Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-04-03
Yasko, John D. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S110000, C604S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210374
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to needle protective sheath devices, more particularly, protective devices used to protect hypodermic and blood collecting needles.
Of interest is my granted U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,639.
Needle protective sheath devices are in wide use. They typically comprise inner and outer cylindrical members with mating locking ribs and grooves and similar locking devices. The locking ribs and grooves temporarily lock the outer protective sheath in a first mode wherein the needle is exposed and projects from the protective device. This locking position is to preclude the members from accidentally engaging their locking devices in a permanent needle protective locking position prior to use of the needle. The device may be of the type for receiving a plunger in a syringe in a hypodermic application or a vacuum cartridge having a septum which is penetrated by a needle portion inside the bore of a receiving cylinder in a blood collecting application. A blood collecting needle portion projects beyond the cylinder. When its use is completed the outer cylinder member is axially displaced from an overlying position with the inner member to a position cantilevered from the inner member and locked into a needle protective position.
The problem recognized by the present invention is that the prior art devices tend to be permanently locked in the needle use mode which is intended to be temporary. This is because the locking means for the temporary mode tend to be similar in construction as the locking means for the permanent needle protective mode. Therefore, it sometimes may be relatively difficult to disengage the inner and outer cylinder members for placement into the needle protective mode.
However, my above mentioned U.S. patent recognizes this problem and provides a solution thereto. Subsequently, this solution was found to be not completely satisfactory. The present invention addresses these issues and provides an improvement to the device disclosed in my aforementioned patent.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a needle protective sheath device comprises a first cylindrical member having a first cylindrical cavity defining a longitudinal axis, the member having proximal and distal ends, the member having first and second openings on and extending radially transverse the axis in communication with the cavity on the respective distal and proximal ends, the second opening on the proximal end being restricted in transverse dimension with respect to the first opening on the distal end, the member including needle receiving means at the proximal end opening for securing a needle thereto in communication with the cavity, the secured needle for extending axially beyond the first member proximal end, the member including finger gripping means on the distal end.
A first locking means is on the first cylindrical member outer surface external the cavity on at least one of two opposing member sides adjacent to the proximal end and a second locking means is on the first member outer surface external the cavity adjacent to the proximal end spaced from the first locking means between the first locking means and the distal end forming an axially extending locking recess with the first locking means on the at least one of two opposing sides, the second locking means having a first quiescent locking position forming the recess and a second release position.
A second cylindrical member has a second cylindrical cavity defining a second longitudinal axis, the second member having proximal and distal ends, the second member having third and fourth openings on and extending radially transverse the second axis in communication with the second cavity at the respective distal and proximal ends, the fourth opening on the proximal end being restricted in transverse dimension with respect to the third opening on the distal end, the second cavity for axially receiving the first member through the third opening with the first and second members in nested concentric relation in a first axial relative position with the members overlying one another with their respective proximal and distal ends adjacent to each other and in a second axially extended position wherein the second member distal end is adjacent to the first member proximal end so the second member proximal end extends beyond the first member for protecting the extended needle.
Third locking means are on the second member at the second member distal end for selectively engaging and locking to the first and second locking means in the locking recess in the second extended position, the second locking means being disengaged from the third locking means in the release position for placing the first and second members in the first axial position.
In one embodiment, the at least one first and second locking means are on opposing sides of the first member and the third locking means is on opposing sides of the second member.
In a further embodiment, the second member includes a plurality of ribs for maintaining the first member substantially concentric with the second member as the members displace axially relative to each other.
In a further embodiment, the first and second locking means are axially spaced locking projections extending radially outwardly from the first member outer surface and the third locking means comprises a radially inwardly extending locking projection.
In a further embodiment, the first and third locking means locking projections are secured in relative fixed position to the respective first and second members and the second locking means projection comprises a resilient pawl for selectively being placed in the release position by radially depressing the pawl radially inwardly of the first member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4915702 (1990-04-01), Haber
patent: 5067490 (1991-11-01), Haber
patent: 5437639 (1995-08-01), Malenchek
Behr, Esq. Omri M.
Yasko John D.
LandOfFree
Needle protective sheath device 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 protective sheath device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Needle protective sheath device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2545180