Blood collection device

• US 20030181874A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bradley M., Bressler, Peter, Hwang, Charles G., Swenson, Kirk D., Livanos, Stefanie
• Granted Patent: US 7,112,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/263
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0637 Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3216 Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3219 Semi-automatic repositioning of the cap, i.e. in which the repositioning of the cap to the needle covering position requires a deliberate action by the user to trigger the repositioning of the cap, e.g. manual release of spring-biased cap repositioning means

Abstract

A safety needle assembly has a needle hub and a needle cannula projecting from the hub. Wings project transversely from the hub to facilitate manipulation and positioning of the needle assembly. A shield is hingedly attached to the needle hub and can be rotated from a first position where the needle cannula is exposed to a second position where the needle cannula is shielded. At least one latch may be disposed on the shield for secure locked engagement with the hub, the wings and/or the tubing extending from the hub. A spring may also be provided for propelling the shield into the second position.

Claims

1. A safety needle assembly comprising a needle hub having opposite proximal and distal ends, a needle cannula having a proximal end connected to said distal end of said needle hub and a distal end projecting distally from said needle hub, wings projecting transversely from said hub, a needle shield hingedly connected to said needle hub and movable from a first position where said needle cannula is exposed to a second position where said needle cannula is shielded by said shield, locking means provided on said safety needle assembly at at least one location proximally of said needle cannula for locked engagement with said shield when said shield is in said second position.

2. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises means for substantially permanently locking said shield in said second position.

3. The safety needle assembly of claim 2, wherein, said locking means comprises at least one finger projecting from said shield and configured for locked engagement with at least one of said wings.

4. The safety needle assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of said wings includes a locking aperture formed therethrough, said shield having at least one locking finger configured for projecting through said locking aperture and lockingly engaging said wings when said shield is in said second position.

5. The safety needle assembly of claim 4, wherein the locking finger defines a ratchet having a plurality of pawls formed thereon, said pawls being configured for engaging portions of at least one said wing adjacent said locking aperture, said pawls being configured for permitting movement of said shield from said first position toward said second position and being configured for preventing movement of said shield toward said first position.

6. The safety needle assembly of claim 3, wherein the locking means comprises proximal and distal latches formed on said shield for locked engagement with proximal and distal edges of at least one said wing when said shield is in said second position.

7. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a dorsal fin projecting rigidly from said needle hub, said shield being formed with a slot therein, said dorsal fin projecting through said slot for permitting movement of said shield from said first position toward said second position, said dorsal fin being formed with a plurality of locking detents thereon for engaging portions of said shield adjacent said slot, at least one said detent being configured for releasably engaging said shield in said first position, and at least a second of said detents being configured for permanently engaging said shield in said second position.

8. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shield mount securely mounted to said proximal end of said needle hub, said shield being unitarily joined to said shield mount, said shield mount further including a plurality of resiliently deflectable latches extending therefrom, said latches being configured to lockingly engage said shield when said shield is rotated into said second position.

9. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises an over center hinge for urging said shield from a position intermediate said first and second positions into said second position and for resisting movement of said hinge away from said second position.

10. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises an over center spring for urging said shield from a position intermediate said first and second positions into said second position and for resisting movement of said hinge away from said second position.

11. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, wherein said shield extends proximally beyond said proximal end of said hinged connection of said shield to said needle hub, proximal portions of said shield including locking structures for locked engagement with portions of said safety needle assembly proximally of said hinged connection.

12. The safety needle assembly of claim 11, further comprising flexible plastic tubing securely connected to said proximal end of said needle hub and extending proximally therefrom, proximal portions of said shield being configured for secure connection to said plastic tubing.

13. The safety needle assembly of claim 1, further comprising means for locked engagement of said safety shield with said needle cannula.

14. A safety needle assembly comprising a needle hub having opposed proximal and distal ends, a needle cannula projecting distally from said distal end of said needle hub, wings projecting from said needle hub, a safety shield hingedly connected to said needle hub for hinged movement from a first position where said needle cannula is exposed to a second position where said needle cannula is shielded, biasing means for biasing said safety shield to said second position.

15. The safety needle assembly of claim 14, further comprising retaining means for releasably retaining said shield in said first position and against the force of said biasing means.

16. The safety needle assembly of claim 15, wherein said shield is hingedly connected to said distal end of said needle hub, and wherein said shield is aligned substantially parallel to and adjacent said needle hub when said shield is in said first position, said retaining means comprising a shield latch projecting from said proximal end of said hub for releasable engagement with said shield and for releasably holding said shield in said first position.

17. The safety needle assembly of claim 15, further comprising a dorsal fin, the retaining means for releasably retaining said shield in said first position being formed on said dorsal fin.

18. The safety needle assembly of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said dorsal fin is resiliently deflectable for selectively releasing said retaining means and permitting said biasing means to propel said shield to said second position.

19. The safety needle assembly of claim 15, wherein said biasing means comprises a living hinge extending unitarily between said distal end of said needle hub and said shield, said living hinge being biased for positioning said shield in said second position.

20. The safety needle assembly of claim 15, wherein said biasing means is a torsional spring disposed between said shield and a portion of said hub.