Retracting needle safety device

• US 20030040717A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Swenson, Kirk D., Wilkinson, Bradley, Saulenas, William, Sullivan, Michelle V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,182,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150496 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the double-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150656 semi-automatically triggered, i.e. in which the triggering of the protective sleeve requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150717 manually removed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150732 Needle holders, for instance for holding the needle by the hub, used for example with double-ended needle and pre-evacuated tube,
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3224 Means to disalign the needle tip and syringe nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3232 Semi-automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle retraction requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased retraction means

Abstract

A retractable safety needle assembly is provided. The needle assembly includes a tubular outer body, a retraction assembly contained with the outer body and a biasing element for applying a retraction force therebetween. The retraction assembly includes a cannula having an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip at opposing ends. In a first position, the intravenous puncture tip extends from a first end of the tubular outer body. The retraction assembly is adapted for movement within the tubular outer body from the first position to a second position in which the intravenous puncture tip and the non-patient puncture tip are contained entirely within the tubular outer body and are offset from a general axis defining the outer body.

Claims

1. A retractable safety needle assembly comprising:

a) a generally tubular outer body including a first end, a second end and a tubular wall extending along an axis from said first end to said second end to define an interior opening within said outer body, said outer body including a guide channel offset from said axis;

b) a retraction assembly positioned within said interior opening of said outer body, said retraction assembly including a cannula having an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip and including a fin for corresponding engagement with said guide channel of said outer body, said retraction assembly adapted for movement within said interior opening of said outer body from a first position in which said intravenous puncture tip extends from said first end of said outer body to a second position in which said intravenous puncture tip and said non-patient puncture tip are contained entirely within said outer body and said cannula is offset from said axis of said outer body;

c) a retaining element for preventing movement of said retraction assembly between said first position and said second position; and

d) a biasing element for applying a retraction force between said retraction assembly and said outer body to move said retraction assembly from said first position to said second position upon release of said means for preventing movement.

2. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein said biasing element comprises a compression spring.

3. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein said tubular wall of said outer body includes a recess extending within the interior opening of said outer body adapted for accommodating said non-patient puncture tip when said retraction assembly is in said second position.

4. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein said outer body includes an opening extending through said tubular wall and said retraction assembly includes a tab extending through said opening, said retaining element comprising an interference engagement between said tab and said tubular wall.

5. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein said retraction assembly is irreversibly movable from said first position to said second position.

6. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein attempted movement of said retraction assembly from said second position to said first position causes said intravenous puncture tip to contact an interior portion of said tubular outer body at said first end, thereby preventing said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

7. A needle assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism for locking said retraction assembly in said second position.

8. A needle assembly as in claim 7, wherein said guide channel includes a notch, said notch acting as a lock mechanism for preventing said fin from moving within said guide channel and thereby preventing said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

9. A needle assembly as in claim 8, wherein attempted movement of said retraction assembly from said second position to said first position causes either said intravenous puncture tip to contact an interior portion of said tubular outer body at said first end, or said fin to contact said notch, thereby preventing said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

10. A needle assembly as in claim 7, wherein said fin includes at least one fin finger and said guide channel includes a notch corresponding to each of said at least one fin finger, said at least one fin finger and said corresponding notch in interference engagement when said retraction assembly is in said second position, thereby acting as a lock mechanism to prevent said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

11. A needle assembly as in claim 10, wherein said fin includes two fin fingers and said guide channel includes two corresponding notches.

12. A needle assembly as in claim 7, wherein said guide channel includes a stop extending from an interior surface of said tubular wall within said guide channel, said fin adapted for radial flexing when said fin contacts said stop when said retraction assembly is moved from said first position to said second position, said fin in interference engagement with said stop when said retraction assembly is in said second position to prevent said fin from moving within said guide channel and preventing said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

13. A needle assembly as in claim 12, wherein said stop includes a forward ramped surface and a rearward shoulder, said forward ramped surface permitting said fin to radially flex when said fin contacts said stop when said retraction assembly is moved from said first position to said second position, and said shoulder providing for interference engagement with said fin when said retraction assembly is in said second position to prevent said fin from moving within said guide channel.

14. A needle assembly as in claim 7, wherein said guide channel includes a recess extending within said tubular wall of said outer body, said fin adapted for radial flexing for engagement with said recess when said retraction assembly is in said second position, thereby preventing said fin from moving within said guide channel and preventing said retraction assembly from moving from said second position to said first position.

15. A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein said outer body includes a pair of guide channels on opposing sides of said tubular wall and said retraction assembly includes a pair of fins for respective corresponding engagement with said pair of guide channels.

16. A needle assembly as in claim 15, wherein said pair of guide channels extend along opposing sides of said tubular wall and slope downwardly toward said second end of said outer body.

17. A needle assembly as in claim 1, further comprising an elastomeric sleeve extending about said non-patient puncture tip.

18. A needle assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a needle cover extending about said intravenous puncture tip.

19. A retractable safety needle assembly comprising:

a) a generally tubular outer body including a first end adapted for accommodating an intravenous cannula therethrough, a second end adapted for accommodating a blood collection tube therethrough and a tubular wall extending along an axis from said first end to said second end to define an interior opening within said outer body, said outer body including an opening extending through said wall to said interior opening and a guide channel offset from said axis;

b) a retraction assembly positioned within said interior opening of said outer body, said retraction assembly including a tab for interference engagement with said wall of said outer body through said opening and a fin for corresponding engagement with said guide channel of said outer body;

c) a needle assembly fixedly attached to said retraction assembly, said needle assembly including an intravenous cannula having an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip; and

d) a biasing element adapted for applying a retraction force to said retraction assembly upon release of said interference engagement between said tab of said retraction assembly and said wall of said outer body to move said retraction assembly from a first position in which said intravenous puncture tip extends from said first end of said outer body to a second position in which said intravenous puncture tip and said non-patient puncture tip are contained entirely within said outer body and said intravenous cannula is offset from said axis of said outer body.

20. A needle assembly as in claim 19, wherein said biasing element comprises a compression spring.

21. A needle assembly as in claim 19, wherein said tubular wall of said outer body includes a recess extending within the interior opening of said outer body adapted for accommodating said non-patient puncture tip when said retraction assembly is in said second position.

22. A needle assembly as in claim 19, wherein said retraction assembly is irreversibly movable from said first position to said second position.

23. A retractable safety needle assembly comprising:

a) a generally tubular outer body including a first end, a second end and a tubular wall extending along an axis from said first end to said second end to define an interior opening within said outer body, said outer body including a guide channel offset from said axis;

b) a retraction assembly positioned within said interior opening of said outer body, said retraction assembly including a cannula having an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip and including a fin for corresponding engagement with said guide channel of said outer body, said retraction assembly adapted for movement within said interior opening of said outer body from a first position in which said intravenous puncture tip extends from said first end of said outer body to a second position in which said intravenous puncture tip and said non-patient puncture tip are contained entirely within said outer body and said cannula is offset from said axis of said outer body;

c) means for preventing movement of said retraction assembly between said first position and said second position; and

d) biasing means for applying a retraction force between said retraction assembly and said outer body to move said retraction assembly from said first position to said second position upon release of said means for preventing movement.

24. A retractable safety needle assembly comprising:

a) a generally tubular outer body including a first end, a second end and a tubular wall extending along an axis from said first end to said second end to define an interior opening within said outer body;

b) a retraction assembly positioned within said interior opening of said outer body, said retraction assembly including a cannula having an intravenous puncture tip and a non-patient puncture tip, said retraction assembly adapted for movement within said interior opening of said outer body from a first position in which said intravenous puncture tip extends from said first end of said outer body to a second position in which said intravenous puncture tip and said non-patient puncture tip are contained entirely within said outer body; and

c) a locking mechanism for locking said retraction mechanism in said second position;

wherein attempted movement of said retraction assembly from said second position to said first position is prevented by one of said intravenous puncture tip contacting an interior portion of said tubular outer body at said first end or by said locking mechanism engaging said retraction assembly, thereby preventing movement of said retraction assembly from said second position to said first position.