Huber needle with folding safety wings

• US 20030105449A1
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth C. Raines
• Original Assignee: Kenneth C. Raines
• Inventors: Raines, Kenneth C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,911,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3216 Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base

Abstract

A safety needle assembly has a needle with a pointed tip and at least one generally planar wing attached via a pivot pin to the needle. The wings are moveable between an unguarded position wherein the tip of the needle is exposed to facilitate insertion of the needle and a guarded position wherein access to the tip of the needle is inhibited so as to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent needle stick.

Claims

1. A method for performing an injection, the method comprising:

moving first and second wings attached to a hub to an unguarded position, wherein the first and second wings are approximately parallel with respect to one another;

grasping the first and second wings together;

inserting a needle attached to the hub into an injection site, the needle and the first and second wings being attached to the hub in a spaced apart relationship;

moving the first and second wings to an unguarded position wherein the first and second wings extend in generally opposite directions from a needle and are generally co-planar with respect to one another;

taping the first and second wings proximate the injection site;

injecting fluid through the needle into the injection site;

untaping the first and second wings;

removing the needle from the injection site by lifting the needle away from the injection site in a manner which facilitates the first and second wings falling due to gravity from their generally co-planar position to a non-coplanar position thereof;

holding the needle and locking the first and second wings into a guarded position using a common hand; and

wherein the first and second wings inhibit access to a tip of the needle so as to mitigate a likelihood of an inadvertent needle stick when the first and second wings are in the guarded position thereof.

2. The method for performing an injection as recited in claim 1, wherein removing the needle from the injection site comprises lifting the needle away from the injection site by grasping at least one of the first and second wings.

3. The method for performing an injection as recited in claim 1, wherein removing the needle from the injection site comprises lifting the needle away from the injection site by grasping a third wing which extends outwardly, away from the injection site.

4. The method for performing an injection as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of locking the first and second wings into a guarded position thereof comprises permanently locking the first and second wings into a guarded position thereof.

5. A safety needle assembly comprising:

a needle having a pointed tip and a horizontal arm;

a hub formed over the needle, said hub comprising a bore for receiving a pivotable pin;

a generally planar wing, said generally planar wing comprising a connecting portion adapted to pivotally connect the generally planar wing to the hub; and

a tubing port disposed within the hub for accommodating a tubing.

6. The safety needle assembly of claim 5, further comprising a second wing, the second wing being pivotally connected to the hub on a side opposite the generally planar wing.

7. The safety needle assembly of claim 5, further comprising a third wing, the third wing being pivotally connected to the hub.

8. The safety needle assembly of claim 5, wherein the connecting portion of the generally planar wing comprises a pivot pin, and wherein the pivot pin allows the generally planar wing to pivotally connect to the bore of the hub.

9. The safety needle assembly of claim 5, wherein the connecting portion of the generally planar wing comprises a pin, and wherein the pin is permanently attached to the generally planar wing.

10. The safety needle assembly of claim 5, wherein the needle defines a first axis and wherein the connecting portion defines a second different axis spaced apart from the first axis.

11. A safety needle assembly comprising a needle having a first needle section and a second needle section at an angle to the first needle section, the first needle section comprising a needle tip and the second needle section comprising a horizontal arm;

a needle hub comprising a plurality of bores;

a first and a second generally planar wings pivotally attached to two of the bores; and

a tubing port attached to a third bore of the needle hub.

12. The safety needle assembly of claim 11, further comprising a third generally planar wing attached to a fourth bore of the needle hub.

13. The safety needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the needle hub further comprises two female detents and the first and second generally planar wings each comprises a male detent, and wherein the male detents cooperate with the female detents to position the first and second generally planar wings in a guarded position.

14. The safety needle assembly of claim 11, further comprising a tubing in communication with the tubing port.

15. The safety needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the needle defines a first axis and wherein the bores to which the first and second generally planar wings are attached define a second axis and third axis that spaced apart from one another.

16. The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein the fourth bore and the third generally planar wing are positioned on a first surface of the needle hub and wherein a surface opposite the first surface of the needle hub further comprises a channel.

17. The safety needle assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second generally planar wings each comprises a distal end tip and wherein the two distal end tips extend past the needle tip to shield the needle tip.

18. The safety needle assembly of claim 17, wherein the distal end tip of the first generally planar wing and the distal end tip of the second generally planar wing point in different directions.