GB2262451A

GB2262451A - Dental syringe needle protector

Info

Publication number: GB2262451A
Application number: GB9127166A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tze Chuen Ng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-12-20
Filing date: 1991-12-20
Publication date: 1993-06-23
Also published as: GB9127166D0

Abstract

A protector for a dental syringe needle comprises a sheath 7, which can be slid over the syringe body and can be locked at a position to fully cover the needle before and after injection and at intervals with the needle exposed between multiple injections. The sheath 7 is universally usable on any syringe of any size between 11 mm and 13 mm by virtue of a ring 1 and screw 2 locking device, which can be anchored to the syringe. The protector is also universally applicable to both long and short needles ranging from 34 mm to 45 mm by virtue of the interlocking contrivance involving the head of the screw 2 and concavities 6B and 6C in a long and narrow slot 5 along the sheath 7. The slot 5 provides a free passage for the sheath 7 over the screw 2. In a modification the locking device is permanently welded onto a detachable metal cap at the needle end of the syringe to fit syringes of a fixed size. The protector precludes accidental pricking of the finger by contaminated dental needles. <IMAGE>

Description

THE DESCRIPTION DENTAL SYRINGE NEEDLE PROTECTOR This invention relates to a dental syringe needle protector.

Dentists and dental nurses run the risk of having their fingers pricked by syringe needles used for injection of anaesthetic. The risk is much increased by frequent removal and replacing of the needle cap in the course of multiple injections for a patient. Dentists and nurses are, therefore, exposed to blood transmittable diseases such as AIDS from their patients if they are wounded by contaminated needles.

According to the present invention there is provided a needle protector comprising (1) a sheath over the body of the syringe and (2) a locking device consisting of a ring and screw; the sheath being in the form of a tube with a long and narrow opening to facilitate free sliding of the sheath over the body of the syringe after the locking device with the screw protruding has been fastened onto the needle-end of the syringe; the locking device being adaptable to syringe bodies of different diameters ranging from 11 mm to 13 mm and the screw in the locking device acting as an anchor to secure the sheath to the syringe at different positions by interlocking with any one of the three concavities along the long and narrow opening in the sheath, through which contrivance the length of the sheath is adjustable to fully cover both short and long needles and to leave sufficient dead space between the needle point and the free end of the sheath so as to prevent accidental pricking of finger when replacing the needle cap by insertion through the free end of the sheath.

The needle protector may take a different form by having the ring and screw locking device permanently welded onto a detachable metal cap at the needle-end of the syringe.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 shows in perspective the protector comprising the sheath and the ring and screw locking device in two separate parts.

Figure 2 shows the protector in position over the body of the syringe.

Figure 3 illustrates the protector being slid forward towards the needle-end of the syringe to allow loading of cartridge (with anaesthetic) from sideways while the needle cap is in place.

Figure 4 illustrates the protector being slid backward or retracted to its original position to fully expose the needle for injection.

Figure 5 shows the protector being slid forward again after injection to block off the needle.

Figure 6 illustrates replacing of the needle cap by insertion through the protector.

Figure 7 illustrates retraction of-the protector back to its original position to allow the capped needle to be detached from the syringe.

Figure 8 shows in perspective the protector in a different form comprising the sheath (without modification) and the ring and screw device being permanently welded onto a detachable metal cap at the needle-end of the syringe.

Referring to the drawings, the protector comprises a sheath 7 in the form of a tube made of autoreclavable clear hard plastic and a separate ring 1 and screw 2 locking device also made of plastic. The clear plastic gives the protector transparentness to allow inspection of the level of anaesthetic or other liquids in the syringe. The diameter of ring 1 is adjustable by the screw 2 in order to fit syringes of different sizes ranging from 11 mm to 13 mm in diameter.

The sheath is open at both ends but is thicker at one end, viz. the diameter at the needle-end 3 is slightly smaller than that at the other end 4 so that the protector rests on the ring 1 when it is fastened onto the head of syringe towards the needle's end by the screw 2. The sheath is 60 mm in length to fully cover the usual dental needles ranging from 34 mm to 45 mm in length. The long and narrow opening 5 clears the path of the sheath over the screw 2 when it is slid forward and backward over the syringe. The concavities 6A, 6B and 6C along the opening 5 interlock with the screw 2 by rotating the sheath so as to secure the sheath at any one of three fixed positions.

The protector may take a different form as shown in Fig.8 by having a modified locking device 10 permanently welded onto a detachable metal cap at the needle-end of the syringe.

The ring 1 is first fastened onto the syringe by the screw 2 as shown in Fig.2. Then the sheath 7 is slid over the syringe as shown in Fig.2.

In order to load the cartridge 8 of anaesthetic the sheath 7 is slid forward towards the needle's end as shown in Fig.3. The sheath is locked to screw 2 at the concavity 6B for short needle or at the concavity 6C for long needle, so the sheath 7 is secured at a position fully covering the length of the needle, exposing only the end of the needle cap 9 as shown in Fig.3.

For injection, the sheath 7 is slid backward towards its original position as shown in Fig.4. The sheath is locked to the screw 2 at the concavity 6A.

After injection, the sheath 7 is slid forward again as shown in Fig.5 before the needle cap 9 is replaced. As the sheath 7 is long enough to provide a dead space between the needle point and the opening 3 of the sheath and as the diameter at the opening 3 is smaller, accidental contact of the finger with the needle point is blocked off.

The needle cap 9 is replaced through the opening 3 of the sheath 7 as shown in Fig.6 so as to eliminate chances of pricking the finger in the course of capping the needle.

In order to detach the needle (with the needle cap 9 intact) from the syringe, the sheath 7 is retracted to its original position as shown in Fig.7.

Claims

DENTAL SYRINGE NEEDLE PROTECTOR

CLAIM(S) 1. A dental syringe needle protector comprising (1) a sheath in the form of a tube with both ends open, the body being adapted to facilitate free sliding of the sheath over the body of the syringe and to allow the sheath to be secured at different positions for covering or exposing the needle to suit different purposes; and (2) a locking device being adaptable to syringe bodies of different diameters for acting as an anchor to secure the sheath to the syringe at different positions.
2. A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a long and narrow opening is provided in the body of the sheath to facilitate free sliding of the sheath over the body of syringe.
3. A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least three concavities are provided along the long and narrow opening in the sheath for interlocking with the locking device by rotating the sheath, through which contrivance the length of the sheath is adjustable to expose the needle or to fully cover both short and long needles and to leave sufficient dead space between the needle point and the free end of the sheath.
A A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the sheath is open at both ends but is thicker at one end, viz. the diameter at the needle-end is slightly smaller than that at the other end so that it is easier to fix into the syringe and to allow the protector to rest on the locking device when it is fastened onto the head of syringe towards the needle's end.
5. A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheath is made of autoreclavable clear hard plastic so that it gives the protector transparentness to allow inspection of the level of liquids in the syringe.
6. A dental syringe needle protector as calimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3, wherein a locking device consisting of--a ring and a screw fastened onto the needle end of the syringe; the diameter of the ring is adjustable by the screw to fit syringes of different diameters and the screw provides anchor for the sheath and facilitates the sheath to be secured at different positions.
7. A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the locking device is also made of autoreclavable clear hard plastic.
8. A dental syringe needle protector substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-7 of the Drawings.
9. A dental syringe needle protector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the locking device is modified by having it permanently welded onto a detachable metal cap at the needle end of the syringe to fit syringes of a fixed size.
10. A dental syringe needle protector modified for dental syringe having a detachable metal cap substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 8 of the Drawings.