Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
  • A61M5/178—Syringes
  • A61M5/31—Details
  • A61M5/32—Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body; Devices for protection of needles
  • A61M5/3205—Apparatus for removing or disposing of used needles or syringes, e.g. containers; Means for protection against accidental injuries from used needles
  • A61M5/321—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles
  • A61M5/3243—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel
  • A61M5/3257—Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
  • A61M5/178—Syringes
  • A61M5/31—Details
  • A61M5/32—Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body; Devices for protection of needles
  • A61M5/3205—Apparatus for removing or disposing of used needles or syringes, e.g. containers; Means for protection against accidental injuries from used needles
  • A61M5/321—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles
  • A61M5/3243—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel
  • A61M5/3245—Constructional features thereof, e.g. to improve manipulation or functioning
  • A61M2005/3247—Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
  • A61M5/178—Syringes
  • A61M5/28—Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle
  • A61M5/281—Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle using emptying means to expel or eject media, e.g. pistons, deformation of the ampoule, or telescoping of the ampoule
  • A61M5/282—Syringe ampoules or carpules, i.e. ampoules or carpules provided with a needle using emptying means to expel or eject media, e.g. pistons, deformation of the ampoule, or telescoping of the ampoule by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
  • A61M5/178—Syringes
  • A61M5/31—Details
  • A61M5/32—Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body; Devices for protection of needles
  • A61M5/3205—Apparatus for removing or disposing of used needles or syringes, e.g. containers; Means for protection against accidental injuries from used needles
  • A61M5/321—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles
  • A61M5/3243—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel
  • A61M5/3271—Means for protection against accidental injuries by used needles being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position

Definitions

• This invention relates to a needle assembly.
• the present invention provides a needle assembly as defined in the following claims. Preferred features of the needle assembly will be apparent from the following description.
• FIG 1 is an exploded perspective view of a needle assembly according to the present invention
• FIG 2 is a perspective view of the needle assembly with the sheath in the pre-use, needle- protected position
• FIG 3 is a perspective view of the needle assembly with the sheath in the ready-for-use, needle- exposed position
• FIG 4 is a perspective view of the needle assembly in the post-use, needle-exposed position
• FIG 5 is a perspective view of the needle assembly in the post-use, needle-protected position
• FIG 6 is a partially-sectioned plan view of the needle assembly of FIG 2;
• FIG 7 is a partially-sectioned plan view of the needle assembly of FIG 3;
• FIG 8 is a plan view of the needle assembly of claim 2 shown ready for docking
• FIG 1 there is illustrated an exploded perspective view of a needle assembly according to the present invention.
• the needle assembly includes an elongate needle mount 10, a needle 12 extending forwardly from the needle mount 10, and a sheath 14 which in use is mounted on the needle mount 10. It will be understood from the following description that the needle mount 10 is sufficiently elongate to accommodate reciprocation of the sheath 14 on the needle mount 10.
• the components of the needle assembly will be manufactured from plastics material.
• the needle mount 10 has a rearward frusto-conical axial portion 16 which terminates in a flange 17.
• the rearward frusto-conical axial portion 16 is adapted to receive the forward end of a syringe (not illustrated).
• a circular-cross-section axial portion 18 Forward of the circular-cross-section axial portion 18 is a square-cross-section axial portion 20.
• Forward of square-cross-section axial portion 20 is a generally cylindrical axial portion 22 with the needle 12 extending from the forward end thereof.
• the square-cross-section axial portion 20 defines four sides comprising a pair of lateral sides, and upper and lower sides as shown in FIG 1.
• the rearward ends of the lateral sides of square- cross-section axial portion 20 terminate in laterally extending first ramps 24.
• the forward ends of the upper and lower sides of the square-cross-section axial portion 20 terminate in upwardly and downwardly extending second ramps 26.
• the sheath 14 includes opposed tabs 28 for engagement by the fingers of the person using the needle assembly, and the rearward end of the sheath 14 terminates in a bifurcated arrangement which defines a pair of laterally flexible resilient members 30.
• Each resilient member 30 includes a forwardly-directed internal surface 31, an inwardly-directed surface 32 which in use engages the sides of square-cross-section axial portion 20, and a rearwardly-directed surface 33 (best seen in FIG 6).
• FIG 2 the assembled needle assembly is shown in the pre-use, needle-protected position.
• the sheath 14 is biased in a forward direction relative to the needle mount 10 by virtue of an internal compression spring 38 (refer to FIGS 6 and 7).
• the sheath 14 is prevented from disengaging from the needle mount 10 in the forward direction by virtue of the engagement of the forwardly-directed internal surface 31 of the sheath 14 with a laterally- extending and rearwardly-facing surface 34 of the needle mount 10.
• the sheath 14 has been pulled rearwardly relative to the needle mount 10 to a position whereat the needle 12 is exposed and ready for use.
• the compression spring 38 has been compressed and the inwardly-directed surfaces 32 have slid along the respective lateral sides of the square- cross-section axial portion 20 and have been urged apart by the laterally-extending first ramps 24.
• the resilient members 30 Once the resilient members 30 have passed over the laterally-extending first ramps 24, they snap inwardly to a position whereat the inwardly-directed surfaces 32 engage the circular-cross- section axial portion 18.
• the internal forwardly-directed surfaces 31 of sheath 14 engage the rearward surfaces of the laterally-extending first ramps 24 such that the sheath 14 cannot move in the forward direction relative to the needle mount 10 under the effect of the compression spring 38.
• the sheath 14 is axially rotated through 90° relative to the needle mount 10 to the position shown in FIG 4.
• the shield 14 can be rotated in either direction relative to the needle mount 10 in the illustrated embodiment.
• the circular-cross-section axial portion may be only partially circular in cross-section (eg two opposed quadrants are circular) such that the shield 14 can only rotate in one direction relative to the needle mount 10.
• Rotation of the sheath 14 relative to the needle mount 10 is possible by virtue of the fact that inwardly directed surfaces 32 of the needle mount 14 engage the circular-cross-section axial portion 18 of the needle mount 10.
• the sheath 14 reaches the rotative position shown in FIG 4, it is then free to move in the forward direction under the influence of the compression spring 38 to the position shown in FIG 5 due to the fact that the resilient members 30 have disengaged from the laterally-extending first ramps 24.
• the compression spring 38 expands and the inwardly directed surfaces 32 of the needle mount 14 slide along the upper and lower sides of the square-cross-section axial portion 20 of the needle mount 10.
• the resilient members 30 are spread apart as they pass over the upwardly and downwardly-directed second ramps 26.
• the resilient members 30 After passing over the second ramps 26, the resilient members 30 snap inwardly such that inwardly directed surfaces 32 engage outwardly-directed planar surfaces 36 (refer to FIG 1) provided on the needle mount 10. Subsequent rearward movement of the sheath 14 relative to the needle mount 10 is prevented by virtue of engagement of the rearward surfaces 33 of the sheath 14 with the forwardly-directed surfaces of the second ramps 26. Further, the sheath 14 cannot rotate relative to needle mount 10 by virtue of the engagement of inwardly directed surfaces 32 with the outwardly-directed planar surfaces 36 of the needle mount 10.
• the square- cross-section axial portion 20 of the needle mount need not be perfectly square, but may actually be rectangular in cross-section. In this regard, it may be desirable make the "square" section taller than it is wide so that the degree of pre-load on the resilient members is greater after the shield 14 has been rotated to the orientation shown in FIGS 4 and 5. Similarly, the resilient members 30 can accommodate imperfections in the "roundness" of the circular-cross-section axial portion 18.
• FIGS 6 and 7 are partially sectioned plan views corresponding to FIGS 2 and 3, respectively.
• FIGS 6 and 7 illustrate some hidden details which may not be readily apparent from the perspective views shown in FIG 1 to 5, particularly compression spring 38 which is provided between the forward end 22 of the needle mount 10 and the interior forward end of sheath 14.
• the needle assembly 10 will be mounted on a conventional syringe comprised of a fluid-containing barrel and rearwardly-extending plunger assembly.
• the syringe may be either pre-filled or not.
• the present invention is also suitable for use with less conventional low volume "syringes" such as is illustrated in FIG 8.
• the traditional barrel and plunger assembly has been replaced with a flexible fluid-containing bellows 40.
• the fluid-containing bellows 40 is urged into engagement with the frusto-conical portion 16 of the needle mount.
• a rearwardly extending section of needle 12 (refer to FIG 7) pierces a frangible membrane 42 on the forward end of the fluid-containing bellows 40 such that the interior of the fluid-containing bellows 40 is in fluid communication with the interior of needle 12.
• An ancillary benefit of the elongate needle mount 10 of the present invention is the fact that there is relatively large axial length of the needle 12 passing through the body of the needle mount 10. This facilitates bonding of the needle 12 to the needle mount 10 which assures a secure fixture which is both reliable in use and cost effective in manufacture.
• the forward end of shield 14 through which the needle 12 passes may be sealed with a frangible membrane so that the shield 14 cannot easily move against the spring bias from the position shown in FIG 2 to the position shown in FIG 3. Rather, the needle would have to puncture the frangible membrane at the forward end of the shield 14 during movement of the shield from the position shown in FIG 2 to the position shown in FIG 3.
• Another significant advantage of the present invention is the fact that it is suitable for use with the conventional hypodermic syringe, and "syringes" such as the type illustrated in FIG 8.
• prior art designs have mounted the sheath for reciprocating movement on the barrel of the syringe. This has dictated that the barrel of the syringe be customised to receive the sheath.
• the sheath 14 is mounted for reciprocal movement on the needle mount 10 and accordingly a conventional cylindrical barrel can be used.
• the resilience is designed into the shield 14 by virtue of the materials chosen, the thickness of the material, and the bifurcated design of the shield.
• the shield it is also possible for the shield to be rigid and for the resilience to be designed into the ramps on the needle mount 10, eg. the ramps could be resilient flaps which deform inwardly as the shield passes over them
• the ramps could be resilient flaps which deform inwardly as the shield passes over them

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=27810064

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (19)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2002
  • 2002-08-26 AU AU2002950988A patent/AU2002950988A0/en not_active Abandoned
• 2003
  • 2003-05-22 US US10/495,404 patent/US7201742B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-05-22 EP EP03727000A patent/EP1542745A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-05-22 CA CA002461497A patent/CA2461497A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-05-22 CN CNA038014017A patent/CN1578685A/zh active Pending
  • 2003-05-22 JP JP2004529567A patent/JP2005536248A/ja active Pending
  • 2003-05-22 WO PCT/AU2003/000617 patent/WO2004018024A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2003-05-22 NZ NZ531918A patent/NZ531918A/en unknown

Patent Citations (4)

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