Needle holder for fluid collection and/or injection system

Abstract

A needle holder for use with a fluid transfer system of the type having a standard threaded cannula and a fluid container. The needle holder includes an actuation mechanism for detachably mounting a cannula to the holder, the actuation mechanism including pivotable threaded halves and an actuator operably associated therewith. In a cannula-mounting position, facing surfaces on the threaded halves cooperate to define a threaded passageway for engaging the cannula. Upon operation of the actuator, the threaded halves pivot to a retracted position to disengage from the cannula.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A needle holder for use with a fluid collection and/or injection system of the type having a double-ended cannula and a fluid container, the cannula including a fluid passage bore extending therethrough and a generally cylindrical, externally threaded hub with a hub disk at one end thereof, the fluid container including a sealed open end and an opposing closed end, said needle holder comprising: 
       a hollow body having an end wall at a closed first end thereof, said end wall having an aperture therethrough, said hollow body also having an open second end disposed opposite to said first end for receiving a fluid container within said hollow body such that, upon reception of the fluid container, the open end of the fluid container is adjacent to said end wall;  
       housing means abutting said first end of said hollow body for maintaining at least a portion of an actuation mechanism within said holder, said housing means including means defining an aperture therethrough which is generally coaxial with said aperture of said end wall; and  
       an actuation mechanism for threadably mounting a threaded cannula hub therein with one end of the cannula extending forwardly of said actuation mechanism for venipuncture and the other end extending rearwardly into said hollow body for engagement with the fluid container, said actuation mechanism including:  
       first and second threaded halves mounted within said housing means for removably mounting the cannula hub upon threading the cannula hub into said actuation mechanism, each of said threaded halves including a threaded surface, at least one of said first and second threaded halves being movable between a cannula-mounting position wherein said threaded surfaces cooperate to define a threaded passageway complementary in cross-sectional shape to the cross-sectional shape of the threaded cannula hub, and a retracted position wherein said threaded surfaces cooperate to define an opening having a cross-sectional size which is greater than the cross-sectional size of the threaded cannula hub;  
       means for movably mounting at least one of said first and second threaded halves within said housing means; and  
       actuation means for urging at least one of said first and second threaded halves between said cannula-mounting and retracted positions, said actuation means being slidably mounted to said housing means for movement between an initial position wherein at least one of said first and second threaded halves is urged into said cannula-mounting position, and a secondary position wherein at least one of said first and second threaded halves is urged into said retracted position.  
     
     
       2. The needle holder of  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said first and second threaded halves is pivotable between the cannula-mounting position and the retracted position, and said means for movably mounting at least one of said first and second threaded halves within said housing means comprises means for pivotably mounting said at least one of said first and second threaded halves. 
     
     
       3. The needle holder of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said first and second threaded halves further comprises a torque member; and 
       wherein said actuation means includes:  
       a user-operable external element; and  
       at least one drive arm extending from said actuation means, said drive arms engaging said torque members to urge at least one of said first and second threaded halves into said retracted position in response to the application of linear force to said user-operable external element.  
     
     
       4. The needle holder of  claim 1  or  claim 3 , wherein said actuation means further comprises: 
       resilient means for biasing said actuation means to said initial position wherein at least one of said first and second threaded halves is urged into said cannula-mounting position by said drive arms of said actuation means.  
     
     
       5. The needle holder of  claim 4 , wherein said housing means further comprises: 
       a bearing wall for opposing said resilient means of said actuation means; and  
       an end cap at one end of said holder for maintaining at least a portion of said actuation mechanism within said housing means, wherein said end cap includes said means defining an aperture in said housing means.  
     
     
       6. The needle holder of  claim 5 , wherein said end cap of said housing means is substantially planar and is slidably received in said housing means in snap-fit fashion. 
     
     
       7. The needle holder of  claim 6 , wherein said end cap of said housing means includes an extended portion which is substantially congruent with said external element of said actuation means when said actuation means is in said initial position. 
     
     
       8. The needle holder of  claim 7 , wherein each of said first and second threaded halves includes a top surface adjacent to said end cap of said housing means, and wherein engagement between said top surfaces of said threaded halves and the hub disk of the cannula hub limits further insertion of the cannula hub into said holder. 
     
     
       9. The needle holder of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the diameter of said threaded passageway defined by said first and second threaded surfaces is smaller than the diameters of both of said apertures in said end cap and said end wall, and wherein the perimeter of said threaded passageway does not subtend the perimeters of either of said apertures of said end cap and of said end wall when said threaded halves are in said cannula-mounting position. 
     
     
       10. The needle holder of  claim 5 , wherein the diameter of said threaded passageway defined by said first and second threaded surfaces is smaller than the diameters of both of said apertures in said end cap and said end wall, and wherein the perimeter of said threaded passageway does not subtend the perimeters of either of said apertures of said end cap and of said end wall when said threaded halves are in said cannula-mounting position. 
     
     
       11. A needle holder for use with a fluid collection and/or injection system of the type having a needle assembly and a fluid container, the needle assembly including a fluid passage bore extending therethrough and a hub, the fluid container including a fluid passage end and an opposing end, said needle holder comprising: 
       a hollow body having an end wall at a closed first end thereof, said end wall having an aperture therethrough, said hollow body also having an open second end opposite to said first end for receiving a fluid container within said hollow body such that, upon reception of the fluid container, the fluid passage end of the fluid container is adjacent to said end wall;  
       housing means abutting said first end of said hollow body for maintaining at least a portion of an actuation mechanism within said holder, said housing means including means defining an aperture therethrough which is generally coaxial with said aperture of said end wall; and  
       an actuation mechanism for detachably mounting a cannula hub therein with one end of the cannula extending forwardly of said actuation mechanism for venipuncture and the other end extending rearwardly into said hollow body for engagement with the fluid container, said actuation mechanism including:  
       first and second mounting jaws rotatably mounted within said housing means for removably mounting the cannula hub upon inserting the cannula hub into said actuation mechanism, said first and second mounting jaws being pivotable between a cannula-mounting position wherein said mounting jaws cooperate to define a passageway complementary in cross-sectional shape to the cross-sectional shape of the cannula hub, and a retracted position wherein said mounting jaws cooperate to define an opening having a cross-sectional size which is greater than the cross-sectional size of the cannula hub;  
       a pivot axle for rotatably mounting said first and second mounting jaws within said housing means; and  
       actuation means for urging said first and second mounting jaws between said cannula-mounting and retracted positions, said actuation means being slidably mounted to said housing means for linear reciprocal movement between an initial position wherein said first and second mounting jaws are urged into said cannula-mounting position, and a secondary position wherein said first and second mounting jaws are urged into said retracted position.  
     
     
       12. The needle holder of  claim 11  wherein said first and second mounting jaws comprise first and second threaded halves. 
     
     
       13. The needle holder of  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein each of said first and second mounting jaws further comprises a torque member; and 
       wherein said actuation means comprises:  
       a user-operable external element; and  
       first and second arms extending from said external element, said first and second arms engaging respective torque members to urge said first and second mounting jaws into said retracted position in response to the application of linear force to said user-operable external element.  
     
     
       14. The needle holder of  claim 13 , wherein said actuation means further comprises: 
       resilient means for biasing said actuation means to said initial position wherein said first and second mounting jaws are urged into said cannula-mounting position by said first and second arms of said actuation means.  
     
     
       15. The needle holder of  claim 14 , wherein said housing means further comprises: 
       a bearing wall for opposing said resilient means of said actuator; and  
       an end cap at one end of said holder for retaining at least a portion of said actuation mechanism within said housing means, wherein said end cap includes said means defining an aperture in said housing means.  
     
     
       16. The needle holder of  claim 15 , wherein said end cap of said housing means is substantially planar and is slidably received in said housing means in snap-fit fashion. 
     
     
       17. The needle holder of  claim 16 , wherein said end cap of said housing means includes an extended portion which is substantially congruent with said external element of said actuation means when said actuation means is in said initial position. 
     
     
       18. The needle holder of  claim 17 , wherein each of said first and second mounting jaws includes a top surface adjacent to said end cap of said housing means, and wherein engagement between said top surfaces of said mounting jaws and a hub disk of the cannula hub limits insertion of the cannula hub into said holder. 
     
     
       19. The needle holder of  claim 11  or  claim 12 , wherein the diameter of said passageway defined by said first and second mounting jaws is smaller than the diameters of both of said apertures in said end cap and said end wall, and wherein the perimeter of said passageway does not subtend the perimeters of either of said apertures of said end cap and of said end wall when said mounting jaws are in said cannula-mounting position. 
     
     
       20. The needle holder of  claim 15 , wherein the diameter of said passageway defined by said first and second mounting jaws is smaller than the diameters of both of said apertures in said end cap and said end wall, and wherein the perimeter of said passageway does not subtend the perimeters of either of said apertures of said end cap and of said end wall when said mounting jaws are in said cannula-mounting position. 
     
     
       21. A holder for removably mounting an externally threaded needle assembly, said holder comprising: 
       
         a hollow body having an open proximal end and a distal end closed by an end wall having an aperture therethrough;  
       
       
         first and second threaded jaws mounted at the end wall; and  
       
       
         an actuator assembly disposed at said distal end and comprising an actuator slidably mounted to said holder and operatively associated with at least one of said threaded jaws to move said at least one of said threaded jaws between a needle assembly mounting position in which said first and second threaded jaws cooperate to define a threaded passageway aligned with said aperture for receiving and securing such externally threaded needle assembly, and a needle assembly release position in which said passageway is sufficiently enlarged to free such externally threaded needle assembly from said holder.  
       
     
     
       22. A holder for removably mounting an externally threaded needle assembly, said holder comprising: 
       
         a hollow body having an open proximal end and a distal end closed by an end wall having an aperture therethrough;  
       
       
         first and second threaded jaws mounted at the end wall; and  
       
         an actuator slidably mounted to said holder at said distal end and operatively associated with at least one of said threaded jaws to move said at least one of said threaded jaws between a needle assembly mounting position in which said first and second jaws cooperate to define therebetween a threaded passageway having a first cross - sectional area and aligned with said aperture, and a needle assembly release position in which the threaded passageway has a second cross - sectional area which is larger than the first cross - sectional area.    
     
     
       23. The holder of  claim 21  or  claim 22  wherein said actuator is integral with at least one of said threaded jaws.  
     
     
       24. The holder of  claim 21  or  claim 22  wherein said needle assembly comprises a double- ended cannula.    
     
     
       25. The holder of  claim 24  further comprising an evacuated container having a puncturable membrane which is penetrated by one end of said double- ended cannula.    
     
     
       26. The holder of  claim 21  or  claim 22  wherein at least one of said threaded jaws is slidable towards the other to position said jaws in the mounting position, and is slidable away from the other to position said jaws in the release position.  
     
     
       27. The holder of  claim 21  or  claim 22  wherein at least one of said threaded jaws is dimensioned and configured to move slidably in a single plane between the needle assembly mounted position and the needle assembly release position.  
     
     
       28. The holder of  claim 27  wherein said actuator is dimensioned and configured to slidably move in a single plane.  
     
     
       29. The holder of  claim 21  or  claim 22  wherein said actuator is dimensioned and configured to slidably move in a single plane.  
     
     
       30. A method for mounting an externally threaded needle assembly to a holder and thereafter releasing the needle assembly therefrom, the holder having a distal end at which is disposed an actuator and first and second threaded jaws, at least one of which jaws is movable relative to the other, the first and second threaded jaws cooperating to form therebetween a threaded passageway, and the actuator being operatively associated with at least one of threaded jaws, the method comprising the steps of: 
       
         securing a needle assembly into the threaded passageway;  
       
       
         thereafter operating the actuator to slide at least one of the threaded jaws in a single plane away from the other threaded jaw to thereby sufficiently enlarge the threaded passageway to release the needle assembly from said holder.  
       
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  including operating the actuator by sliding it in the single plane.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30  or  claim 31  wherein the step of securing a needle assembly into the threaded passageway is carried out by operating the actuator to slide at least one of the threaded jaws away from the other threaded jaw to thereby sufficiently enlarge the threaded passageway to position the needle assembly therewithin, and then operating the actuator to slide at least one of the threaded jaws towards the other threaded jaw to engage the needle assembly within the passageway.