Abstract: A blood collector system utilizes a standard disposable needle assembly and standard blood collecting and receiving tubes of the type sealed by a pierceable septum. The system has a hollow cylinder, including an internally apertured sleeve into which the needle assembly is mounted and into which the sealed blood collecting tubes are inserted to be pierced by a needle of the needle assembly. A member, such as a plate, is pivotably mounted to the cylinder. A hole in the plate accommodates the needle assembly while the needle assembly is retained in the cylinder. When the blood specimen collection is complete, the plate is moved in a pivoting motion whereby it catches the needle assembly and ejects it from the cylinder. The apparatus of the invention eliminates the need for a protective sheath to be replaced on the needle assembly before the needle assembly is discarded, and thereby minimizes the health care worker's exposure to accidental needle pricks.

Abstract: A disposable combination of a hypodermic syringe and needle has a sheath movably mounted on the syringe barrel to normally occupy a first position wherein the sheath extends to cover and protect the needle. In a second position of the sheath, relative to the barrel and needle, the needle is at least partially exposed. In a third position of the sheath, which is used for disposal of the syringe and needle combination, the needle is again covered by the sheath and preferably the sheath is irreversibly locked whereby abuse or misuse of the syringe and needle combination is substantially prevented. The sheath is made from a plastic material, such as styrene butadiene or acrylic styrene copolymer, which has a deflection temperature below the temperature required for heat sterilizing syringes. Consequently, upon attempted sterilization by heat, the sheath melts, thereby further rendering the combination usable only once.

Abstract: A disposable combination of a hypodermic syringe and needle has a sheath movably mounted on the syringe barrel to normally occupy a first position wherein the sheath extends to cover and protect the needle. Substantially axial guide channels are provided in the exterior surface of the barrel to accept an inwardly pointed boss of the sheath to guide the sheath into a second position and a third position. In the second position of the sheath, relative to the barrel and needle, the needle is at least partially exposed. In the third position of the sheath, which is used for disposal of the syringe and needle combination, the needle is again covered by the sheath and preferably the sheath is irreversibly locked whereby abuse or misuse of the syringe and needle combination is substantially prevented. In alternative embodiments, instead of axial guide channels, the bosses of the sheath may be engaged in appropriately formed circumferential grooves or depressions formed in the outer surface of the barrel.