Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-05
2001-03-27
Gehman, Bryon P. (Department: 3728)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C206S365000, C604S263000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206855
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of syringe and needle disposal devices, and more particularly to a novel finger and hand shield or protector which is insertably mounted over a conventional needle protector while the needle is mounted on a syringe preparatory for disposal of the syringe, needle, needle protector and shield as a unitary construction.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the medical field, it has been the conventional practice for physicians and medical personnel to dispose of syringes having contaminated needles by tossing the syringe and needle into a bin, box or other container for ultimate disposal. However, once the conventional sleeve protector or sheath has been removed from the needle, the handling of the syringe with an exposed needle is hazardous to medical personnel and a current need has existed to provide a device for reducing the hazard involved in the disposal of conventional syringes and hypodermic needles used throughout the medical world. After the syringe has been used, it is the customary practice to replace the sleeve protector over the used needle and then the entire unit is disposed of by tossing into a suitable container or bag. However, problems and difficulties have been encountered when aligning with and inserting the needle into the sleeve protector which stem largely from the fact that the protector is having a narrow or reduced diameter bore of cylindrical construction. It is easy for the needle to be misaligned with the bore or receptacle within the protector so that the needle progresses externally of the protector to strike or stab the fingers of the medical personnel holding the sleeve protector.
Attempts have been made to use a funnel-like member for directing the forward movement of the needle directly into a protected sheath during a sheathing procedure. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,918. However, the device requires an elongated tube integrally formed with and downward depending from the funnel-like member which serves as a holder for the needle protective sheath. The tube is closed at one end so that the sheath is contained in the tube. Thus, the device is expensive to manufacture and requires unnecessary components which necessitates critical dimensioning and precision construction.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a means for protecting the hand and fingers of medical personnel as they grasp the sleeve protector or sheath when another person or the opposite hand of the user is attempting to align the needle with the receptacle bore in the protector. Also, a need has existed to provide a means whereby a shield or cup-like member will remain at rest on a flat surface so that it will not roll or fall from a table or other working surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present invention which provides a novel shield taking the form of a funnel-like member of frustro-conical configuration having a peripheral edge defining an enlarged entrance into the interior of the funnel-like member so as to terminate in an attachment portion at its opposite end. The circular edge defining the entrance into the funnel-like member includes a linear edge for prevention of rolling on a flat surface. The attachment portion includes an open-ended inner tapered passageway intended to slidably receive a sleeve protector, cover or sheath in an interference type fit. The sleeve, cover or sheath is used to enclose a syringe or hypodermic needle. The syringe handpiece or body is intended to reside within the major interior length of the funnel-like member and the needle resides in the sleeve, cover or sheath so that the entire assembled unit can be conveniently and safely discarded.
A feature of the present invention resides in providing a funnel-like member having a wide opening or mouth through which the needle can be passed or inserted so as to reach the mouth of the passageway in a sleeve protector intended to encase or enclose the needle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel funnel-like member that may readily accept insertion of different size sleeve protectors for hypodermic or syringe type needles and which includes a wide mouth through which the needle may be inserted preparatory for alignment with and insertion into the sleeve protector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel shield or protector for a hypodermic needle which includes a disposable funnel-like member having a flat edge to prevent rolling on a flat surface and which further includes a terminating tapered aperture for insertably receiving and retaining a sleeve protector.
A further object resides in providing a needle disposal device of frustro-conical configuration having a wide mouth entrance for receiving insertion of the needle and a narrow-tapered, open-ended passage for securing a needle holder in position for alignment with the needle and for insertably receiving the aligned needle.
A further object resides in providing a three component disposable unit comprising a funnel-like member surrounding a syringe body having a needle disposed in a protective sleeve whereby the entire unit may be safely transported for hygienic disposal.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4610667 (1986-09-01), Pedicano et al.
patent: 4623336 (1986-11-01), Pedicano et al.
patent: 4747835 (1988-05-01), Sandhaus
patent: 4781697 (1988-11-01), Slaughter
patent: 4900309 (1990-02-01), Netherton et al.
patent: 4986817 (1991-01-01), Code
patent: 5000742 (1991-03-01), Morrison
patent: 5067944 (1991-11-01), Nichols
patent: 6059758 (2000-05-01), Padilla et al.
Kunkel Gary T.
Kunkel Melissa A.
Gehman Bryon P.
Marrs Roger A.
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