Abstract:
A disposable blood sampling device is disclosed herein, which includes a plunger, a rubber stopper, a barrel, a sealing member, a needle holder, a protection sleeve, an anticoagulant storing tube and a needle sheath. In use, the disposable blood sampling device is deconstructed by removing each component therefrom and is unable to be assembled again for recycling. Furthermore, the needle can be hidden in the protection sleeve before it is detached from the blood sampling device, which effectively prevents a medical operator from being hurt or even infected by the needle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a blood sampling device, in particular to a disposable blood sampling device. 
         [0003]    2. The Prior Arts 
         [0004]    A medical blood sampling device and an injector substantially have similar structures which include a barrel, a needle mounted on one end of the barrel and a plunger with a stopper inserted into the other end of the barrel and being axially movable in the barrel. By pushing or pull the plunger, blood or medical liquid can be drawn into or exhausted from the barrel. Particularly, the blood sampling device further requires another device for providing an anticoagulant to the barrel, such that the blood within the barrel can be prevented from coagulating. 
         [0005]    Since the early blood sampling device is unsafe in use, it is often heard that a medical operator was hurt or even infected by the needle. Accordingly, a new blood sampling device with a protection device was proposed. However, such blood sampling device has to work with auxiliary accessories, which is inconvenient to use. Furthermore, the blood sampling device cannot be self-deconstructed after use, which leaves the worry that the used blood sampling device may be recycled. When this occurs, the medical operator or patient has higher risk of infection. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable blood sampling device, which has greater safety in use. During the operation, the blood sampling device is deconstructed by removing each component therefrom and is unable to be assembled again for recycling. Furthermore, a needle can be hidden in a protection sleeve before it is detached from the blood sampling device, which effectively prevents a medical operator from being hurt by the needle and thus infected. 
         [0007]    To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, a disposable blood sampling device comprises a plunger; a rubber stopper coupled to the one end of the plunger; a barrel having an axially extended tube body with a first end and a second end, wherein a chamber is defined in the tube body from the first end to the second end for inserting the plunger with the rubber stopper, and the second end has a needle connector communicated to the chamber, and a ring-shaped flange formed around a perimeter of the needle connector and having an inner spiral protrusion formed on an inner surface thereof, a sealing member, which is made of resilient material, having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein an outer spiral groove is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sealing member for engaging with the inner spiral protrusion of the barrel, a blind hole is formed from the first end to the second end for receiving with the needle connector, a conical hole is formed on the second end, and a sealing hole is provided to connect the blind hole and conical hole and is sealed when there is no external force applied thereto and; a needle holder having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein a chamber is formed in the needle holder from the first end to the second end, the second end has a needle-holding hole communicated to the chamber, an outer circumferential surface of the needle holder has a plurality of guide notches, first longitudinal guide grooves connected to the guide notches, transversal guide grooves connected to the first longitudinal guide grooves, second longitudinal guide grooves connected to the transversal guide grooves, and an outer protrusion; a needle inserted into the needle-holding hole of the needle holder and the sealed hole of the sealing member; a protection sleeve having an axially extended tube body with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein a passage is confined by an inner wall of the tube body and is formed from the first end to the second end, the inner wall has a guide slot is formed from the first end toward the second end, a longitudinal slot communicated to the guide slot for guiding the outer protrusion of needle holder and a step defined between the longitudinal slot and guide slot, an end of the longitudinal slot close to the first end of the protection sleeve has a through hole with a elastic member protruded to a center of the through hole, an inner circumferential surface of the protection sleeve close to the second end has an inner protrusion with an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer protrusion of the needle holder; a needle sheath having an axially extended tube body with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein a chamber is formed in the needle sheath from the first end to the second end, and the first end has a lock slot fitted with an outer diameter of the needle holder; and an anticoagulant storing tube disposed in the chamber close to the second end of the needle sheath. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of a disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of a plunger of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of a rubber stopper of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a barrel of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of a sealing member of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a needle holder of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6A  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a protection sleeve of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7A  is a cross sectional view of a protection sleeve according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a needle sheath of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the plunger and the rubber stopper of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the plunger, rubber stopper, needle, barrel and sealing member of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the needle and the needle holder of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the plunger, rubber stopper, barrel, sealing member, needle holder and needle of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the plunger, rubber stopper, barrel, sealing member, needle holder, needle and needle sheath of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view of a combination of the needle sheath and the anticoagulant storing tube of the disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view of an assembled disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an assembled disposable blood sampling device according to the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is a schematic view showing that the needle is inserted into the anticoagulant storing tube according to the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is a schematic view showing that the plunger is moved axially to exhaust the anticoagulant according to the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 19  is a schematic view showing that the protection sleeve is removed from the barrel ready for use according to the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 20  is a schematic view showing that barrel of the disposable blood sampling device is filled with blood according to the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 21  is a schematic view showing that the needle is hidden in the protection sleeve and removed from the sealing member; 
           [0032]      FIG. 22  is a schematic view showing that the sealing member is removed from the barrel; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 23  is a schematic view showing that the blood in the disposable blood sampling device is inserted into a blood culture dish according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a disposable blood sampling device in accordance with the present invention comprises a plunger  1 , a rubber stopper  2 , an barrel  3 , a sealing member  4 , a needle holder  5 , a needle  6 , a protection sleeve  7 , an anticoagulant storing tube  8  and a needle sheath  9 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the plunger  1  has a first end and a second end located opposite to the first end. A fastening element  11  is disposed at the second end of the plunger  1  and a plurality of notches  12  extending from an outer perimeter to an axis of the plunger  1  close to the second end, such that the plunger  1  can be broken off for convenient disposal by applying a force to the notches  12 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the rubber stopper  2  is preferably made of a resilient material. At least a ring-shaped rib  21  is formed on a circumferential surface of the rubber stopper  2  and a fastening slot  22  is formed in the rubber stopper  2  for engaging with the fastening element  11 , such that the rubber stopper  2  can be fixed to the second end of the plunger  1 . 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a barrel  3  has an axially extended tube body  33  with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. A chamber is defined in the tube body  33  from the first end to the second end and has a width closely fitted for the rubber stopper  2 . The second end of the tube body  33  has a needle connector  31  communicated to the chamber, and a ring-shaped flange  32  formed around the needle connector  31  and having an inner spiral protrusion  321  formed on an inner surface thereof. A free end of the needle connector  31  has a tapered portion  311  extending axially and outwardly a predetermined length. The ring-shaped flange  32  of the barrel  3  has a first ring-shaped protrusion  322  formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof and the tube body  33  of the barrel  3  has an inner protrusion  332  formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof close to the first end thereof. The tube body  33  of the barrel  3  has a second ring-shaped protrusion  331  formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof close to the first end. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a sealing member  4 , which is made of resilient material, has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein an outer spiral groove  46  is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sealing member  4  for engaging with the inner spiral protrusion  321  of the barrel  3 , a blind hole is formed from the first end to the second end of the sealing member  4  for receiving the needle connector  31 , a conical hole  41  is formed on the second end, and a sealing hole  42  is provided to connect the blind hole and conical hole  41  and is sealed when there is no external force applied thereto. The blind hole can be replaced with a cylindrical hole  44  and a tapered cylindrical hole  43  in sequence formed from first end to the second end for matching with an outer contour of the needle connector  31 . The sealing member  4  has a tapered portion  45  defined at the second end thereof. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 6A , the needle holder  5  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. A chamber  54  is formed in the needle holder  5  from the first end to the second end. The second end of the needle holder  5  has a needle-holding hole  51  communicated to the chamber  54  and a plurality of fins  52  provided around the needle-holding hole  51  for reinforcing the strength of the needle-holding hole  51 . An outer circumferential surface of the needle holder  5  has a plurality of guide notches  531 , first longitudinal guide grooves  532  connected to the guide notches  531 , transversal guide grooves  533  connected to the first longitudinal guide grooves  532 , second longitudinal guide grooves  534  connected to the transversal guide grooves  533 . The guide notches  531  and the first longitudinal guide grooves  532  are jointly formed in Y-shape, and the first longitudinal guide grooves  532 , the transversal guide grooves  533  and the second longitudinal guide grooves  534  are jointly formed in Z-shape. Two outer protrusions  535  are respectively formed on the outer circumferential surface of the needle holder  5  close to the first end. The chamber  54  of the needle holder  5  has a first inner wall  542  close to first end of the needle holder  5  and a second inner wall  541  close to the second end of the needle holder  5 , wherein the first inner wall  542  has inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of the second inner wall  541 , and a ring-shaped groove  5421  is formed on the first inner wall  542  for engaging with the first ring-shaped protrusion  322  of the barrel  3 . 
         [0040]    The needle  6  is inserted into the needle-holding hole  51  of the needle holder  5  and sealing hole  42  of the sealing member  4 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 7A , a protection sleeve  7  having an axially extended tube body with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein a passage is confined by an inner wall of the tube body and is formed from the first end to the second end. The inner wall has a guide slot  723  is formed from the first end toward the second end, a longitudinal slot  724  communicated to the guide slot  723  for guiding the outer protrusion  535  of needle holder  5  and a step  7243  defined between the longitudinal slot  724  and guide slot  723 . An end of the longitudinal slot  723  close to the first end of the protection sleeve  7  has a through hole  7242  with a elastic member  7241  protruded to a center of the through hole  724 . An inner circumferential surface of the protection sleeve  7  close to the second end has an inner protrusion  71  with an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the outer protrusion  535  of the needle holder  5 . The inner wall of the protection sleeve  7  further has a ring-shaped groove  721  for engaging with the second ring-shaped protrusion  331  of the barrel  3 . The passage of the protection sleeve  7  has an inclined guide surface  722  close to the first end of the protection sleeve  7 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a needle sheath  9  has an axially extended tube body with a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein a chamber  93  is formed in the needle sheath  9  from the first end to the second end, and the first end has a lock slot  933  fitted with an outer diameter of the needle holder  5 . The lock slot  933  has a plurality of lock pieces  9331  that can be movably engaged with the first longitudinal guide grooves  532 , the transversal guide grooves  533  and the second longitudinal guide grooves  534 . A lead angle  932  is formed between the lock slot  933  and the chamber  93  of the needle sheath  9 . An air hole  92  is formed at the second end of the needle sheath  9  and is communicated to the chamber  93  of the needle sheath  9 . An outer surface of the needle sheath  9  has a plurality of ridges  91  axially formed for reinforcing the structural strength of the needle sheath  9 . 
         [0043]    The anticoagulant storing tube  8  is used to storage an anticoagulant and is disposed in the chamber  93  close to the second end of the needle sheath  9 . 
         [0044]    In the following, the description will be made with reference to  FIG. 9-16  and dedicated how the disposable blood sampling device is assembled. 
         [0045]    At first, the rubber stopper  2  is coupled to the second end of the plunger  1  (see  FIG. 9 ). Then, the plunger with the rubber stopper is pushed into the chamber of the barrel  3 , and then the sealing member  4  is rotatably sleeved on the needle connector  31  of the barrel  3 , such that the outer spiral groove  46  of the sealing member  4  is engaged with the inner spiral protrusion  321  of the barrel  3 . Subsequently, the needle  6  is inserted into the needle-holding hole  51  of the needle holder  5  (see  FIG. 11 ). The needle holder  5  is sleeved and fixed onto the sealing member  4  by engaging the ring-shaped groove  5421  of the needle holder  5  with the first ring-shaped protrusion  322  of the barrel  3  (see  FIG. 12 ). Next, the protection sleeve  7  is sleeved onto the tube body  33  of barrel  3  from first end thereof until the outer protrusion  535  of the needle holder  5  blocks the inner protrusion  71  of the protection sleeve  7 , and at the same time, the ring-shaped groove  721  is engaged with the second ring-shaped protrusion  331  of the barrel  3  (see  FIG. 13 ). After the anticoagulant storing tube  8  is disposed in the chamber  93  of the needle sheath  9  close to the second end as shown in  FIG. 14 , the needle sheath  9  is sleeved onto the needle holder  5  by inserting the locking piece  9331  of the needle sheath  9  into the transversal guide grooves  533  from the guide notches  531  of the needle holder  5  (see  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16 ). 
         [0046]    In the following, the description will be made with reference to  FIG. 17-23  and dedicated how the disposable blood sampling device is used. 
         [0047]    At first, the needle sheath  9  is rotated to make the lock piece  9331  move along the transversal guide grooves  533  to the second longitudinal guide groove  534  of the needle holder  5 , such that the needle sheath  9  can be pressed downwardly to let the needle  6  insert into the anticoagulant storing tube  8  as shown in  FIG. 17 . Then, pull the plunger  1  with the rubber stopper  2  backwardly within the barrel  3  so that the anticoagulant can be drawn into the chamber of the barrel  3  (see  FIG. 18 ). Subsequently, push the plunger  1  forwardly to exhaust the anticoagulant out of the barrel  3 . At this time, draw the needle sheath  9  forward to let the lock piece  9331  move from the second longitudinal guide grooves  534  to the transversal guide groove  533  and then, rotate the needle sheath  9  to let the lock piece  9331  move to the first longitudinal guide grooves  532 , and finally draw the needle sheath  9  forward again to remove the lock piece  9331  from the needle holder  5  along the first longitudinal guide grooves  532  and guide notches  531 , such that the needle sheath  9  can be detached from the needle holder  5  (see  FIG. 19 ). To obtain a sample of blood from a human body, the needle  6  is first inserted into a blood vessel of the human body, and then the plunger  1  is pulled for drawing the blood into the chamber of the barrel  3 , as shown in  FIG. 20 . After the sample of blood is obtained, the needle  6  can be detached from the blood sampling device by drawing the protection sleeve  7  forwardly until the needle  6  is entirely hidden in the protection sleeve  7 , such that the ring-shaped grooves  721  of the protection sleeve  7  is disengaged with the second ring-shaped protrusion  331  of the barrel  3 . At this time, the outer protrusion  535  of the needle holder  5  is pressed against an end of the longitudinal guide slot  724  of the protection sleeve  7 . Then, a force may be applied to separate the protection sleeve  7  with the needle  6  from the needle holder  6 , as shown in  FIG. 21 . To obtain the sample of the blood in the barrel  3 , the sealing member  4  has to be removed from the barrel  3  first, as shown in  FIG. 22 . Next, the needle connector  31  is inserted into an instill hole  101  of a blood culture dish  10  as shown in  FIG. 23 . Then, the plunger  1  is pushed to press the blood in the chamber of the barrel  3  into a blood storing trough  102  of the blood culture dish  10  through the instill hole  101 . 
         [0048]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.