Safety syringe needle device with interchangeable and retractable needle platform

• US 5,112,318 A
• Filed: 04/18/1991
• Issued: 05/12/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inviro Medical Devices Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Patco Ventures, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sharp, Fraser R., McLean, Donald A., Novacek, Laurel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US07/687,108
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 604/195, 604/187, 604/110, 604/240, 604/241, 604/242, 604/263, 604/198
• US Class Current: 604/240
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3101 Leak prevention means for proximal end of syringes, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle mounting end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3104 Caps for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3106 Plugs for syringes without needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3118 via the distal end of a syringe, i.e. syringe end for mounting a needle cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3121 via the proximal end of a syringe, i.e. syringe end opposite to needle cannula mounting end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3223 Means impeding or disabling repositioning of used needles at the syringe nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3224 Means to disalign the needle tip and syringe nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3231 Proximal end of needle captured or embedded inside piston head, e.g. by friction or hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3279 Breaking syringe nozzles or needle hubs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• 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 5/3202 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• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/347 rotatable, e.g. bayonet or screw A61M5/344 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/5086 for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile

Abstract

The syringe includes a barrel, a plunger, and an adapter for mounting the needle in the distal end of the barrel. The adapter includes a protrusion projecting away from the needle end and into the barrel defining an annular space between the barrel and the protrusion. The plunger and protrusion have complementary surfaces whereby the plunger may grip the adapter for removal of the adapter into the interior of the barrel after use. The adapter includes vent passages communicating between the central passage through the adapter and the annular space whereby air can be vented from the barrel after receiving fluid within the barrel and prior to injection. Thus, the syringe may be oriented in a vertical position needle end uppermost with the vent passages forming the most superior portion of the barrel interior whereby air may be vented.

Claims

1. A syringe comprising:

(a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe;

(b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel, having a portion projecting into the barrel toward its proximal end and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel;

(c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter;

(d) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel; and

(e) and adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the projecting adapter portion in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the distal end of the barrel, said structures being cooperable to cause (1) relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter in response to such axial movement, and (2) the adapter and needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to part from the end of the barrel in response to subsequent relative rotation of the plunger and the barrel, thereby enabling the adapter and the needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel;

(f) said fluid passage of said adapter having a passage portion opening into said barrel at a location between the proximal end of said projecting adapter portion and the distal end of said barrel to enable air to be vented from said barrel through said needle upon receiving fluid into said barrel and moving said plunger toward the distal end of said barrel.

2. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the needle ferrule is removably coupled to the adapter with a threaded connection.

3. A syringe as in claim 2 wherein the engagement structures on the adapter and at the distal end of the plunger include mating ramps connections.

4. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is detachably connected to the distal end of the barrel by a threaded connection of a first sense while the engagement structures between the adapter and plunger include a threaded connection of a second sense, opposite said first sense, said fluid passage portion opening forming the most superior portion of the hollow barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

5. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein said fluid passage extends centrally through said adapter between and through proximal and distal ends thereof and said fluid passage portion extends substantially laterally between said proximal and distal ends and in communication with said central fluid passage, said fluid passage portion opening forming the most superior portion of the hollow barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

6. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein said fluid passage extends centrally through at least a portion of said adapter terminating short of the proximal end thereof, said fluid passage portion extending substantially laterally between said proximal and distal ends and in communication with said central fluid passage, said fluid passage portion opening forming the most superior portion of the hollow barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

7. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the needle ferrule is releasably engaged with the distal end of the adapter, and the engagement means at the proximal end of the adapter engages with the plunger in response to rotation of the plunger end, said fluid passage extending axially through the adapter and opening through the proximal and distal ends thereof.

8. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the needle ferrule is releasably engaged with the distal end of the adapter, and the engagement means at the proximal end of the adapter engages with the plunger in response to rotation of the plunger end, said fluid passage extending axially through the adapter and terminating short of the proximal end of said adapter.

9. A syringe as in claim 7 wherein the adapter is releasably connected to the end of the barrel by a female-male thread combination, the adapter having a spiral thread and drive surfaces, the plunger end having driving surfaces for engaging the drive surfaces on the adapter in response to relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter and along said thread to align and engage the driving and drive surfaces of the plunger end and adapter, respectively, and thereafter for rotating the adapter relative to the barrel to enable axial withdrawal of the adapter and needle ferrule along the barrel, said fluid passage comprising a central passage, a second fluid passage portion in communication with said central passage and opening into said barrel at a location between its proximal and distal ends and circumferentially spaced about said adapter from the first mentioned fluid passage portion.

10. A syringe as in claim 9 wherein the needle ferrule includes a female Luer lock fitting, which is engaged with the adapter with a plain Luer tip or Luer lock male fitting.

11. A syringe as in claim 7 wherein the adapter is threadedly couplable to the barrel and to the plunger with respectively opposite thread directions.

12. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is detachably connected to the distal end of the barrel by a threaded connection of a first sense while the engagement structures between the adapter and plunger include a threaded connection of the same sense as said first sense.

13. A syringe as in claim 1 wherein the needle ferrule is releasably engaged with the barrel end, the adapter being releasably connected to the end of the barrel by a female-male thread combination, the adapter having a spiral thread and drive surfaces, the plunger end having driving surfaces for engaging the drive surfaces of the adapter in response to relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter and along said spiral thread and thereafter for rotating the adapter relative to the barrel to enable axial withdrawal of the adapter and needle ferrule along the barrel.

14. A syringe as in claim 1 including connection structure at the distal end of said barrel and complementary connection structure at the end of said plunger opposite its distal end, said plunger having structure intermediate its ends for detachably connecting the distal and opposite ends of the plunger whereby the opposite end of the plunger can be detached from the plunger and connected to the distal end of the barrel when the plunger has been withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel.

15. A syringe as in claim 1 including a seal structure on the inside surface of the barrel adjacent its proximal end and a mating seal structure on the outside surface of said opposite plunger end, a needle guard releasably and sealingly connected adjacent the distal end of the barrel whereby the seal provided by the needle guard and seal structure at the respective distal and opposite ends of the barrel is sufficient to maintain sterile conditions within the syringe between the seals until the syringe is used.

16. A hollow adapter for the interior of a syringe having a barrel, and a piston axially movable within the barrel, said adapter releasably attaching a hollow needle base to the distal end of the syringe and comprising:

(a) a fitting formed at the distal end of the adapter for releasably coupling to the base of the syringe needle;

(b) a releasable engagement means formed on the exterior of the adapter for releasable engagement with the interior of the distal end of the syringe barrel;

(c) an engagement means formed in a proximal end portion of the adapter for engagement with the distal end of the plunger including a non-jamming spiral thread one revolution or less about an axis coincident with the barrel axis and a groove formed about the adapter at an axial location adjacent the base of the thread; and

(d) means defining a fluid passage through said adapter including a central passage portion and a portion in communication therewith opening laterally of said adapter at a location between its proximal and distal ends.

17. An adapter according to claim 16 wherein the releasable engagement means includes a male thread.

18. A syringe having a plunger axially movable within a barrel toward and away from a distal end of the barrel carrying a needle and a multiple engagement mechanism disposed at said distal end, said mechanism including first, second and third separate attachment areas for effecting selective individually controllable attachment respectively:

(a) to said distal end of the barrel, (b) to the distal end of said plunger and (c) to a removable hollow needle base, wherein said second attachment area includes a hollow central protrusion having a proximal end and at least one helical track around an outer surface of the protrusion, said mechanism having an axial fluid passage in communication with said needle and at least a portion of said passage opening adjacent said protrusion and spaced from said proximal end thereof.

19. A syringe as in claim 18 wherein said second attachment area further includes at least one snap-engagement groove disposed on the outer surface of said protrusion at a location axially spaced from said at least one helical track.

20. A syringe as in claim 18 wherein said fluid passage portion opens at a location laterally offset from the axis of said fluid passage, a second fluid passage portion in communication with said axial passage and opening adjacent said protrusion, spaced from said proximal end thereof and circumferentially spaced from the first mentioned fluid portion, one of said first and second fluid passage portion openings forming the most superior portion of the barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

21. A syringe as in claim 18 including connection structure at the distal end of said barrel and complementary connection structure at the end of said plunger opposite its distal end, said plunger having structure intermediate its ends for detachably connecting the distal and opposite ends of the plunger whereby the opposite end of the plunger can be detached from the plunger and connected to the distal end of the barrel when the plunger has been withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel.

22. A syringe as in claim 18 including a seal structure on the inside surface of the barrel adjacent its proximal end and a mating seal structure on the outside surface of said opposite plunger end, a needle guard releasably and sealingly connected adjacent the distal end of the barrel whereby the seal provided by the needle guard and seal structure at the respective distal and opposite ends of the barrel is sufficient to maintain sterile conditions within the syringe between the seals until the syringe is used.

23. A syringe as in claim 20 wherein said second attachment area includes a pair of said helical tracks and a pair of said snap engagements, the members of each said pair being spaced apart approximately 180°

circumferentially.

24. A device for use with a syringe barrel and piston and a removable hollow syringe needle having a standard connection, said device comprising:

a central body having a bore for transmitting fluid through said body, a distal portion tapered to mate inside a standard hollow needle base and a proximal portion with engagement surfaces for receiving the distal end of a syringe piston latch;

a radially projecting portion extending circumferentially and radially outwardly from said central body and disposed between said distal and proximal portions, said radially projecting portion being sized to fit within the distal end of a syringe barrel, said engagement surfaces of the central body including a pair of helical tracks disposed along the outside of said central body and terminating in linear axially and radially extending surfaces for engaging corresponding surfaces on the distal end of the syringe piston latch; and

an externally threaded section on said adapter sized to removably mate within an internally threaded portion of the distal end of a syringe barrel;

said central body bore having a passage portion in communication therewith and opening between said radially projecting portion and the end of said proximal portion.

25. A device as in claim 24 wherein said adapter has a latching surface including at least one groove for engaging a projection carried by the syringe piston latch.

26. A device as in claim 24 wherein said cylinder section includes an internal Luer lock thread surrounding the tapered distal portion of the central body.

27. A device as in claim 24 wherein said radial projecting portion includes a flared outer rim to matingly seal against a flared portion of the distal end of a syringe barrel.

28. A device as in claim 24 wherein said radially projecting portion has a generally annular face facing the proximal portion of said central body and tapered radially inwardly toward the distal portion of said central body.

29. A syringe comprising:

(a) a hollow, axially-elongated barrel;

(b) an adapter carried by said barrel adjacent the distal end thereof and removable therefrom in response to rotation relative to the barrel, the adapter having a fluid passage and adapted for removable coupling to a hollow needle;

(c) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel; and

(d) adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the adapter and projecting into the interior of said hollow barrel, said structures having alignment, drive and connective pairs of respective engagement surfaces, said alignment pair of surfaces being engageable and relatively movable to align and engage said drive surfaces one with the other thereby to enable subsequent rotation of the adapter relative to the barrel in response to relative rotation of the plunger and barrel, said connective surfaces being engageable in response to substantially full axial insertion of said plunger in said barrel to connect the plunger and adapter one with the other, enabling the adapter and any attached needle to part from the end of the barrel and to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel;

said fluid passage having at least a portion thereof opening through said adapter into the interior portion of said barrel at a location between its opposite ends such that said fluid passage portion opening forms the most superior portion of the interior of said barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

30. A syringe according to claim 29 wherein said alignment pair of surfaces are relatively rotatable in response to axial movement of said plunger in said barrel and in a direction toward full axial insertion of the plunger in the barrel.

31. A syringe according to claim 29 wherein said connective surfaces comprise a groove on one of said adapter and said plunger and a projection on the other of said adapter and said plunger for reception in said groove.

32. A syringe according to claim 29 wherein said drive surfaces comprise a radially and axially extending flat on each of said adapter and said plunger.

33. A syringe according to claim 29 including male screw threads carried by said distal end of said barrel, female threads carried by the proximal end of the plunger, said plunger having a weakened section intermediate its ends for breaking off a portion of the plunger, including the proximal end, upon withdrawal of the plunger from the distal end of the barrel whereby the broken-off portion may be threaded to the barrel by the cooperable male and female threads on the barrel and plunger end, respectively.

34. A syringe according to claim 29 wherein said plunger has a weakened section intermediate the ends for breaking off a portion of the plunger including its proximal end upon withdrawal of the plunger from the distal end of the barrel, means on said barrel and plunger cooperable to prevent withdrawal of the plunger totally from within said barrel, said weakened portion lying outside the barrel upon withdrawal of the plunger to its fullest extent from the barrel.

35. A syringe according to claim 29 including connection structure at the distal end of said barrel and complementary connection structure at the end of said plunger opposite its distal end, said plunger having structure intermediate its ends for detachably connecting the distal and opposite ends of the plunger whereby the opposite end of the plunger can be detached from the plunger and connected to the distal end of the barrel when the plunger has been withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel.

36. A syringe as in claim 29 including a seal structure on the inside surface of the barrel adjacent its proximal end and a mating seal structure on the outside surface of said opposite plunger end, a needle guard releasably and sealingly connected adjacent the distal end of the barrel whereby the seal provided by the needle guard and seal structure at the respective distal and opposite ends of the barrel is sufficient to maintain sterile conditions within the syringe between the seals until the syringe is used.

37. A syringe comprising:

(a) a hollow, axially-elongated barrel;

(b) an adapter carried by said barrel adjacent the distal end thereof and removable therefrom in response to rotation relative to the barrel, the adapter having a central fluid passage and adapted for removable coupling to a hollow needle;

(c) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel;

(d) cooperable rotary drive and driven surfaces on said plunger and said adapter, respectively;

(e) connective surfaces on said plunger and adapter, respectively;

(f) means cooperable between the distal end of the plunger and the adapter to enable initial relative rotation therebetween in response to axial movement of the plunger in the barrel toward full insertion to (a) align the cooperable rotary drive and driven surfaces, respectively, one with the other and (b) engage the connective surfaces thereof enabling joint axial movement of the adapter and plunger and, (c) upon subsequent relative rotational movement of said plunger and barrel, enable said adapter to part from the end of the barrel and to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel;

(g) said adapter having an axial portion projecting into the barrel defining therewith an annular space therebetween, said central fluid passage having a lateral portion opening through said adapter into said annular space at a location such that said fluid passage portion opening forms the most superior portion of the interior of said barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.