Needle safety device

• US 20090157013A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Wong, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,278,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/263
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3201 Coaxially assembled needle cannulas placed on top of another, e.g. needles having different diameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3249 Means to disalign the needle tip and the distal needle passage of a needle protection sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/325 Means obstructing the needle passage at distal end of a needle protection sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle

Abstract

A needle guard having a housing defining an interior cavity, and a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity is disclosed. The transitional member includes a pivoting arm having a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent an interior portion of the housing. The transitional member also includes a needle tip sensing element, and a transverse barrier, such that the needle tip sensing element and the transverse barrier are oriented on opposing sides of the pivoting arm adjacent the second end. The needle guard may be adapted for transition from a restrained position when the needle tip is exterior to the interior cavity, to an activated position when the needle tip is within the interior cavity. The transitional member may also have a needle tip sensing element for contacting a needle in the restrained position, and a binding edge for engaging the needle in the activated position.

Claims

1. A needle guard, comprising:

a housing defining an interior cavity; and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity, the transitional member comprising;

a pivoting arm having a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent an interior portion of the housing,

a needle tip sensing element, and

a transverse barrier, wherein the needle tip sensing element and the transverse barrier are oriented on opposing sides of the pivoting arm adjacent the second end.

2. The needle guard of claim 1, wherein the transitional member further comprises a spring arm connected to the pivoting arm at a compressible pivot point.

3. The needle guard of claim 1, wherein the pivoting arm further comprises a binding edge.

4. The needle guard of claim 1, wherein the interior cavity of the housing includes a longitudinal axis, and the transitional member is transitionable from a restrained position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis, to an activated position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis opposing the first side.

5. The needle guard of claim 4, wherein the pivoting arm further comprises a binding edge, such that transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position articulates the binding edge at least partially across the longitudinal axis.

6. The needle guard of claim 1, wherein the needle tip sensing element further comprises a guide rail.

7. The needle guard of claim 1, wherein the transverse barrier further comprises an angled restraining tab.

8. A device, comprising:

a needle having a needle tip;

a housing disposed about a portion of the needle, defining an interior cavity structured to receive the needle therethrough; and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity, adapted for transition from a restrained position when the needle tip is disposed exterior to the interior cavity to an activated position when the needle tip is housed within the interior cavity, the transitional member comprising;

a pivoting arm disposable at least partially adjacent an interior portion of the housing,

a needle tip sensing element contacting at least a portion of the needle in the restrained position, and

a transverse barrier, wherein the needle tip sensing element and the transverse barrier are oriented on opposing sides of the pivoting arm adjacent the second end.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the pivoting arm has a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent the interior portion of the housing.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the transitional member further comprises a spring arm connected to the pivoting arm.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the pivoting arm further comprises a binding edge for contacting at least a portion of the needle in the activated position to limit the advancement of the needle tip from the housing in a distal direction.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the binding edge at least partially deforms a portion of the needle in the activated position.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the binding edge restrains at least a portion of the needle against an interior portion of the housing in the activated position.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the interior cavity of the housing has a longitudinal axis and the transitional member is transitionable from a restrained position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis to an activated position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis opposing the first side.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the transverse barrier of the transitional member is disposed on the first side of the longitudinal axis in the restrained position, and is disposed across the longitudinal axis in the activated position to limit advancement of the needle tip from the housing in a proximal direction.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the pivoting arm further comprises a binding edge, such that transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position articulates the binding edge at least partially across the longitudinal axis.

17. A device, comprising:

a needle having a needle tip;

a housing disposed about a portion of the needle, defining an interior cavity structured to receive the needle therethrough; and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity adapted for transition from a restrained position to an activated position, the transitional member comprising;

a pivoting arm having a needle tip sensing element for contacting the needle in the restrained position, and a binding edge for engaging the needle in the activated position, wherein transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position is initiated when contact between the needle tip sensing element and the needle is interrupted.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the pivoting arm has a first end adjacent an interior portion of the housing and a second end, and the needle tip sensing element and a transverse barrier oriented on opposing sides of the pivoting arm adjacent the second end.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the interior cavity of the housing has a longitudinal axis and the transitional member is transitionable from a restrained position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis to an activated position when the needle tip sensing element is disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis opposing the first side.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the transverse barrier of the transitional member is disposed on the first side of the longitudinal axis in the restrained position, and is disposed on the second side of the longitudinal axis in the activated position to limit advancement of the needle tip from the housing in a proximal direction.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the binding edge limits the advancement of the needle tip from the housing in the distal direction in the activated position.

22. A method of actuating a needle guard, comprising the steps of:

providing a needle guard disposed about at least a portion of a needle, the needle guard comprising;

a housing defining an interior cavity structured to receive the needle having a needle tip therethrough, and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity adapted for transition from a restrained position to an activated position, the transitional member comprising;

a pivoting arm having a needle tip sensing element for contacting the needle in the restrained position, and a binding edge for engaging the needle in the activated position, wherein transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position is initiated when contact between the needle tip sensing element and the needle is interrupted; and

the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position by interrupting contact between the needle tip sensing element and the needle.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the transitional member further comprises a pivoting arm having a first end adjacent an interior portion of the housing and a second end, the needle tip sensing element and a transverse barrier adjacent the second end and oriented on opposing sides of the pivoting arm.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein transitioning the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position includes advancing the needle tip past the needle tip sensing element in a distal direction.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein transitioning the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position causes the transverse barrier to transition from a first side of a longitudinal axis of the housing to a position at least partially across the longitudinal axis to limit advancement of the needle tip from the housing in a proximal direction.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the binding edge engaging the needle in the activated position limits the advancement of the needle tip from the housing in a distal direction.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the binding edge at least partially deforms a portion of the needle in the activated position.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the binding edge restrains at least a portion of the needle against an interior portion of the housing in the activated position.

29. A device, comprising:

a needle having a needle tip;

a housing disposed about a portion of the needle, defining an interior cavity structured to receive the needle therethrough; and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity adapted for transition from a restrained position to an activated position, the transitional member comprising a pivoting housing, a needle tip sensing element for contacting the needle in the restrained position, and a transverse barrier; and

a spring arm disposed within the interior cavity biasing the transitional member, the spring arm comprising a binding edge for engaging the needle in the activated position,

wherein the spring arm and the transitional member are separate elements, and wherein transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position is initiated when contact between the needle tip sensing element and the needle is interrupted.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the transitional member defines a recess for accommodating at least a portion of the binding edge therein in the restrained position.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position releases the binding edge from within the recess.

32. A device, comprising:

a needle having a needle tip;

a housing disposed about a portion of the needle, defining an interior cavity structured to receive the needle therethrough; and

a transitional member disposed within the interior cavity adapted for transition from a restrained position to an activated position, the transitional member comprising;

a first binding edge for restricting movement of the needle in a proximal direction in the activated position,

a second binding edge for restricting movement of the needle in a distal direction in the activated position, and

a needle tip sensing element, wherein transition of the transitional member from the restrained position to the activated position is initiated when contact between the needle tip sensing element and the needle is interrupted.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the transitional member further comprises a contact portion having a gap therein, wherein the needle tip passes through the gap during transition from the retracted position to the activated position.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the first binding edge and the second binding edge contact a portion of the needle upon passage of the needle tip through the gap.