Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-02
2001-12-11
Seidel, Richard K. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S164010, C604S164020, C604S164060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a needle assembly having a needle with a sharp needle distal end, and an elongate blunting device which can be used to prevent penetration trauma by the sharp needle distal end.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Needle assemblies are used for various medical purposes such as withdrawing fluids from a body of a person, in particular blood from a vein or an artery, providing fluids to a body of a person or for inserting an object such as a catheter into a vein or an artery.
A needle assembly includes a needle having a sharp needle distal end. The sharp needle distal end is used to pierce a body and is inserted into fluids in the body. Body fluids may include viruses which can transfer diseases to medical personnel. Once the needle is removed from the body, care should be taken that the sharp needle distal end does not penetrate into the body of any medical personnel.
An elongate blunting device may be used for preventing penetration trauma of such a sharp needle distal end. The elongate blunting device may be located within a needle cannula of the needle and be moveable by a shifting member from a retracted position wherein a blunting device distal end of the elongate blunting device is retracted into the needle cannula, to an extended position wherein the blunting device distal end extends out of the needle cannula, thereby preventing the sharp needle distal end from penetrating the body of any medical personnel.
A blood flow passage can be provided through the needle and a flash chamber may be in communication with the blood flow passage so that blood can flow from the blood flow passage into an internal volume of the flash chamber. The flash chamber is typically made of a material through which blood can be seen when located within the internal volume. Medical personnel can then see when the sharp needle distal end pierces a vein or artery because blood would then flow from the sharp needle distal end into the internal volume of the flash chamber. In order for blood to flow from the sharp needle distal end into the flash chamber it is required that air located within passages within the needle assembly be vented out of these passages. The present invention primarily concerns itself with venting of air from such passages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to a needle assembly of the kind having a needle, an elongate blunting device, a shifting member, and a flash chamber. The needle is of the kind that has a needle proximal end, a sharp needle distal end and a needle cannula extending therethrough. The elongate blunting device is at least partially located within the needle cannula. The elongate blunting device is of the kind that has a blunting device proximal end, a blunting device distal end, and a blunting device blood flow passage therethrough through which blood can flow from the blunting device distal end to the blunting device proximal end. The shifting member can be actuated to move relative to the needle and, upon movement relative to the needle, causes movement to the elongate blunting device from a retracted position wherein the blunting device distal end is retracted into the needle cannula so that the sharp needle distal end can penetrate the body, to an extended position wherein the blunting device distal end extends out of the needle cannula so as to prevent the sharp needle distal end from penetrating the body. The flash chamber is of the kind that has an internal volume which in communication with the blunting device blood flow passage so that the blood can flow from the blunting device blood flow passage into the internal volume. The flash chamber is at least partially made of a material through which blood can be seen when located in the internal volume.
According to one aspect of the invention, an air venting passage is provided in the blunting device proximal end through which air can be vented from the blunting device blood flow passage substantially in a direction in which blood flows through the blunting device blood flow passage.
The air venting passage may, for example, be an air venting opening having dimensions which allow air through but which substantially prevent blood through. Alternatively, the air venting passage may be provided by a porous member which allows air through but which substantially prevents blood through.
According to another aspect of the invention an air venting passage is provided through which air can be vented from the blunting device blood flow passage. When blood flows into the blunting device blood flow passage, the air venting passage substantially prevents the blood from flowing therethrough.
According to another aspect of the invention the elongate blunting device may include an elongate blunting member and a blunt holding member. The elongate blunting member is at least partially located within the needle cannula and has a blunting member proximal end, a blunting member distal end, and a blunting member blood flow passage through which blood can flow from the blunting member distal end to the blunting member proximal end. The elongate blunting member has a blunting member blood exit opening through which the blood can flow out of the blunting member blood flow passage. The blunt holding member is secured to the proximal end of the elongate blunting member and has a surface facing the blunting member blood exit opening with a cavity defined between the surface and the blunting member exit opening so that blood can flow into the cavity. The internal volume of the flash chamber is in communication with the cavity so that blood can flow from the cavity into the internal volume.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4610671 (1986-09-01), Luther
patent: 4619643 (1986-10-01), Bai
patent: 4828547 (1989-05-01), Sahi et al.
patent: 5009642 (1991-04-01), Sahi
patent: 5201712 (1993-04-01), Bryant
patent: 5472430 (1995-12-01), Vaillancourt et al.
patent: 5540662 (1996-07-01), Nicholson
patent: 5743882 (1998-04-01), Luther
Miller Michael L.
Solomon Donald D.
Blakely & Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
Ethicon Inc.
Seidel Richard K.
Sirmons Kevin C.
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