Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
Receiving unit for an attachment
The invention relates to a holding device for an insert element, in particular
for a needle assembly for
drawing samples from body fluids, pieces of tissue or tissue cultures, as
described in claim l .
A known holding device for an insert element is known from US 5,755,673 A or
WO 97/24067, in
which the holding device comprises a holder container with end regions spaced
at a distance apart,
between which a container casino extends. the first end region being open and
the other end region
being closed off by an end wall. The container casing and the end wall bound
an interior space and a
retaining device is provided on the endl wall in the area of the closed end
region for an insert element
which can be inserted in the holding device. An orifice extends through the
end wall of the holder
container, arranged more or less in the centre thereof, and the retaining
device consists of retaining
elements which can be adjusted in a counter-rotating movement by means of an
operating member,
so as to be displaced from a locked po~,ition into a released position. The
operating member is pro-
vided in the form of a slide, which is rrrounted so as to he displaceable in a
guide device in a direction
parallel with the end wall. The retaining device and operating member are
covered with a respective
cover part on the side remote. from the interior, preventing them from
unintentionally working loose.
The retaining device is operated by the operating member, which also causes
the two retaining ele-
ments to pivot.
Another receiving device for an insert element, in particular a needle
assembly, is known from US
5,797,490 A, which also comprises a hc>Ider container with end regions spaced
at a distance apart
with a container casing extending between them. Here too, the first end region
is open and the other
end region is closed off by an end wall. The retaining device for the insert
element and an operating
member for the retaining device, which is mounted so that it can be displaced
relative to the holder
container, are provided in the region of the end wall. The retaining device
comprises two retaining
elements, comprising two half shells with a matching screw thread. These two
retaining elements are
retained in a fixed position relative to the holder container by means of an
immobilising member so
that a first retaining element is held so as to be virtually non-slidable in a
predetermined position
relative to the holder container by means of a positioning member. The
positioning member retains
the second retaining element such that it can be displaced in a plane parallel
with the end wall if nec-
essary, and the two facing half shells form a closed mounting bore with an
internal thread for the
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
needle assembly when in the locking position for the needle assembly. The
other or second retaining
element can be displaced from the locked position into the released position
by means of another op-
erating member by a sliding action in a direction parallel with the end wall.
The underlying objective of the present invention is to provide a holder
container of the type de-
scribed above, in which the operating mechanism is easy to operate with one
hand and which enables
the needle assembly to be securely and firmly retained in the locked position
on the one hand and
safely released into the released position on the other.
This objective is achieved by the invention as a result of the features set
out in claim 1. The surpris-
ing advantage obtained by the features set out in the. characterising part of
claim 1 resides in the fact
that the arrangement of the orifice extending through the wall of the holder
container or end wall of
the holder container in the region of the longitudinal median axis, combined
with the two diametri-
cally opposed abutment elements and the design of the slide in conjunction
with the orifice and the
retaining element and releasing element forming the retaining device in the
orifice, offer a very sim-
ple retaining device consisting of only the slide and the holder body or
holder container in a single
piece. As a result of this seemingly very simple solution. when the slide is
in the locked position, the
insert element or needle assembly is retained in a fixed position relative to
the holder body or holder
container, in which the receiving device with the insert element or needle
assembly retained therein is
perfectly easy to use. Once it has been used for the intended purpose, it is a
very simple operation for
the user of a holder device of this type to displace the slide with the insert
element or needle assem-
bly from its locked position into the released position, from which, by
displacing the slide trans-
versely to the holder container, the insert element or needle assembly can be
moved by the releasing
element into a position in which it can be detached from the holder container
or slide and the used
needle assembly moved into a position in which the needle tip remote from the
holder container is
pointing in the direction towards the around or floor and can be readily
removed in a one-handed op-
eration due to force of gravity or gravit;ztional pull without any further
contact. Advantageously, the
receiving device is of a very simple anal above all inexpensive design,
consisting of a holder body or
container and the single-piece slide for holding the needle assembly, which
are inexpensive in terms
of manufacturing and assembly costs and distinctive due to the simple
structure, operating safety and
one-handed operation.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_'j-
Another embodiment defined in claim 2 is also of advantage. This design of
holder body provides a
holder container that is simple to use for taking samples without the other
needle tip in the region of
the interior being able to cause injury to a user. The design of the holder
container also makes it eas-
ier to manipulate.
Another embodiment defined in claim 3 is of advantage because the one-piece
design of the slide ob-
viates the need for the complex manufacturing processes that would be needed
if a pluralit)~ of com-
ponents were required, whilst at the same time simplifying and reducing the
cost of assembling the
one-piece design on the holder container.
The embodiment described in claim 4 guarantees that the slide can be
accurately transversely dis-
placed in a direction parallel with the end wall, thereby facilitating one-
handed operation.
With another embodiment defined in claim ~ or 6, the slide is more accurately
guided relative to the
holder container and the displacement path can also be restricted.
With the embodiments defined in claims 7 to 10, the insert element or needle
assembly can be accu-
rately supported on one of the support :faces of the supporting elements
without the needle assembly
shifting relative to the holder body or holder container.
The embodiments defined in claims I 1 to 16 are of advantage because, when the
retaining element
and releasing element are arranged in differing positions relative to one
another, they enable the re-
taining force of the insert element or needle assembly on the receiving
device, on the one hand, and
the displacement force which needs to be applied, on the other, to be set. The
greater the selected
distance between the retaining element and the releasing element in the
direction of the orifice, the
greater the length of the circle segments, used to retain the insert element
or needle assembly will be.
However, the insertion cross section between the retaining element and the
releasing element is si-
multaneously reduced, which increases the displacement force.
Another possible embodiment is that described in claim 17, which enables the
retaining element or
releasing element to be exactly positioned relative to the orifice through the
wall or end wall.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
During the process of displacing the slide relative to tire holder container,
the embodiments described
in claims 18 to 20 permit an additional ejection or releasing force, starting
from the supporting faces
extending at an incline to the top face. which assists the releasing action of
the insert element or nee-
dle assembly from the receiving device in a sort of Akick-off@ effect. Because
of this rapid release
process in the form of an ejection action, when the. needle is directed
downwards, even if it is in an
inclined position, the releasing action is effected rapidly so that the part
of the needle located in the
interior of the holder container is reliably prevented from brushing against
any of the components of
the holding device even though the needle assembly might be in an inclined
position relative to the
holder container. The entire holding device is therefore also safely protected
against contamination.
Other advantageous embodiments of the holding device are outlined in claims 21
to 49, the advan-
tages of which can be found in the detailed description.
Finally, other advantageous embodiments are described in claims 50 to 54,
whereby the individual
lands are prevented from widening in the locked position, thereby producing a
stable and above all
safe retaining action for the needle assembly in the usage position. This also
produces a strengthening
effect or stiffening effect of the lands, which is nevertheless immediately
relaxed on release from the
locked position, easily and safely displ,.icing the needle assembly into the
released position.
The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the
examples of embodiments
illustrated in the drawings.
Of these:
Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective diagram of a holding device as proposed by
the invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder container of the holding device
illustrated in Fig. 1 with the
slide removed;
Fig. 3 is a view of the holder container of the holding device illustrated in
Fig. 2 along the lines
III-III of Fig. 2;
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
-5-
Fig. 4 is a simplified, perspective diagram of the slide of the holding device
illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the slide of the holding device illustrated in Fig.
4;
Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a part region of the slide
illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 in
the region of the retaining device;
Fig. 7 shows a part region of the holding device with the insert element
inserted, as illustrated in
Figs. 1 to 6, in the region of the retaining device in the locked position and
on an enlarged
scale;
Fig. 8 shows the holding device of Fia. 7 in the released position for the
insert element;
Fig. 9 is a simplified diagram in plan view of another slide for the holding
device;
Fig. 10 shows the slide of Fig. 9 fronu a side view;
Fig. 11 is a plan view of the holder container of the holding device for the
slide illustrated in Figs. 9
and 10, with the slide removed;
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the holding device with the slide illustrated in
Figs. 9 to 1 1;
Fig. 13 is a plan view of another embodiment of a holding device with slide;
Fig. 14 is a simplified diagram in plan view of the slide for the holding
device illustrated in Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a side view of the slide illustrated in Figs. 13 and l4 along lines
XV-XV of Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 is a simplified diagram in plan view of another embodiment of the
holding device;
Fig. 17 is a side view of the holding device illustrated in Fig. 16;
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
Fig. l 8 is a simplified diagram in side view of another embodiment of the
holding device;
Fig. 19 is a plan view of the holding device illustrated in Fig. 18;
Fig. 20 is a side view of the holding device illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19 in
the released position for
the insert element;
Fig. 2l is a simplified diagram in plan view of another embodiment of the
holding device;
Fig. 22 shows a part region of the holding device illustrated in Fig. 21 with
a simplified diagram of
the insert element in the region of the retaining device. in the locked
position:
Fig. 23 shows the part region of the holding device illustrated in Fig. 22 in
the released position for
the insert element;
Fig. 24 is a plan view of another embodiment of a holding device with slide;
Fig. 25 shows the part region of the holding device with slide, in a side view
along lines XXV-
XXV of Fig. 24.
Firstly, it should be pointed out that the same parts described in the
different embodiments are de-
noted by the same reference numbers acrd the same component names and the
disclosures made
throughout the description can be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts
bearing the same ref-
erence numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positions chosen for
the purposes of the
description, such as top, bottom, side. etc,. relate to the drawing
specifically being described but can
be transposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another position is
being described. Indi-
vidual features or combinations of features from the different embodiments
illustrated and described
may be construed as independent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by
the invention in their
own right.
Figs. 1 to 8 illustrate a holding device 1 for an insert element, in
particular for a needle assembly 2
for taking samples of body fluids, pieces of tissue or tissue cultures,
comprising a holder body, e.g. a
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_7_
holder container 3, and a retaining device 4, an operating device 5 and
optionally a guide device f.
The holder body or holder container _'~ may be of any three-dimensional shape.
However, the holding
device I may be used for releasably troldin~~ the insert element as required,
in which case it may be
used for administering medicaments, solutions. mixtures, etc., instead of
taking samples of body flu-
ids or similar.
The holder container 3 of the holding device 1 has end regions 7, 8 spaced at
a distance apart, be-
tween which a container casing 9 extends. The first end region 7 of the holder
container 3 is open and
the other end region 8 is closed off by an end wall 10. ,As a result of the
layout and design of the
container casing 9 in conjunction with the end wall 10. they enclose an
interior chamber 1 1 having a
longitudinal median axis 12 extendi nt; between the two end regions 7 and 8
more or less at the centre
of the container casing 9. Facing into the interior chamber 1 1 of the holder
container 3 is an internal
face 13 of the container casing 9 and a.n inte.rnal face l4 of the end wall
10. Furthermore, on the side
remote from the interior chamber 1 I, the holder container 3 has, in the
region of the container cash-
ing 9 respectively, an external face I S and, in the region of the end wall
10, another external face 16.
As may be seen more clearly from Figs. 2 and 3, the end wall 10 of the holder
container 3 has an ori-
fice l7 extending through the end wall 10 approximately in the region of the
longitudinal median
axis 12. This orifice 17 is provided as .a means of receiving the needle
assembly 2, which is held in
place on the holding device 1 by the retaining device 4 and a part of a
cannula 18> which is not illus-
trated here, projecting into the interior chamber 11 of the holder container
3. The orifice 17 may be of
any shape in cross section> depending on the application. The needle assembly
2 in the embodiment
illustrated as an example here is of a design whereby the cannula 18 is
provided in the form of a sin-
gle-piece hollow needle with tips at both end faces. Since the needle assembly
2 may be of any
known design, it will not be described in further detail. Across the
longitudinal path in the direction
of the longitudinal median axis 1? and more or less in the central region
thereof, the needle assembly
2 is also provided with a positioning member 19 so that it can be releasably
retained on the holding
device 1 as required by means of the retaining device 4. The retaining device
4 and the way in which
it operates will be described in detail below.
It would also be possible for the holder body of the holding device l to have
at least one wall in
which the orifice 17 and the guide device 6 may be provided. Instead of the
needle assembly 2, it
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
would also be possible to retain an insert element of any other type.
Moreover, if necessary, a cover device in the form of a pipe compression valve
could additionally be
provided at the end of the cannula l 8 facing the interior chamber 1 1 of the
holder container 3.
To facilitate handling or operation of the holding device. l, a hand grip is
formed onto the container
casing 9 in the area of the open end region 7, although this is illustrated in
a simplified diagrammatic
form only. Like end wall 10, the hand :rip is preferably aligned more or less
in a plane 20 running
perpendicular to the longitudinal median axis 12.
The holding device 1 described and illustrated here, with the needle assembly
2 inserted therein, is
used to receive a blood sampling tube. not illustrated in detail, in the
region of the interior chamber
11 enclosed by the container casing 9. This being the case, the blood sampling
tube may be of the
design described in WO 89/09735, i~or example, consisting of a cylindrical
housing open at one end,
which is closed at the open end face by means of a gas-tight closure device.
The closure device itself
consists of a cap engaged over the housing and a stopper closing off the
interior of the blood sam-
pling tube. In the unused state, the interior of the blood sampling tube
closed off by this stopper can
be evacuated to produce a vacuum of kretween 100 mbar and 800 mbar, for
example.
The external face 16 in the region of the end wall 10 forms a plane 20 aligned
substantially perpen-
dicular to the longitudinal median axis 12, parts of' the guide device 6 in
the form of guide elements
21 being disposed in the region of the face 16. Running through the centre of
the longitudinal median
axis 12 is a schematically indicated dividing plane 22, which, in the
embodiment illustrated as an ex-
ample here, could also be described as a plane of symmetry. In view of the
parallel alignment with
the longitudinal median axis 12, this dividing plane 22 is disposed at a right
angle, in other words
perpendicular, to the plane 20. The two guide elements 21 of the guide device
6 mentioned above are
disposed on either side of the dividing plane 22 on the external face 16 of
the end wall 10 and project
out on the side remote from the interior chamber 1 1 _ As a result of this
symmetrical arrangement of
the two guide elements 21 relative to the dividing plane 22, the two guide
elements 21 could also be
described as being in a diametrically opposed arrangement.
As may be seen more readily from Fig. 3, each of the guide elements 21 has a
substantially L-shaped
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
-9-
cross section, designed as a profiled section 23, with a respective lea ?4, 25
facing a the end wall 10
of the holder container 3 and joined thereto. At the end remote from the end
wall 10, the profiled
sections 23 forming the guide elemen~s 21 gave other legs 26, 27 or shoulders
or projections, directed
facing one another in the direction of the dividing plane 22 and arranged at a
distance from the exter-
nal face 16 of the end wall 10. How the guide elementa 21 co-operate with the
operating device 5 will
be described in detail farther on with reference to one of the other drawings.
In the region of the legs
24 to 27 it would also be possible to provide respective guide surfaces 28 to
33 on the side facing the
end wall 10. Depending on how the operating device 5 is designed to co-operate
with the guide de-
vice 6, different guide surfaces 28 to _?3 may be used for the guiding
function. In the embodiment il-
lustrated as an example here, the guide: surfaces 28, 30 and 3l and 33 run
parallel with the dividing
plane 22 and the guide surfaces 29, 32 parallel with the plane 20. Clearly,
however, the individual
guide surfaces 28 to 33 could also be angled relative to the plane 20 or
dividing plane 22. The im-
portant point, however. is that a distance between respectively facing guide
surfaces 28, 31 or 30, 33
is selected so as to be constant across the longitudinal extension thereof.
The guide surfaces 28, 29 and 31, 32 ire the embodiment illustrated as an
example here, which are
angled, in particular perpendicular tc~ one another, form groove-shaped guide
passages in conjunction
with the face 16 of the end wall 10 on either side of the dividing plane 22.
The other guide surfaces
30, 33 may also be angled, in particular perpendicular to the guide surfaces
29, 32. The purpose of
these guide passages of the guide elements 21 bounded by the legs 24 to 27 is
to guide the operating
device 5 parallel with the plane 20 and if necessary so that they can be
adjusted relative to and on the
holder container 3 in the direction of the dividing plane 22.
As may also be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, on the side remote from the interior
chamber 11 in the region
of the end wall 10, one and preferably several supporting members 34, 35 are
provided, which, in the
embodiment illustrated as an example here, are aligned parallel with the guide
surfaces 28, 30 and
31, 33 in their longitudinal extension. Furthermore, the supporting members
34, 35 are arranged one
after the other in the region of the dividing plane 22 and on either side of
the orifice 17. These sup-
porting members 34, 35 also project beyond the face 16 of the end wall 10 on
the side remote from
the interior chamber 1 1, ends 36, 37, which face away from one another, of
the supporting members
34, 35 being spaced apart from one another by a distance 38. Transversely to
the longitudinal exten-
sion in a direction perpendicular to the .dividing plane 2'?, the supporting
members 34, 35 are of a
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
- 10-
thickness 39, which is preferably sn caller than an internal clearance
dimension 40 of the orifice 17 in
the end wall 10. As described above, the two supporting members 34, 35 are
arranged in the dividing
plane 22 and the supporting members 34. 3S could also be described as being
disposed diametrically
one after the other as viewed in the direction of the dividing plane 22. In
the embodiment illustrated
as an example here, two supporting members 34, ~5 are illustrated and
described but it would also be
possible to provide only a single supporting member 34 or 35 with the orifice
l7 extending through
it. Irrespective of this however, it would also be possible to provide several
of these supporting
members 34, 35 in the region of the face 16 of the end wall 10.
Ends 41, 42 of the two supporting rnernbers 34, 35 which face one another
respectively form support
surfaces 43, 44, which are preferably disposed in the end wall 10 of the
holder container a immedi
ately adjacent to the orifice 17. These support surfaces 43, 44 may be flat
and parallel with one an-
other or bent relative to the longitudinal median axis 12. Alternatively, the
support surfaces 43, 44
facing one another may also be concave or partially cylindrical in shape, in
which case a central point
of curvature of these part surfaces may run through the longitudinal median
axis 12. The shape of
cross section selected for the orifice 17 is variable, depf:nding on the
application, and may be circular,
elliptical, square, rectangular or alternatively polygonal, for example. In
the embodiment illustrated
as an example here, a circular design has been chosen, although it would also
be possible for the ori-
fice l 7 to be of a square design. As also illustrated, the two support
surfaces 43, 44 are arranged and
aligned substantially flush with the facra bounding the orifice 17. However,
these support surfaces
43, 44 could also be spaced at a distance from the faces bounding the orifice
17. It is of advantage if
the support surfaces 43, 44 are disposed parallel with one another and
parallel with the longitudinal
median axis 12. The way in which the supporting members 34, 35 and their
support surfaces 43, 44
co-operate with the operating device 5 and the needle assembly 2 will also be
described farther on
with reference to other drawings.
Figs. 4 to 6 provide a detailed illustration of the operating device 5 for the
holding device 1, being
provided in the form of a slide 45 in the embodiment illustrated as an example
here. This slide 45 is
substantially plate-shaped and when positioned on the holder container 3 has a
bearing face 46 di-
rected towards the end wall 1 t> of the holder container 3 and a top face 47
spaced at a distance there-
from. Extending between the bearing face 46 and the top lace 47 are side faces
48 to 51, which de-
termine the three-dimensional shape of the slide 4~.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
Disposed substantially centrally to the two side faces 48, 49 is another
dividing plane 52, schemati-
cally illustrated in Fig. 5. which, in they emhodiment illustrated as an
example here, is also substan-
tially a plane of symmetry and is disposed in the direction of the
longitudinal extension of the slide
45. In the region of this dividing plane 52, the slide 4~ has a preferably
slot-shaped orifice 53 ex-
tending between the bearing face 46 and the top face 47. In the direction of
the dividing plane 52 or
in the longitudinal extension of the glide 45, this orifice 53 has a length 54
and, in a perpendicular
direction, a width 55.
Moreover, the retaining device 4 for the needle assembly 2 described above is
provided in the region
of the longitudinal extension of the orifice 5 3 and is provided in the form
of a retaining element 56
and a releasing element 57 in this embodiment.
In this particular embodiment, the length 54 of the orifice 53 is longer than
its width 55. Furthermore,
the length 54 of the orifice 53 is longer in its longitudinal extension than
the largest distance 38 be-
tween the remotely facing ends 36, 37 of the two supporting members 34, 35. As
a result of these dif-
ferences in length between the length 54 of the orifice 53 and the distance
38> the slide 45 can be dis-
placed in the plane 20 in the longitudinal direction of the. orifice 53 in co-
operation with the sup-
porting members 34, 35. Moreover, the: width 55 of the orifice 53 is at least
the same as but prefera-
bly greater than the thickness 39 of the two supporting members 34, 35, which,
if tolerances are se-
lected accordingly, prevents any rotating movement of the slide 45 relative to
the holder container 3.
In order to guide the relative displacement of the slide 4~ with regard to the
holder container 3, addi-
tional guide members 58 may also be provided in the region of the side faces
48, 49 which co-operate
with the guide elements 21 of the holder container 3 and form the guide device
6. The two guide
elements 58 on the slide 45 in the embodiment illustrated here are provided in
the form of indenta-
tions 59, 60 on either side of the slide 4-5 in the transition region between
the top face 47 and the side
faces 48 and 49> which are preferably disposed parallel with one another, each
of the indentations 59,
60 being bounded by slide faces 61 to 64 which are preferably disposed in the
slide 45 parallel with
the longitudinal extension of the orifice 53. Accordingly, a length 65 of the
individual slide faces 61
to 64 in the slide 45 corresponds to at least one longitudinal dimension 66 of
the guide elements 21
on the holder container 3 plus a central distance 67 between the centre of the
retaining element 56
and the centre of the releasing element ~7.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 1 '? _
In the embodiment illustrated as an example here, the retaining element 56 in
the slide 45 is provided
in the form of a bore 68 provided with an internal thread 69, a clearance
internal dimension 70 being
greater than the width 55 of the orifice 53. The releasing element 57 in this
embodiment is preferably
provided in the form of a recess 71 extending into the slide 45, the internal
clearance width 72 of
which is greater than the clearance internal dimension 70 of the retaining
element 56. It is also of ad-
vantage if the retaining element 56 forming the bore 68 and the releasing
element 57 forming the re-
cess 7l are aligned parallel with one another and perpendicular to the bearing
face 46 and top face
47of the slide 45 since this will enable: the needle assembly to be aligned
parallel with the longitudi-
nal median axis 12 of the holding device 1.
As may be seen more clearly from Figs. 5 and 6. the retaining element 56
forming the bore 68 and the
releasing element 57 forming the recess 71 are arranged in the slide
immediately adjacent to one an-
other in the direction of the length ~4 of the orifice 53 and it is of
advantage if the bore 68 and the
recess 71 overlap in the direction of the Ien~Tth 65 of the orifice 53. In
order to produce this overlap in
the region of the orifice 53, the mid-distance 67 between the bore 68 and the
recess 71 may be
smaller than half the sum of the clearance dimension 70 of the bore 68 plus
the internal clearance
width 72 of the recess 71. The greater the mid-distance 67 between the bore 68
and the recess 71, the
greater the displacement path will be between the locked position and the
released position and
longer circle segments will be formed respectively in the region of the bore
68 and the recess 71, so
that, because of the longer circle segments in the region of the bore, a
higher retaining force can be
produced for the insert element or needle assembly 2. Accordingly, this
produces a smaller end-to-
end width between the bore 68 and the recess 71, thereby increasing the
displacement force.
As may be seen more clearly from Figs. 4 and 5, at least one respective
support surface 73, 74 is pro-
vided on the top face 47 of the slide 45 on either side of the dividing plane
52 or on either side of the
orifice 53, designed so that the length extends at an incline relative to the
top face 47. A start 75 of
the support surfaces 73, 74 in the region of the. recess 71 or releasing
element 57 is disposed in the
slide 45 and an end 76 thereof is disposed on the side remote from the
retaining element 56 or bore
68. The start 75 of the support surfaces 73, 74 is arranged extending
substantially flush with the top
face 47 and the end 76 thereof projects beyond the top face 47. The support
surfaces 73, 74 are in-
dined at an angle to the top face 47 and subtend between them an an~le of
between 5° and 30°.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ l;_
In the direction of the longitudinal e-xtension, the orifice 53 has end
sections 77, 78 spaced at a dis-
tance apart, bounding the length 54 011 the orifice 53 in its longitudinal
extension. How the slide 45
co-operates with the holder container 3, in particular the retaining device 4
with the supporting mem-
bers 34, 35 and the way in which the Tuide device 6 works will be described in
more detail with ref-
erence to other drawings.
Figs. 7 and 8 provide simplified, schematic diagrams on a larger scale
illustrating the holding device
1 with the needle assembly 2 retained thereon, the holder container 3 as well
as the operating device
5, Fig. 7 showing the position in which the needle assembly 2 is locked in the
retaining device 4,
namely the retaining element 56.
As described earlier, the positioning element 19 is retained against the
cannula 18 and may be of any
design. In the embodiment illustrated rs an example here, in the region of the
retaining element 56
provided in the form of the bore 68 with the thread 69, the positioning
element l9 has a complemen-
tary continuation 79, the external surface of which is provided with an
external thread 80. This exter-
nal thread 80 is designed to co-operate with the internal thread 69 or its
thread pitches in the bore 68,
which is designed as a screw thread or internal thread, so that it can be
screwed into the slide 45. Di-
rectly adjoining the continuation 79 on the side remote from the holder
container 3, the positioning
element 19 also has a shoulder 81 projecting in a radial direction from the
continuation 79, which
restricts the screwing depth of the positioning element 19 with the cannula 18
retained thereon and
bears substantially against the top face 47 of the slide 45 in the screwed-in
state.
When the holding device 1 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 7. the centre
of the retaining element
56 is disposed substantially centrally relative to the longitudinal median
axis 12 of the holder con-
tainer 3. As described above, in the region of the longitudinal median axis
12, the orifice 17 is dis-
posed in the end wall l0 of the holder container 3 and the two supporting
members 34, 35 are ar-
ranged on the end wall l0 of the holder container 3 in the immediate vicinity
of this orifice 17. The
two ends 36, 37 are spaced apart from one another by the distance 38 in the
direction of the dividing
plane 22 so that the orifice 35 is of a longer length 54 than this distance 38
in the same direction. Be-
cause of the centred or coincidental arrangement of the bore 68 of the
retaining element 56 in the
slide 45 and the longitudinal median axis 12 or orifice 17, the orifice 53 in
the slide is designed so
that the first end portion 77 of the orifice 53 is disposed substantially
abutting with the end 37 of the
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 14 _
supporting member 35 in this position.
The other end portion 78 of the orifice 53 is spaced apart from the other end
36 of the supporting
element 34 by a distance 82. This distance 82 may be dimensioned so that when
the slide 45 is dis-
placed in the direction of arrow 83, the slide 45 is moved starting from the
locked position illustrated
in Fig. 7 into the released position il lustrated in Fig. 8 and the
positioning element 19, and with it the
needle assembly ?, moves from the retaining element 56 in the slide 45 into
the region of the releas-
ing element 57 formed by the recess 71 in the slide 45 without any transverse
displacement of the
needle assembly 2 relative to the holder container 3 to speak of. The needle
assembly 2 is prevented
from shifting transversely in the direction of the sliding me>vement of the
slide 45 by the abutment of
the positioning element 19 against one of the support surfaces 43, 44. As a
result of the differences in
dimensions between the retaining element 56 and the releasing element 57, as
described above, the
needle assembly 2. in particular the positioning element 19, is safely
released from the slide 45 in a
simple manner due to the transverse displacement of the slide 45 relative to
the holder container 3
and optionally in co-operation with the guide, device 6.
Fig. 8 illustrates the slide 45 in the position in which it is released from
the holder container 3, the
other end portion 78 moving to bear more or less on the other end 36 of the
supporting member 34 in
this position , whilst the first end portic~m 77 of the orifice 53 is spaced
at a distance back from the
first end 37 of the supporting member ~~5.
As may be seen by referring to Figs. 4 to 8 together, as the slide 45 is
displaced relative to the holder
container 3 in the direction of arrow 83.. the shoulder 81 of the positioning
element 19 is disposed in
the region of the start 75 of the support surfaces 73, 74 before the
displacement process and, during
the displacement process from the locked position to the released position,
the support surfaces 73,
74 running at an angle to the top face 47 cause an additional releasing effect
of the needle assembly
2, in particular the continuation 79, from the retaining element 56, which in
tuns causes the entire
needle assembly 2 to move in the direct~ic7n of a schematically shown arrow 84
in the direction of the
slide 45 away from the holder container 3.
The additional displacement or releasintforce in the direction of arrow 84 or
in the direction away
from the holder container 3, further assists the release of the needle
assembly ? by the releasing ele-
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 15 _
ment 57 and an assisted releasing action of the needle assembly 2 is
advantageously produced when
the needle tip of the cannula 18 is pointing in a direction towards the
ground, this action being en-
hanced by the force of gravity.
As described above, the two supporting members 34, 35 and their support
surfaces 43, 44 on either
side of the orifice 17 provide a means of preventing any relative displacement
of the needle assembly
2, in particular the positioning element 19, relative to the holder container
3 as the slide 45 slides in
the direction of arrow 83 and as the slide 45 is displaced relative to the
holder container 3 they pre-
vent any relative shift of the needle assembly ? relative thereto. As a
result, the slide 45 can now be
moved from the locked position into the released position without the needle
assembly 2 being dis-
placed or shifted relative to the holder container 3.
Figures 9 to 12 are simplified, schematic diagrams illustrating another
embodiment of the holding
device I which may be construed as an independent embodiment, the same
reference numbers as
those used in Figs. 1 to 8 being used to denote same components. For the sake
of simplicity and in
order to avoid unnecessary repetition, reference should be made to the
description of the drawings
given above for information relating to the design and layout of the
individual components or com-
ponent groups.
In this embodiment, the holding device 'I consists of the holder container 3
and the operating device
5, which is again provided in the form of a slide 45. A guide device 6 of the
type described above is
arranged between the holder container :~ and the operating device 5, enabling
a relative displacement
of the operating device 5, namely the slide 4~, relative to the holder
container 3 in a direction per-
pendicular to the longitudinal median axis l~.
The longitudinal median axis 12 extends centrally to the container casing 9
and, as before, an orifice
17 is provided in the end wall l0 of the holder container 3. In the embodiment
illustrated as an ex-
ample here, the orifice 17 has a square cross section, the corner regions of
which are rounded in the
transition area. On either side of the orifice 17, also in the region of the
dividing plane 22, the two
supporting members 34, 35 are provided on the end wall 10 of the holder
container 3 and project
from the end wall 10 or its face 16 in thf: direction of the side remote from
the interior.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
- 16-
The supporting members 34. 35 co-operate with the needle assembly 2, not
illustrated here, more
particularly the positioning element 19 thereof, in the same way as described
in detail above with ref-
erence to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l to 8.
The slide 45 in this embodiment is again of a symmetrical design relative to
the dividing plane 52
running in the longitudinal direction thereof, the orifice 53 being provided
in the slide 45 in this di-
viding plane 52, running through it in the direction of the longitudinal
median axis 12. The retaining
device 4 is again disposed in the orifice 53, one part of the orifice 53
forming the retaining element
56 and another part the releasing element 5 7. The retaining element 56 in the
slide 45 is provided in
the form of the bore 68 with the internal thread 69 and has the clearance
internal dimension 70. Im-
mediately adjacent to the retaining element 56 is the releasing element 57,
which in this case is pro-
vided in the form of a preferably circular recess 71 through the slide, the
internal clearance width 72
being of the same size as the clearance internal dimension 70 of the retaining
element 56.
In this embodiment, as illustrated, the two support surfaces 73, 74 running
parallel with the dividing
plane 52 are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the releasing element 57
and are spaced apart from
one another by a distance 85 in the direction perpendicular to the dividing
plane 52. These two sup-
port surfaces 73, 74 again run at an an';le to the top face 47 of the slide
45.
The distance 85 between the two support surfaces 73, 74 is selected so that it
is smaller than an ex-
ternal dimension 86 - see Fig. 8 - of the shoulder 8 ( of the positioning
element 19. As a result of
these differences in dimension, the side of the shoulder 81 facing the top
face 47 is guaranteed to
bear, at least in certain regions on either side of the releasing element 57,
against the two support sur-
faees 73, 74, as a result of which the releasing action of the needle assembly
2, in particular of the
positioning element 19, described above is assisted as the slide 45 is
displaced relative to the holder
container 3 in the same way as described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 8.
Also with this embodiment of the holding device l, as illustrated, a catch
device 87 which may be
displaced as required is provided between the holder container 3 and the
operating device 5, which
checks the two positions of the slide 45 relative to the holder container 3 in
the locked position
and/or in the released position as requirt:d. This catch device 87 comprises
first catch elements 88, 89
which, in the embodiment illustrated as an example here, are provided in the
form of recesses in the
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 17 _.
face 16 of the end wall 10. These two catch elements 88, 89 are symmetrical
with one another rela-
tive to the dividing plane 22, spaced ;.rt a distance 90 apart from one
another. As may be seen from
the diagram of Fig. 1 I , these catch elements 88. 89 are provided as
recessed, spherical depressions
disposed between the orifice 17 and the Quide elements 21 of the guide device
6. However, it would
also be possible to arrange these catch elements 88. 89 in a different
position or to provide them with
a three-dimensional shape other than that described and illustrated here.
As may be seen more clearly from Fig. 9, and as explained in detail with
reference to Figs. 4 to 6, the
centre of the retaining element 56 is spaced at a mid-distance 67 from the
centre of the releasing ele-
ment 57.
Other catch elements 91 are provided on the bearing face 46 of the slide 45 in
a complementing lay-
out and in this embodiment are arranged in the half mid-distance 67 between
the retaining element 56
and the releasing element 57. The two catch elements 91 are arranged
transversely to the dividing
plane 52 at a distance 92 apart from one another, which is the same as the
distance 90 in the same
direction between the individual catch elements 88, 89.
In order to position and align the retaining element 56 or the releasing
element 57 exactly relative to
the longitudinal median axis 12 or the orifice 17, the catch elements are
spaced apart from one an-
other in a direction perpendicular to the transverse plane or parallel with
the dividing plane 22, in the
region of the end wall 10 in a transverse plane perpendicular to the dividing
plane 22 and parallel
with the longitudinal median axis 12. by a longitudinal distance 93
corresponding in dimension to
the mid-distance 67 between the retaining element 56 and the releasing element
57.
As a result of the selected dimensions and layout of the individual catch
elements 88, 89, 91 relative
to one another, the retaining element 56 is disposed in a substantially
centred alignment on the orifice
17 when the catch elements 91 of the slide 45 are engaged with the catch
elements 88 on the end wall
l0 of the holder container 3. When the slide 45 is displaced relative to the
holder container 3, the
catch elements 9l are released from the first catch elements 88 and engage
with the other comple-
mentary catch elements 89 after a sliding motion in the direction of the
dividing plane 22 or in the
direction perpendicular to the transverse plane, so that the releasing element
57 is in an alignment
substantially centred on the longitudinal median axis 12 or the orifice l 7.
As a result of this dis-
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
placement and the different engaging actions of the catch elements 91 on the
slide 45 with the catch
elements 88, 89 spaced apart from one another, a certain checking action is
imparted between the
catch elements in the different positions, as a result of which the slide 45
is held or retained in the
respective position relative to the holder container 3
As shown by the dotted-dashed line shown in the simplified diagram of Fig. 12,
however, it would
also be possible to provide at least a first catch element 88 on the face 16
of the end wall l0 of the
holder container 3 in the region peripheral to the container casing 9 and, on
the bearing face 46 of the
slide 45 facing it, at least one other ca etch element 91 so that when the two
catch elements 88, 91 are
in the engaged position, the retaining element 56 is disposed in a centred or
coinciding alignment
with the orifice l 7 or the longitudinal median axis 12. In the released
position, by contrast, the two
catch elements 88, 91 are disengaged and the catch elements 91 project from
the external facel5 of
the container casing 9 on the side remote from the interior chamber l 1. As a
result of this arrange-
ment, the two catch elements 88, 91 are only engaged in the locked position.
The design and layout of the orifice 53 relative to the. supporting members
34, 35 may be as de-
scribed above in relation to Figs. 1 to 8. In addition, it is also of
advantage if a longitudinal extension
of the slide 45 in the direction of the orifice .53 corresponds approximately
to an external dimension
of the holder container 3 in the region oi~ the closed end region 8 thereof.
Accordingly, during injec-
tion for drawing off body fluids or adn-iinistering medicaments or solutions.
a relatively flat angle is
obtained between the body part and the holding device I . In addition, the
needle assembly 2 is pre-
vented from inadvertently unlatching itself from the holder container 3 as
would occur in the event of
any undesirable displacement of the slide 45.
Clearly, however, it would be possible to set the displacement path of the
slide 45 relative to the
holder container 3 - which corresponds to at least the mid-distance 67 between
the retaining element
56 and the releasing element 57 - solely by means of the individual catch
elements 88, 89 or 91 en-
gaging in one another. Furthermore, it would also be possible to set or
restrict the relative displace-
ment path between the slide 45 and the holder container 3 by selecting the
length 54 of the orifice 53
and the distance 38 between the ends 36, 37 of the supporting members 34, 35.
Alternatively, this
relative displacement could also be determined by means of the guide elements
2l or 58 engaging
with one another as described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 8. It would
also be possible to use
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 1 c~ _
any combination of the embodiments described above and more than one means for
restricting the
displacement path.
Figs. 13 to 15 illustrate another embodiment of the holding device 1 which may
optionally be con-
strued as an independent embodiment. the same reference numbers being used to
denote parts com
mon to those illustrated in Figs. 1 to l 2. In order to avoid unnecessary
repetition. reference should be
made to the description relating to Figs. 1 to 12 above for a detailed
description of the individual
components or groups of components.
The holding device l again consists of the holder container 3 and the
operating device 5, between
which the guide device 6 is arranged. ~Che design and layout of the guide
elements 21 and 58 forming
the guide device may be as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15. Provided
in the dividingplane
22 on the end wall 10 of the holder container 3 are the supporting members 34,
35, used to support
the positioning element 19 - see Fig. t - as the operating device 5. namely
the slide 45, is displaced
relative to the holder container 3. The orifice 17 in the end wall 10 is again
centred on the longitudi-
nal median axis 12 of the holder container 3. Clearly, as an alternative, the
orifice 17 and the two
supporting members 34, 35 could be arranged off-centre or eccentrically
relative to the holder con-
tainer 3 or longitudinal median axis 12 if there were no need for the needle
assembly 2 to centrally
aligned on the container casing 9, which in this case is circular in shape.
This arrangement is, of
course, freely selectable and will depend on the application or usage to which
the holding device 1
will be put. Care should be taken to adapt the: layout of the individual
components to produce the re-
quired degree of displacement.
Fig. 13 illustrates the locked position bcaween the slide 45 and the holder
container 3, in which the
retaining element 56 is substantially centrally aligned with the longitudinal
median axis 12 or orifice
17. In this initial position or locked position, the insert element or needle
assembly 2 may be inserted
and retained in the retaining element 56. The threaded arrangement between the
positioning element
19 and the retaining element 56 provides a simple screw-fitting. Lnstead of
the threaded arrangement,
however, it would also be possible to provide an appropriate snap-fit
connection or catch connection.
Fig. 13 also provides a simplified illustration of the design of the catch
device 87 with catch elements
88 and 9l which can be engaged with one another. at least a first catch
element 88 being provided on
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_2~_
at least one of the guide faces of a guide element 21 and at least another
catch element 91 being pro-
vided on at least a slide face of the indentation 59, 60 in the slide 45
facing this guide face. The lay-
out of the two catch elements 88, 91 relative to one another may be selected
so that when the catch
elements 88, 91 are in the latched position, the retaining element 56 is fixed
in a central or coinciding
alignment with the orifice 17 or lon4~itudinal median axis 12. Irrespective of
this, however, any com-
bination of the catch elements 88, 89, 91 described above may be used. Co-
operating catch elements
88, 89, 91 could be provided between tt~e external face 16 of the wall or end
wall 10 and the bearing
face 46 of the slide 45 and other catch elements 88, 89. 91 between oppositely
facing guide faces 28
to 33 of the guide element 21 and slide: faces 61 to 64 of the indentations
59, 60 in the slide 45. The
number and alignment of the individual catch elert~ents 88, 89, 91 relative to
one another can be
freely selected.
In this initial position or locked position, the end portion 77 of the slide
45 is aligned substantially
abutting with the end 37 of the supporting member 35 and the retaining element
56 is simultaneously
also centrally aligned on the longitudirnal median axis 12 or orifice 17. In
order to prevent any unde-
sirable sliding movement or displacement of the slide 45 relative to the
holder container 3, the slide
45 in this embodiment is provided with a separate spring element 94, which in
this case bears against
the end 36 of the supporting member 34.
In order to accommodate this spring element 94, the orifice 53 is larger in
cross section on the side of
the releasing element 57 remote from the retaining element 56, the bent spring
element 94 projecting
into this orifice. The layout and design of the spring element 94 inside the
orifice 53 is not restricted
to the three-dimensional shape illustrated here and may be of any three-
dimensional shape that will
produce sufficient force to hold the slide 45 in its initial position or
locked position relative to the
holder container 3. As a result of the spring force applied by the spring
element 94 to the end 36 of
the supporting member 34, the slide 45 applies a thrust force in the region of
the end portion 77 in the
direction of the end 37 of the supporting member 35.
When the slide 45 is displaced in the dig°ection of arrow 83 relative
to the holder container 3, a return
force of the slide 45 in the direction of an arrow 95 is produced due to the
deformation of the spring
element 94, as a result of which the slide 45 is automatically returned to the
initial or locked position,
once the needle assembly 2 has been released. Accordingly, a very simple means
is provided
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
.. 71 ..
whereby, in addition to the releasing action during which the needle assembly
2 or insert element is
released from the holding device 1. the slide 45 is automatically returned to
its position.
In order to set the requisite amount o1 displacement force which needs to
applied to the slide 45 in
the direction of arrow 83, an orifice 96 is provided in the slide 45 of this
embodiment on either side
of the dividing plane 52 in the regi«n of the orifice 53 between it and each
of the side faces 48, 49
and also extends through the slide 45 in the direction of the orifice 53. In
this embodiment, the ori-
fices 96 extend in the longitudinal direction of the slide 45 substantially
between the end portion 77
and the end of the releasing element 57 remote trom this end portion 77. This
allows the displace-
ment force which needs to be applied in the direction of arrow 83 to be set
since, as a result of the
selection and size of the orifice 96. a respective land 9'7 is provided
between the latter and the orifice
17 in the region of the dividing plane 52. which has a variable land thickness
98 in a direction per-
pendicular to the dividing plane, depending on the size of the orifice 96.
Because of the differing dimensions between the retaining element 56 and the
releasing element 57,
the two lands 97 are aligned at an angle to one another, the two subtending an
acute angle which ta-
pers starting from the releasing element 57 out towards the retaining element
56 or the two lands are
disposed so that they run towards one another. As a result of the layout of
the orifice 96, the land
thickness 98 is substantially constant across the longitudinal extension of
the lands 97. The slimmer
the selected land thickness 98, the lower the amount of deformation force
which has to be applied in
order to deform the two lands 97 transversely to the dividing plane 52 or in
the direction perpen-
dicular thereto. Accordingly, the transition from the retaining element 56 to
the releasing element 57
and the resultant release of the positioning element 19 from the retaining
element 56 can be readily
adjusted to one another, thereby setting the displacement to a predetermined
degree, which means
that it can be increased or reduced. As a result, the mid-distance 67 between
the retaining element 56
and the releasing element 57 can be selected so as to be greater or longer -
as described above in re-
lation to Figs. 5 and 6 - providing a better hold for the insert element or
positioning element 19 in the
locked position.
As may be seen more clearly from Figs. l4 and 15, at least one recess 99 may
also be provided in the
region of the bearing face 46 of the slide 45 in order to reduce the size of
the bearing face 46 on the
face 16 of the end wall 10. This simultaneously also means that a certain
amount of material can be
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
saved. However, in order to increase the full screwing-in depth if at least
one recess 99 is provided in
the region of the bearing face 46, the retaining element 56 may be designed to
extend through the en-
tire thickness of the slide 45. As a result, a bearing face 46 will also be
provided in the region of the
retaining element 56 to provide a bearing on the face 16 of the end wall 10,
which, because of the
bearing in this region, will provide a support against the end wall 10,
reliably preventing any defor-
mation during the screwing-in process. At the same time, us a result of the
greater screwing-in depth
across the full thickness of the slide 45, the needy assembly 2 will be more
firmly and securely re-
tained when the holding device I is aced for its intended purpose.
Furthermore, the thickness of the land 97 and the requisite deformation force
which will need to be
applied accordingly for the displacement process can also be set by the choice
of size of the recess 99
and the weakening of the slide 45 associated therewith. The greater the size
of the recess 99, the
slimmer the thickness of the lands 97 will be in the direction perpendicular
to the top face 47.
As also illustrated in Fig. 15, on the bearing face 46 of the slide 45, the
slide 45 is provided with a
projection 100 extending out in the direction remote from the top face 47 and
is designed to restrict
the displacement path of the slide 45 at one end as it is displaced relative
to the holder container 3.
Accordingly, the projection 100 is designed and disposed on the bearing face
46 in the region of the
side face 50 so that the latter is moved to bear on the external face 15 of
the container casing 9 when
the slide 45 is in the released position, thereby securely preventing any
further displacement beyond
the released position. When the slide 45 is in the locked position, the
projection 100 is therefore
spaced at a distance apart from the external face 15 of the container casing
9, this distance corre-
sponding substantially to the mid-distance 67 between the retaining element 56
and the releasing
element 57. This design is of advantagr~ if a spring element 94 is provided
inside the orifice 53 be-
cause it prevents any over-excessive deformation and hence any residual
plastic deformation or
breakage thereof. As a result, the requisite displacement path between the
locked position and the
released position corresponds more or less to the mid-distance 67 between the
retaining element 56
and the releasing element 57. As described above, the slide or displacement
path can also be re-
stricted by guide elements 21 and 58 of the guide device 6 engaging in one
another.
Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate another embodiment of another holding device 1 10,
which may also be con-
strued as an independent embodimenC. in particular for a needle assembly 2,
not illustrated, for
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
drawing samples from body fluids, pieces of tissue or tissue cultures and
consists of a holder body,
such as a holder container 1 1 l, for example, with a retaining device 1 12
and an operating device 1 13.
To avoid unnecessary repetition. the same component names will be used for
components common to
the previously described Fi~~s. 1 to 15.
The holder container 1 1 1 of the holding device 1 10 has end regions 1 14,
115 spaced at a distance
apart, between which a container casing 1 16 extends. The first end region 1
14 is open and the other
end region 1 15 is closed off, an end wall 1 17 being prc7vided in the end
region 115. As a result of the
layout and design of the container c<~sing I 16 in conjunction with the end
wall 1 17, they enclose an
interior chamber 1 18. and a longitudinal median axis 1 19 extends between the
two spaced end re-
gions 1 14 and 1 15 more or less at the centre of the container casing l 16 in
this embodiment.
The operating device 1 13 in this emhodiment is provided in the form of a
substantially annular slide
120, the dimensions of which are such that an internal clearance dimension
thereof substantially cor-
responds to an external dimension of the container casing 1 16. As a result,
the slide 120 is retained so
that it can be displaced as required along an external surface 121 of the
container casing l 16 in the
direction of and along the longitudinal median axis 1 1 q. To do this, the
container casing I 16 must be
substantially cylindrical or have the same dimensions relative to and in the
direction of the longitudi-
nal median axis 1 19. In the region of the end wall I 17, at least one
shoulder 122 disposed at least in
certain regions around the periphery projects from the external surface 121 in
the direction remote
from the longitudinal median axis 1 19. The slide 120 is securely prevented
from inadvertently
working loose from the holder container 111 as a result of this shoulder 122.
In the region of the end wall 1 17, the holding device ) 10 also has a
retaining device 1 12 for a needle
assembly, not illustrated, and in the embodiment illustrated as an example
here is provided in the
form of a substantially annular retaining, element 123. By preference, centred
on the longitudinal me-
dian axis 1 19, the retaining element 123 has a bore 124 with a thread 125 in
the form of a screw
thread or internal thread. Accordingly, the needle assembly can be turned in
the retaining element
123 in a screwing action where it is retained in the screwed-in position.
Fig. 17 illustrates the operating device 1 13, which is provided in the form
of the slide 120, shown by
solid lines in the locked position and broken lines in the released position
for the needle assembly,
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
-24-
the released position merely indicatin,J the possible position of the slide
without showing any poten-
tial deformation that might also result ii-om the displacement process. The
locked position is the po-
sition in which the slide 120 is placed substantially abutting against the
shoulder 122 in the region of
the end wall 1 17. As indicated by double arrow 126, the slide 120 is
displaced from the locked posi-
tion into the released position indicated by broken lines, in which the needle
assembly is released
from the retaining device 1 12 and then returned to the locked position.
As may be seen by comparing Figs. IE~ and 17, the end wall 1 17 is divided
into several, in the case of
this embodiment three, end wall parts 127 to 129. this division being made by
slot-shaped orifices
130 in the end wall 117. In this embodiment, the slot-shaped orifices 130 are
disposed offset from
one another by an angle of approximately 120° in a plane perpendicular
to the longitudinal median
axis I 19, although the size of this angle will depend on the number of end
wall parts. if the end wall
parts 127 to 129 and the angle between the slot-shaped orifices 130 are
divided symmetrically, this
angle can be calculated by dividing the full circle by the number of end wall
parts. Accordingly, it
would be possible to provide at least two but preferably more end wall parts.
This slot-shaped orifice
130 also divides the retaining element 123 into a number of retaining elements
131 to 133 equal to
the number of end wall parts 127 to 129, which therefore form circle segments
with an internal
thread.
The slot-shaped orifices 130 extend starting from the closed end region 1 IS
or the end wall 117 in
the direction of the open end region I 14 along the longitudinal median axis l
19 across a length 134.
In this embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 17, the slot-shaped orifice 130 in
the container casing 116 is
also designed so that it is conically tapered starting frorrr the end wall 1
17 in the direction towards the
end region 114, the length 134 of the orifice 130 being <>f any selected size
which will depend on the
degree to which the retaining elements 131 to 133 have to be opened relative
to the longitudinal me-
dian axis 1 19.
As also illustrated, on the internal surface of the slide 120, positioning
elements 135 are provided,
these being the same in number and dividing angle as the. slot-shaped orifices
130, which project
from the internal surface of the slide 12n~ in the direction of the
longitudinal median axis I 19. The
individual positioning elements 135 project or extend in such a way that they
engage in the slot-
shaped orifices 130 and, being also conical in shape during displacement in
the direction of the dou-
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
25 -
ble arrow 126 from the locked position into the released position, the
orifices 130 become wider. As
a result, the individual end wall parts 127 to 129 with the retaining element
parts 131 to 133 joined
thereto and the walls parts 136 to 138 in the region of the container casing I
16 between the orifices
130 arranged intermittently about the circumference. are elastically deformed
and displaced in the di-
rection of the schematically indicated arrows 139. As a result of the widening
caused by displacement
of the slide 120 from the locked position into the released position, the
retaining element I 23 is cen-
tred relative to the longitudinal median axis l l9 so that the individual
retaining elements l31 to 133
with their internal thread are disengaged from the positioning element 19 of
the needle assembly 2,
not illustrated here.
When the holding device 1 10 is placed in a downwardly directed position in
which the needle tip is
pointing towards the floor and the natural weight or force of gravity act on
the needle assembly, the
needle assembly can be easily released from the holding device I 10.
Accordingly, the retained needle
assembly can be released by simply pushing the slide 120 from the locked
position into the released
position and, once the slide 120 has returned to the locked position, a new
needle assembly 2 can be
screwed into the holding device 1 10.
Figures 18 and 19 illustrate another embodiment of the holding device 1 l0,
which may also be con-
strued as an independent embodiment, in particular for a needle assembly 2,
not illustrated, used for
drawing samples from body fluids, pieces of tissue or tissue culture,
consisting of a holder body, such
as a holder container 1 11, for example.. ~:rnd a retaining device 1 12. To
avoid unnecessary repetition,
the same component names will be used in the description for components common
to the previously
described Figs. 1 to 17.
The holder container 1 1 I has end regions I 14, 115 spaced at a distance
apart from one another, be-
tween which a container casing 116 expends. Again, the first end region 1 14
is open and the other end
region 115 is closed off, the end wall 1 17 closing off the end region 115. A
longitudinal median axis
l 19 extends substantially through the centre of the container casing 1 16
between the two spaced apart
end regions 1 14, 1 l5.
As described above, the holding device 1 l0 has a retaining device 1 12 for a
needle assembly 2, not
illustrated, in the region of the end wall 1 17, which, in the embodiment
illustrated as an example
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 26 _
here, is provided in the form of a substantially annular retaining element
123. The retaining element
123 has a bore 124, preferably centred on the longitudinal median axis 1 19,
with an internal thread
125 in the form of a screw thread or i7nernal thread. Accordingly, as before,
the needle assembly 2
can be turned in the retaining element 123 in a screwing action and retained
therein in the screwed-in
position.
As may be seen from comparing Figs. 18 and 19, in the region of the end wall 1
17, parallel therewith
or in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal median axis 1 19. a hinge pin
140 is disposed or ar-
ranged on either side of the retaining f:lement 123 extending between the
external circumference of
the holder container 1 1 I and the external circumference of the retaining
element 123. In this em-
bodiment, the two hinge pins 140 are arranged concentrically or coaxially with
one another, so that
the two hinge pins 140 are aligned flush with one another in the longitudinal
direction. The two hinge
pins 140 directed towards one another form. in conjunction with the
longitudinal median axis 1 19, a
dividing plane 141 extending through the latter in which are also arranged
slot-shaped apertures 142
in the retaining element extending from the hinge pins 140 in the direction
remote from the interior
chamber 1 18, including within the retaining device 1 12. These slot-shaped
apertures 142 divide the
retaining element 123 into respective retaining element parts 13 I and 132,
one on either side of the
dividing plane 141. The hinge pins 140 may be of any type and may be provided
in the form of joints,
hinges, thinner regions of material, rac..
As illustrated in Fig. 18, in the section region of the dividing plane 141
with the container casing 1 16,
a recess 143 extending through the latter is provided having a varying width
across its longitudinal
extension in the direction perpendicular to the dividing plane 141, starting
from the closed end region
1 15 to the open end region 114. By preference, starting from the dividing
plane 141, the width in-
creases across a first part region of the recess 143 and after a certain
distance from the end region I IS
the width of the recess 143 decreases. The purpose of this recess 143 is to
take advantage of the de-
formation properties of the holder container 1 11 and, as illustrated in Fig.
?0, apply a compression
force to the container casing 116 as shown by the arrows 144 so as to deform
it, due to the presence
of the recess 143, in such a way that the two retaining element parts 13l ,
132 are displaced towards
one another about the hinge pins 140, thereby opening up the retaining device
1 12.
This compression force indicated by arrows 144 is preferably applied in the
direction perpendicular
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
27 _
to the dividing plane 141 so that the recesses 143 provided in the container
casing 116 on each side
are also deformed, as a result of which the two retaining element parts 131,
132 will be moved away
from one another in their end regions remote from the interior chamber 1 18 in
accordance with the
law of leverage, thereby enlarging the bore 124. A needle assembly 2 held in
the retaining device 1 l 2
can then be easily released.
Figs. 21 to 23 provide a simplified, schematic diagram of another embodiment
of the holding device
110, which may also be construed as an independent embodiment, the same
reference numbers being
used for components common to Figs. 1 to ?0 described above. For the sake of
simplicity and in or-
der to avoid unnecessary repetition, reference may be made to the description
of the preceding draw-
ings for details of individual components or groups of components.
In the case of the embodiment illustraved as an example here, the holder
container 1 1 1 as a whole is
not illustrated since the specific design of the open end region 1 14 in
particular is of no significance
to the invention. The end wall I 17 is provided in the section of the end
region 1 15 of the holder con-
tainer 11 1, in the plane 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal median axis 1
19, co-operating with the
container casing 1 16 to enclose the interior chamber 1 18 of the holder
container 111. An orifice 145
is provided through the end wall 1 17, centred on the longitudinal median axis
119. It has a clearance
internal dimension corresponding at least to an external dimension of a
positioning element 19 of the
needle assembly 2, which is shown in a simplified schematic form. In the area
of the closed end re-
gion 115, the holding device 1 10 also has a retaining device 146 for the
simplified and schematically
illustrated positioning element 19 of tine needle assembly 2, which, in the
embodiment illustrated in
this example, comprises a positioning member 147 locating at least in certain
regions with the con-
tainer casing 1 16, several guide elements 148 projecting out from the end
wall 117 in the direction
remote from the interior chamber 1 18 ;tnd retaining elements 149 associated
with the guide elements
148 and co-operating with the positioning member 147.
In this embodiment, co-operating guide elements 148 are severally distributed
around the peripheral
region of the end wall 1 l 7 in the plane 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal
median axis 119, a di-
viding angle 150 being formed between each set of co-operating guide elements
148. In the embodi-
ment illustrated as an example here, two guide elements 148 aligned parallel
with one another co-
operate with each of the retaining elements 149, the dividing angle 150
between the retaining ele-
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
2g _
menu 149 and the guide elements 148 co-operating therewith being calculated by
dividing the full
circle in the plane 20 by the number of retaining elements 149. In the
particular embodiment illus-
trated here, the dividing angle I50 is 120° and the individual
retaining elements 149 are divided
symmetrically. The guide elements 148 arranged on either side of the retaining
element 149 form a
type of guiding system for the respective retaining elements 149 arranged in
between them, enabling
the retaining elements 149 to be respectively displaced as indicated by a
double arrow I51 in a direc-
tion perpendicular to the longitudinal median axis 1 19 and parallel with the
plane 20.
Figs. 21 and 23 provide simplified illustrations of the locked position of the
retaining elements 149
for the positioning element 19 of the needle assembly '', whilst Fig. 2~ shows
the retaining elements
149 in the released position or open position. In this embodiment, the
positioning member 147 is
substantially of a cap design and has av internal clearance dimension relative
to the longitudinal me-
dian axis 119, in the form of an internal thread, which corresponds at least
to an external diameter of
the container casing 1 l6 in the portion of the end region 1 l5. As a result,
a cylindrically shaped wall
part 152 of the positioning member 147 of the container casino 1 l 6 can be
engaged. In the direction
parallel with the end wall 1 17 of the holder container 1 1 1 or in the
direction parallel with the plane
20, the positioning member 147 also has another end wall 153 joined to the
cylindrical wall part 152,
which has another orifice 154, also centred on the longitudinal median axis 1
19.
An internal clearance dimension or an internal diameter of the orifice 154 may
correspond in terms of
dimensions to the orifice 154 in the end wall 1 17. although the orifice 154
could also be larger. It has
been found to be of advantage if the orifice 154 has a clearance dimension
corresponding to or larger
than the external diameter 86 of the shoulder 81 of the positioning element 19
illustrated in Fig. 8. As
a result, the shoulder 8l is brought into abutment with a surface 155 of the
retaining element 149 re-
mote from the end face 1 17 when the retaining elements 149 are in the screwed-
in position and in the
locked position. Clearly, however, the clearance internal dimension may be
substantially the same as
or smaller than the orifice 145, in which case when the retaining elements 149
are in the locked posi-
tion the shoulder 81 of the positioning element l9 will abut against the
external surface of the end
wall 153.
In order to displace the individual retaining elements 149 from the locked
position into the released
position, the positioning member 147 is mounted so as to be able to pivot or
rotate on the container
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
casing 1 16 relative to the longitudinal median axis 1 1 ~~. Because of the
arrangement whereby the
guide elements 148 project out from the end wall 1 17 and because the
retaining elements 149 are ar-
ranged between the end wall 1 17 of the holder container 1 1 1 and the end
wall 153 of the positioning
member 47, the retaining elements 149 can be displaced by a pivoting or
rotating motion of the posi-
tioning member 147 relative to the holder container 1 1 I in the direction of
the arrow 156 from the
released position illustrated in Fig. ?2 into the locked position illustrated
in Fig. 23 and then back to
the locked position.
In order to move the retaining elements 149 from the released position into
the locked position or
vice versa, each of the retaining elements 149 has at least one positionin;
element 157 projecting
from the surface 155 thereof, which provides a driving link by means of a
groove-shaped recess 158
set in the end wall 153 on the side facing the end wall 1 17 of the holder
container l 1 I . The distance
of this groove-shaped recess 158 or crack to the longitudinal median axis 1 19
varies across its longi-
tudinal extension, which causes a displacement of the individual retaining
elements 149 as indicated
by the double arrows 151 in co-operation with the guide elements 148.
On the side facing the positioning element l9, each of the retaining elements
149 has at least a part
region of an internal thread, so that when the retaining elements 149 are in
the locked position, the
positioning element 19 of the needle assembly ? can be screwed in without
problem. The extent of
the displacement path of the retaining elements 149 and hence the displacement
speed, due to the se-
lected increase in the curve, can be fixed by an appropriate selection of the
distance of the groove-
shaped recess 158 relative to the longitudinal median axis l 19. It has been
found to be of advantage
if the first part section of the groove-shaped recess 158 is selected so as to
exhibit a relatively steep
increase or be at an increasing or widening distance from the longitudinal
median axis 119 since this
will cause the individual retaining elements 149 to be opened rapidly , which
means that the posi-
tioning element 19 and hence the needle assembly 2 attached thereto can be
released after only a
short displacement path operated by turning the positioning member 147.
In order to prevent the positioning member 147 from inadvertently working
loose from the holder
container 11 1, a safety device 159 may be provided between the wall part 152
of the positioning
member 147 and the container casing I I ~i of the holder container 1 1 1,
which on the one hand enables
the positioning member 147 to be pivoted or rotated relative to the holder
container 1 1 1 and on the
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
other holds the positioning member 1~~7 on the holder container 1 1 1 so that
it can not slide in the di-
rection of the longitudinal median axis l 19. This ensures that the distance
between facing faces of the
end wall l 17 of the holder container 1 1 I and the end wall l53 of the
positioning member 147 is al-
ways constant or the same. The safety clevice~ 159 may be provided in the form
of at least one annular
or groove-shaped recess set into the container casing 1 16 and at least one
projection or shoulder on
the wall part l52 of the positioning member 147 co-operating with and engaging
in this groove-
shaped recess. Across its longitudinal extension, this groove-shaped recess
may also be arranged in
only certain regions of the container cashing 116 in the c.ircumferential
direction, for example, in
which case a length of this groove-shaped recess of the safety device 159 may
correspond to the dis-
placement path of the positioning memher 147 relative to the holder container
1 11. The length of the
groove-shaped recesses makes it easy to set exact end stops for both the
locked position and the re-
leased position.
However, it would also be possible to provide the groove-shaped recess of the
safety device 159 con-
tinuously around the circumference of the container casing I 16, which will
enable an unhindered ro-
tating movement of the positioning member 147 relative to the holder container
11 1. The locked and
released position can then be determined through the length of the groove-
shaped recess 158 in the
end wall 153 of the positioning member 147. With this embodiment, the safety
device 159 merely
serves to retain the positioning member 147 in a predeterminable position so
that it is unable to slide
on the holder container I 1 1 in the direction of the longitudinal median axis
1 19.
If, for example, the safety device 159 is a continuous groove-shaped recess
around the periphery, it is
also possible, as illustrated in simplified form in Fig. 23. to provide a
separate restricting device l60
between the positioning member 147 arrd the holder container l 1 1 which will
mark the two end po-
sitions between the positioning member 147 and the holder container 1 1 I in
conjunction with the re-
taining elements 149. Again, at least one but preferably several groove-shaped
recesses extending
across a part region of the circumference may be provided in the container
casing 1 16, a length
thereof corresponding to the relative displacement path between the
positioning member 147 and the
holder container 1 1 1. A shoulder or projection will engage in this groove-
shaped recess , marking
either the locked position or the released position at the respective end
position. 90° has been found
to be the preferred angle of rotation between the positioning member and the
holder container 1 I 1.
Clearly, however, it would also he possible to select a smaller or larger
angle of rotation. A rotation
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_31 _
angle of approximately 90° makes for easy one-handed operation from the
locked position into the
released position and back again.
It has been found to be necessary and of advantage if the materials used for
the holding device 1 can
withstand sterilisation by steam. Accordingly, the holder body or the holder
container 3 may be made
from polypropylene (PP) and the slide 45, l 20, the positioning member 147 and
the retaining ele-
ments 149 from polyoxymethylene (POM). Furthermore, the material used for the
slide 45 should be
harder than that of the insert element or positioning element 19. This reduces
or prevents damage or
wear on the slide 45 when used over a longer period of time.
Figs. 24 and 25 illustrate another embodiment of the holding device 1 which
may also be construed
as an independent embodiment. the same reference numbers being used for parts
which are common
to Figs. 1 to 15. To avoid unnecessary repetition, reference should be made to
the description of Figs.
1 to 15 for details of individual components or groups of components.
The holding device 1 again comprises the holder container 3 and the operating
device 5, between
which the guide device 6 is arranged. The design and layout of the guide
elements 2l and 58 making
up the guide device 6 may be as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15.
Supporting elements 34, 35
are again provided in the dividing plane 22 on the end wall 10 of the holder
container 3, which sup-
port the positioning element 19 - see Fig,. I - as the operating device ~,
namely the slide 45, is dis-
placed relative to the holder container 3. The orifice 17 in the end wall 10
is also centred on the lon-
gitudinal median axis 12 of the holder container 3. However, the orifice 17
and the two supporting
elements 34, 35 could also be disposed off-centre or eccentrically relative to
the holder container 3 or
the longitudinal median axis l2 if the needle assembly 2 does not have to be
aligned centrally to the
container casing 9, which in this case is circular. This arrangement is freely
selectable and will de-
pend on the intended use or application of the holding device 1. Care should
be taken to ensure that
the individual components are adapted and disposed so as to produce the
requisite displacement.
Fig. 24 illustrates the locked position beuween the slide 45 and the holder
container 3, in which the
retaining element 56 is substantially centrally aligned with the longitudinal
median axis 12 or the ori-
fice 17. In this initial position or locked position, the insert element or
needle assembly 2 (omitted
from the drawing for the sake of clarity) can be inserted in the retaining
element 56 where it is re-
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_3~_
tamed. The positioning element 19 is inserted in the retaining element 56 by a
simple screwing action
using the thread fittings. Clearly, instc;ad of a thread fitting, it would
also be possible to use an appro-
priate snap-fit connection or catch connection.
In the initial position or locked position illustrated. the end portion 77 of
the slide 45 lies more or less
in abutment with the end 37 of the supporting element 35 and the retaining
element 56 is simultane-
ously also centred on the longitudinal median axis 12 or orifice 17. In order
to prevent any undesir-
able sliding or displacement of the slide 45 relative to the holder container
3, a separate spring ele-
ment 94 is provided in the slide 45 of this embodiment, and in this instance
is supported on the end
36 of the supporting element 34.
To accommodate this spring element 94, the orifice 53 has a larger cross
section on the side of the
releasing element 57 remote from the retaining element so that the bent spring
element 94 projects
into this orifice. The design and layout of the spring element 94 inside the
orifice 53 is not restricted
to the three-dimensional arrangement described here and may be of any three-
dimensional design that
will impart a sufficient force. to fix the slide 45 in its initial position or
locked position relative to the
holder container 3 on the one hand and ensure a simple displacement with
sufficient return force on
the other. The spring force applied by the spring element 94 to the end 36 of
the supporting element
34 causes a compression force on the slide 45 in the region of the end portion
77 in the direction of
the end 37 of the supporting element 3:~.
The spring element 94 could also be designed so that it is hardly or not
deformed at all when the slide
45 is in the initial or locked position relative to the holder container 3 and
therefore bears against the
end 36 of the supporting element 34 without applying any spring force, in
which case a spring force
will not be created until the spring element 94 is deformed causing a
displacement into the released
position, which will in turn return the slide to the initial position or
locked position once the needle
assembly 2 has been released. This arrangement provides a simple mechanism
whereby, when the
released position, in which the needle assembly 2 or insert element is
released from the holding de-
vice 1, is reached, the slide 45 is automatically rexurned.
In order to set the requisite amount of displacement force to be applied to
the slide 45 in the direction
of arrow 83, the slide 45 in this embodiment additionally has an orifice 96
respectively on either side
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
of the dividing plane 52 in the region of the orifice 53 between the latter
and the side faces 48, 49,
which extends through the slide 45. also in the direction of the orifice 53.
In the embodiment illus-
trated as an example here, the orifices 96 extend ire the longitudinal
direction of the slide approxi-
mately between the end portion 77 (see Fig. 5) and the end of the releasing
element 57 remote from
this end portion 77. Accordingly, the displacement force to be applied in the
direction of the arrow 83
is determined due to the fact that, depe~r7ding on the selection and size of
the orifice 96, a separate re-
spective land 97 is formed between the latter and the orifice 17 in the region
of the dividing plane 52,
the land thickness 98 (see Fig. l4) being variable in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the di-
viding plane depending on the size of the orifice 96.
Because of the differing dimensions of the retaining element 56 and the
releasing element 57, the two
lands 97 are angled relative to one anoither and subtend between them an acute
angle which tapers
starting from the releasing element 57 vhrough to the retaining element 56 so
that the two lands 97
run towards one another. Due to the layi>ut of the orifice 96, the land width
98 is substantially con-
stant across the longitudinal extension of the lands 97. The slimmer the land
thickness 98, the lower
the deformation force which needs to be applied in order to deform the two
lands 97 transversely to
the dividing plane 52 or in a direction perpendicular thereto. The transition
from the retaining ele-
ment 56 to the releasing element 57 and hence the resultant release of the
positioning element 19
from the retaining element 56 can be easily adjusted and the displacement
force predeterminably
fixed and hence increased or reduced. As a result, the mid-distance 67 between
the retaining element
56 and the releasing element 57 may also be selected so as to be greater or
longer --as described
above with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 - t« improve the hold on the insert
element or positioning ele-
ment 19 in the locked position.
At least one recess 99 may also be provided in the region of the bearing face
46 (see Fig. 4) of the
slide 45 in order to reduce the size of the bearing face 46 on the face 16 of
the end wall 10. This also
makes for a certain saving on materials. However, in order to increase the
entire screwing depth by
providing at least one recess 99 in the region of the bearing face 46, the
retaining element 56 may
also be designed to extend across the entire thickness of the slide 45. As a
result, a bearing face 46 is
formed in the region of the retaining element .56 which will rest on the face
16 of the end wall 10, the
bearing in this region providing a support against the end wall 10 and thereby
preventing any defor-
mation during the screwing process. At tl7e same time, because of the longer
screwing depth through
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_34_
the full thickness of the slide 45. the hold on the needle assembly 2 is also
firmer and more secure
when the holding device 1 is used for its intended purpose.
By selecting the size of the recess 99 and the associated weakening of the
slide 45, the thickness of
the lands 97 and the associated deformation force which needs to be applied
for the displacement
process can be determined. The greater the size of the recess 99, the smaller
the thickness of the lands
97 in the direction perpendicular to thc~ top face 47. Similarly, a projection
100 may be provided on
the slide 45, extending from the bearing: face 46 of the slide 45 in the
direction remote from the top
face 47.
As may be seen by comparing Figs. 24 and 25, a checking device 161, which may
be released as re-
quired, is provided between the slide 45 and the wall or end wall 10 of the
holder container 3, ar-
ranged on both sides, in particular centrally relative to the dividing plane
52 as well as on both sides
of the orifice 17. The checking device 161 could also be provided on only one
of the two sides of the
dividing plane 52. If the checking device l61 is arranged in a symmetrical
layout, it will have several
checking elements 162 - two checking elements 162 in the embodiment
illustrated - disposed on the
wall or end wall 10 of the holder container 3 on the side remote from the
interior chamber 1 l and
projecting out from the wall or end wall I0 on the side remote from the
interior chamber 1 1. These
two checking elements 162 are disposed in a normal plane 163 running at a
right angle to the divid-
ing plane 22 and through the longitudinal median axis 12. These checking
elements 162 are disposed
on the wall or end wall 10 of the holder container 3 in such a way that they
project into the orifices
96 of the slide 45 and abut against side faces 164 of the lands 97 remote from
the orifice 53 , at least
in certain regions, when the slide 45 and the holder container 3 are in the
locked position
In the locked position the retaining element 56 is centrally aligned on the
longitudinal median axis 12
so that the needle assembly 2 can be screwed into the slide 45. In order to
impart sufficient lateral sta-
bility to the two lands 97 in conjunction with the variable land thickness 98,
the two lands 97 may be
elastically deformed so that the retaining element 56 can be widened so that
it no longer securely holds
the needle assembly 2. This widening occurs substantially in the normal plane
163. In order to permit
a corresponding displacement of the slide 45 relative to the holder container
3 as indicated by the ar-
row 83, the checking elements 162 on the end wall 10 must take account of the
design and inclination
of the side faces 164 of the lands 97 so that they can be displaced
accordingly without hindrance.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_35_
In the embodiment illustrated, because the side faces 164 run at an angle,
they have to be provided
with other checking elements 165 which, in the locked position, co-operate
with the checking ele-
ments 162 on the holder container 3. thereby forming the checking device 161.
These other checking
elements 165 project from the side faces 164 on the side remote from the
orifice 53 and extend into
the orifices 96 of the slide 45. Because the side faces 164 run towards one
another in a conical ar-
rangement, the overlap of the other checking elements 165 beyond the side
faces 164 must be se-
lected so that when the slide 4~ is displaced from the locked position into
the released position the
checking elements 162 no longer abut with the side faces 164 or can not do so
until the released po-
sition.
The co-operation of the checking elc:rrients 162 with the other checking
elements 165 in turn prevents
the retaining element 56 from widening in the locked position, so that the
needle assembly 2 is guar-
anteed to remain securely retained or fixed when the holding device 1 is used
for its intended pur-
pose. As a result of this co-operation between the checking elements 162 and
the other checking ele-
ments 165, the checking device 161 is engaged when the slide is in the locked
position and disen-
gaged in the released position.
As described in more detail with reference to Figs. I to 15 above, the
supporting faces 73, 74 may
also be provided accordingly on the top face 47.
For the sake of good order. it should finally be pointed out that in order to
provide a clearer under-
standing of the structure of the holding device, in particular the retaining
device, they and their con-
stituent parts have been illustrated out of scale to a certain extent and/or
on an enlarged and/or re-
duced scale.
The tasks underlying the independent inventive solutions can be found in the
description.
Above all, subject matter relating to the individual embodiments illustrated
in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8; 9, 10, 1 l, 12; 13, 14, 15; 16, 17; 18, 19, 20; 21, 22, 23; 24, 25 can be
construed as independent
solutions proposed by the invention. The tasks and solutions to which they
relate can be found in the
detailed descriptions relating to these drawings.
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_36_
Reference Numbers
1 Holding device 31 Guide surface
2 Needle assembly 32 Guide surface
3 Holder container 33 Guide surface
4 Retaining device. 34 Support member
Operating device 35 Support member
6 Guide device 3ti End
7 End region 3? End
8 End region 38 Distance
9 Container casing 3~> Thickness
End wall 40 Dimension
1 Interior chamber 41 End
1
12 Longitudinal median axis42 End
13 Face (internal 9j 43 Support surface
14 Face (internal 1 1 ) 44 Support surface.
Face (external 9) 45 Slide
16 Face (external 1 1) 46 Bearing face
17 Orifice 47 Top face
18 Cannula 48 Side face
19 Positioning member 49 Side face
Plane 50 Side face
21 Guide element 51 Side face
22 Dividing plane 52 Dividing
plane
23 Profiled section 53 Orifice
24 Leg 54 Length
Leg 55 Width
26 Leg 56 Retaining
element
27 Leg 57 Releasing
element
28 Guide surface 58 Guide element
29 Guide surface 59 Indentation
Guide surface 60 Indentation
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
_ 37 _
61 Slide face 91 Catch element
62 Slide face 9:.' Distance
63 Slide face 93 Longitudinal distance
64 Slide face 94 Spring element
65 Length 95 Arrow
66 Longitudinal dimension 96 Orifice
67 Mid-distance 97 Land
68 Bore 98 Land thickness
69 Thread 99 Recess
70 Internal dimension 100 Projection
71 Recess
72 Clearance width
73 Support surface
74 Support surface
75 Start
76 End
77 End portion
78 End portion
79 Continuation
80 External thread 110 Holding device
81 Shoulder 11 I Holder container
82 Distance 1 12 Retaining device
83 Arrow 1 l 3 Operating device
84 Arrow 1 14 End region
85 Distance 1 l S End region
86 External dimension 1 16 Container casing
87 Catch device 1 1 T End wall
88 Catch element 1 I 8 Interior chamber
89 Catch element I 19 Longitudinal median
axis
90 Distance 120 Slide
CA 02355681 2001-06-18
121 Surface 151 Double arrow
122 Shoulder 152 Wall pan
123 Retaining element 153 End wall
124 Bore 154 Orifice
125 Thread 155 Surface
126 Double arrow 156 Arrow
127 End wall part 15~ Positioning
element
128 End wall part 158 Recess
129 End wall part 159 Safety device
130 Orifice 1 ti0 Restricting
device
131 Retaining element part 161 Checking device
132 Retaining element part 162 Checking element
133 Retaining element part 163 Normal plane
134 Length 164 Side faces
135 Positioning element 165 Checking element
l36 Wall pan
137 Wall pan
138 Wall part
139 Arrow
140 Pivot axis
141 Dividing plane
142 Aperture
143 Recess
144 Arrow
145 Orifice
146 Retaining device
147 Positioning member
148 Guide element
149 Retaining element
150 Dividing angle
