Patent Application
20160198991
This invention relates to medical sampling ports and more particularly providing a sampling port that can accommodate different diameter sampling bottles and/or vials. For ease of reading the term “sampling vial” alone is used in this specification and the term “sampling vial” is to be interpreted to include both sampling vial and sampling bottle.
Medical sampling ports are devices that allow a sample of fluid to be withdrawn, typically into a sampling vial. Typical sampling ports are tubular with one end closed to form a base and the other end open. A cannula is centrally mounted on the base and extends within the port toward the open end. The end of the cannula ends short of the end of the sampling port and so is not exposed. A sampling vial may be passed into the open end and impaled on the cannula.
It is desirable that the sampling vial when inserted into the sampling port is prevented from significant sideways movement, as this may result in damage to the cannula or incomplete penetration of the cannula into the sampling vial.
Sampling vials generally come with portions to be inserted in to a sampling port in two or more different maximum diameters. It is desirable that these different diameters are readily accommodated by the sampling port without the need for separate guides or the like that are inserted or removed from the sampling port to accommodate the different diameters.
Further, it is desirable to have the free end of the cannula recessed a significant distance from the open end of the sampling port so as to reduce or avoid accidental needle stick injury.
In one broad form the invention provides a sampling port having:
The wall may be expandable by being formed of an elastic material or by being formed by one or more wall members that allow expansion by elastic deflection, whether by elastic deflection within their own structure or elastic deflection of the member relative to the rest of the body, or a combination of both.
In another broad form the invention provides a sampling port having:
Movement of the wall portion is preferably caused by the vial as it is inserted into the sampling port. However, the invention includes movement by other ways.
In another broad form the invention provides a sampling port having:
The body may have a base portion and the or each wall member may extend from the base portion.
The or each wall member may flex, hinge, bend or otherwise deflect relative to the base portion.
The or each wall member may have base end portion, a free end portion at or adjacent the open end of the space and an intermediate portion located between the base and free end portions.
Part of the intermediate portion may be spaced a first distance from the axis.
Part of the free end portion may be spaced a second distance from the axis.
Part of the base end portion may be spaced a third distance from the axis.
Preferably the first distance is less than the second distance. Preferably first distance is less than the third distance. The second and third distances may be the same.
In a preferred implementation the or each wall member is curved along its length so that the intermediate portion is nearer the axis than the base and free end portions.
Preferably an axially extending slot is provided in at least one wall member.
Where there is a plurality of wall members, preferably each wall member has an axially extending slot. An axially extending slot may be provided in some but not all of a plurality of wall members.
The axially extending slot preferably passes through the waist region.
The wall members are preferably flexible such that the waist region may deflect from being concave to being convex.
A ring member may extend around the axis and the free end portions of any wall member(s) to limit radial movement of the free end(s).
In a preferred implementation the ring member is connected to at least one free end at a connection location. Where there is a plurality of wall members the ring member may be connected to all of the free ends at a respective connection location or only some of the free ends. If not connected to a free end, preferably the ring member bears against the free end.
The ring member may be elastic. Preferably the ring member is flexible and has a length greater than the circumference of a circle centered on the axis and passing through the connection locations.
Preferably the ring member comprises a plurality of peaks and troughs around the free end of the body.
Preferably the ring member comprises a plurality of curved portions. Preferably adjacent curved portions are curved in opposite direction.
Preferably adjacent curved portions are joined to each other at a point of inflection.
In cross section, each curved portion may be part of an ellipse, oval or circle. However, at least the curved portion may be a freehand spline rather than a mathematically defined line.
Preferably the ring member is tangent to the free end portions at a respective connection location.
Preferably the ring member connects to a free end portions at a trough in the ring member. Where there are multiple connection locations, preferably there are two peaks and one trough between connection locations.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following non-limiting description of a preferred implementation of the invention with reference to the attached representations.
Referring to
The sampling port 10 has a generally tubular body 12. The body 12 has a base 16 at one end and a side wall 18 that extends away from the base 16. The side wall 18 defines an open end 20 and a space 21. Mounted on the base 16 is a needle assembly 22 having a cannula 24. The cannula 24 is mounted generally centrally and extends along the body toward the open end 20. The free end 26 of the cannula 24 is located away from the open end 20. A rubber sheath 25 surrounds the cannula 24.
The interior of the cannula 24 communicates with a connector or piercing device of needle assembly 22 so that fluid may pass from the connector to the cannula 24 or vice versa. In the implementation shown the connector is a male luer connector 30 and the assembly 22 is a screw fit into base 16. If desired the base 16 and assembly 22 may be formed together with the cannula mounted in the integral base. The type of connector or piercing device is not critical and variations may be used, including a male or female luer, locking luer, multi-sample (double-ended) needle, blunt cannula, spike etc.
The wall 18 of the body 12 has six elongate flexible wall members 40 spaced about the axis 42 of the body. Each wall member 40 extends from the base portion 16 to the open end 20. In this implementation each wall member is attached to a ring member 44 at the open end. The ring member extends around the open end and preferably is attached to each wall member at connection points 46. If not connected to a free end, preferably the ring member bears against the free end.
As seen in
The expanded length of the ring member 44 between adjacent connection points 46 is greater than the circumferential distance between them. In this implementation the ring member 44 is formed with a series of curved portions 48 that subtend an angle of 180 degrees in alternating directions. Use of segments that subtend an angle of 180 degrees allows the relevant segments 46 to be tangent to the wall members 40.
In this implementation there are two peaks 50 and one trough 52 between each connection point 46. If desired there could be a single peak and no trough between connection points. As the number of peaks between adjacent connection points increases the radial extent reduces for the same length between adjacent connection points.
The ring, wall members and base are preferably all formed as a single moulding but may be formed of separate components.
The wall members 40 are flexible and may be flexed, hinged, bent or otherwise deflected radially outwards so that the free ends of the wall members are further away from the axis and the effective circumference of the open end is increased.
The tubal body 12 is waisted, in that it has a reduced diameter portion 60 between the base portion 16 and the open end 20. The internal diameter of the open end 20 may be the same diameter as that of the base portion 16.
The body 12 thus has an open end with diameter D1 and a minimum diameter at waist 60 of D2.
This waisting is achieved by having each wall member 40 curve inwards toward the axis.
In the implementation shown the waist region 60 of the body 12 is between the open end 20 and the free end 25 of the cannula. The waist region 60 thus serves to centralise a stationary vial having a diameter approximately D2 when partially inserted but not yet impaled on the cannula.
In use, a vial having a maximum diameter less than D1 may be inserted into the body 12. Ideally the device is used with vials having a maximum diameter greater than D2 but this is not essential.
Referring to
The sampling port may also be used with containers with parts having a diameter greater than D1 of the opening and in particular sampling bottles, as shown in
The diameter of cap 110 is less than D1 but greater than D2.
As best seen in
The sampling bottle may thus be fully inserted and impaled on the cannula 24, as shown in
The ring member 44 serves a number of functions. The main function is to limit the flexing of the wall members 40 relative to base 16. As seen in
It will be appreciated that the ring member 44 does not need to be connected to every wall member 40, although this is preferred. The ring like nature of the ring member ensures that the outward movement of the wall members is controlled even if not connected. Radially outward movement of the wall members will result in the free end contacting and/or urging the ring member radially outward even if there is no actual connection between the ring member and the respective wall member.
The wall members are flexible along their length and thus do not just hinge, flex or bend about the base portion. In the preferred implementation the waisted portion of the wall members may be deflected, bent or straightened relative to the end portions to accommodate the bottle body. As seen most clearly in
In the implementation shown each wall member 40 is provided with an elongate slot 41. This slot assists in the wall members flexing to have a larger effective diameter but may be omitted. In the implementation shown there are six wall members 40, each with a slot. If desired the sampling cap may be provided with more or less wall members, with or without slots. For example a sampling cap may be provided with twelve wall members, each without a slot but roughly half the width of the wall members 40 shown in the representations.
The implementation shown provides a waisted tubular body that expands by having movable wall members that are relatively inelastic. Whilst accommodation of “small” vials is achieved by elastic flexing of the waisted portion of the wall members, accommodation of “large” vials is achieved by gross movement of the wall members. It will be appreciated that forming the body of a more elastic material may allow the wall of the tubular body to expand elastically to accommodate “large” vials. Accordingly the tubular body could, for example, be formed of a rubber or synthetic rubber having appropriate elasticity and stiffness, without the need for separate wall members extending around the axis.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and any claims the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.
The features of the invention described or mentioned in this document may be combined in any combination of features where features are not mutually exclusive.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many obvious modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013903039 | Aug 2013 | AU | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AU2014/000805 | 8/13/2014 | WO | 00 |
