Blood sample collection and phase separation device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG.
1, a blood collection device 10 is shown including a container 12, such as a glass blood collection tube, closed at its lower end by an integral end portion 14 of the tube, and having an open upper end 16.
The upper end 16 of the tube is closed by a stopper 18 inserted into the upper end.
Stopper 18 is preferably made of a suitable or conventional elastomeric material which is pierceable by a needle cannula for the purpose of introducing blood into the tube through the stopper, and which is self-sealing at the penetration site.
Disposed within the tube 12 adjacent the upper end 16 and stopper 18, is a blood phase partitioning device 20 which includes a sealant retainer 22, and a quantity of blood phase partitioning material 24 in the retainer.
The retainer 22 is shown for illustration as being secured in its position between the stopper 18 and an annular, radially inwardly extending tube constriction 26 formed in the sidewall of tube 12 at a location adjacent the bottom end of retainer 22.
As seen also in FIG.
2, the retainer 22 of the phase partitioning device 20 is shown in the form of a spool member having a through-bore or passage 28.
The spool-shaped member 22 has a main, longitudinally extending body portion 30 which is shown cylindrical and with inner and outer cylindrical walls 32 and 34.
The spool member 22 has integral upper and lower radial flanges 36 and 38 at its opposite ends.
As seen in FIG.
1, the phase partitioning material or sealant 24 is disposed between the outer wall 34 and the inner sidewall 40 of the tube 12.
The sealant 24 fills the annular space or reservoir chamber 42 defined by the facing surfaces of the flanges 36 and 38, the outer surface 34 of spool member 22, and a portion of the inner surface of the sidewall 40 of tube 12, which sidewall portion is radially outwardly of and facing the spool member wall 34.
The spool member 22 has a restricted orifice or restricted flow passage 44 communicating between the sealant reservoir chamber 42 and the interior portion of the tube 12 that is below the stopper 18 and partitioning device 20 and which receives the blood sample