BI-DIRECTIONAL CANNULA FEATURE CAPTURE MECHANISM

• US 20100222746A1
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Burkholz, Jonathan Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.80
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0618 having means for protecting only the distal tip of the needle, e.g. a needle guard

Abstract

A bi-directional cannula feature capture mechanism is described herein. Generally, the capture mechanism comprises an inner housing, an outer housing, and a cannula. The inner housing comprises a proximal and a distal cannula feature mating component. The outer housing is adapted to slidably receive the inner housing in a proximal direction. Additionally, the cannula extends through the inner housing and the cannula'"'"'s feature has a proximal engagement and a distal engagement. The proximal and distal engagements are respectively configured to irreversibly engage the proximal and distal cannula feature mating components when the cannula tip is moved into a shielded position.

Claims

1. A bi-directional cannula feature capture mechanism, comprising:

an inner housing having a proximal cannula feature mating component and a distal cannula feature mating component;

an outer housing adapted to slidably receive the inner housing; and

a cannula that extends into the inner housing and comprises a cannula feature having a proximal engagement surface and a distal engagement surface,

wherein a tip of the cannula is shielded when the distal engagement surface is captured by the distal cannula feature mating component.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising means for locking the inner housing to the outer housing when the cannula tip is shielded.

3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is configured to couple with a catheter adapter when the cannula tip is un-shielded.

4. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the inner housing comprises a first material and the outer housing comprises a second material, which is less flexible than the first material.

5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the cannula feature is selected from a ferrule feature, a crimp feature, and a notched crimp feature, and a notch feature.

6. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the inner housing is configured to shield the cannula tip when the proximal engagement surface contacts the proximal cannula feature mating component.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the outer housing is configured to shield the cannula tip when the proximal engagement surface contacts the proximal mating component and the tip of the cannula is moved proximally past a distal end of the outer housing.

8. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the outer housing is configured to uncouple from the adapter when the cannula tip is shielded.

9. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the cannula extends through a port in the inner housing that is configured to squeegee the cannula as the cannula moves proximally through the port.

10. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the cannula feature comprises a surface that extends laterally past an outer diameter of the cannula.

11. An blood containment apparatus, comprising:

a cannula feature capture mechanism comprising;

an inner housing having a proximal cannula feature mating component, a distal cannula feature mating component, and a transverse barrier;

an outer housing adapted to slidably receive the inner housing; and

a cannula that extends into the inner housing and comprises a cannula feature having a proximal engagement surface and a distal engagement surface,

wherein a tip of the cannula is in a shielded position when the distal engagement surface is captured by the distal cannula feature mating component,

wherein the transverse barrier retains blood within the inner housing when the cannula is in the shielded position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outer housing is coupled to a catheter adapter.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for locking the inner housing to the outer housing when the cannula tip is shielded.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outer housing is configured to shield the cannula tip when the proximal engagement surface contacts the proximal mating component and the cannula tip is moved proximally past a distal end of the outer housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cannula feature comprises a notched crimp feature.

16. A method for shielding a cannula tip, the method comprising:

providing a bi-directional cannula feature capture mechanism, comprising;

an inner housing having a proximal cannula feature mating component and a distal cannula feature mating component, wherein the inner housing is slidably received by an outer housing;

a cannula that extends into the inner housing and comprises a cannula feature having a proximal engagement surface and a distal engagement surface; and

means for locking the inner housing to the outer housing when the cannula tip is shielded; and

shielding the cannula tip by moving the cannula proximally within the inner housing and capturing the distal engagement surface with the distal cannula feature mating component.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cannula feature comprises a notched crimp feature.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the outer housing is configured to shield the cannula tip when the proximal engagement surface contacts the proximal mating component and the cannula tip is moved proximally past a distal end of the outer housing.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the inner housing is configured to shield the cannula tip when the proximal engagement surface contacts the proximal cannula feature mating component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the inner housing comprises at least one transverse barrier adapted to cover the cannula tip when the cannula is shielded by the inner housing.