Patent ID: 7918805

Claim:
A phlebotomy device comprising: a needle defining a lumen and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion including a sharpened tip configured to pierce tissue; a deformable valve positioned about the proximal end portion of the needle; and a sensor formed of a shape memory alloy disposed at least partially within the lumen, the sensor having a first state and a second state; wherein the sensor is configured to transition from the first state to the second state upon exposure to blood at physiological temperature and the deformable valve is configured to move between a first collapsed position and a second extended position upon transition of the sensor from the first state to the second state, the sensor being positioned to contact the deformable valve to move the deformable valve from the first collapsed position to the second extended position as the sensor transitions from the first state to the second state.