IL106542A - Locking safety catheter - Google Patents

Description

LOCKING SAFETY CATHETER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The preeent invention telntnn generally to mmllcnl needles and catheters and more particularly to a locking safety catheter.

BACKGROU D OF THE INVENTION As la well known In the medical profession, following use of a medical needle, the spent needle is usually manually broken to prevent any inadvertent reuse and diegarded to a biological waste container. However, there Is always a small possibility that the spent needle may inadvertently stick or scratch medical health personnel, thereby exposing the medical personnel to substantial health riek. Although such health risks have always been present* the magnitude of such health risks has recently become critical due to the prevalence of severe infectious diseases such as the IITLV virus (The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, i.e. AIDS Virus) and Hepatitis.

In recognizing the substantial safety hazards associated with inadvertent needle sticks* and/or contact With spent medical needles* various devices have recently been Introduced into the marketplace* which are designed to cover a spent needle after use. One such device presently being marketed comprises the IIR Needle sold by ICU Medical* Inc. of Laguna Hills* California* which - - functions to almost completely enclose the needle subsequent to use. However, this HR device does not provide a housing or protective cover for the needle tip. This, of course, leaves open the possibility of medical health personnel being accidently stuck or scratched. In addition, the HR needle, as well as other prior art safety needles, requires medical health personnel to utilize both hands in extending the needle safety cover over the spent needle. During such dual hand manipulation, there is always a possibility that one of the user's hands will slip from the guard device or syringe, whereby an inadvertent needle stick could occur.

The Japanese Laid Open Publication 63-229062 corresponding to U.S. Patent 4,832,696 discloses an assembly of needle and protector, comprising an elongated housing which mounts on the needle. A needle guard is slidably mounted within the housing and is adapted to be moved forward along the needle. Following use, the needle guard becomes permanently locked with the housing.

As such, there exists a substantial need in the art for an improved device for preventing an inadvertent needle stick from a spent medical needle, and further which allows the device to be used in a single hand of the user and to be manipulated in a simple motion to cover the spent needle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-referenced need associated in the prior art and comprises a single hand acutated locking safety catheter and needle assembly.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an over-the-needle catheter assembly, comprising a non-opaque housing including sidewalls and a first portion of a detente lock, a needle mounted to a needle mount formed upon said housing, a non-opaque needle guard slidably mounted to said housing including a second portion of a detente lock, a catheter hub support formed on said needle guard, an aperture formed within said needle mount, said aperture in fluid communication with said needle, and wherein the viewing of blood flashback within said aperture is facilitated due to the housing and needle guard being formed from a non-opaque material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These, as well as other features of the present invention will be more apparent upon reference to the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled single hand actuated locking safety catheter of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken about lines 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 3a is a perspective view of the single hand actuated locking safety catheter of the present invention depicting the same in its final locked orientation; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the single hand actuated locking safety catheter of the present invention being held in the hand of a user with the needle and catheter being inserted into a patient; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating the manner in which the device is manipulated in the single hand of a user to withdraw the needle from the patient, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention being manipulated by a single hand of a user to its final locked orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figures 1 through 3a, there is shown the single hand actuated locking safety catheter and needle assembly 10 of the present invention composed generally of a housing 12, needle guard 14, medical needle 16, catheter 18, catheter hub 20, and needle cover 22, all of which (except for the needle 16) are preferrably formed of a plastic material such as medical grade Injection molded polycarbonate, or polystyrene. The housing 12 is preferrably formed having an elongate rectangular cross-sectional configuration the outside surfaces of which are preferrably provided with plural ridges 24 adapted to be grasped by the hand of a user. As best shown in Figure 3, the interior of the housing 12 is provided with a central channel 26 extending throughout its length and includes a needle mount portion 28 which depends downwardly from the upper surface of the housing 12 adjacent one end thereof so as to be disposed within ghe interior of the central channel 26. The medical needle 16 is rigidly retained within an axial aperture formed within the needle mount portion 28, and extends outwardly from the housing 12 terminating at a bevelled tip 16(a). The interior sidewalls of the channel 26 formed within the housing 12 are provided with a pair of slots 30 which form a first portion of the detent mechanism to be described in more detail infra.

The needle guard 14 is preferrably formed as an elongate tubular member having an axial slot or aperture 15 extending substantially throughout the length of it's upper surface which is registered with the needle mount 28 formed within the interior of the housing 12. The needle guard 14 is preferrably fabricated having an external cross-sectional configuration formed in a complimentary configuration to the channel 26 of the housing 12, such that the needle guard 14 may be slidably moved relative the housing 12 along the length of the needle 16. One end of the needle guard 14 is provided with a catheter hub mount 32 having a central aperture 34 extending therethrough, the diameter of which is sized to be slightly greater that the diameter of the medical needle 16. An actuation tab 36 extends outwardly from one surface of the needle guard 14 to an elevation beyond the upper surface of the housing 12. The opposite end of the needle guard 14 is provided with a pair of locking ears 3B which are formed in a complimentary configuration to the locking slots 30 formed on the interior walls of the housing 12. The locking ears 38 form the second portion of the locking detent mechanism and are preferrably formed in the manufacturing process to be biased outwardly in the direction of the arrows indicated in Pigure 3. As will be recognized, this outward biasing is primarily effectuated by using plastic construction materials such as polystyrene and polycarbonate which have flexible memory properties in a thin wall form.

By such construction, it will be recognized that upon relative eliding movement of the needle guard 14, and the housing 12, the needle guard will travel from its relative orientation within the housing 12 as depicted in Figure 2, to a final orientation depicted in figure 3(a). During such sliding movement, the locking ears 38 cam against the interior walls of the channel 26 formed in the housing 12 and upon alignment of the locking ears 38 with the locking slots 30, the locking ears 38 automatically extend in a snapping action into engagement with the slots 30. By such engagement of the locking ears 38 within the locking slots 30, a locking detent mechanism is provided which permanently locks the needle guard 14 to the housing 12 wherein the medical needle 16 is disposed within the interior of the needle guard 14.

The catheter hub 20 and catheter 18 preferrably comprise a conventional luer-lock hub design which is carried upon the length of the needle 16. When positioned upon the length of the needle 16, the catheter hub 20 la registered by engagement with the catheter hub mount 32 formed on the needle guard 14. In addition, with the catheter hub 20 and catheter 18 carried upon the device 10, only the tip 16(a) of the medical needle 16 extends beyond the end of the catheter 18 to allow insertion of the needle 16 and catheter 18 into a patient.

The cover 22 is preferrably formed having an elongate fruBto-conical shape configuration terminating at a closed end 40. The opposite end of the cover 22 is provided with a pair of wings 42 which are sized to extend over a pair of locking ears 44 formed adjacent one end of the housing 12. As will be recognized, the cover 22 is formed to have an axial length and interior diameter sufficient to cover the catheter hub 20, catheter 18 and medical needle 16 when the same are assembled together.

With the structure defined, the method of utilizing the single hand actuated locking safety catheter and needle assembly 10 of the present invention, may be described with specific reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6. Preparatory to use, the cover 22 is removed from the houeing 12, thereby exposing the needle tip 16(a) catheter 18, and catheter hub 20, which is carried on the catheter hub mount 32 of the needle guard 14. A user, typically a medical technician, may then grasp the houeing 12 with one hand 60 and insert the needle tip 16(a) and catheter 18 into the patient 70 in a conventional manner, as depicted in Figure 4. Typically, the ridged side edges 24 of the housing 12 are grasped between the thumb 62 and middle finger 64 of the user's hand 60 with the index finger 66, being positioned behind the actuation tab 36. Due to the engagement of the rear surface of the actuation tab 36 with the upper surface of the houeing 12, rearward sliding movement of the needle guard 14 relative the housing 12 is prohibited, thereby allowing the needle 16 and catheter 18 to be easily inserted into the patient 70 aa depicted in Ftr-ire ,4. Additionally, when the needle 16 and catheter 18 is properly Inserted into the patient, the viewing of blood flashback within the aperture formed within the needle mount 28 is facilitated due to the housing 12 and needle guard 14 preferrably being formed from a transparent or semi-transparent material.

With the catheter 18 and catheter hub 20 remaining in the patient 70, the needle 16 may be withdrawn from the interior of the catheter 18 by the user merely preseing or urging moderately forward upon the rear surface of the actuation tab 36 with the index finger 66 while slidably retracting the housing 12 along the length of the needle guard 14 by way of the thumb, and middle finger 62 and 64 as illustrated in Figure 5. As will be recognized, in view of the needle 16 being mounted to the housing 12, during the sliding motion of the housing 12 relative the needle guard 14, the needle is withdrawn from the interior of the catheter 20 and disposed within the interior of the needle guard 14.

Continued sliding movement of the housing 12 relative the needle guard 14 causes the locking ears 38 to engage the complimentary shaped locking slots 30 formed within the interior of the housing 12 whereby the locking ears 38 automatically snap into the slots 30 forming a locking detent wherein the complete length of the needle 16 is disposed within the interior of the needle guard 14 (as best depicted in Figure 3(a). The entire assembly 10 may then be safely removed from the patient as illustrated in Figure 6 and subsequently be disgarded in a biological waste container. As will be recognized, the disgarding of the assembly 10 may be effectuated without fear of any inadvertent needle stick in view of the fact that the guard 14 extends completely about and encloses the needle 16, with the position of the needle guard 14 relative the housing being maintained by the lock detent mechanism. Subsequently, a conventional fluid line 80 nay be attached to the hub 20 of the catheter remaining with the patient From the above, it will be recognized that the present invention comprises a significant improvement in the art by allowing insertion of the catheter into the patient and subsequent withdrawal of the needle from the patient while allowing the catheter to remain therein by use of a single hand and a simple hand manipulation. Additionally, it will be recognized that the withdrawal of the needle lb from the patient may be effectuated without ever exposing the needle to the medical user, since the catheter hub mount 32 of the needle guard 14 may be maintained in engagement with the catheter hub 20 and not disengaged therefroro until such time as the entire needle 16 is disposed within the interior of the needle guard 14. Further it will be recognized that due construction and method of utilizing the present invention, a user may withdraw and subsequently lock the needle within the interior of the needle guard by use of a single hand and in a simple manipulative fashion.

Although for purposes of description, certain materials configurations and methodologies have been disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will recognize the various modifications to the same can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention and such modification clearly contemplated herein.

Claims (9)

WHAT IS CLAIMED 18:

1. An over-the-needle catheter assembly, comprising: a non-opaque housing including sidewalls and a first portion of a detente lock; a needle mounted to a needle mount formed upon said housing; a non-opaque needle guard slidably mounted to said housing including a second portion of a detente lock; a catheter hub support formed on said needle guard; an aperture formed within said needle mount, said aperture in fluid communication with said needle, and wherein the viewing of blood flashback within said aperture is facilitated due to the housing and needle guard being formed from a non-opaque material.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a catheter mountable upon said needle, said catheter having a catheter hub sized to be registered upon said catheter hub support such that, following insertion of said needle and said catheter into a patient: i) said housing and said needle may be concomitantly retracted relative to said needle guard, said concomitant retraction of said housing and said needle being operative to withdraw said needle from said catheter and into said needle guard, and, thereafter: ii) said catheter hub may be separated from said catheter hub support, allowing the housing, needle guard, and the needle positioned with said needle guard to be separated from the patient while the catheter and catheter hub remain with the patient.

3. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising an actuation tab formed on said needle g^Uard extending outwardly beyond said housing.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said housing is sized and configured such that it may be grasped with one hand of a user.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said actuation tab is sized, configured, and positioned such that it may be pressed in a first direction toward said catheter with one finger of said one hand of said user while said housing is slidably moved in a second direction, opposite said first direction, by said one hand of said user.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said needle guard is formed having a length sufficient to extend completely over the length of said needle prior to separation of housing and needle from said catheter and catheter hub.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said housing is sized and configured to be grasped between the thumb and middle finger of said one hand of said user.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said housing and said actuation tab are sized, configured, and positioned such that the index finger of said hand may be pressed against said activation tab in said first direction while the thumb and at least one other finger of said hand are employed to grasp said housing and to slidably move said housing in said second direction.

9. An over-the-needle catheter assembly according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. FOR THE APPLICANT: WOLFF, BREGMAN AND GOLLER