FR2700959A1 - Syringe with incorporated needle protection - Google Patents

Abstract

Syringe for medical, paramedical, biological or veterinary use, comprising a device making it possible to protect the needle mounted on the syringe in order to prevent any risk of injury by the needle after use. The device consists of a mobile part (16) located around the reservoir (7) of the syringe which, by pressure on the plunger (2) of the syringe, makes it possible, by virtue of the addition of mobile strips (3), to push this mobile part (16) around the needle (20). This thrust is exerted only when the user so decides and after having rotated the plunger (2) in the reservoir, allowing the strips to be brought above the mobile part (16). This rotation is carried out by virtue of the configuration of the upper ring (28) of the syringe. The outer wall of the syringe is formed by an outer sleeve (25) which surrounds the mobile part (16). It cannot be moved, allowing perfect stability when manipulating the syringe.

Description

Syringe with incorporated needle protection
Description
The present invention relates to a syringe for protecting a needle after use without handling the needle in order to prevent injury with the needle.

 it is traditionally necessary to handle the syringe with the needle mounted or withdraw the needle from the syringe to throw it in a suitable container. These manipulations with an unprotected needle expose to the risk of injury. Other systems allow the needle to be protected automatically after the plunger is pushed and not when the user so desires and use the very wall of the syringe as a needle protector, which involves a risk of triggering the mechanism unexpectedly and dangerous. The device according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks.

 It in fact comprises a movable part (16) located around the reservoir (7) of the syringe, and surrounded by an external sleeve (25). The device, by simply pressing the plunger of the syringe, allows, when the user so desires, thanks to the addition of movable rods (3) to the plunger, to push this movable part (16) around the needle (20 ).

According to particular embodiments of the syringe it may include
The syringe which is made up of two parts: the syringe itself (1)
the piston (2)
The description of the device must be understood with the syringe held vertically, the end where the needle (20) is fixed facing downwards.

The piston (fig 1)
Formed in one block, it includes: the piston itself (2)
two sticks (3)
The piston (2):
It does not differ from pistons for traditional uses.

Chopsticks (3)
Two in number, arranged around the piston (2) at 1800 from one another. They attach by their upper end to the lower internal face (against the plunger rod (2)) of the upper circular part (4) of the plunger rod which is usually used to push it into the syringe.

 A rod (3) is formed of two parts of equal length (5-6) forming between them an outwardly open angle (a) whose value depends on the length of the piston. The length of a rod is a little less than that of the piston. The width forms a narrow arc which can vary by a few degrees depending on the capacity of the syringe. The thickness of the strip is very small and should not exceed a few tenths of a millimeter. The major axis of the rod is oriented in the direction of the piston and forms an angle (ss) (between the upper part (5) of the rod and the piston (2)) of a few degrees open downward therewith. The minor axis (along the width direction) of the rod is oriented along a tangent of the syringe and the plunger.

 The angle (a) between the two parts of the body of the rod is such that the distance separating the lower end (8) of the rod and the piston is equal to the thickness of the reservoir of the syringe (7), when the rods (3) are in the pressed position to introduce the piston into the tank (see paragraph on operation).

The lower end: (8)
It is bent outwards and forms with the long axis of the rod an angle (y) to 900 or more precisely as it is orthogonal to the piston (2) when the rod is in the pressed position. The width (11) is two to three times, depending on the embodiments, that of the body of the rod (12).

The material
used to make the piston (2) and the rods (3) allows, at moderate pressure on the rods to bring them together until the upper part (5) of the rods touch the piston (2) so as to the end of the lower part (6) of the rod is separated from the piston by the thickness of the wall of the syringe, the lower end (8) of the syringe being orthogonal to the long axis of the piston as seen previously .

The syringe (1) (fig 2)
It is made up of different parts. Each will be described separately. Their reports will be described in a second step.

The tank (7)
Compared to traditional syringes, it has on its external surface, two rounded reliefs (9), with sessile implantation, located at the lower end, making the entire circumference of the reservoir except in the extension (downwards) of the orifices n01 ( 10), orifices n02 (13) and leaks (14). These two reliefs (9) are separated from each other by the distance corresponding to the height of the reliefs (11-23) located on the internal face of the movable part (16).

 The thickness of these reliefs (9) is equal to the length of the lower end of the strip (8) plus the thickness of the strip (3).

 A third relief (12) is located at the upper end of the reservoir (7) a short distance from the rim of the syringe. It goes around the tank except in the extension (downwards) of the ports n01 (10), n02 (13) and the vents (14).

 Two very fine linear reliefs (15) unite from the bottom up the upper edge of the reliefs (9) and lower reliefs (12) of the reservoir (fig 7) located in the extension (downwards) of each orifice n01 (10) . They extend exactly, in height to the lower end of the outer edge of the orifice n01 (10), that is to say at the height of the lower edge of the upper relief (12) of the outer face of the tank. They are separated from each other, in the extension of each orifice n 1, by a distance corresponding to the width of orifice n01 (10). There are therefore four linear reliefs (15).

 NB: The reliefs located on the mobile part (11-23) and those located on the tank (912) do not go to orifice n 2, but stop at a distance from the lateral edge of orifice n02 equal to half the width (11) of the lower end of the strip (8).

 Compared to traditional reservoirs, this comprises a circular crown (19) surrounding the zone of insertion of the needle on the syringe.

The mobile part (16) (fig 2)
It has the shape of a hollow cylinder (17) and is located around the tank (7).

 Its lower end is formed by a circular crown (18) which surrounds and marries that of the reservoir (19) surrounding the needle (20). This cylindrical ring is connected to the hollow cylinder (17) which surrounds the tank (7) by a part (21) which is applied to the bottom of the tank (22).

 The hollow cylinder (17) surrounds the reservoir (7) up to a height equal to that of the mid-height of the upper relief (12) of the reservoir. The hollow cylinder (17) has at its upper end, on its internal face, a rounded relief (11), with sessile implantation, of small thickness (less than that of the reliefs (9-12) of the external face of the reservoir), located on the same arc of circumference as the lower reliefs (9) of the external face of the tank.

An identical relief (23) is located at the lower part of the hollow cylinder (17), also on its internal face.

 There is at the upper end of the hollow cylinder (17) an orifice (24) passing through its wall right through, of low height, located on the same arc of circumference as the reliefs (9) of the external face of the tank ( that is to say making the circumference of the syringe except in the extension (downwards) of the orifices of the upper ring (28)), a little lower than the upper relief (11) of the movable part ( 16).

The outer sleeve (25)
The movable part (16) is lined with a fixed external sleeve (25), the upper part of which is attached to the lower face of the upper ring (28) of the syringe.

 The lower part of the outer sleeve (25) ends at the same height as the bottom of the tank (22). The lower edge of the sleeve is lined with a flexible plastic ring (26) which slightly covers the movable part (16) by pressing it down and fixing it against the bottom of the tank (22). This ring has on its internal face a relief (27) whose shape is such that it is capable of fitting into the orifice (24) located in the upper part of the hollow cylinder (17) of the movable part (16 ) (fig 9 bis).

 The space separating the external face of the reservoir (7) from the internal face of the external sleeve (25) is very precisely equal to the thickness of the reliefs (9-12) of the external sleeve added to the thickness of the reliefs (11- 23) of the movable part (16) and of the thickness of the wall of the movable part (16).

The upper ring (28)
It has an internal part and an external part.

The external part (fig 3- fig 3 bis)
It is the surface of the upper ring (28). It has 4 opposing openings two by two and whose internal edge is located on the external wall of the tank (7). The first (orifice n01 (10)) (fig 3; fig 4) has a length (in a direction tangent to the syringe) equal to twice the width of the lower end (8) of a rod (3). The width (in the direction of the radius of the syringe) is equal to the thickness of the reliefs (9-12) located on the external face of the reservoir (fig 2). The orifice n01 (10) is located in the extension (upwards) of the external surface of the tank which does not have the external reliefs (9-12) described above (fig 4). One of the lateral edges of the orifice is formed by the solid part of the ring (31) (fig 3). The other lateral edge is formed by the edge of the hole (32).

 The second (orifice n02 (13)) (fig 3; fig 5) has a length (in a direction tangent to the syringe) equal to the width of the body of a rod and a width (in the direction of the radius of the syringe ) equal to the distance between the external wall of the reservoir (7) and the internal wall of the external sleeve (25) (fig 5).

An orifice n01 (10) is connected with the nearest orifice n02 (13) by a thin hole (14) (fig 3; fig 6) having a width (in the direction of the radius of the syringe)
The thickness of the long axis of a rod (3). Its outer limit is formed by the solid part of the ring (31).

The internal part
It is the extension in depth of the external part.

 Port n01 (10) (fig 4). The outer edge (29) is very thin. This edge (29) is doubled externally by the upper part of the movable part (16). It extends downwards to the height of the upper part of the upper relief (11) located on the internal face of the mobile part (16). It (29) extends on the side to the opposite end of the port (14).

It (29) is traversed on its internal face by two fine horizontal reliefs (30) located for one at the level of the lower edge of the port (14), for the other at the height of the upper edge of the movable part (16 ) when it is in the retracted position (fig 4 bis).

 The pertuis (14) (fig 6; fig 6bis)). It is not very thick. According to the possible embodiments, it may have a height ranging from the upper edge of the upper ring (28) to a quarter or a third of the distance separating the upper end of the movable part (16) (in the retracted position) and the outer surface of the upper ring (28).

 Port n02 (13) (fig 3; fig 5). One of the lateral edges of the orifice is formed by the solid part of the ring (31). The other lateral edge is formed by the edge of the hole (33). The outer edge is formed by the inner face of the outer sleeve (25). Its length (in a direction tangent to the syringe) is equal to once the width of the body of the rod.

 The solid part of the ring (31). Its height goes from the upper edge of the ring to the upper relief of the external face of the tank (12) (fig 2). It extends from the outer wall of the reservoir (7) to the outer sleeve (25), and is extended at the surface by the upper ring of the reservoir (28).

Operation Basic state
The syringe is available while the movable part (16) is inserted along the external face of the external edge (29) of the orifice n01 (10), in the space between the external surface of the reservoir (7) and the inner face of the outer sleeve of the syringe (fig 4).

The movable part (16) is fixed to the rest of the syringe via
~ of the upper part of its upper relief (11) pressed against the
lower part of the upper relief (12) of the external face of the
tank (7).

~ its lower relief (23) applied in the space between the two
reliefs (9) lower of the external face of the tank.

~ the flexible plastic ring (26) which surrounds the end
lower of the outer sleeve (25) and presses on the part
circular of the movable part (21) which connects the lower end
circular (18) to the hollow cylinder (17).

~ of the lower circular part (18) which surrounds the end
bottom of the tank.

 The piston (2) is inserted into the tank (7), the rods located in the arcs of circles where there is no relief on the external face of the tank (7).

Piston movements
The plunger (2) is movable in the syringe like any conventional plunger. The piston (2) is separable from the reservoir (7) without any particular handling technique apart from a pull on the piston (2) slightly stronger when the lower end of the rod comes opposite the outer edge (29) of orifice n01 (10). To reinsert it, it is necessary to exert a slight pressure on the upper half (5) of the rods (3) so as to make them touch the piston itself. It is then possible to insert the piston (2) in the tank (7) and the rods in the holes n01 (fig 4).

 It is then possible to mobilize the piston (2) without moving the mobile part (16).

Needle protection
Two ways
Medium 1
It is necessary to initiate a movement of withdrawal of the piston (2) from the reservoir (7) until positioning the lower end of the rod (8) between the two fine horizontal reliefs (30) located on the internal face of the external edge (29 ) from port n01 (10) (fig 4 bis). The resistance formed by the lower relief (30) on the lower end of the strip (8) allows the user to locate the latter between these two reliefs.

 By carrying out a rotation movement of the piston (2), the long axis of the rod is brought into the orifice n02 (13). The rod tending to regain its natural shape deviates from the axis of the reservoir (7) and abuts against the internal face of the external sleeve (25) (fig 5). The rod is then located above the movable part (16). By pushing the piston (2) back into the tank (7), the rods (3) push the mobile part (16) down until the upper relief (11) of the mobile part (16) s 'fits between the two lower reliefs (9) of the external wall of the tank (fig 8). At this instant, the relief (27) of the flexible plastic ring (26) of the external sleeve (25) fits into the orifice of the upper end (24) of the hollow cylinder (17) of the movable part (16) (fig 2 bis). It can no longer be mobilized. The needle (20) is then protected (fig 9-fig 9 bis).

Medium 2
There is no need to initiate a movement of withdrawal of the piston (2) from the reservoir (7) until positioning the lower end of the rod (8) between the two fine horizontal reliefs (30) located on the internal face of the external edge (29) of the orifice n01 (10) (fig 4 bis). The user performs a rotation movement of the piston (2), to bring the major axis of the rod into the orifice n02 (13). To perform this rotation, the user must force the passage of the relief (15). The rod then abuts against the internal face of the movable part (16). The user then begins a movement of withdrawal of the piston (2) from the reservoir (7) until the lower end of the rod (8) is positioned above the movable part (16). The rod (3) tending to regain its natural shape deviates from the axis of the reservoir (7) and abuts against the internal face of the external sleeve (25) (fig 5). It then suffices to push back the piston (2), as previously described in the paragraph "means 1".

 The device according to the invention is particularly intended for syringes for medical, paramedical, biological, veterinary use.

Claims (8)

Claims  1 syringe comprising a movable internal device allowing the protection of the needle when the user decides it characterized in that it comprises a movable part (16), an external sleeve (25) with fixed walls, a reservoir (7) in which a piston (2) with rods (3) can circulate, and an upper ring (28) whose specific conformation comprising four opposing orifices two by two allows the proper functioning of the mechanism.  2 syringe according to claim 1 characterized in that the piston (2) comprises two rods (3) flexible by the pressure of the fingers which serve to mobilize the movable part (16) of the device.  3 Syringe according to claim 2 characterized in that the piston (2) and the rods (3) can be separated and reintroduced at will into the reservoir (7).  4 Syringe according to claim 1 characterized in that the movable part (16), protected by a stationary external sleeve (25), is effectively fixed to the reservoir (7) by its circular crown (18), by the ring of flexible plastic (26) of the external sleeve (25), by reliefs (9-12) located on the external part of the tank.  5 syringe according to claim I characterized in that the upper ring (28) of the syringe has four opposite holes two by two (holes n01 (10) and n02 (13)) connected by a hole (14) allowing insertion rods (3) of the piston (2) through the orifice n01 (10) and their rotation in the hole (14).  6 Syringe according to claim 2 characterized in that the rods (3) of the piston (2) cannot cause the thrust of the movable part (16) when they are introduced into the syringe through the orifice n01 (10).  7 Syringe according to claim 1 characterized in that a rotation of the piston (2) allows the thrust of the movable part (16) when the piston is pushed back and that the rod is located in the orifice n02 (13). This rotation takes place via the port (14) as well when the lower end of the rod (8) is located at the height of the upper ring (28) of the syringe as if it is at another height in the syringe.  8 Syringe according to claim 1 characterized in that the movable part (16), once pushed, remains integral with the rest of the syringe and fixed by virtue of its upper relief (11) positioned between the reliefs (9) located on the external face of the reservoir (7) and the flexible plastic ring (26) of the lower part of the external sleeve (25), the relief (27) of which is introduced into the upper orifice of the movable part (16).