defines a tubular portion 15 on which the needle 1 is mounted. The outlet 23 is connected to a flexible tube 25 allowing the extracted blood to be taken to wherever corresponds. The needle holder comprises, additionally, a flattened tab 27 extending from one of the sides of the conduit, serving to be held with the fingers. The needle holder is also provided with an ejection device consisting of lever means such as those already described. In this case, the transverse partition 19 is attached to the front wall 13 of the needle holder, which performs the function of abutment surface 17. As may be seen in FIG. 7, the needle holder is clearly asymmetrical, in the sense that the user may hold it with two fingers by way of the tab 27 and can position the needle 1 very tangentially relative to the patient's skin.
[0086] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of an ejection device according to the invention. In this case, the ejection device is an independent part having a ring which is disposed on the tubular portion 15 of the syringe between the connection base 5 of the needle 1 and the front wall 13 of the syringe defining the abutment surface 17.
[0087] In FIG. 9 there is shown a sampling device according to the invention. The sampling device comprises a flexible tube 25 having connected thereto at a first end a needle holder such as the one shown in FIG. 7 and at the opposite end a support member 29 for sample holder tubes. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the sampling device also includes a hypodermic needle 1 and an ejection device having lever means such as those described hereinbefore.
[0088] In FIGS. 10 to 14, there is shown a pump for extracting blood from a patient according to the invention. The pump comprises a peristaltic pump having a rotor 31 provided with a moving pumping surface 33 (with the lobes characteristic of a peristaltic pump) and a fixed pumping surface 35. The pump also has a head member 37 (see FIG. 15) suitable for attachment of a support member 29 of a sample holder tube. In fact, the pump has a chassis in which both the peristaltic pump and the head member 37 are attached. Nevertheless, in the figures the peristaltic pump and the head member 37 are shown separated from the pump chassis. The pump also has positioning means for the fixed surface 35 relative to the moving surface 33 suitable for moving the fixed surface 35 between a spaced apart position (see FIG. 10, the positioning means are in the open position), in which the fixed surface 35 is spaced apart from the moving surface 33 and a pumping position (see FIG. 11, the positioning means are in the closed position), in which the fixed surface 35 is in the proximity of the moving surface 33, i.e. it is at the appropriate distance to be able to perform the pumping function. When the positioning means are in the open position, there is positioned between both pumping surfaces 33 and 35 the flexible tube 25 in such a way that when the positioning means are in a closed position the flexible tube 25 is compressed between both and the function of pumping or of a seal (preventing the blood from flowing out under the venous pressure itself) may be performed.
[0089] The pump has two buttons 39 for operating the reversible snap fit means. When the buttons 39 are pressed, a metal strip is elastically deformed and thus there is released a step portion disposed on the fixed part of the pump which was lodged in a housing provided in the moving part of the pump. Spring means 41 (in the form of a spiral spring) urge the moving part of the pump (comprising the moving surface 33) towards the open position. To close the pump (for example, after positioning a new flexible tube 25), it is sufficient to push the moving part towards the fixed part until the step portion relodges itself in the housing.
[0090] The pump has guide means 43 for the flexible tube 25 which also serve to hold the flexible tube 25 in a predetermined position thanks to the retaining means 45 disposed in the flexible tube 25 (in the form of a ring disposed on the flexible tube 25 and whose outer diameter is greater than the gap in the guide means 43.
[0091] FIG. 15 shows a head member 37 suitable for the attachment of a support member 29 for a sample holder tube. The head member 37 comprises an upper engagement portion 47, in the form of a horizontal U and a lower portion 49 having a cross section smaller than that of the upper portion. Thus there is formed a step portion 51 which will prevent the support member 29 from moving in a downward direction (see FIG. 17). The upper portion 47 is also provided with an upper step portion 53, such that the support member 29 cannot move in an upward direction either.
[0092] FIG. 16 shows a support member 29 for a sampling device according to the invention. It comprises a cylindrical upper portion 55 of the same size as the upper portion 47 of the engagement head member 37, such that it is suitable for being lodged in the interior of the upper engagement portion 47 by inserting it along the horizontal arms of the U (see FIG. 17). The support member 29 has a connector 57 in the interior thereof, disposed coaxially with the cylindrical upper portion 55. Following the cylindrical upper portion 55, the cylindrical surface has four lateral openings 59, such that the cylindrical surface extends as four semi-cylindrical walls 61. Thus, when lining up the lateral openings 59, the support member 29 can be inserted in the head member 37 in a predefined position.
[0093] In FIG. 17, there is shown the support member 29 lodged in the head member 37. The head member 37 has spring retaining means 63 for the support member 29 disposed in the upper engagement portion 47 and projecting out relative to the centre of the semi-circumference of the U in the direction of the arms of the U. Thus, when the cylindrical upper portion 55 of the support member is pushed towards the bottom of the U, the spring retaining means 63 are forced backwards and once the support member 29 is in its final position of use, then the spring retaining means 63 project once again towards the interior of the U, such that the support member 29 cannot come out of its final position without overcoming the force exerted by these spring retaining means 63.
[0094] The support member 29 also has a plurality of openings 65 in the cylindrical upper portion 55. Thus, when the support member 29 is lodged in the head member 37, a presence sensor present in the head member 37 is situated facing two of these openings 65, such that a beam of light can pass through the support member 29. In the case where the support member 29 has a sample holder tube mounted thereon, the stopper of the sample holder tube is disposed between the orifices 65, such that the beam of light emitted by the sensor cannot reach the corresponding receiver, thereby detecting the presence of the sample holder tube and preventing the pump from being started if there is no sample holder tube to collect the blood.
[0095] The head member 37 may include a filling level sensor which is at the height of the lateral openings 59. In a way similar to the previous case, a beam of light passes through the sample holder tube, such that it may be detected when the blood level reaches the height of the corresponding sensor.
[0096] The head member 37 may likewise include a filling speed sensor, which is also at the height of the lateral openings 59 and positioned just below the connector 57. Thus, it is possible to detect the drops of blood falling to fill the sample holder tube. These drops can be counted, which allows knowledge of the volume and filling speed of the sample holder tube to be known in real time. Thus, the speed of rotation of the peristaltic pump may be adjusted, for example to avoid problems of generation of a vacuum and possible hemolysis of the blood sample. The filling level sensor and the filling speed sensor may physically be one same sensor having both functions, since it is possible to distinguish between a falling drop and a tube which is full thanks to the fact that the amount of light absorbed is different in one case and the other.
[0097] In FIG. 20, there is shown the case in which the support member 29 has, at the end, a security mechanism 74, shown in FIG. 20 as it was made from a transparent material, in order to be able to see that therein it has a self-sealing stopper (75). The self-sealing stopper (75) allows the air to pass for filling the device by simple venous pressure.
[0098] In FIGS. 18 and 19 there is shown a sampling device with the needle holder mounted on the connector 57 of the support member 29. To this end, the connector 57 of the support member 29 has an end portion 67 which is suitable for engaging in the interior of the tubular portion 15. Thus, once the hypodermic needle 1 has been ejected, it is possible to mount the needle holder on the connector 57, such that the flexible tube 25 is closed on itself, whereby possible spilling of the blood remaining in the interior thereof is avoided. Furthermore, the lever means comprise attachment means, in the form of a groove 69, for guiding, which frictionally slides on the side edge 71 of the semi-cylindrical walls 61. Thus, it is ensured that the needle holder will not easily become separated from the connector 57.
