Needle sheath device

Details Needle sheath device Needle sheath device

1999-07-15

2001-12-11

Mendez, Manuel (Department: 3763)

Surgery

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

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06328713

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention relates to a safety device for housing a hypodermic needle to prevent the tip of the needle from being exposed after use and particularly to a needle sheath that includes a material for absorbing any fluid collected at the needle when the sheath is positioned to enclose the needle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In Hollister U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,842 there is disclosed a safety needle device comprising a housing hingedly connected to a base of the device. The housing is pivotable to a position in substantial alignment with a needle mated to the device so as to enclose the same. The '842 device has proven to be quite effective in preventing accidental needle pricks.
However, given the fact that fluid, such as for example blood or medicament, could potentially be collected at the needle, and more specifically at the tip thereof, it has been found that there is a high likelihood that the fluid at the needle could be splattered, splashed or aerosolized into the atmosphere when the protective housing is pivoted to enclose the needle. This is found to be particularly the case when the housing has integrated therein locking means, such as for example a hook, that snaps onto the needle for fixedly retaining the same as the housing is pivoted to be in substantial alignment with the needle. The fluid that gets aerosolized or atomized oftentimes is contaminated, as for example contaminated blood carrying the HIV virus. Accordingly, there is a need for a needle sheath that prevents fluid collected at the needle from splattering.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The safety device of the present invention is an improvement of the '842 device. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,842 is incorporated by reference herein.
Specifically, to overcome the potential aerosolization or splashing of fluid when a needle sheath is pivoted to enclose a contaminated needle, a fluid absorbable material yieldable to a needle pressed thereagainst is provided to the upper portion of the needle sheath so that, as the needle is being enclosed by the being pivoted needle sheath, the needle would contact the fluid absorbable material. To ensure contact, the absorbable material is configured such that a portion thereof extends to a position whereby, if the needle sheath were to have integrated thereto a locking mechanism that fixedly retains the needle when the needle sheath is pivoted to be in substantial alignment with the needle, the absorbable material would first contact the needle so that whatever fluid that may have been collected at the needle is absorbed thereby, before the needle contacts the locking mechanism. Insofar as fluid collected at the needle is absorbed by the fluid absorbable material before the needle contacts the locking mechanism, any vibration of the needle due to contact between the locking mechanism and the needle which otherwise would have flicked the fluid from the needle is prevented.
In a second embodiment of the instant invention, to ensure that the needle does not contact anything other than the fluid absorbable material, a combination latch mechanism is provided at the base and the lower portion of the sheath to prevent the sheath from moving relative to the base once the former has been pivoted to a position in substantial alignment with the latter. The latch combination may be in the form of an extension at the base that fittingly mates with an opening at the sheath for anchoring the sheath to the base once the sheath has been pivoted thereto. A variant of the latch locking mechanism comprises two opposed openings at the lower portion of the sheath which, when the sheath is pivoted to a position in substantial alignment with the base, lock onto two corresponding tabs formed at the base. Once locked to the base, the sheath is prevented from further relative movement with respect to the base.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a safety device that prevents aerosolization or splashing of blood when a needle sheath is pivoted to fixedly retain the needle.


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