PIERCING AND SAMPLING PROBE

摘要

A piercing and sampling probe (12) for use in a sampling system for piercing the septum of a vacuum sealed container (18) and aspirating a fluid sample from the container. The probe includes a first longitudinal portion (30) constituting an end region of the probe and a second longitudinal portion (32) which is longer than the first longitudinal portion. The first longitudinal portion of the probe has a beveled tip (34) for piercing the septum of the container and inner and outer diameters which are narrower than the respective diameters of the second longitudinal portion. The probe further includes a shaped region for connecting the smaller diameter first longitudinal portion to the larger diameter second longitudinal portion.