Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Patent
1996-04-09
1997-12-23
Yasko, John D.
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
604192, A61M 500
Patent
active
057002495
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a needle point protector particularly for a hypodermic syringe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hypodermic syringes have many uses ranging from the delivery of chemical substances and medicamentation, to the removal of body fluid, typically although not exclusively blood products, and laboratory use. Such use is characterised by the needle point being exposed for the procedure to be effected. Following this procedure, it is desirable for the needle point to be resheathed/covered to prevent it coming into contact with another person by design or accident, and or during the disposal procedure. There is a need for the safe resheathing/covering of the needle point.
EP-A-321903 discloses a needle point protector comprising a protective element movable along the needle between an operative position in which it exposes the pointed end of the needle and an operative position in which it covers the pointed end of the needle, a holder which can be fixed to the needle at a position remote from the pointed end of the needle and a single elongate arm connecting the holder to the protective element. The arm is connected to the holder and to the protective element through respective hinges and the arm also has a further hinge intermediate its ends. When in an inoperative position the arm extends generally parallel to the needle and in order to move the protective element to its operative position, it is necessary to pull down the arm to a position in which it extends transversely to the needle. This will take a user's fingers unacceptably close to the needle tip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,706 also discloses a needle point protector comprising a protective element, a holder and a single arm between the protective element and the holder. This arm is formed of resilient spring-like plastics material and is held in a folded condition by a latch assembly. With time the resilient arm will relax. The force exerted by the arm when unlatched will depend upon the time over which the needle protector has been stored and the protective cap may not move over the point of the needle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of to the present invention there is provided a needle point protector comprising a protective element movable along the needle from an inoperative position in which it exposes the pointed end of the needle to an operative position in which it covers the pointed end of the needle, a holder which can be fixed with respect to the needle at a position remote from the pointed end of the needle, and a single elongate arm connecting the protective element to the holder, the protective element having an internal cavity in which the pointed end of the needle is disposed when in use the protective element is in its operative position and an aperture through which the pointed end of the needle can pass in order to move into said internal cavity as the protective element is moved from its inoperative to its operative position, the single elongate arm having a hinge intermediate its ends and being movable from a folded condition in which the arm extends in use transversely to the longitudinal extent of the needle and in which the protective cap is in its inoperative position to an extended condition in which the protective cap is moved to its operative position by applying manual pressure to the part of the arm between the holder and the hinge, and the elongate arm being connected to the protective cap in such a way that when in use the protective cap is moved to its operative position the angle between the protective cap and the elongate arm changes and stores energy so that when the pointed end of the needle passes into the cavity the protective cap flips into a tilted position as some of the stored energy is released and the aperture is moved out of alignment with the pointed end of the needle.
Conveniently, the protective element is internally shaped so as to encourage the protective element to tilt as in use the pointed end of the needle passes into the cavity so that
REFERENCES:
patent: 4139009 (1979-02-01), Alvarez
patent: 4735618 (1988-04-01), Hagen
patent: 4790828 (1988-12-01), Dombrowski et al.
patent: 4911706 (1990-03-01), Levitt
patent: 5053017 (1991-10-01), Chamuel
LandOfFree
Needle point protector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Needle point protector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Needle point protector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1798854