WO2011129783A1

WO2011129783A1 - Injection needle cap apparatus that can be opened to both sides

Info

Publication number: WO2011129783A1
Application number: PCT/TR2011/000083
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ozlem Oktay
Original assignee: Ozlem Oktay
Priority date: 2010-04-16
Filing date: 2011-04-15
Publication date: 2011-10-20
Also published as: TR201003018A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an injection needle cap apparatus (10) to prevent sticks of the injection needles into hand that are used in the health sector, comprising a main barrel (11) that is connected with the needle barrel (20), recapping the needle tip; wings (13) that are positioned reciprocally on the upper end monolithically with the main barrel to recap the needle tip; a connection axis (14) that connects the wings to the main barrel and allows them to open to both sides; and locking mechanism (15) that is positioned on the wings to keep the wings closed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

INJECTION NEEDLE CAP APPARATUS THAT CAN BE OPENED TO BOTH

SIDES

THE RELATED ART

The present invention relates to injection needle caps that are used in the health sector. The invention is used with all the injectors that are present in the sector to prevent inadvertent needlesticks and cause accidents.

The invention relates to particularly, to prevent sticks of injection needles that are used in the health sector into hand, injection needle cap apparatus that comprises a main barrel, covering the needle tip, that is connected with the needle barrel; wings that are positioned reciprocally on the upper end monolithically with the main barrel to cover the needle tip; a connection axis that connects the wings to the main barrel and allows them to open to both sides; and injection needle cap apparatus that comprises a locking mechanism that is positioned on both sides of the wings to keep the wings closed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As it is known, injectors are professional tools that are used by most health care workers, ranging from doctors to nurses. An injector is used for injection operations in cases such as giving vaccination, taking blood samples, administering medications, etc. and a large number of incidents of needlestick into hand are experienced in the application areas. Studies that have been carried out reveal that the incidents of needlestick into hand occurred within a few seconds after removal of the needle from patients.

Researches on needlestick into hand reveal some statistical information. According to these statistics, a study that was carried out at Siileyman Demirel University in Turkey revealed that incidents of needlestick into hand had occurred in 36,2 % of the employees within one year. 37,2 % out of these incidents resulted in contact with the patient's blood. Similarly, 7649 injuries in 61 hospitals in France for 4 years were evaluated; it revealed that 60% of the injuries had occurred in nurses. 77.6 % of these again were determined to have occurred in form of needlestick into hand. Needlestick injuries can cause transmission to the health workers of viral diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, etc. that could be present in patients.

As a result of needlesticks, the tests that are required to be performed against the probability of health workers' become infected and the treatment costs are heavy materially and spiritually; and even deaths associated with this situation occur. In a safe injector embodiment example that has been developed to prevent this in the prior art, there is a mechanism that allows the needle to be retracted into the injector barrel after use. However, because the injector and the barrel are a whole in this safe injector, it is not possible to use the barrel with the different needle tips or the injectors with the different injection barrels. In addition, this system does not allow doing multiple manipulations duly with the same needle tip.

In addition, various studies and different methods have also been developed for prevention of such accidents. These are grouped under three main headings:

Safe Recapping Procedures: If recapping is really necessary, it should be considered and in this case recapping operation should never be performed by means of passing the needle tip to the other side of the hand that is unprotected. Insertion with One Hand: Recapping is safe when it is performed in form of inserting protective tip of the needle with one hand after leaving it on a flat surface. In this method, if the needle tip must absolutely be recapped after use, the cap should be placed on a flat surface; and the needle tip that is attached to the barrel should be pushed towards the cap with one hand.

Recapping Tools: There are some safe recapping tools available. Some tools that have been developed allow the needle tip to be recapped more easily. One of said recapping tools is described in patent application numbered CN 1338317 A. The invention is a high security injection needle tube protector, that is comprised of a blank barrel having a first tip, a second tip and cavities in form of V. Said cavities are parallel to the axis of the protector; and the width of the cavities is narrower than the needle's. Because said protector has a good elasticity because of the V shaped cavities, it can be pressed into the needle and its injury to human body is prevented.

The protector according to the invention that is described in the application above does not have any functions such as any opening to sideways, side shifting, etc., the needle is stored inside by means of pushing it into it. However, because the contact between the needle and the hand can not be prevented with this system, incidents of needlestick into hand may occur during pushing of the needle. Or because there will be contact with the remains of diseased flesh or blood that contaminate around the needle after use of the needle, incidents of contamination and disease transmission are likely to occur. Absolute non contact of health worker with the needle will be appropriate medically for the rules of antisepsis both for himself and for the patient that the needle is to going to be used for. Another patent is the one with number WO2009148969, it relates to needle cap apparatus for a syringe. Cap apparatus that is for single use is used hides a significant portion or the entire needle in an invisible way before injection, during injection and after injection. Said cap apparatus comprises a slot; and a needle sleeve that retreats and expands by means of sliding inside of this slot on the axis of the slot.

The patent numbered GB 2420978 A on the other hand relates to needle cap that can expand to prevent accidents. The invention is a syringe to inject liquid substance; it comprises a tubular slot for the liquid substance; an injection needle that expands from the first end of said slot; an injection needle and a protective tube extending over the first end of the slot and spring action tools. When injection pressure is applied on the slot for injection of the liquid substance, the protective tube can glide on the slot and into the slot. When the injection pressure that is applied into the slot disappears, the spring pushes the protective tube towards the outside of the slot and the protective tube returns to its position on the needle.

The cap apparatus according to the inventions that are mentioned in the last two applications described above does not have any functions such as opening to sideways, side shifting, etc.. The needle remaining constant, it is inserted into the slot by means of pushing the protective cap that is on it by the pressure of the skin during injection, the needle surfaces and the injection is given. However, the invention that is disclosed herein is a very expensive and complicated system. Therefore, it may easily be corrupted and may not perform the function desired. Yet, it can be dangerous for patients because the needle tip does not surface during injection and also because the area in which the needle tip is going to be pricked is not visible due to the width of the protective sheath. Another possible problem that could emerge is that contact between the hand and the needle is not fully cut off in said inventions during the injection operation. This situation can lead to emergence of incidents of needlestick into hand.

To eliminate the drawbacks of the above described inventions, the injection needle cap apparatus having extremely varied advantages over other similar ones; being cheap and practical will meet the need to technically prevent the incidents that the health workers have been experiencing.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

The main purpose of said invention is to eliminate the drawbacks in the prior art by means of developing an injection needle cap apparatus that will prevent the incidents of needlestick into hand the health workers have been experiencing.

In this context, purpose of the invention is to reveal an injection needle cap apparatus that does not cause the incidents of needlestick into hand because it is safe and easy to use.

The apparatus according to the invention runs on a simpler system using fewer amounts of materials. Here, the purpose is to obtain an injection needle cap apparatus that has a structure compatible with the injector barrel (medication reservoir) that is available in the prior art and that has a low cost.

Another purpose of the apparatus according to the invention on the other hand is to reveal an embodiment that minimizes the losses of time emerging during use on the course of opening of the cap to both sides; traction of the medication into the reservoir; recapping the cap; uncapping the cap to both sides again for injection to the patient; recapping the cap in the aftermath of the injection. In addition, a very important purpose of the apparatus according to the invention is to have an embodiment that will prevent incidents of needlestick into hand by means of a system that does not require and allow any contact between the hand and the needle tip during the uncapping and recapping. Another purpose of the invention is to allow health workers or patients to easily see the injection area because the apparatus according to the invention leaves the needle tip in the open during usage and to prevent possible inadvertent needlesticks.

In addition, purpose by the apparatus according to the invention is to obtain an embodiment that is closed when not in use thanks to the cap fixing member and that maintains its hygienic structure in terms of health.

Because the needle protective cap apparatus according to the invention is not removed from its location during injection, it is protected from the risks such as becoming lost, falling down, and contamination. Therefore, it becomes possible to give injections healthily using the needle that maintains its hygienic structures.

Another purpose of the invention on the other hand is to be recappable onto the needle again after use because it does not become lost; and to prevent it from giving harm to the environment as waste.

Another purpose of the invention on the other hand is needlestick injuries into hand and transmission of diseases, therefore to minimize health problems that are faced by the health workers during work (as a result of disease transmission). In this context, a further purpose of the invention on the other hand is to prevent the occurrence of labour losses because of health problems, reducing the costs of diagnosis and treatment. Yet, it is to prevent transmission of viral infections to the health workers that could lead to death.

To meet said objectives, an injection needle cap apparatus that has been developed to prevent sticks of injection needles that are used in the health sector into hand; covering the needle tip by means of being connected with the needle barrel, comprising

- a main barrel that is connected with said needle barrel,

- wings that are positioned reciprocally on the upper end monolithically with the main barrel to recap the needle tip,

- connection axis that connects the wings to the main barrel and allows them to open to both sides; and

- at least one locking mechanism that is positioned on the vertical contact surface; and is connected with the wings to keep said wings closed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said locking mechanism comprises a locking member that is positioned on one of the wings; and a locking keeper that is positioned on the other of the wings, by means of being locked with said locking member to keep the wings closed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises at least two locking mechanisms that are positioned on different vertical contact surfaces.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises support ring that is positioned on the lower end monolithically with said main barrel. FIGURE THAT WILL HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE INVENTION

Figure-1 is a lateral view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in closed and disassembled form. Figure-2 is a lateral perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in 'closed' and 'assembled to injector tip' form.

Figure-3a is a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in closed and disassembled form by the wing side where the locking member is located.

Figure-3b is a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in closed and disassembled form by the wing side where the locking keeper is located.

Figure-4 is a lateral view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in open and assembled to injector tip.

Figure-5 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus in closed and disassembled form.

Figure-6 is a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus by the upper end in closed and disassembled form.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10. Injection Needle Cap Apparatus

11. Main Barrel

12. Support Ring

13. Wing

14. Connection Axis

15. Locking Mechanism

16. Locking Member

17. Locking Keeper

18. Vertical Contact Surface

19. Horizontal Contact Surface

20. Needle Barrel

21. Needle Tip

30. Injector Barrel

31. Injector Tip DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, injection needle cap apparatus (10) that has been developed to prevent stick of injection needles into hand is described for a better understanding of the subject-matter and not to constitute any limiting effects by means of represented figures.

In Figure-1 , a lateral view of a preferred embodiment of said injector needle cap apparatus (10) in closed and disassembled form is given. The apparatus (10) comprises a main barrel (1 1 ); a support ring (12) that is positioned on the lower end monolithically with said main barrel (1 1); wings (13) that are positioned reciprocally on the upper end monolithically with the main barrel (11 ); a connection axis (14) that connects said wings (13) to the main barrel (11 ) and allows them to open to both sides; two locking mechanisms (16) that are positioned on one of said wings (13); and two locking keepers (17) that are positioned on the other of the wings (13) to keep the wings (13) closed by means of being locked with said locking members (16).

In order for said wings (13) to open to both sides on the main barrel (11 ), a vertical contact surface (18) among themselves has been formed. Furthermore, in order for said opening to be sufficient enough; and for the needle tip (21) to surface entirely during injection to the patient, horizontal contact surfaces (19) that lie between connection axes (14) between the wings (13) and the main barrel (11 ) have been formed. In Figure-2, a lateral perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) in closed and assembled to the injector tip (31 ) form are given. According to this, said apparatus (10) is connected with the injector barrel (30) by means of being attached onto the needle barrel (20) that is assembled to the injector tip (31) that is positioned on the upper end of the barrel (30). Needle tip (21 ) of the injector that causes accidents is contact with the needle barrel (20), it is closed by means of said apparatus (10) and it is prevented form doing harm. In Figure-3a, a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) in closed and disassembled form by the wing (13) side where the locking member (16) is located is given. Here, the contact of said locking keeping (17) with the locking member (16) is illustrated.

In Figure-3b, a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) in closed and disassembled form by the wing (13) side where the locking keeper (17) is located is given. Here, the barrel (30) and the apparatus (10) connection that are mentioned in the paragraph above and the connection axes (14) that are limited by the horizontal contact surfaces (19) are expressly illustrated.

According to the figure, said locking member (16) and the locking keeper (17) have been formed to make a ridge from the wing's (13) surface. In other words, they are prevented from remaining in the vertical range (18). This ridge structure both facilitates the opening of the wings (13) with a gentle finger pressure to the mechanism (15) and also facilitates their recapping after the use of the needle tip (21 ).

In Figure-4, a lateral view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) in open and assembled to the injector tip (21 ) form is given. Said cap apparatus (10) covers the needle tip (21) by means of being connected to the needle barrel (20) under normal conditions. Therefore, it both protects the needle tip from external factors and also protects the injector users from probable needle (21 ) sticks. Because a great deal of said needle tip (21 ) sticks occur during removal and recapping of the cap, a cap apparatus (10) that does not require removal or recapping (10) has been developed. Therefore, said cap apparatus (10) comprises wings (13) that can be opened to both sides in order for the needle tip (21 ) to be used, this opening is around 150-180°. This angle is sufficient for the needle tip (21 ) to be used without doing harm to the patient.

Wings (13) spontaneously fall on both sides and open as a result of shock and pressure by the single movement of thumb and index fingers of a hand on the locking member (16) that is located in ridge-form locking mechanism (15). This opening occurs around the connection axis (14).

After the needle tip (21 ) is used with one hand, two wings (13) are closed in a safe and fast way by means of using thumb and index finger of the other hand by the pressure that is to be exerted from the main barrel (1 1) up, towards the wings (13). This recapping action is completed by means of clenching and fixing of the locking member (16) with the locking keeper (17) to each other. In Figure-5, a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) in closed and disassembled form is given. Here, there is a view of the apparatus (10) in more detailed form and from a different angle. The locking member (16) and the locking keeper (17) that comprises the locking mechanism (15) are illustrated with the interlocked structure that is given here. However, in alternative embodiments of the invention, it is also possible that the mechanism (15) is comprised of a locking member (16) and a locking keeper (17) that can be attached one over another. What matters is the adjustability of them according to the injection needles (21 ) in every size and caliber (dimension) by their nature; the material that is used should be made from plastic, etc. material that has enough elasticity as of its type; and should allow the person who uses the injector to uncap and recap it easily thanks to the locking mechanism (15) it possesses.

In Figure-6, a view of a preferred embodiment of said injection needle cap apparatus (10) by the upper end in closed and disassembled form is given. The mechanism (15) that is also mentioned above is embodied to be opened with a gentle push movement using the thumb and index fingers of the hand while the user grasps the injector with his palm and the other fingers of same hand. Thus, for users, it is ensured to obtain an embodiment that saves from time in line with the explanations that have been made in the purposes section.

Claims

1. The invention is an injection needle cap apparatus (10) that has been developed to prevent sticks of injection needles used in the health sector into hand; covering the needle tip (21 ) by means of being connected with the needle barrel (20) and it is characterized in that it comprises,

- a main barrel (11 ) that is connected with said needle barrel (20),

- wings (13) that are positioned reciprocally on the upper end monolithically with the main barrel (1 ) to recap said needle tip (21 ),

- connection axis (14) that connects said wings (13) to the main barrel (1 1) and allows them to open to both sides,

- at least one locking mechanism (15) that is positioned on the vertical contact surface (18); and is connected with the wings (13) to keep said wings (13) closed.

2. Injection needle cap apparatus (1 ) according to Claim 1 , and is characterized in that; said locking mechanism (15) comprises locking member (16) that is positioned on one of the wings (13); and locking keeper (17) that is positioned on the other of the wings (13) to keep the wings (13) closed by means of being locked with said locking member (16).

3. Injection needle cap apparatus (1 ) according to Claim 1 , and is characterized in that; it comprises at least two locking mechanisms (15) that are positioned on different vertical contact surfaces (18).

4. Injection needle cap apparatus (1 ) according to Claim 1 , and is characterized in that; it comprises; the support ring (12) that is positioned on the lower end monolithically with said main barrel (11 ).