JP2012071170A - Duckbill and needle guard mechanism with equally treated releasing force of duckbill release mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a needle guard for protecting a user and others from a sharp distal end of a needle after pulling out from a patient.SOLUTION: A safety catheter device includes: a catheter hub 220; a catheter tube 226; a needle hub; a needle 52; a housing 230 adapted to slidably receive the needle shaft 56. In the device, the needle shaft is held in the second position in the housing 230 by a functional member gripping the needle shaft 56, the housing 230 includes a pair of cooperating members 250, 252 extending to distal ends toward distal ends, a passageway 258 is formed between the cooperating members, a portion of the passageway 258 extending between the distal ends, and the passageway 258 is nominally sized along its length to slidably receive the needle shaft 56 freely therethrough.

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical needle (for example, a hypodermic needle, a catheter insertion needle, a catheter insertion cannula, a hollow cannula having another sharp tip, or a solid cannula having another sharp tip. More particularly, it relates to a needle guard for protecting the user and others from the sharp tip of the needle after withdrawal from the patient.

  Due to the need to reduce or eliminate accidental needle sticks, there are various types of needle guards to protect, ie surround or otherwise shield, the sharp needle tip. , Developed and proposed. Some needle guards include a housing for enclosing substantially the entire needle shaft and needle tip, such as the PROTECTIV Safety IV catheter marketed by Applicant Medex. The other needle guard includes a clip that moves along the needle shaft so as to surround the tip after use, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Still another needle guard provides a housing that moves along the needle shaft in a state in which a functional member is enclosed so that the tip of the needle can be fixed in a state where the tip is located inside the housing. The needle guard of a particularly advantageous form includes an inclined plate (canted plate) as a functional member as disclosed in Patent Document 2.

  In the inclined plate device of patent document 2, a housing is provided as what a needle penetrates. Inside the housing, the inclined plate is formed by a wall with an opening. The opening slidably receives the needle shaft through the opening in the first state, and grasps or bites the needle shaft in the second state inclined with respect to the first state. The second wall is connected to the first wall via an intermediate wall. This forms a generally rigid single piece clip. The second wall includes a portion for riding along the needle shaft so that the clip can be held in the first state. When the tip of the needle is pulled into the housing and passes through the second wall portion, the clip can be inclined to the second state. This causes the tilt plate to grip the needle shaft, thereby preventing further pulling of the needle. The second wall blocks the needle tip. As a result, the needle cannot be pushed back to the outside of the housing. A biasing spring is provided against the first wall. Thereby, the clip can be urged toward the second state. In the first state, the second wall and the intermediate wall of the clip are located with respect to one side portion of the needle shaft, and the spring is located on the other side portion of the needle shaft. Although the structure of the clip in Patent Document 2 has many advantages, further improvement and reinforcement are desired.

  One attempt regarding the improvement of the clip of Patent Document 2 is disclosed in Patent Document 3. The clip of Patent Document 3 is provided with a feature point that is intended to make it possible to use the clip together with a guide wire. One of the commercially available devices of Patent Document 3 is an Arrow Radial Artery Catheterization device. The commercially available form is considered to have a drawback in construction. Furthermore, a considerable tensile force is applied to the needle shaft. For this reason, use becomes difficult and is not preferable.

  In addition, some needle guards are intended for use with catheter assemblies. In such a needle guard, advantageously a part of the needle guard holds the catheter hub and the needle protrudes from the catheter tube. However, after that, when the needle is withdrawn, the needle guard can be removed to a state where the tip is protected. One proposal is to provide the needle guard with a nose portion and to provide a pair of cooperating members that extend from the needle guard housing. The cooperating members are sized to fit within the catheter hub and typically form a passage between the cooperating members. The size of the passage is sized such that the needle shaft can be slidably received through the passage.

  One or both of the cooperating members is provided with a detent at the tip. The detents are receivable in respective corresponding radially outward recesses formed in the inner wall of the catheter hub. The detent provides a duck bill-like appearance to the cooperating member. As will be understood, at least the distal end portion of the inner surface of the catheter hub is tapered according to the female luer standard. The recess is located on the distal side of the luer taper surface and within the catheter hub a detent normally fits within the recess. When the needle shaft is removed from the passageway, one or both of the duckbill members can be easily deflected so that the duckbill can be bent with respect to the recess with a slight pull on the housing. . This causes the needle guard to begin moving away from the catheter hub. However, when the needle shaft is present, the flexure of the cooperating member is limited, which results in a very large holding force. The detent defines an outer diameter of the duckbill that is sized to fit within a radially outward recess. However, the inner diameter of the luer taper surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the duckbill over most of the tip side. As a result, during continued removal, the duckbill member remains bent and drags or rubs over the inner surface of the catheter hub. This provides a greater pulling force compared to what is desirable for health professionals.

US Pat. No. 6,652,486 US Pat. No. 5,322,517 US Pat. No. 6,280,419 US Pat. No. 6,221,047 US Pat. No. 6,689,102

  The Arrow Radial Artery Catheterization device is an example of a duckbill configuration. However, the needle guard housing cannot rotate with respect to the catheter hub. The duckbill detent has a limited peripheral length relative to the recess of the catheter hub. Therefore, the duckbill cannot rotate. In many cases it is desirable to be able to rotate the needle guard housing relative to the catheter hub. For example, if the component is rotatable, it may be advantageous to screw the catheter tube into the patient. One proposed solution is to provide a continuous radially outward annular groove in the catheter hub so that the duckbill detent can be rotated internally, as disclosed in US Pat. It is. However, in addition to the rub problem described above, a fully peripheral annular groove or recess in the catheter hub is believed to present manufacturing problems and product performance problems. The inventors of Patent Document 4 have apparently recognized the latter problem, and then limited to prevent the rotation of the detent within the catheter hub as disclosed in Patent Document 5. A configuration with a recess in length was proposed. Thus, there is still a need for a rotatable configuration that is feasible for duckbills, and there is a desire to reduce or eliminate the problems caused by detent rubbing on the inner surface of the catheter hub during withdrawal.

  In accordance with one principle of the present invention, an inclined plate-type needle guard is provided that has the desired improvements and reinforcements as compared to prior art inclined plate configurations. For this purpose, in one aspect, the needle guard comprises a spring member, which can be a leaf spring, the spring member extending from the first wall beyond the edge of the intermediate wall. The extended intermediate wall can be formed from one or two struts, the spring member operatively engages the abutment surface, and the extended portion of the spring member and the intermediate wall are Advantageously, they are arranged on the same side with respect to the needle. The abutment surface can be formed in or by a housing containing the clip and the spring member. The cooperative relationship of the spring member with the clip and / or housing relative to the clip and / or housing provides a suitable biasing force in the low-volume clip without causing excessive drag between the second wall of the clip and the needle shaft. It is thought that it provides.

  In a second aspect, the one or more struts, i.e. the intermediate wall, are advantageously extended from the first wall of the clip with a forming angle of less than 90 [deg.] With respect to the first wall, more advantageously In this case, the formation angle is in the range of 83 ° to 87 °. Such an inclination can increase the degree of rotation of the clip when gripping the needle shaft, thereby blocking or shielding the needle tip more reliably. In a third aspect, a stylus for contacting the needle shaft is provided on the second wall. Thereby, a smooth surface can be provided and drag force on the needle can be reduced, and tactile sensation, auditory sensation, and operation of the needle guard can be improved. In a fourth aspect, the second wall can be generally L-shaped, thereby forming a lip projecting toward the first wall at the free end. The lip is located on one side of the needle shaft in the first state of the clip and assists in confinement or shielding of the needle tip in the second state of the clip. The stylus can be a coining portion of the L-shaped wall.

  In a fifth aspect, the heel extends from the first wall, and the first wall and the heel are disposed on opposite sides with respect to the intermediate wall or strut. A shelf is provided, and in the first state of the clip, the heel is in contact with the shelf, and when the clip transitions from the first state to the second state, the heel is around the shelf. It is designed to rotate. Thereby, performance can be enhanced.

  There is a possibility that the needle shaft may bend in response to the gripping force by the first wall. The shaft attempts to align with the opening in the first wall, thereby reducing the gripping force. For this purpose, in a sixth aspect, the needle support is fixedly arranged in a transverse direction with respect to the cylindrical shape defined by the needle shaft. Thereby, when the needle tip is drawn into the needle guard, the deflection of the needle shaft can be limited. Thus, in the second state of the clip, the tendency of the needle shaft to be bent is minimized by the needle support.

  In addition to the various aspects of the present invention that may be used individually or in any desired combination, the present invention is not limited to use with slanted plate clips but also other needles. An improvement to the needle guard is provided so that it can be used with respect to the guard configuration as well. By way of example, a needle assembly or catheter assembly with a plurality of needles typically includes a protective sheath for enclosing at least the needle tip. The protective sheath is aligned with at least a portion of the needle guard prior to use. If the sheath portion positioned on the needle guard is pulled while trying to remove the sheath while grasping the needle hub to which the needle is attached, the needle guard may be inadvertently removed from the catheter hub. As a result, the device cannot be used. One proposed solution is to provide a shroud on the needle hub. The shroud substantially surrounds the needle guard when the needle guard and the needle hub are adjacent to each other. Thereby, even if the sheath part located on the needle guard is gripped, the gripping force is transmitted to the shroud and is not transmitted to the needle guard. This can reduce the risk of inadvertently removing the needle guard from the catheter hub. However, such a shroud presents an obstacle for quickly removing the needle from the catheter during use. To this end, according to another principle of the present invention, a separate shroud is provided that is aligned on opposite portions of the needle guard. Other parts, such as finger tabs, are left exposed through the separate shroud. Thereby, the quick removal of the needle from the catheter at the time of use can be enabled.

  According to still another principle of the present invention, it is desirable to hold the needle hub and the needle guard so that they cannot rotate relative to each other before the needle guard is extended so as to increase the stability at the time of starting the puncture with the needle. . For this purpose, a cooperating structure is provided on each facing surface of the needle hub and the needle guard. The cooperating structure is, for example, a lug having a non-circular peripheral shape and a recess having a non-circular peripheral shape. When the needle hub is positioned adjacent to the needle guard, the cooperating structure engages. Thereby, a needle hub and a needle guard are held so that relative rotation is impossible. However, when the members forming the cooperative structure are separated from each other, the engagement between the members is released, thereby enabling relative rotation.

  In accordance with still further principles of the present invention, an improved needle guard duckbill catheter hub release mechanism is provided, particularly for use with a catheter assembly. In this case, the needle guard and the catheter hub are rotated relative to each other without the disadvantage of rubbing when pulled apart. For this purpose, the catheter hub is provided with an annular rib extending radially inward rather than a recess or groove extending radially outward. A detent of the cooperating member can be selectively engaged with the rib. This rib is disposed on the tip side of the inner surface of the catheter hub with respect to the luer taper portion. The duckbill detent can be sized so as not to scrape the inner surface of the catheter hub unnecessarily during removal, and can be sized to hold the rib prior to removal. The ribs can be continuous or can have gaps. Ribs provide advantages in manufacturing and device performance as compared to recesses and grooves in prior art duckbill release mechanisms.

  The above provides an inclined plate needle guard that is improved and reinforced compared to prior art inclined plate configurations, individually and in various combinations. The above also provides an improvement to the needle guard that can be used individually and in various combinations with inclined plate clips as well as with other needle guard configurations. The The above and other objects and various advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following description.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a needle guard formed by an inclined plate clip, and includes a leaf spring member based on the principle of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of a needle guard including a housing and the clip of FIG. 1, and shows a first state in which the sharp tip of the needle is exposed for the purpose of explaining a specific principle of the present invention. Show. For purposes of illustrating the specific principles of the present invention, the details of FIG. 2A are shown. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of a needle guard comprising a housing and the clip of FIG. 1, and shows a second state in which the sharp tip of the needle is protected for the purpose of explaining a specific principle of the present invention. Show. For purposes of illustrating the specific principles of the present invention, the details of FIG. 2B are shown. FIG. 7 is a side view of a catheter assembly with various aspects of the present invention, including a third embodiment of a needle guard for the needle of the catheter assembly. FIG. 7 is a side view of a catheter assembly with various aspects of the present invention, including a third embodiment of a needle guard for the needle of the catheter assembly. FIG. 7 is a side view of a catheter assembly with various aspects of the present invention, including a third embodiment of a needle guard for the needle of the catheter assembly. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a nose portion of the needle guard housing of FIGS. 3A-3C to illustrate certain additional principles and aspects of the present invention. It is a rear view which shows the base end part of the nose part of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter hub in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter assembly in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the operation of the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the second embodiment of the needle guard according to the specific principle of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter assembly in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the operation of the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the second embodiment of the needle guard according to the specific principle of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter assembly in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the operation of the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the second embodiment of the needle guard according to the specific principle of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter assembly in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the operation of the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the second embodiment of the needle guard according to the specific principle of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an end view for illustrating a feature point of prevention of rotation in the present invention and showing an opposing surface of a needle guard in FIGS. 3A to 3C. FIG. 4 is an end view for illustrating a feature point of rotation prevention according to the present invention and showing an opposing surface of a needle hub in FIGS. 3A to 3C. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7C-7C in FIG. 7 and illustrates the needle hub and needle guard housing in FIGS. 7A and 7B for the purpose of explaining the feature of preventing rotation in the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the needle hub and needle cannula in FIG. 3C, Comprising: The shroud provided in the front-end | tip part of the needle hub is shown. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view partially illustrating the catheter assembly of FIG. 3A with a protective sheath for purposes of illustrating the operation of the shroud according to certain principles of the present invention.

  The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention. These accompanying drawings, as well as the general description of the invention as described above, and the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention serve to explain the principles of the invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a needle guard formed by an inclined plate clip, which includes a leaf spring member based on the principle of the present invention.

  2A and 2B are cross-sectional views illustrating a second embodiment of a needle guard comprising a housing and the clip of FIG. 1, for the purpose of illustrating the particular principles of the present invention, the sharp tip of the needle is Each of the exposed first state and the second state in which the sharp tip of the needle is protected are shown.

  2A 'and 2B' are for purposes of illustrating the specific principles of the invention and show details of FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively.

  FIGS. 3A-3C are side views of a catheter assembly with various aspects of the present invention comprising a third embodiment of a needle guard for the needle of the catheter assembly.

  FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating the nose portion of the needle guard housing of FIGS. 3A-3C to illustrate certain additional principles and aspects of the present invention.

  FIG. 4B is a rear view showing a proximal end portion of the nose portion of FIG. 4A.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the catheter hub in FIGS. 3A to 3C for explaining the duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in the present invention.

  6A-6D illustrate the operation of a duckbill catheter hub release mechanism in a second embodiment of a needle guard according to certain principles of the present invention, showing the catheter assembly in FIGS. 3A-3C. It is sectional drawing.

  7A and 7B are illustrations for illustrating the feature of preventing rotation in the present invention, and are end views showing the opposing surface of the needle guard and the opposing surface of the needle hub in FIGS. 3A to 3C, respectively. is there.

  7C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7C-7C in FIG. 7 and shows the needle hub and needle guard housing in FIGS. 7A and 7B for the purpose of explaining the feature of preventing rotation in the present invention. ing.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the needle hub and needle cannula in FIG. 3C and shows a shroud provided at the tip of the needle hub.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view partially illustrating the catheter assembly of FIG. 3A with a protective sheath for the purpose of illustrating the operation of the shroud in accordance with certain principles of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the needle guard 10, which includes an inclined plate clip 12 and a spring member 14. The clip 12 includes a first wall 16 having a through-type opening 18 such as a circular hole, and a second wall 20 connected to the first wall via an intermediate wall 22. The intermediate wall 22 includes a first strut 24 and a second strut 26 in the example shown here. Each strut has inner edges 27, 28 that extend between the walls 16, 20 and form an opening 32 therebetween, and outer edges 29, 30. A heel 34 extends from the first wall 16 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1). The first wall 16 and the heel 34 are disposed so as to be located on the opposite sides with respect to the struts 24 and 26. The second wall 20 may have a lip portion 36 that protrudes generally toward the first wall. Thereby, the 2nd wall 20 will have a L-shape as a whole. The outer corner surface 37 of the L-shaped second wall 20 can be coined. Thereby, the circular arc stylus 38 can be formed at the corner surface. The clip 12 is advantageously a single piece made of rigid metal (example of which is stainless steel) or plastic.

  Although the clip 12 is shown in FIG. 1 as having two separate struts 24, 26, those skilled in the art will recognize that in an alternative embodiment of the clip 12, the intermediate wall 22 is one strut. It will be appreciated that only 24 or 26 may be provided. Further, the struts 24 or 26 may be wider than those shown. The struts can be expanded to such an extent that a solid wall is formed between the first wall 16 and the second wall 20. In that case, an alternative spring member (not shown) extending beyond the outer edge 29 or 30 can be used.

  The spring member 14 can be any desired form of energy storage device. For example, it can be a coil, another winding spring, a compressible foam material or other material, or a compressible bubble. However, it is described here as an advantageous embodiment of a leaf spring. The leaf spring includes a first wall 40 associated with the inner surface 42 of the first wall 16 of the clip. The first wall 40 has an opening 41. In this case, the opening 41 is larger than the opening 18 (or overridden with respect to the opening 18). The leaf spring further includes a long leaf 44. The leaf 44 starts from the first wall 16, extends beyond the edges 27 and 28 of the struts 24 and 26, extends beyond the opening 32, and reaches the free end 46 of the leaf 44. The spring member 14 can be an integral member with respect to the clip 12. As a result, the first end portion 40 becomes a part of the first wall 16 that forms the extension starting point of the leaf 44. In that case, the leaf 44 is advantageously thinner and more elastic than the first wall 16 for the purpose described below. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1, the spring member 14 is an individual elastic member having a first end 40. In this case, the first end 40 is abutted against the inner surface 42 and is preferably fixed to the inner surface 42 by means of welding or the like, for example.

  A second embodiment of a needle guard 50 for the needle 52 is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Needle 52 is, for example, a hollow hypodermic needle, a hollow or solid catheter insertion needle, or other similar sharp cannula, etc., attached to needle hub 54, It extends from the hub 54. Needle hub 54 is illustrated in this embodiment as being compatible with a hypodermic needle. Thus, a female luer lock attachment is formed. Alternatively, however, the needle hub can form a flash chamber. The needle 52 includes a needle shaft 56. The needle shaft 56 is fixed to the needle hub 54 and extends from the needle hub 54 to the sharp tip 58. Although not required, the shaft 56 can be of a constant diameter with a constant cross-sectional shape. The needle guard 50 includes a housing 60. The housing 60 has an opening 62 on the proximal end side and an opening 64 on the distal end side. These openings 62 and 64 are sized to slidably receive the shaft 56 of the needle cannula 52 through the housing. Thereby, in the 1st state of the needle 52, as shown to FIG. 2A, the sharp tip 58 can be exposed in the front end side. Further, in the second state of the needle cannula 52, the sharp tip 58 is pulled back into the housing 60 as shown in FIG. 2B (by pulling the needle shaft 56 toward the proximal end or the housing 60 at the tip end). Pushing in the direction pulls back, both of which are denoted as the proximal movement of the needle cannula 52). A clip 12 having a nominal size that allows the needle shaft 56 to be selectively slidably received or that can grip the needle shaft 56, and a spring member of the needle guard 10 of FIG. 14 is provided as a functional member for protecting the front end 58 in the housing 60 as described below.

  The clip 12 is along a longitudinal axis 65 such that the opening 18 is normally aligned along the longitudinal axis 65 of the needle cannula 52 and also forms an axis between the openings 62, 64 of the housing 60. In addition, the spring member 14 is engaged with a locking surface 68 formed in such a manner as, for example, formed along the inner wall 70 of the housing 60. In the housing 60. Thereby, the leaf 44 and the intermediate wall 22 of the spring member 14 are located on the same side with respect to the needle shaft 56. The clip 12 has a first state as shown in FIG. 2A. In the first state, the first wall 16 is disposed substantially vertically. However, it is advantageously arranged with a slight inclination towards the tip beyond the center. Thereby, the needle shaft 56 is slidably received through the opening 18. As a result, the inner peripheral edge 18 ′ of the opening 18 does not bite or grip the needle shaft 56 as shown in FIG. 2A ′. In such a first state of clip 12, second wall 20 has a portion configured to abut against shaft 56, such as stylus 38. Further, the heel 34 is adjacent to the inner surface 70 of the housing 60 and is in contact with the contact shelf 72 of the housing 60. When the needle 52 is in the first state, the tip 58 extends to the tip side beyond the clip 12, and particularly extends to the tip side beyond the opening 64 of the housing 60. , Abuts against the stylus 38.

  The spring member 14 urges the clip 12 so that the first wall 16 is inclined toward the proximal end toward the second state as shown in FIG. 2B. In the second state, the sharp tip 58 of the needle is located inside the housing 60 at a position proximal to the lip 36. As shown in FIG. 2B ', when the tip 58 exceeds the lip 36, the heel 34 rotates around the shelf 72 and the first wall 16 is inclined. Thereby, the inner peripheral edge 18 ′ of the opening is engaged with the shaft 56 so as to be engaged. This grips the shaft. This provides resistance to further proximal movement of the needle 52 relative to the housing 60. The second wall 20, particularly its lip 36, moves beyond the axis 65 and beyond the tip 58, as shown in FIG. 2B. Thereby, the 2nd wall 20 opposes with respect to the front-end | tip 58 at this time, and, thereby, prevents the front-end | tip 58 extending from the housing 60 to the front end side again. The lip 36 functions to confine the tip 58. The distal end 58 is covered with the clip 12 in the second state, although the distal end can be moved to the proximal end by a little.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 2A, the intermediate wall 22 is not perpendicular to the first wall 16. Rather, the intermediate wall 22 extends with a forming angle α of less than 90 °, and advantageously extends with an angle α of approximately 83 ° to approximately 87 ° and towards the needle shaft 56. It is extended. Due to such an angle of the intermediate wall 22, the first wall 16 can be inclined slightly toward the distal end beyond the center (depending on the gauge of the needle 52). For this reason, the rotation degree of the clip at the time of shifting to the second state is increased as compared with the case of the vertical wall 16 in the prior art. The degree of inclination toward the distal end is only a few degrees so that the hole 18 is of a size that does not bite the needle shaft 56 with the inclination of the wall 16 toward the distal end. Increasing the degree of rotation of the clip assists in ensuring that the sharp tip 58 can be covered with a lid even in the worst case orientation of the tip 58 as shown in FIG. 2B. Advantageously, the needle 52 is oriented 90 ° or 180 ° rotated from the orientation shown in FIG. 2B. Further, the wall 22 is typically bent toward the needle shaft 56 by setting the forming angle between the walls 16 and 22 to be less than 90 °. This prevents the clip 12 from engaging the housing 60 even in the case of a larger gauge needle 52. Further, the heel 34 can form an angle of about 90 ° with respect to the wall 22. This is because the heel 34 and the wall 16 do not need to be on the same plane.

  It will be appreciated that in the second state of the needle 52, the clip 12 is in the second state and there is a deflection force applied to the tip 58 of the needle 52. This deflection force attempts to align the corresponding portion of the needle shaft 56 with respect to the opening 18. If the shaft 56 bends so, biting by the peripheral edge 18 ′ with respect to the shaft 56 will be reduced or eliminated and the needle 52 can be pulled proximally from the needle guard 50. End up. A needle support 80 is provided to reduce such possibilities. Needle support 80 is adjacent to plane 82 extending tangentially if possible, extending laterally with respect to cylindrical shape 84 (see FIG. 4B) defined by needle shaft 56 in the first state. Yes. The needle support 80 can be formed at the end of the integral protruding member 88 of the housing 60 and is advantageously sized to receive a portion of the needle shaft 56 slidably. 90 (FIG. 4A). The seat 90 can be a slot or groove that is complementary to the outer cylindrical shape of the needle shaft 56. In addition to the needle support 80, the needle 52 is also supported by the proximal opening 62 of the housing 60. These two points (the needle support 80 and the opening 62 on the proximal end side) cooperate to hold the needle 52 in a horizontal fixed state, and the clip 12 causes the needle shaft 56 to bend. Without this, a gripping force can be applied to the needle shaft 56. A deflection restricting locking body in the form of a rib 91 (in FIG. 4A, a lateral rib is indicated by a broken line but can be a longitudinal rib) is provided on the upper surface of the protruding member 88. it can. Alternatively, a deflection-limiting locking rib 91 ′ (shown by a broken line in FIGS. 2A and 2B) may be provided as a part of the inner surface 70 of the housing above the protruding member 88. it can. This can limit the deflection of the member 88, such as the deflection due to the lever action of the needle shaft 56, advantageously on the order of 0.15 mm (0.006 inch).

  The housing 60 includes a barrel or container base end portion 94 and a tip cap portion 96. The container 94 is sized to receive the inner wall 70 (and rib 91 ', if provided), a back wall 98 with an opening 62, and a cap 96 in an engaging manner. 100. The cap 96 has an opening 64 and is advantageously fixed to the mouse 100 of the container 94 by a technique such as snap attachment, fitting, adhesive or ultrasonic welding. Container 94 and cap 96 may have any desired cross-sectional shape. For example, it can be generally cylindrical. As a result, the housing 60 has a generally cylindrical shape. Advantageously, the cross-sectional shape is rectangular by flattening the surfaces located on opposite sides (see FIG. 7A). Thereby, it can be set as a low-volume structure, and can make a shallow insertion angle desirable. The housing 60 can further include a finger ridge (not shown) for the needle guard 50. Thereby, the use by a medical worker (also not shown) can be facilitated. Further, although the tip 58 of the needle 52 is illustrated as freely extending from the needle guard 50, those skilled in the art will also recognize that the needle shaft 56 can be a catheter assembly (eg, in FIG. 3A). It will be appreciated that it can be received through assembly 200). Further, although the first wall 16 is illustrated as being rectangular, the first wall 16 can be any other shape, such as a square or disk shape, and the opening 18 is the first of the clip 12. As long as the needle shaft 56 can be gripped by the inclination of the first wall 16 toward the two states, it can have a shape other than the circular hole.

  It is believed that the above relationship between the configuration and the components provides a needle guard with a fairly small pulling force. This allows tactile and auditory sensations to be acceptable to healthcare professionals (not shown), while at the same time providing reliable tip 58 protection. The risk of accidental needle sticks can be minimized.

  In use, the needle 52 is inserted into a patient (not shown) with a syringe (not shown) attached to the needle hub 54, if possible. After the drug is injected, for example, while the housing 60 is maintained in a stable state, the needle hub 54 and the needle 52 are pulled so as to remove the needle 52 from the patient, and the needle tip 58 is proximally moved into the housing 60. Pull on. Alternatively, the needle 52 can be withdrawn from the patient while the housing 60 is adjacent to the hub 54. The housing 60 can then be pushed along the shaft 52 so that the needle tip 58 can be received proximally into the housing 60. In any case, the spring member 14 biases the clip 12 toward the second state for protecting the needle tip 58. Further, by continuously moving the needle 52 toward the proximal end, the restraining force applied to the needle shaft 56 can be increased. Thereby, it can resist with respect to the proximal direction movement of the needle tip. Furthermore, the lip 36 of the second wall 20 of the clip is now located on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 65 beyond the tip 58 of the needle 52. As a result, even if the needle 52 is pushed toward the distal end side, the distal end 58 collides below the lip 36 and / or is blocked by the second wall 20. Thereby, the movement of the needle tip 58 toward the tip is prevented.

  FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a catheter assembly 200 that includes a third embodiment of a needle guard 202 for protecting the tip 58 of the needle 52. The needle guard 202 can be substantially the same as the needle guard 50 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, with the difference being the finger tab tab 203 and the duck bills 204, 206 (see FIG. 3C) as described above, Is further provided. Further, the needle 52 is a catheter insertion needle having a needle hub 208 illustrated as forming a flush chamber. The flash chamber 208 can include a vent port 210.

  The catheter assembly 200 includes a catheter hub 220 that forms a luer lug 222 at a proximal end 224 and a catheter tube 226 that is secured to the catheter hub 220 via an eyelet 227 (FIG. 5). The catheter tube 226 extends toward the distal end side with respect to the distal end 228. As shown in FIG. 3A, the needle shaft 56 extends through the housing 230 of the needle guard 202 and through the catheter hub 220, and the catheter tube 226 has a tip 58 in the first state of the needle 52. The catheter tube 226 protrudes from the distal end 232. The housing 230 of the needle guard 202 includes a proximal container 94 and a modified cap 234 similar to the cap 96 of FIG. 2A. However, the nose portion 236 includes duckbills 204 and 206. The needle support 208 is pulled toward the proximal end with respect to the housing 230 of the needle guard 202. Thereby, as shown to FIG. 3B, the needle support body 208 and the needle guard 202 begin to separate | separate. Continuing the proximal movement of the needle 52 protects the tip 58 in a fixed position within the housing 230 (as described above with respect to FIGS. 2B and 2B '). Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, the housing 230 can be released from the catheter hub 220.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4A, a pair of cooperating members 250 and 252 extend from the nose portion 236 of the cap 234 of the housing 230 toward the tip. The members 250 and 252 extend to the ends 254 and 256, and a passage 258 is formed between the members 250 and 252. The nominal size of the passage 258 (also referred to herein as the inner diameter) is sized such that the shaft 56 of the needle 52 can be freely received through the passage 258 without changing the size of the passage 258. . Thereby, normally, a large drag force is not applied to the shaft 56. At least one of the members 250, 252 can advantageously be provided with a detent 260 at the tip 254, 256. Thereby, the several segment of the annular ring 262 can be prescribed | regulated, and the shape of each duckbill 204,206 can be given with respect to the cooperation members 250,252. The detent 260 can be rounded off at the tip as shown at location 263.

  It will be appreciated from FIG. 5 that the catheter hub 220 includes an internal chamber 264 defined by the inner surface 266 of the catheter hub 220. The inner chamber 264 includes a proximal end 267 that is tapered according to ISO standards for female lures or other applicable standards. A generally annular rib 268 projects radially inward from the inner surface 266 into the chamber 264. The rib 268 is advantageously located distal to the luer taper portion 267. This prevents interference with the male luer taper connection to the catheter hub 220. By cooperation of the annular rib 268 and the detent 260, the needle guard 202 can be held against the catheter hub 220 in the first state of the needle cannula 52 (FIG. 3A), and the second state. The needle guard 202 can be released by moving the needle cannula 52 toward the proximal end (FIG. 3C). In this regard, it will be understood by further reference to FIG. 6A that, in the first state of needle cannula 52, its shaft 56 is in passage 258. This limits the compressibility of one or both of the cooperating members 250, 252 (ie, the radially inward flexibility). At the same time, the detent 260 defines the outer diameter of the annular ring 262. This outer diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the annular rib 268 and can correspond closely to the inner diameter of the inner surface 266 of the catheter hub at a tip side portion of the annular rib 268 such as the place 270. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the needle shaft 56 is positioned between the cooperating members 250 and 252, the detent 260 cooperates with the opposing surface 272 on the distal end side of the rib 268. Thereby providing a generally strong retention force for the catheter hub 220. As shown in FIG. 6B, even when the tip 58 is moved toward the housing 230 by retracting the needle cannula proximally, the shaft 56 still remains in the diameter of the members 250, 252. The inward bending movement is prevented.

When the needle cannula 52 is in the first state (FIG. 6A), the detent 260 is seated within the catheter hub 220 beyond the ribs 268 and is lightly frictionally engaged. This preferably allows a health care user (not shown) to rotate the catheter hub 220 relative to the needle guard 202. At this point, the needle shaft 56 is still in a state where the tip 58 is protected by the needle guard 202 in the second state of the needle 52 shown in FIG. 6C such that one or both of the members 250, 252 can be easily deflected. It is not formed and does not sufficiently move toward the proximal end beyond the passage 258. Therefore, by continuously retracting the needle guard 202 toward the proximal end, one or both of the duckbills 204 and 206 can be easily bent. Thereby, the detent 260 can pass through the annular rib 268. Thereafter, the duckbill can be elastically restored to its original shape. Because a portion of the inner surface 267 is tapered according to the Luer standard, the minimum inner diameter of the inner surface is usually not less than the maximum outer diameter defined by the detent 260, which is advantageous. It is bigger than that. Accordingly, when the members 250 and 252 are pulled, the detent generally does not rub against the surface 266 on the proximal side of the rib 268. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6D, the needle guard 202 can be easily separated from the catheter hub 220 without causing any frictional feeling and without causing any pulling action on the user (not shown). Can do. Similarly, when the needle shaft 52 is out of the passage 258, the duckbill 204, 206 is pushed into the hub 220 (or the hub 220 is pushed onto the duckbill 204, 206). , 206 can be easily coupled into the catheter hub 220. At this time, the detent 260 collides with the rib 268. At this point, the detents 260 can move beyond the ribs 268 toward the tip by a slight deflection of the cooperating members 250, 252. And the detent can hold the catheter hub 220 lightly by the elastic restoration of the cooperating members 250 and 252. Thereafter, the needle shaft 52 is moved to the member 25.
It can be pushed in against the inward deflection force of 0,252. Thereby, the holding force by the members 250 and 252 greatly increases. Instead, the duck bills 204 and 206 with the shaft 52 held in place can be pushed into the hub 220. Pushing the duckbills 204, 206 into the catheter hub 220 can be aided by the chamfered surface 263.

  The use of ribs 268 overcomes the disadvantages associated with recess-based duckbill release mechanisms in the prior art. For this purpose, the rib can be more easily manufactured and does not require a large diameter detent that would drag or rub the inner surface of the catheter hub when pulled out.

  The size of the passage 258 can be approximately the same as the diameter of the needle shaft 56. Thereby, the passage 258 is largely occupied by the presence of the needle shaft 56. Compression or other inward deflection of the cooperating members 250, 252 is thereby limited. This limits the release of the cooperating members 250, 252 from the catheter hub 220. The gap tolerance between the relative inner diameter of the passage 258 of the cooperating members 250, 252 and the outer diameter of the needle shaft 56 is such that the duckbills 204, 206 from the catheter hub 220 when the needle 52 is present. Selection can be made to reduce the likelihood of slipping out. The tolerance can be varied for different gauge needles. However, clearances of 0.165 mm (0.0065 inches) to 0.343 mm (0.0135 inches) are advantageous.

  Members 250 and 252 are illustrated as split cylinders. Although members 250 and 252 may have a half-moon shaped cross-section, advantageously each member 250 and 252 is arcuate and has an inwardly projecting longitudinal ridge 280 (FIG. 4A). is doing. These ridges will essentially define the inner diameter of the passage 258. For this purpose, the radial depth of each ridge 280 can be selected based on the gauge of the needle 52. At this time, the radial depth of the ridge 280 is inversely proportional to the gauge of the needle 52. That is, the radial depth is greater for small gauge needles, and conversely, the radial depth is smaller for large gauge needles. Ridge 280 can be omitted entirely for larger gauge needles 52. Due to the arc shape and the selective depth of the ridge 280 to define the inner diameter of the passage 258, the degree of force between the duckbills 204, 206 and the catheter hub 220 is substantially constant for a wide range of gauge needles. It can be. Thereby, a medical worker (not shown) feels the same tactile sensation regarding a wide range of gauge needles. The cooperating members 250, 252 can be upper and lower segments of the split cylinder, or can be large and small segments of the split cylinder, and / or can be juxtaposed with each other. . Furthermore, although the cooperating members 250, 252 are both shown as being deflectable and having a detent at the tip, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cooperating members 250, 252 Only one of them may have sufficient flexibility, only one of the cooperating members 250, 252 may have a detent, and the detent may be a tip. It will be appreciated that it may be provided at a location remote from the. Also, although the ribs 268 are illustrated as generally continuous, the ribs can have one or more gaps (not shown). Advantageously, when such gaps are provided, each gap is narrower than the circumferential width of the detent 260.

  The needle guard duckbills 204, 206 and the catheter hub ribs 268 cooperate to form a duckbill release mechanism. In this example, the duckbill release mechanism can be combined with a functional member to protect the needle tip 58 in the form of an inclined plate clip. However, the duckbill release mechanism according to the present invention is not limited to use with such a functional member, and can be used with other configurations of clips, and further includes, for example, a housing that functions as a needle guard. It can even be used with a non-clip type needle guard such as a provided needle guard. By way of example, the needle guard can be a PROTECTIV Safety IV catheter needle guard housing marketed by the applicant, Medex, and / or US Pat. No. 4,762,516. And the needle guard housing disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,747,831. Alternatively, the functional member may be U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,344, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,528, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,517 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,482. No. 5, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,651, European Patent No. 0,352,928 B2, U.S. Patent Application No. 10 / 905,047 and U.S. Patent Application No. 10/906. Other structures for gripping and / or blocking the needle may be provided, such as disclosed in the 171 specification. Other features of the present invention are not limited to needle guards based on inclined plate clips, as described below.

  As shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, in one aspect, the needle hub 208 and housing 230 include cooperating structures 300,302. The cooperating structures 300 and 302 hold the needle hub 208 and the housing 230 so as not to rotate relative to each other in the first state of the needle 52. Thereby, stability at the time of starting puncture with a needle can be enhanced. More specifically, the housing 230 includes a protruding lug 300 at the proximal end surface 304. The protruding lug 300 has a non-circular peripheral edge 306. A recess or depletion 302 with a similar non-circular peripheral edge 308 is located at the distal end surface 310 of the needle hub 208. As a result, when the needle support 208 is disposed adjacent to the housing 230 in the first state of the needle 52, as shown in FIG. Engage with 302. Thereby, rotation of the structural members is prevented. When the needle 52 moves from the first state, the lug 300 and the recess 302 are disengaged. As a result, the hub 208 and the needle guard 202 can be rotated relative to each other. The lug 300 and the peripheral edges 306, 308 of the recess 302 are of complementary shapes, and advantageously form non-circular edges such as, for example, a square, an ellipse or a hexagon. However, it will be appreciated that other complementary shapes may be used in preventing relative rotation between the housing 230 and the needle hub 208. Further, the peripheral edge 308 of the recess 302 can comprise one or more notches, as indicated at 312. Needle 52 is secured to hub 208 by, for example, adhesive 313 in adhesive well 314 that is concentric with needle 52.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in another aspect, the needle hub 208 is advantageously associated with a separate shroud 320. The separation-type shroud 320 includes arc-shaped legs 322 and 324 that extend from the distal end portion of the hub 208 and face each other. Legs 322 and 324 are, if possible, aligned in the first state of needle 52 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 9 such that they are aligned with opposing portions 326 and 328 of needle guard 202. , And the size (and thus aligned with the opposing arcuate portion of the container 94 of the needle guard housing 230 and the opposing portion of the clip 12). The legs 322 and 324 are spaced apart from the facing portions in the second state of the needle 52 as shown in FIG. 3C. Advantageously, the legs 322, 324 are exposed between portions of the needle guard 220, such as the finger tab 203, in the first state of the needle cannula 52 as shown in FIG. 3A. In this way, it is arranged. In the first state of the needle cannula 52, as shown in FIG. 9, the separate shroud 320 is aligned with a portion of the needle guard 202, eg, the container portion 94 of the housing 230, and / or The finger tab 203 is aligned with the exposed clip 12. The legs 322, 324 of the separate shroud 320 can be sized and arranged such that the legs 322, 324 can frictionally engage the housing 230. Prior to use, the protective sheath 370 covers at least the catheter tube 226, possibly the catheter hub 220, the needle tip 58, and part or all of the separate shroud 320. Advantageously, the separate shroud 320 is disposed between the proximal mouse portion 372 of the sheath 370 and the needle guard 202. As a result, when the ultimate user (not shown) grips the sheath portion 372, the gripping force is not transmitted directly to the needle guard 202, but instead of a separate type Is transmitted to the shroud 320. For this reason, the possibility of causing the needle guard 202 to function inadvertently can be reduced, and the possibility of pulling the needle guard 202 away from the catheter hub 220 before using the device can be reduced. The mouse part 372 may have a gap (not shown) for exposing the finger tab 203. However, in use, the needle 52 can be easily removed, for example, by pushing the exposed finger tab 203 through the separate shroud 320.

In use of the catheter assembly 200, the sheath 370 is removed and the needle tip 58 inserted into the patient (not shown) positions the catheter tube 226 as described above. Here, if desired, the catheter hub is rotated relative to the needle guard 202. However, advantageously, the needle hub 208 and needle guard 202 are not relatively rotated. After being placed as desired, needle hub 208 and needle 52 are pulled proximally, for example by using finger tabs 203 (exposed through separable shroud 320) as will be appreciated. . As a result, the shaft 56 is pulled out from the catheter tube 226 and the catheter hub 220, and the distal end 58 is in the second state protected by the needle guard 202. Similarly, the needle guard 202 is pulled out from the catheter hub 220 to put the hub 220 in a standby state. Advantageously, the drag force based on the clip 12 on the needle shaft 56 is as small as possible. Further, the drag force is advantageously less than the force required to separate the duckbills 204, 206 from the catheter hub 202, regardless of whether the shaft 56 is in the passage 258. More advantageously, the force required to detach the duckbills 204, 206 from the catheter hub 220 with the shaft 56 in the passage 258 (referred to as "catheter detachment force") is, for example, Force required to release the duckbills 204 and 206 from the catheter hub 220 when the passage 258 is not occupied by the needle shaft 56, such as in the second state of the needle 52 (referred to as "catheter release force"). In comparison with the above, it is larger, and most preferably twice or more. The catheter release force can be referred to as “duck bill free length”. This is the length of the cooperating members 250, 252 from the nose 236 (or any continuous portion, for example as indicated by reference numeral 380). This length affects the hardness of the cooperating members 250, 252. In addition, it affects the catheter release force. For example, as the duck bill free length of the cooperating member 250 or 252 becomes longer, the hardness becomes smaller and the member becomes more flexible.
Also, the use of arcuate shapes and the use of ridges 280 for members 250, 252 and 260 may result in a generally uniform degree of catheter release force (and / or catheter) for a wide range of gauge needles 52. Providing force). The uniformity is also enhanced by the absence of rubbing between the detent 260 and the catheter hub surface 267. As can be appreciated, the catheter assembly 200 provides for passive release of the needle guard 202 from the catheter hub 220. The normal activity of withdrawing the needle hub 208 from the catheter hub 220 drives the needle guard 202 without requiring any additional manipulation by a healthcare worker (not shown). Similarly, further pulling on the needle hub 208 after its actuation allows the needle guard 202 to be easily released from the catheter hub 220 without requiring additional manipulation by a healthcare worker.

  The above provides an inclined plate needle guard that is improved and reinforced compared to prior art inclined plate configurations, individually and in various combinations. The above also provides an improvement to the needle guard that can be used individually and in various combinations with inclined plate clips as well as with other needle guard configurations. The

  Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to various embodiments of the invention, and has been described in considerable detail with reference to those embodiments, the claims are not limited in any way by the details thereof. Additional advantages and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, although the clip 12 has been illustrated and described as having the first wall 16 inclined toward the proximal end when the needle 52 is pulled out, those skilled in the art will be able to incline the wall 16 toward the distal end. It will be appreciated that the clip 12 may be configured. Furthermore, the second wall 20 of the clip 12 can be provided with an opening (not shown) for the guide wire and further has no clearance with respect to the needle 52 in the second state of the clip 12. Can be. Further, the stylus 38 of the second wall 20 can be directly coupled to the intermediate wall 22 of the clip 12 such that the stylus forms the second wall. Further, the spring member 14 may extend beyond the outer edges 29, 30 of the intermediate wall 22 rather than beyond the inner edges 27, 28 of the intermediate wall 22. Further, when the clip 12 and the spring member 14 are sufficiently small, the clip 12 and the spring member 14 can be directly installed inside the catheter hub having a contact surface in the catheter hub. . Accordingly, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited in any way by the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and various embodiments illustrated and described above. Accordingly, changes may be made in their details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general concept of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Needle guard 12 Inclined plate clip 14 Spring member 16 1st wall 18 Opening 20 2nd wall 24 1st strut 26 2nd strut 34 Heel 38 Arc-shaped stylus 50 Needle guard 52 Needle 54 Needle hub 56 Needle shaft 58 Sharp tip 60 Housing 62 Opening on the proximal end 64 Opening on the distal end

Claims (21)

A safety catheter device,
A catheter hub having an inner surface and a generally annular rib projecting radially inwardly from the inner surface;
A catheter tube extending from the distal end of the catheter hub;
With a needle hub;
A needle comprising a needle shaft extending from the needle hub and terminating at a sharp tip;
While being detachably connected to the catheter hub, the needle shaft is passed through between a first state where the tip of the needle is exposed and a second state where the tip of the needle is protected. A housing configured to slidably receive the needle shaft;
Comprising
In the second state, the needle shaft is held by a functional member that holds the needle shaft inside the housing,
The housing includes a pair of cooperating members extending toward the tip toward the tip;
These cooperating members form a passage between these cooperating members,
A part of this passage extends between the two end portions,
The nominal size of the passage along the longitudinal direction is such that the needle shaft can be freely received through this passage;
At least one of the pair of cooperating members includes a detent member,
The detent member cooperates with the rib of the catheter hub to hold the housing rotatably and detachable with respect to the catheter hub;
The detent member is released from the rib by narrowing the passage by pressing at least one of the cooperating members;
The presence of the needle shaft in the passage limits the pressure, thereby prohibiting the release of the housing,
In the second state, the needle hub is separated from the housing, and is connected to the housing only via the needle shaft. The safety catheter device of claim 1.
A safety catheter device, wherein each of the cooperating members includes a detent member configured to cooperate with the rib of the catheter hub. The safety catheter device of claim 2,
Each of the detent members constitutes a distal end portion of the corresponding cooperating member. The safety catheter device according to claim 2 or 3,
A safety catheter device characterized in that the detent members cooperate to form a plurality of segments of an annular ring. The safety catheter device of claim 1.
A safety catheter device wherein the detent member forms a segment of an annular ring. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A safety catheter device, wherein the cooperating member forms a split cylinder. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A safety catheter device, wherein the ribs are continuous. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The safety catheter device, wherein the rib is discontinuous and has a gap narrower than a circumferential width of the detent member. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
At least one of the cooperating members includes an internal ridge that defines the size of the passageway. The safety catheter device of claim 9,
A safety catheter device, wherein each of the cooperating members includes an internal ridge that defines the size of the passage. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The needle shaft has a constant diameter along its longitudinal direction;
A safety catheter device, characterized in that the size of the passage closely corresponds to the diameter of the needle shaft. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The inner surface of the catheter hub has a proximal tapered portion;
The safety catheter device according to claim 1, wherein the rib is disposed on a tip side of the tapered portion. The safety catheter device of claim 12,
The safety catheter device, wherein the tapered portion has a minimum inner diameter that is larger than a maximum outer diameter at the detent member. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
The safety catheter device further comprises a functional member in the housing that can protect the tip of the needle when the tip of the needle is in the housing. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
The needle hub comprises a shroud;
This shroud
A size such that when the needle extends through the housing, the catheter hub, and the catheter tube and the needle tip protrudes from the catheter tube, the needle can be aligned with the opposing portion of the housing. And
Otherwise, it is sized to be spaced from the catheter tube,
The safety catheter device further includes a sheath that surrounds at least the catheter tube and the needle tip and is aligned with at least a portion of the shroud. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
The needle hub and the housing have a cooperative structure;
The cooperating structure holds the needle hub and the housing in a relatively non-rotatable manner when the needle hub and the housing are arranged adjacent to each other. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 16,
And a needle support disposed inside the housing.
A safety catheter device, wherein the needle support is disposed adjacent to a lateral plane with respect to a cylindrical shape defined by the needle shaft. The safety catheter device according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
A safety catheter device wherein the cooperating member is arcuate in cross-sectional shape and includes an internal ridge of a size associated with the needle. A method for equalizing the release force of a duckbill release mechanism over a wide range of gauge needles, comprising:
Providing a pair of generally arcuate cross-section connecting members extending from the housing nose and sized to be received within the catheter hub;
Each connecting member is provided with an inwardly protruding internal ridge having a radial depth associated with the gauge of the needle to be used. In this case, a clearance over a predetermined range is set between the ridges The distance between the needle extending to the
A method characterized by that. The method of claim 19, wherein
The method is characterized in that the inwardly projecting inner ridge is disposed in an axial direction between the proximal end and the distal end of the connecting member. The method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein
The method according to claim 1, wherein the inwardly projecting inner ridge has a side edge spaced from the inner wall of the arcuate cross-sectional connecting member.