DEVICES AND METHODS FOR BODILY FLUID COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION
An apparatus includes a housing that defines a fluid reservoir and includes a port that is in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. An inlet adapter is removably coupleable to the housing. A user can engage an actuator to move a plunger from a first position in which the fluid reservoir has a first volume, to a second position in which the fluid reservoir has a second volume greater than the first volume, which draws bodily fluid into the fluid reservoir via the inlet adapter. The actuator modulates a plunger rate of motion below a threshold as the plunger is moved. When a predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir, a volume indicator transitions from a first state to a second state and the inlet adapter can then be removed to transfer the predetermined volume into a sample bottle external to the housing via the port.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a housing defining a fluid reservoir and including a port in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir;
an actuator coupled to a plunger, the actuator configured to move the plunger from a first position to a second position, a distal portion of the plunger including a seal configured to produce a negative pressure differential in the fluid reservoir when the plunger is moved from the first position to the second position to draw bodily fluid from a bodily fluid source into the fluid reservoir via the port; and
a volume indicator coupled to the housing, the volume indicator configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to a proximal portion of the plunger being brought into contact with the volume indicator as the plunger is moved toward the second position, the proximal portion of the plunger configured to be brought into contact with the volume indicator when a predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inlet adapter removably coupleable to the housing and configured to place the port in fluid communication with the bodily fluid source when the inlet adapter is coupled to the housing.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the inlet adapter is configured to be removed from the housing after the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir to allow transfer of the predetermined volume to a sample bottle external to the housing via the port.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the volume indicator in the second state is configured to at least temporarily prevent the plunger from moving to the second position.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein after the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir, the volume indicator is configured to transition to a third state in which the plunger is allowed to be moved to the second position.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the volume indicator is configured to move relative to the housing from a first position to the second position in response to the proximal portion of the plunger being brought into contact with the volume indicator.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the portion of the volume indicator in the second position indicates to the user that the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred to the fluid reservoir.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to modulate a rate of motion of the plunger to maintain the negative pressure differential in the fluid reservoir below a threshold when the plunger is moved from the first position to the second position.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the actuator is configured to be moved through a first range of motion to move the plunger through a second range of motion different than the first range of motion.
10 . An apparatus, comprising:
a housing defining a fluid reservoir and including a port in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, the port configured to be placed in fluid communication with a patient and a sample bottle external to the housing;
an actuator coupled to a plunger, the actuator configured to be engaged by a user to move the plunger from a first position in which the fluid reservoir has a first volume to a second position in which the fluid reservoir has a second volume greater than the first volume, the increase in volume operable to draw bodily from a bodily fluid source into the fluid reservoir; and
a volume indicator coupled to the housing, the volume indicator being separate from the plunger and configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to the plunger being moved from the first position toward the second position, at least a portion of the volume indicator configured to be moved relative to the housing when the volume indicator is transitioned from the first state to the second state and a predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
an inlet adapter removably coupleable to the housing and configured to place the port in fluid communication with the bodily fluid source when the inlet adapter is coupled to the housing.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the inlet adapter is configured to be removed from the housing after the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir to allow transfer of the predetermined volume to the sample bottle via the port.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the portion of the volume indicator is configured to extends out from the housing when the volume indicator is in the second state.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is configured to modulate a rate of motion of the plunger below a threshold as the plunger is moved from the first position to the second position.
15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is configured to be moved through a first range of motion to move the plunger through a second range of motion different than the first range of motion from the first position to the second position.
16 . An apparatus, comprising:
a housing defining a fluid reservoir and including a port in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir;
an actuator coupled to a plunger, the actuator is configured to be moved through a first range of motion to move the plunger through a second range of motion different than the first range of motion, the plunger including a seal configured to produce a negative pressure differential in the fluid reservoir when the plunger is moved through the second range of motion from a first position to a second position to draw a predetermined volume of bodily fluid into the fluid reservoir via the port; and
a volume indicator coupled to the housing and configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to a portion of the plunger engaging the volume indicator as the plunger is moved through the second range of motion, the portion of the plunger configured to engage the volume indicator in response to a predetermined volume of bodily fluid being transferred into the fluid reservoir.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
an inlet adapter removably coupleable to the housing and configured to place the port in fluid communication with the bodily fluid source when the inlet adapter is coupled to the housing,
the inlet adapter is configured to be removed from the housing after the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir to allow transfer of the predetermined volume to the sample bottle via the port.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the volume indicator in the second state is configured to at least temporarily stop the plunger from moving further through the second range of motion.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein after the predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir, the volume indicator is configured to transition to a third state in which the plunger is allowed to be moved further through the second range of motion.
20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the volume indicator is in a first position relative to the housing when the volume indicator is in the first state and the portion of the volume indicator is in a second position relative to the housing when the volume indicator is in the second state.
21 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is configured to modulate a rate of motion of the plunger below a threshold as the plunger is moved from the first position to the second position