NEEDLE TIP GUARD FOR PERCUTANEOUS ENTRY NEEDLES

• US 20110166526A1
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B Braun Melsungen AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: B Braun Melsungen AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Kuracina, Thomas C., Rollo, David, Cohen, Richard, Ohnemus, Randall E., Smith, Craig W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150389 Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150488 Details of construction of shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150496 Details of construction of hub, i.e. element used to attach the double-ended needle to a piercing device or sampling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150572 Pierceable protectors, e.g. shields, caps, sleeves or films, e.g. for hygienic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150641 comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150732 Needle holders, for instance for holding the needle by the hub, used for example with double-ended needle and pre-evacuated tube,
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/154 Devices using pre-evacuated means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2414 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3109 Caps sealing the needle bore by use of, e.g. air-hardening adhesive, elastomer or epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3246 being squeezably deformable for locking or unlocking purposes, e.g. with elliptical cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/325 Means obstructing the needle passage at distal end of a needle protection sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• 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 25/0625 with a permanent connection to the needle hub, e.g. a guiding rail, a locking mechanism or a guard advancement mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/002 Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3243 being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 : Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 : freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3275 : being connected to the needle hub or syringe by radially deflectable members, e.g. longitudinal slats, cords or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/329 : characterised by features of the needle shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3291 : Shafts with additional lateral openings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/919 : Syringe, means to protect user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A needle tip protective device for use with percutaneous entry needles. In one embodiment, the needle tip protective device includes a needle guard slidably mounted on a hypodermic needle, the latter having a needle tip located at the distal end thereof, and a change of profile formed medially there along. The needle guard is movable along the hypodermic needle and engageable with the change in profile formed thereon. The engagement with the change in profile is configured to correspond with the ability of the needle trap to entrap the needle tip once the needle trap has advanced the sufficient distance distally along the hypodermic needle. In further refinements, the needle trap may be biased toward the distal needle tip of the needle.

Claims

1. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising:

a catheter hub with a catheter tube;

a needle having a needle shaft, a proximal end attached to a needle hub, a sharpened distal end, and a change in profile;

a needle guard slidably disposed about said needle shaft, said needle guard comprising a needle trap, the needle trap comprising an extending arm and a projection for releasably holding the catheter hub adjacent to said needle guard;

the needle guard further comprising an inner chamber for fixedly attaching the needle trap into a slot;

wherein when the needle retracts away from the catheter hub and the needle tip enters the needle guard, the projection is free to move to allow the catheter hub to separate from the needle guard; and

an opening on a proximal side of the needle guard interacting with the change in profile to limit distal advancement of the needle guard along the needle.

2. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the needle trap further comprises a fold located between the projection and the extending arm.

3. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, further comprising an extended sidewall section at a distal end of a needle hub.

4. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a projection at a distal end of the needle hub for releasably holding the catheter hub in a specific orientation on said needle guard.

5. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the needle is attached to a needle nest of a needle hub.

6. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the needle trap comprises at least one projection for fixedly attaching to the slot of the needle guard.

7. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the needle guard comprises a plurality of sides to contain the sharpened distal end of the needle within the needle guard.

8. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the guide section comprises a distal guide section at a distal end of the needle guard, a proximal guide section at a proximal end of the needle guard, or both a proximal guide section and a distal guide section.

9. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the needle trap is made from a substantially impenetrable material, from plastic, or from metal.

10. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the needle is attached to a needle nest of a needle hub.

11. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 2, wherein the needle trap comprises at least one projection for fixedly attaching to the slot of the needle guard.

12. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 5, further comprising an extended sidewall section at a distal end of a needle hub.

13. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 8, wherein the needle trap further comprises a fold located between the projection and the extending arm.

14. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 3, further comprising an aperture guide at the proximal end of said needle guard.

15. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the change in profile comprises an enlarged diameter section on the needle shaft.

16. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a resilient member on the needle guard to urge the needle trap toward the needle.

17. The intravenous catheter of claim 1, wherein the projection is free to move when the needle tip enters the needle guard and the needle trap no longer abuts against a side of the needle.

18. A method for manufacturing an intravenous catheter assembly comprising:

forming a catheter hub and attaching a catheter thereto;

attaching a proximal end of a needle having a needle shaft to a needle hub;

the needle comprising a sharpened distal end;

mounting a needle guard slidably on the needle, said needle guard having a proximal end and a distal end, said needle guard containing a movable needle trap with a projection for releasably holding the catheter hub, said needle trap is urged toward said needle in a ready to use position and configured to entrap said sharpened distal end of said needle when said distal end of said needle guard moves forward of said sharpened distal end of said needle;

wherein when the needle retracts away from the catheter hub and the needle tip enters the needle guard, the projection is free to move to allow the catheter hub to separate from the needle guard; and

wherein a tether is attached to the needle guard and the needle hub to limit distal movement of the needle guard along the needle or a change in profile is formed on the needle to engage an opening on the needle guard to limit distal movement of the needle guard along the needle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said needle trap comprises a wall to block said sharpened distal end in a protective position.

20. The method of claim 20, further comprising placing a resilient member on the needle guard to urge the needle trap toward the needle.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising an extended sidewall section at a distal end of a needle hub.

22. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising;

a catheter hub having a catheter tube attached thereto;

a needle having a needle shaft, a proximal end attached to a needle hub, a sharpened distal end, and a change in profile located proximally of the sharpened distal end;

a needle guard slidably disposed about said needle shaft, said needle guard comprising a needle trap having a radially extending wall section for blocking the sharpened distal end of the needle in a guarded position, said needle trap being biased by the needle shaft when in a ready position;

the needle guard further comprising an inner chamber for fixedly attaching the needle trap into a slot;

the needle trap is radially movable when no longer biased by the needle shaft; and

wherein a wall section on the needle guard comprises a perimeter defining an opening for engaging the change in profile to limit distal advancement of the needle guard along the needle.

23. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the needle trap comprises an extending arm and a projection for releasably holding the catheter hub adjacent the needle guard.

24. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the needle trap further comprises a fold located between the projection and the extending arm.

25. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 23, wherein the radially extending wall section is unitarily formed with the extending arm.

26. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, further comprising a projection at a distal end of the needle hub for releasably holding the catheter hub in a specific orientation on said needle guard.

27. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the needle trap comprises at least one projection for fixedly attaching to the slot of the needle guard.

28. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the wall section is attached to an extending arm, which is attached to the radially extending wall.

29. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the change in profile comprises an enlarged change in profile formed upon the needle shaft.

30. The intravenous catheter assembly of claim 22, wherein the perimeter is generally U-shape with a disconnected section.