INSERTION HEAD FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS

• US 20080228144A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Disetronic Licensing Ag
• Inventors: Thalmann, Christian, Wyss, Martin, Liniger, Jurg, Weibel, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1583 Needle extractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1587 suitable for being connected to an infusion line after insertion into a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0612 Devices for protecting the needle; Devices to help insertion of the needle, e.g. wings or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body

Abstract

An insertion head for medical use, including a housing formed by two housing parts, a puncture needle and a flexible cannula supported by the puncture needle, wherein before use the puncture needle and cannula are arranged in a protected position inside the housing and can be deployed by gripping the housing parts and moving at least one of the parts relative to the other, wherein upon depolyment the puncture needle and cannula can be inserted into the body of a patient, and wherein after insertion the puncture needle can be removed from the cannula by moving the housing and puncture needle away from the body counter to the direction of insertion, the puncture needle being automatically pivoted into a protected position in the housing.

Claims

1. An insertion head for medical use, comprising a housing formed by two housing parts, a puncture needle and a flexible cannula supported by the puncture needle, wherein before use the puncture needle and cannula are in a protected position inside the housing and can be deployed by gripping the housing parts and moving at least one of the parts relative to the other, wherein upon depolyment the puncture needle and cannula can be inserted into the body of a patient, and wherein after insertion the puncture needle can be removed from the cannula by moving the housing and puncture needle away from the body counter to the direction of insertion, the puncture needle being automatically pivoted into a protected position in the housing.

2. An insertion head for medical or pharmaceutical applications, comprising:

a) a housing comprising a first housing part and a second housing part movable relative to each other;

b) a base;

c) a flexible insertion device stabilized by a puncture device, the insertion device and the puncture device each having a free end and mounted so as to be jointly movable relative to the housing,

d) the insertion device and the puncture device being movable relative to the housing from a protected position, in which the free ends are inside the housing, to an insertion position in which the free ends are outside the housing; and

e) a coupling by which the relative movement of the two housing parts is converted into a movement of the insertion device and the puncture device from the protected position to the insertion position, wherein the puncture device, in the insertion position, is connected to the housing and releasable from the insertion device such that, after insertion of the insertion device and the puncture device, moving the housing in a direction counter to the direction of insertion removes the puncture device from the insertion device, whereupon the puncture device is moved automatically to a protected position in which the free end thereof is inside the housing.

3. The insertion head according to claim 2, further comprising restoring means for, directly after removal housing and puncture device, moving the puncture device automatically to the protected position.

4. An insertion head for medical or pharmaceutical applications, comprising:

a) a housing comprising a first housing part and a second housing part, the first and second housing parts being movable relative to each other;

b) a base;

c) a flexible insertion device, which is stabilized by a puncture device, the insertion device and the puncture device being mounted so as to be jointly movable relative to the housing,

d) the insertion device and the puncture device being movable relative to the housing from a protected position, in which the free ends of the insertion device and of the puncture device are arranged inside the housing and/or of the base, to an insertion position, in which the free ends protrude from the housing and/or the base in such a way that they can be inserted into organic tissue, and

e) a coupling, by which the relative movement of the two housing parts relative to each other is converted into a movement of the insertion device and of the puncture device in such a way that these can be moved from the protected position to the insertion position by moving the two housing parts relative to each other, wherein the base in the insertion position has an underside which can be placed on the organic tissue, from which the insertion device and the puncture device protrude to permit insertion thereof into the tissue when the base is placed with the underside on the tissue, wherein the puncture device, in the insertion position, is connected or connectable to the housing and released or releasable from the insertion device such that, after insertion of the insertion device and of the puncture device into the tissue, it is possible, by gripping the housing with one hand and moving it with the hand in a direction counter to the direction of insertion, to remove the puncture device from the base and from the insertion device, wherein restoring means are provided by which, directly after removal from the base and from the insertion device, the puncture device can be moved back automatically to a protected position in which the free end of the puncture device is arranged inside the housing, if appropriate after actuating a trigger member using the hand that is holding the housing.

5. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the two housing parts can be gripped between two fingers of one hand and, with one finger pressing against one of the housing parts, the second housing part can be moved in the direction of the first housing part.

6. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the base is connected immovably to the insertion device, such that, upon movement from the protected position to the insertion position, the base is moved relative to the housing.

7. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein, with the insertion device and puncture device in the protected position, an underside of the base forms at least a part of an outer face of the housing, such that, in the protected position, the free ends are set back behind the underside of the base and, upon movement from the protected position to the insertion position, the insertion device and the puncture device can be moved relative to the base such that the free ends protrude beyond the underside of the base in the insertion position.

8. The insertion head according to claim 7, wherein the insertion device is mounted movably in the base.

9. The insertion head according to claim 8, wherein the base and one of a hinge element or a guide element of a sliding guide together form one of a hinge or a sliding guide, and the insertion device protrudes from the hinge element or the guide element.

10. The insertion head according to claim 9, wherein the housing extends upwards from a top face of the base.

11. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the two housing parts are pivotable relative to each other and slideable one inside the other to effect the movement of the insertion device and puncture device from the protected position to the insertion position.

12. The insertion head according to claim 11, wherein the two housing parts are linearly displaceable relative to each other to effect the movement of the insertion device and puncture device from the protected position to the insertion position.

13. The insertion head according to claim 12, wherein the two housing parts are displaceable substantially parallel to the underside of the base.

14. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the insertion device can be pivoted into the insertion position.

15. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the coupling couples the one of the two housing parts to the insertion device by a toothed engagement, and comprises a toothed wheel and a toothed rack.

16. The insertion head according to claim 15, wherein one of the two housing parts is connected to the toothed rack, and the insertion device is connected to the toothed wheel which is in toothed engagement with the toothed rack.

17. The insertion head according to claim 16 wherein the insertion device is pivotable about a rotation axis and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a toothed wheel which rotates about the rotation axis and is in toothed engagement.

18. The insertion head according to claim 14, wherein the insertion device or the puncture device is held via a rotation shaft on the base or on a first of the two housing parts, a sliding block is arranged eccentrically with respect to the rotation shaft, a guide slot is operatively engaged with the sliding block such that a movement of the two housing parts relative to each other transfers the sliding block, guided by the guide slot, from a first position, which corresponds to the protected position of the insertion device and puncture device, to a second position, which corresponds to the insertion position of the insertion device and puncture device.

19. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the housing is connected releasably to the base and the connection is released during the movement of the two housing parts for moving the insertion device and the puncture device from the protected position to the insertion position, and during a subsequent movement of the two housing parts relative to each other.

20. The insertion head according to claim 19, wherein a first connection element is formed on the base and a second connection element is formed on the housing, in that the connection elements engage with each other to create the connection, and in that at least one of the connection elements can be moved out of said engagement counter to an elasticity force.

21. The insertion head according to claim 20, wherein the first connection element and second connection element engage with each other to create the connection, and one of the two housing parts, during its movement, contacts one of the connection elements and moves it out of said engagement counter to an elasticity force.

22. The insertion head according to claim 21, wherein one of the two housing parts can be pushed so far into the other of the two housing parts that, upon completion of the movement of the insertion device and the puncture device from the protected position to the insertion position, a control ramp on the first housing part abuts against a deflector ramp on one of the connection elements, which connects the base reversibly to the housing, and deflects it from an engagement position such that the housing and the base can be separated.

23. The insertion head according to claim 22, wherein a movement of the two housing parts relative to each other along a first distance of a first portion of the guide slot transfers the sliding block, guided by the guide slot, from a first position, which corresponds to the protected position to a second position, which corresponds to the insertion position of the insertion device, and a connection device is provided that connects the base reversibly to the housing, and to release the housing from the base, one of the two housing parts can be moved relative to the base along a second distance perpendicular to the direction of extent of the insertion device located in the insertion position, the guide slot having a second portion corresponding to the second distance.

24. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein during the movement of the insertion device and puncture device into the insertion position, the puncture device connects itself to the housing.

25. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the base forms a seat that receives the insertion device and puncture device in the protected position.

26. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein the housing forms a seat that receives the insertion device and puncture device in their protected position.

27. The insertion head according to claim 4, further comprising a securing structure which reversibly secures the insertion device and puncture device in the protected position.

28. The insertion head according to claim 27, further comprising a cannula housing which is moved along with the insertion device, the cannula housing comprising the securing structure which lies opposite a wall of one of the housing parts extending parallel to the direction of movement of the two housing parts relative to each other, and an engagement element on the inside face of this wall is in reversible engagement with the securing structure in the protected position of the insertion device.

29. The insertion head according to claim 4, wherein, in the one or the other of the two housing parts that receives the insertion device and puncture device in the protected position a securing slot is provided into which the insertion device and puncture device can be locked in the protected position.

30. The insertion head according to claim 4, further comprising a retainer element which, during the automatic reverse movement of the puncture device to a protected position, is moved along with the puncture device, the retainer element having a locking shoulder which, upon the automatic reverse movement in the housing, comes into locking engagement with an engagement element to prevent the puncture device from moving out of the housing again.