Needle shield assembly

• US 4,735,311 A
• Filed: 04/09/1986
• Issued: 04/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Company The West Bridge Street Phoenixville Pennsylvania 19460
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Lowe, Allen D., Harman, Arlington R., Brown, Homer J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US06/849,722
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 29/509-511, 206/365, 264/249, 264/296, 604/192-198, 604/263
• US Class Current: 206/365
• 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 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: Y10T 29/49918 At cup or tube end

Abstract

A needle shield comprising an elongated tubular housing having a central bore, means at one end for detachably mounting the shield to the hub of a syringe assembly, and means defining an elongated generally cylindrical chamber in the end of the housing opposite the mounting means. An inner end communicates with the bore and an insert made of resilient impermeable pierceable material is snugly supported in the chamber. The chamber is of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the insert and includes a tapered wall portion at the inner end and has a section of smaller diameter than the insert to provide a tight generally hermetic sealing relation therewith. The wall of the chamber opposite the inner end is deformable to permit ease of assembly and deformation after insertion of the plug to firmly seat the plug in the chamber. The needle shield also includes a series of relief grooves in the exterior surface portion of the base of the housing which comprises the hub mounting portion to provide a degree of flexibility and ensure secure mounting even during expansion in autoclaving. The hub portion of the housing is also provided with a series of radially inwardly directed beads and ribs to provide sealing means between the hub of the needle shield and the needle hub.

Claims

1. A needle shield comprising an elongated tubular housing having a central bore, means at one end for detachably mounting the shield to the hub of a syringe assembly, means defining an elongated generally cylindrical chamber in the end of said housing opposite the mounting means having an inner end communicating with said bore and an insert made of resilient impermeable pierceable material snugly supported in said chamber, said chamber being of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said insert and including a tapered wall portion at said inner end and having a section of smaller diameter than said insert to provide a tight generally hermetic sealing relation therewith, the wall of the chamber opposite said inner end being deformable to permit ease of assembly and deformation after insertion of the plug to firmly seat the plug in the chamber.

2. A needle shield comprising an elongated tubular housing having a central bore, means at one end for detachably mounting the shield to the hub of a syringe assembly having an enlarged head portion defining a circumferentially extending shoulder with a throat portion of the syringe barrel, means defining a chamber in the end of said housing opposite the mounting means communicating at its inner end with said bore and an insert made of resilient pierceable material snugly supported in said chamber, a series of relief grooves in the exterior surface portion of the base of the housing defining the hub mounting portion of the housing to provide a degree of flexibility and ensure secure mounting even during expansion in autoclaving procedures, means defining a radially inwardly directed rib at the free terminal opposite end of the housing of a diameter less than the diameter of the head portion of the hub to engage under the circumferentially extending shoulder and thereby support the needle shield in place when it is assembled over the hub and at least one radially inwardly directed sealing bead on the interior wall of the housing spaced upwardly from the free terminal opposite end thereof adapted to engage the side wall of the hub when it is mounted to provide a seal therewith, said bead being of an inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of said rib.

3. A method of making a needle shield consisting of the steps of forming an elongated tubular housing having a central bore and a generally cylindrical chamber at one axial end of the housing, inserting a generally cylindrical plug in the chamber, precompressing the plug and then deforming the end wall of the chamber to encapsulate the plug therein.