Abstract: A multiplate subculture solid media device is provided with a connection for internal flow communication with a liquid medium culture bottle. The device includes a large transparent screw cap on one face thereof to gain easy access to the plurality of media plates for direct examination and sample taking through the growth period. The cap may transparent and of a size allowing continuous examination during the growth period without any opening. Alternatively, the cap internal surface may include the solid media plates so that culture growth activity may be directly observed by easy removal of the cap. As a further feature of the invention, the screw cap may include an integral magnifying lens for enhancing the continuous examination of culture growth.

Abstract: A combination closure is provided, particularly for evacuated collection tubes for body fluids such as blood, including an elastomer stopper and plastic cover combination with cooperating locking surfaces spaced around the circumference thereof. The stopper includes vertically spaced sealing rings for insertion into the open end of the tube. Also, the stopper includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions and the cover or shield cooperating circumferentially spaced indentations or ports to provide a locking force between the protrusions and indentations. As a result, the dimensions of the stopper and the plastic cover are reduced, which in turn reduces the penetration force required to insert a needle through the stopper. Moreover, the reduced dimension of the closure allows it to be locked to a bead on the tube whether plastic or glass, and the lesser overall diameter allows the closure on the tube to fit more tube holders or containers during and prior to use.

Abstract: A multiplate subculture solid media device is provided with a connection for internal flow communication with a liquid medium culture bottle. The device includes a large transparent screw cap on one face thereof to gain easy access to the plurality of media plates for direct examination and sample taking through the growth period. The cap may transparent and of a size allowing continuous examination during the growth period without any opening. Alternatively, the cap internal surface may include the solid media plates so that culture growth activity may be directly observed by easy removal of the cap. As a further feature of the invention, the screw cap may include an integral magnifying lens for enhancing the continuous examination of culture growth.

Abstract: A combination of surgical blade holder and cooperating blade is provided, which allows simple insertion of a blade having a specific configuration of opening in the tang for receiving a specific boss configuration on the handle, and closure to a locked position of the blade, upon insertion. The two parts of the handle pivot relative to one another in the same longitudinal plane around a pivot positioned adjacent the blade portion. This allows a relatively long handle portion for gripping the device for ejecting the blade, using the thumb or finger of the same hand for opening the holder. The gripping portion of the handle has adjacent to the blade portion thereof a boss which conforms to the opening in the blade tang. The boss includes a cleat with an overhang which serves to receive the opposed mating surface on the opposite half of the handle.

Abstract: A device is provided for indicating when an intravenous needle has entered the vein through the use of a solid fiber optic mounted in the needle for showing visual instantaneous vein entry. The hub has a special light source connection to enhance the degree of light available for visualizing vein entry. The distal end of the fiber optic is polished to be the distal point of the needle. This polished distal end reflects color, such as red blood, immediately upon vein entry and exposure to blood, with the enhanced reflected light, to the magnifying system forming a part of the invention at the rear or proximal end of the fiber optic. The user observes immediate vein entry without any blood flow or exposure to blood.

Abstract: A blood draw needle holder is modified on the outside surface of the closed end and the inside surface of the open end so that the closed end of one holder interlocks with the open end of another holder. As a result, one holder with no needle, but identical with another holder with a contaminated needle, may be locked in place over the contaminated needle. In addition, a stationery locking socket is provided for placement on a phlebotomist's tray or cart for locking a new unused holder in place, with the open end of the unused holder facing upright. Thereafter, the phlebotomist inserts the contaminated needle end with its used holder into the unused holder and locks the two together. With such an arrangement, no cumbersome telescoping shield is required on the holder being used for taking a blood sample. A conventional blood draw procedure takes place. The cost is reduced substantially since all holders, whether being used for blood draw or as a shield are identical and made from the same mold.

Abstract: An intravenous infusion set and/or blood collection assembly is provided with a safety feature for covering the used needle with a simple movement. The assembly is comprised of a structure which is of very economical and simple construction, which allows for manual mounting, if required, but which may be formed and handled on a mass production line for rapid production, as required. The safety feature is a two-part shield which when placed in cooperating relationship, allows accommodation of a conventional unmodified blood collection needle and body including the usual handling wings. After use, the body with the needle are pulled rearwardly so that the wings do not need to be touched but moved through slots past an abutment into positive locking slots which prevent the body, wings and needle from moving out of the shield thereafter.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for easing the insertion and placement of an arterial catheter in the blood vessel of a patient. The assembly includes the combination of an insertion needle and guide tube which pass through the lumen of a catheter, and prior to use extends slightly out of the distal end of the catheter. The needle, in turn, extends slightly out of the distal end of the guide tube and serves to make the initial insertion through the skin and into the blood vessel. Once initial insertion is made, as indicated by blood "flash back" to the transparent needle hub, the guide tube is advanced through the catheter to provide a tracking path for the catheter. Once the distal end of the catheter has followed the guide tube path, the guide tube and needle are withdrawn. A feature of the invention is a guide tube slide arrangement for controlling the advance and retraction of the guide tube.

Abstract: A combined dispenser tray and package is provided for pipettes. The tray is elongated with a stepped front wall which provides a dispensing position for sequentially dispensing individual pipettes, as required. The front wall includes a built-in curved wall portion for feeding the individual pipettes, one at a time, to the dispensing position for removal. A cooperating cover is provided with a hinged peel tab for gaining access to the dispensing position. A further feature of the tray of the invention is that the stepped configuration, as seen in cross-section, allows for stacking a plurality of trays in a compact fashion for shipping and storage.

Abstract: A device is provided for deliberately distributing simultaneously over the entire vertical and/or longitudinal extend of a body of aqueous containing liquid a gelation agent for the rapid containment of contaminated aqueous liquids. The device is an elongated rigid or semi-rigid body for containing an envelope or package of material immediately dissolvable in the aqueous liquids, and which contains the gelling agent prior to liquid exposure. The device includes means for exposure of its content to the liquid, once the device is positioned in or is surrounded by the liquid. The invention contemplates a conventional suction canister having the device positioned therein for receiving contaminated body fluids.

Abstract: A process for imparting enhanced antimicrobial properties to medical devices, and particularly surgical and examination gloves, and to such gloves produced by the process. The process involves partially forming the gloves by dipping glove molds into a latex composition, for example, and prior to curing or heating to final form, dipping the already coated forms into a second composition containing an antimicrobial agent, and thereafter curing or heat setting the finally produced glove prior to stripping from the form. Alternatively, the antimicrobial composition can be additionally or independently applied to a cured glove before stripping. The result is a glove which prevents, or decreases the potential of, cross-contamination between the glove users and patients because it will kill or reduce the susceptible microorganisms prior to or after penetration of the basic material forming the glove.

Abstract: A flashback vent plug is provided for catheters with air vents drilled by a laser beam which allow venting of the hollow plug upon venous entry, but which vents are so small that blood cannot pass. As a result, no leakage ever takes place. As a further feature of the invention, is the addition of a component to the resin making up the vent plug body which optimizes absorption of the laser beam wave length. The air vent design of this invention provides sufficient cross-section for achieving the required air flow, and therefore rapid flashback and venous entry indication, yet its cost of manufacture is considerably reduced when compared to plug designs that involve multi-step assembly.

Abstract: An obturator is provided which allows for placing and withdrawing of a single catheter obturator over an extended period of time so as to allow spaced intervals of use, and non-use of a catheter while in place in the patient's skin, while at the same time doing away with cumbersome, costly and time consuming administration and maintenance of saline and heparin locks. The device feeds the obturator in place for occluding the catheter lumen, when no fluids are being administered to the patient, and then may be retracted to a position allowing fluid feed through a supply tube connection to the catheter. The device includes a coating on the obturator rod which swells in contact with aqueous fluids to seal completely the catheter lumen which coating includes heparin to prevent clotting. Moreover, the entire internal functioning arrangement remains sterile during the entire period of use, thus avoiding infection.

Abstract: A handle is provided for blades, and particularly surgical blades, which allows simple insertion sequentially of a plurality of blades, and closure to a locked postion of the blade, upon insertion. The two parts of the handle pivot relative to one another in the same longitudinal plane around a pivot positioned adjacent the blade position. This allows a relatively long handle portion for gripping the device for ejecting the blade, using the thumb or finger of the same hand for opening the holder for ejection single-handedly. The gripping portion of the handle has adjacent to the blade portion thereof a boss which conforms to the opening in the blade tang. Closure causes the movble portion of the handle to cover the boss and the blade tang in a wedging action preventing movement of the blade relative to the handle in closed position.

Abstract: Apparatus designed to coat the internal surfaces of tubular structures, and particularly for coating small diameter tubular structures having porous walls with a controlled coating material which may be a polymer, for example. The arrangement includes structure for rotating the tube to be coated simultaneously with structure for moving a coating applicator apparatus longitudinally through the tube for imparting an evenly dispersed coating throughout the longitudinally extent thereof. The arrangement is such that the apparatus may, selectively, impart a water or other solvent spray against, the already formed coating for extraction of a solvent from the coating. The coating characteristics (i.e., uniformity, thickness and pattern) are controlled by the use of a sintered metal and/or porous applicator, together with a controlled pressurized source of coating material.

Abstract: An improved valve assembly is provided for the distal end of a catheter, and particularly a central venous catheter for controlling fluid passage from the catheter to the blood flow passage in which it is inserted, and flow in the opposite direction. A relatively thin sheath wall covers the distal fluid opening of the catheter, and includes a slit for responding rapidly to pressure differentials on either side of the slit opening to allow fluid passage, as required. In addition, the distal end of the catheter, and the side walls thereof adjacent the end, are covered by a thin sheath which serves to impart a small degree of thickness or "body" to the end of the catheter except at the opening thereof. More importantly, with the arrangement here the integrity of the catheter wall is far less compromised.

Abstract: A device is provided for indicating when an intravenous needle has entered the vein through the use of a solid fiber optic mounted in the needle for showing visual instantaneous vein entry. The distal end of the fiber optic is polished to be flush with the distal point of the needle. The fiber optic is sized to have an outer diameter which will extend through the cannula of the needle. This polished distal end reflects color, such as red blood, immediately upon vein entry and exposure to blood to the magnifying system forming a part of the invention at the rear or proximal end of the fiber optic. The user observes immediate vein entry without any blood flow or exposure to blood. Other embodiments utilize the fiber optic as the needle, thus eliminating the needle itself.

Abstract: A multiplate subculture solid media device is provided with a connection for internal flow communication with a liquid medium culture bottle. The device includes a large transparent screw cap on one face thereof to gain easy access to the plurality of media plates for direct examination and sample taking through the growth period. However, the cap is transparent and of a size allowing continuous examination during the growth period without any opening. As a further feature of the invention, the screw cap may include an integral magnifying lens for enhancing the continuous examination of culture growth.

Abstract: A composition is provided for use, particularly in evacuated blood collection tubes, as a blood partitioning composition. The composition is useful in provididng cleaner serum or plasma samples for biochemical tests, including a wide range of drugs. The composition includes a balanced dual resin component which provides the desired hydrophobic property while simultaneously controlling viscosity and the specific gravity, which component is comprised of poly-alpha-pinene resin which provides good drug recovery but low density with a chlorinated hydrocarbon resin which provides the proper density level while maintaining the desired hydrophobic property of the resin blend. Thixotropic property is achieved by adding silica and network stabilizer in the composition.

Abstract: A stopper or closure is provided as a closure for containers in which the stopper profile is computer generated to take into consideration radial stress at the stopper/container interface, and to eliminate tensile stress therealong which tensile stress is an indication that a portion of the stopper wall is not engaging the opposed container surface. The stopper of the invention is particularly appropriate for use in evacuated blood sample collection tubes for eliminating "gray bands" or regions where the stopper and tube do not contact, and "red spots" formed in small cavities generated on the internal surface of the stopper at the withdrawal position of a blood collection needle having been inserted in the stopper.