Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-07-17
Seidel, Richard K. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C128S919000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261264
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to safety cap assemblies for needles, and in particular, safety cap assemblies for needles used in health-care related procedures.
Needles are employed in a wide variety of dental and medical procedures, including giving vaccines to patients, the injection of antibiotics, anesthetics, medicines, etc., the drawing of blood samples, intravenous feedings, and so on. Virtually all of these procedures subject medical personnel to the dangers of accidental sticking of the needle into a portion of their own bodies. The danger to the medical professional is primarily due to the possibility of accidentally injecting him or herself with an infectious pathogen derived from the patient after an injection has been delivered to the patient. At the present time, one need only mention the dread acronym “AIDS”, (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) to understand the very real fears of the health professional.
Numerous devices have been suggested and employed to alleviate this problem. However, these devices and techniques require the knowledgeable, conscious cooperation of the physician, dentist or nurse. Any distraction at the moment a used needle should be safety capped can result in a needle remaining uncapped, and hence a danger to anyone who might come in contact with it. This invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a safety cap for needles that automatically safety caps the needle at the precise moment the needle is withdrawn from the patient.
The present invention is an improvement of the invention disclosed in applicant's recently issued patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,070
An object of the present invention is to provide a safety cap assembly for needles which automatically safety caps a needle at the moment the needle is withdrawn from a patient, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of accidental needle sticking the provider of the service.
A further object of the invention is to provide for automatic safety capping of used needles without the requirement of any operator attention.
An additional object of the invention is to provide for automatic safety capping of used needles without the requirement of any operator manipulation to accomplish this safety capping.
Still another object is to provide an automatic safety cap assembly for needles which is light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture.
An additional object of the invention, is to provide an automatic safety cap assembly that does not inadvertently expose a used needle.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic safety cap assembly for virtually any length and gauge of needle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are obtained in the instant invention of a safety needle cap for needles used in health-care related procedures.
A safety needle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a hub; a hollow needle having a tip and defining a longitudinal axis, the needle being attached to the hub distal the tip; and a safety needle cap sub-assembly attached to the hub. The safety needle cap sub-assembly comprises a cap with a front wall and a depending sidewall defining a cup-shaped interior volume, the front wall having an opening therethrough for receiving the needle therethrough; a resilient compressible sheath attaching the cap to the hub along the needle axis, the cap having a first normal quiescent needle safety position wherein the cap opening is positioned beyond the tip relative to the hub and wherein the sheath is pliable such that the cap normally is positioned so that the opening is displaced offset from the needle longitudinal axis for capturing the needle tip in the cap interior volume, the cap having a needle ready second retracted position compressing the sheath so the sheath urges the cap toward the first normal needle safety position such that the needle passes through the cap opening and is exposed for use such that release of the cap from the retracted position permits the cap to displace to the first position; and an extension member extending solely rearwardly from and at the cap for restraining the cap in the needle ready second position.
In one aspect, an enclosure is included for the assembly including an outer wall defining a cavity for receiving the cap, sheath, hub and a portion of the extension member, a second portion of the extension member extending beyond the enclosure.
In a further aspect, the extension member is juxtaposed with the hub and is pressed to the hub by the enclosure to restrain the cap in the second position.
The extension member is preferably flexible and in a further aspect the extension member comprises a thermoplastic film.
In a further aspect, the extension is an elongated rod with at least one articulated joint. The extension member may be a relatively stiff elongated element.
In a further aspect, at least one further extension member is secured to the cap.
The extension member is preferably molded one piece integral with the cap. A safety needle cap assembly for use with a hub portion for holding a needle according to a further aspect, the assembly comprises a safety needle cap having at least a front face portion, and side wall means connected to the front face portion and extending in a rearward direction from the front face portion a minimum distance to a rear end.
In a further aspect, the elastic compressible sheath means receives the needle therethrough and has a first end connected to the safety needle cap and a second end for connection to the hub portion. At least one cap extension member is secured to and extends substantially in the rearward direction from the safety needle cap towards the hub portion. The front face portion of the safety needle cap has at least a first opening for receiving the needle therethrough. The safety needle cap is constructed to prevent the passage therethrough of the needle other than through the first opening, so that when the needle is attached to the hub portion, and when the needle is positioned within the elastic sheath means with the second end of the sheath means being connected to the hub portion in a pre-ready condition, and when the cap is positioned so that a first axis of the first opening in the front face portion of the cap is in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the needle, the needle within the cap can be passed through the opening in the front face portion of the cap to a ready position, the cap sliding in the rearward direction relative to the needle causing the elastic sheath means to be compressed so that when the needle is withdrawn during a procedure involving injecting the needle into a patient, and the compressed elastic sheath means is released, the cap is automatically urged forward by the releasing elastic sheath means over the tip of needle and beyond to a released condition, with the opening in the cap out of alignment with the axial alignment of the needle, the minimum distance that the side wall means extends in the rearward direction and the length of the elastic sheath means in the released condition being sufficient such that the tip of the needle in the pre-ready or released condition of the elastic sheath means is captured within a volume defined by the front face portion and the rear end of said side wall.
In a further aspect, the extension member is coplanar with the sidewall means. Preferably the extension member is a pliable film. The extension member and cap are preferably one piece integral thermoplastic material
In a further aspect, the extension member extends rearwardly a distance sufficient to be juxtaposed with the hub.
In a further aspect, a hub is secured to the elastic sheath means rearwardly of and distal the cap, the extension member extending juxtaposed with and beyond the hub.
Preferably the extension member is secured radially outwardly of and to the sidewall means.
In a still further aspect, the extension member is an elongated pliable flap having a transverse width greater than its thickness.
In a further aspect, the safety needle cap further comprises a rear face portion d
Carella Byrne Bain Gilfillan
Seidel Richard K.
Squire William
Thanh Loan H.
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