Needle protecting arrangement

Details Needle protecting arrangement Needle protecting arrangement

2002-07-23

2004-03-09

Kennedy, Sharon (Department: 3762)

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

C604S192000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06702786

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a needle protection arrangement for a hypodermic syringe.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The needle protection arrangement of the present invention is being adaptable for co-action with a hypodermic syringe that includes a container, a plunger which can be moved reciprocatingly in said container by means of a rod and a needle which is affixed to or fastenable to one end-part of the container.
The invention is further based on said needle protection arrangement having a needle protector, basically in the shape of a tube, usually a circular, cylindrical tube whose axial length is slightly greater than the length of the needle.
More particularly, the present invention is devised for use with a needle protector in which the tube has an inner, radial-related cross-section corresponding to, or at least essentially corresponding to, an outer, radial-related cross-section for the container.
This cross-section dimensioning of the needle protector enables the device to be arranged for axial movement in relation to the container from a position in which the needle is covered by the device to a position in which the needle is exposed or vice-versa.
The invention relates more especially to such a needle protection arrangement in which the tubular needle protector's axial movement relative to the container can offer two distinctly separate setting positions, a first position in which the needle protector is devised to protect the needle and its point, the free end of the needle protector or tube end located next to the needle point, and a second position in which the needle protector is devised to protect the needle and with the free end of the needle protector or tube end located at a greater distance from the needle point while the needle protector covers the needle and its point, the first setting position being devised to initially pose stiff resistance to movement of the needle protector in relation to the container.
There has long been a wish to protect people who handle hypodermic syringes, used for injection and/or aspiration, against accidental injuries (prick injuries), and several different designs of needle protectors have been proposed to this end.
These needle protectors are usually movably or removably mounted to the container of the syringe and have an elongated shape enabling them in one position to cover the needle and the needle point.
The needle protector is removed prior to injection and/or aspiration so as to expose the needle and its point.
For the sake of simplicity, the following description is solely concerned with the injection of liquids, although it will be understood by anyone well-versed in the art that the concept ‘injection’ is equally applicable to aspiration.
A needle and needle point which remain exposed after an injection could become contaminated and thereby transmit serious illness to a person who is accidentally injured by the exposed needle and its needle point.
Various types of needle protectors which protect people against accidental injury are known to the art. Such protectors are basically in the form of a tube with a protective seal on the tube's free end.
A needle protector of this kind will have the form of a sleeve which can readily be removed from the syringe immediately prior to an injection. This sleeve must be kept separate during the injection process. After the injection the needle protector must be replaced by hand over the needle so as to shield the needle against unintentional contact therewith.
A needle protector sleeve of this kind is dimensioned at its open part for a secure but easily released co-action with the part of the needle attached to the container.
Other known needle protector constructions are movable over the container and co-act therewith during the injection, the injection syringe and the needle protector then forming a unit.
The present invention relates to the latter category of needle protection means.
Earlier known hypodermic syringe constructions with associated needle protection have been described and illustrated in the following patent publications:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,120 illustrates and describes a needle protector (
19
) which, in a first position, covers the needle (
15
) and the needle point (
25
) and, in a second, upwardly moved position, exposes the needle and the needle point.
The needle protector (
19
) is tubular which, at its free end, has a hole (
41
) large enough to allow a needle-holding means (
24
) or a needle protector (
29
) to pass through the hole.
The hole (
41
) may be covered with a material that is punctured by the needle (
15
) and/or the needle protector (
29
). The covering material is devised as a sealing end-region of the tubular needle protector and serves to seal the end-related edge or end surface of the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,653 illustrates and describes a needle protector (
1
) which can be moved reciprocatingly between fixed positions, i.e., between a needle covering position and a needle exposing position. The free end of the needle protector (
1
) is conical and has a central opening which is devised to enclose the needle attachment (
4
).
The needle protector shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,267 has an opening, i.e., a hole (
58
), and the free end (
56
) of the needle protector (
60
) is devised to correspond to the needle (
14
) cross-section.
A needle protector of the initially cited kind, described and disclosed in the international patent application no. PCT/SE98/01673 (WO99/17822), is also known.
More specifically, the invention relates to a construction in which the axial movement of the needle protector or tube in relation to the container has two distinct, separate setting positions, i.e., a first position in which the needle protector is devised to protect the needle and the needle point and with the free end of the needle protector located next to the needle point, and a second position in which the needle protector is devised to protect the needle and the needle point and with the free end of the needle protector located at a greater distance from the needle point while the needle protector covers the needle and its point, the first setting position being devised to initially pose stiff resistance to movement of the needle protector in relation to the container.
The contents of patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,295 are especially part of the prior art.
This publication illustrates and describes a needle protection arrangement for a hypodermic syringe.
It describes a hypodermic syringe with a needle protector which can be moved along the syringe container in order to assume a normal, first position in which the needle protector surrounds and protects the needle.
The needle is at least partially exposed in a second position on the container.
In a third position, the needle protector is moved to a needle-covering position and is locked and so firmly attached that it effectively prevents re-use.
FIG. 1
shows a position in which the needle protector is in its first position,
FIG. 2
shows a position in which the needle protector exposes the needle for use, and
FIG. 3
shows the needle protector in a third fixed position.
FIG. 4
further shows locking for the first position according to
FIG. 1
,
FIG. 5
shows locking for the second position according to FIG.
2
and
FIG. 6
shows locking for the third position according to FIG.
3
.
It can then be seen that the position according to
FIG. 4
has a recess
54
with a sloping surface
56
to facilitate needle protector
42
movement in relation to the container
32
in exposing the needle
38
.
In the corresponding fashion, the position according to
FIG. 5
shows a cavity
60
with a sloping surface for providing relative movement, whereas
FIG. 6
depicts co-action with straight wall sections
64
in order to enclose the part
52
in blocking and locking the needle protector in the lower position.
Utilization of two parallel guide grooves
48
and
50
are shown here. They require the needle protector to be rotated in relation to the c

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