Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2001-03-27
Jasko, John (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206856
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to syringes for use with hypodermic needles. In particular, the present invention relates to a needle-syringe assembly which withdraws the sharp point of the hypodermic needle following use so as to render it non-reusable. An over-the-needle (OTN) catheter may also be used with the syringe assembly of the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A hypodermic needle has many applications in modern medicine. One application is to fit the hypodermic needle onto a syringe and to then insert the needle into a person's body for intra-muscular, subcutaneous, or intravenous injection of medications. Another application of the hypodermic needle is to coaxially mount a catheter over a hypodermic needle and to puncture a vein of a person's body with the needle. Following needle puncture, the over-the-needle (OTN) catheter is advanced into the vein, the needle is removed, and the catheter is connected to an intravenous line for fluid infusions into the vein.
A hypodermic needle entering into a patient's body is invariably contaminated by the patient's blood and body fluids. Following use of the needle, the needle presents a risk to physicians, nurses, and other health care personnel because the needle might transmit an infection or disease to such personnel if it were to accidentally puncture them. Thus, health care personnel are in constant danger of contracting infections and diseases, some of which may be deadly. Other potential victims of accidental needle punctures include sanitation workers who later dispose of garbage containing the hypodermic needle. The diseases which may be transmitted by a contaminated hypodermic needle include Immune Deficiency Virus, Hepatitis, Rabies, Kure, Encephalitis, and Arbor viruses. The outcome of contracting one of these diseases is often fatal because there are no known cures for any of these diseases. Often a needle puncture in a person's skin is so trivial that it remains unrecognized until the person becomes seriously ill.
Many existing OTN catheters suffer from penetration problems because of long length needles and unsecured needle supports. In addition, many existing OTN catheters still present the danger of causing needle pricks due to ineffective encasement of the needles following use.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a hypodermic needle assembly which overcomes the above-noted drawbacks associated with many existing assemblies.
The problem of suffering accidental needle punctures is well recognized. As a result, enormous inventive effort has been devoted to concealing the sharp needle point of hypodermic needles. One such effort is described in the present applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,311, issued Aug. 16, 1994.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of this invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly which provides a simple and reliable mechanism to retract the needle after it has been used.
Another aspect of the present invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly which facilitates fabrication, and reduces the cost, of the assembly.
Still another aspect of the present invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly which facilitates the operation of the assembly, particularly when it is desired to retract the needle prior to disposing of the needle-syringe assembly.
Another aspect of the present invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly which improves the acceptability of the assembly by providing an external appearance which is virtually the same as that of conventional hypodermic needle assemblies which do not provide for needle retraction.
A further aspect of the invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly that has the same length as conventional hypodermic needle assemblies which do not provide for needle retraction.
Another aspect of the invention comprises an improved needle-syringe assembly in which linear movements are employed for normal use and rotary movements for retracting and locking the needle in the syringe.
Yet another aspect of the invention comprises a needle-syringe assembly which provides for conventional operation for normal use, while needle retraction, once voluntarily activated, is automatic and complete.
Still another aspect of the invention comprises a needle-syringe assembly wherein the retracted position of the needle avoids puncture of the barrel and accidental sticking of medical staff.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a syringe assembly, operable in a normal mode and convertible to a retraction mode, comprises a safety syringe assembly which includes an elongated, generally cylindrical barrel having a hollow interior forming a hollow nozzle located at a distal end of said barrel and opening into the interior of said barrel, a plunger slidably mounted in said barrel and having a longitudinal cavity, a needle holder slidably mounted in said longitudinal cavity of said plunger for movement between an advanced position in which a needle on the distal end of said needle holder projects from a distal end of said nozzle and a retracted position in which said needle is retracted within said barrel, elastic biasing means mounted inside said barrel and coupled to said needle holder for urging said needle holder toward its retracted position, and a latch releasably engageable with said needle holder and movable between a closed position in which said needle holder is latched to hold said needle holder in its advanced position against the urging of said biasing means, and an open position in which said needle holder is unlatched to allow said biasing means to move said needle holder to its retracted position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is further provided an over-the-needle catheter and means for releasably securing the catheter to the above syringe assembly.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of sequential alignment and “single-stroke” in-barrel assembly of components which permits economical production of the device.
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patent:
Jasko John
Jenkens & Gilchrist
Rudisill Stephen G.
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