Hypodermic syringe

• US 5,122,119 A
• Filed: 08/20/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dieter Lucas
• Original Assignee: Dieter Lucas
• Inventors: Lucas, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US07/569,822
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 604/134, 604/135, 604/136, 604/156, 604/157, 604/195, 604/198
• US Class Current: 604/138
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3227 the needle being retracted laterally outside the syringe barrel, e.g. with separate guideway
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612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 5/3232 Semi-automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle retraction requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased retraction means

Abstract

In a hypodermic syringe (10) with a hypodermic needle (20) which is adapted to be extended from a needle space (19) from a readiness position into an operative position by a force storage means (28), the invention seeks to make it possible to render the hypodermic needle (20) inaccessible after use. For that purpose the hypodermic needle (20) is arranged to be returned from the operative position by a force storage means (62) into the needle space (19) or a receiving space (11), which surrounds same at least at times, for receiving the needle space (19), or it is connected to a plunger (24) which is disposed in the needle space (19) and which is provided at its end face remote from the needle with at least one retaining recess for a pulling member, the recess being accessible from the exterior.

Claims

1. A hypodermic syringe comprising:

a hypodermic needle having a needle duct therein, said needle having an operative position and a readiness position;

a plunger connected to the needle;

side by said first and second containers, said first container including a needle space therein with said needle disposed in the needle space in the readiness position, and said second container comprising a closed container arranged beside the needle space;

a first force storage means acting on said plunger operative to extend the needle from the readiness position in the needle space to the operative position outside the needle space;

an injection material chamber in the second container which accommodate a hypodermic liquid, wherein said chamber is connected to the needle duct in the operative position of the needle;

a piston in the second container operative to put the hypodermic liquid under pressure;

means to activate the piston in coordination with the activation of the plunger by the first force storage means;

second force storage means for returning the hypodermic needle from the operative position to the needle space in a closure position, including means in the needle space engaging said second force storage means in the readiness position of the needle;

means for retaining said needle in the operative position and releasing said needle from the operative position to permit return of the needle from the operative position to the closure position in the needle space by the second force storage means; and

means for retaining the needle in the needle space int he closure position after return from the operative position by the second force storage means.

2. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 1 including fixing means for connection to counterpart elements of a pressure gun, and pressure members of the pressure gun associated with at least one of said plunger and piston.

3. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 1 wherein the plunger is spring loaded, and including a radial retaining member arranged axially movable between the spring-loaded plunger and the end of the needle space;

said retaining member being held against the second force storage means in the readiness position, and including counterpart retaining means on the plunger engageable with the retaining member when the needle is moved into the operative position.

4. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 3 wherein the second force storage means is a spring, and wherein the retaining member includes a ring portion through which the needle can pass, including at least one releasable locking means operative to hold the retaining member against the second force storage means spring.

5. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 4 wherein the counterpart retaining means comprise flexible hook elements on the plunger which engage behind the ring portion in the pressure direction (x).

6. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 4 including a closure plate of the needle space, wherein the retaining member bears against the plunger in the operative position of the needle and upon release by the locking means is operative to move with the plunger towards the closure plate by the second force storage means.

7. A hypodermic needle according to claim 4 wherein the locking means comprises at least one locking bar which extends in axis-parallel relationship with respect to the needle and is held at the free end thereof by a substantially radially movable sliding linkage.

8. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 1 including an axially movable sleeve in the first container which surrounds the needle space, and including a receiver space in the first container with the second force storage means disposed in said receiving space, wherein the sleeve is connected to the second force storage means, and wherein said second force storage means can be stressed in the pressing direction (x).

9. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 8 wherein the first force storage means is disposed between the plunger and the sleeve and wherein the needle and the plunger are held in the sleeve in the readiness position of the needle by the first force storage means.

10. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 8 wherein the sleeve has a readiness position corresponding to the readiness position of the needle, and wherein the sleeve has an end adjacent the receiving space, and wherein the sleeve is held in its readiness position by the second force storage means at the sleeve end.

11. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 8 wherein the second force storage means is supported against an external lip on the sleeve.

12. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 10 including a closure plate of the needle space and an external lip on the sleeve adjacent the sleeve end, wherein said external lip in the closure position sits between the closure plate and an inwardly disposed retaining rib on the first container.

13. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 12 wherein the sleeve has an internal lip and the needle engages under the internal lip in the operative position of the needle.

14. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 13 wherein the internal lip and external lip are adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the wall of the sleeve.

15. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 8 wherein the sleeve is held in its readiness position in the first container adjacent the receiving space and wherein the plunger forms the base of the sleeve.

16. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 15 wherein the sleeve is locked in its readiness position against a spring force in the receiving space.

17. A hypodermic syringe comprising:

a hypodermic needle having a needle duct therein, said needle having an operative position and a readiness position;

a plunger connected to the needle;

side by side first and second containers, said first container including a needle space therein with said needle disposed in the needle space in the readiness position, and said second container comprising a closed container arranged beside the needle space;

a force storage means acting on said plunger operative to extend the needle from the readiness position in the needle space to the operative position outside the needle space;

an injection material chamber in the second container which accommodates a hypodermic liquid, wherein said chamber is connected to the needle duct in the operative position of the needle;

a piston in the second container operative to put the hypodermic liquid under pressure;

at least one retaining recess provided in each of the end faces of the plunger and piston remote from the needle which are accessible from the exterior, and corresponding pull members connected to said recesses, and linkages for actuating said pull members.

18. A hypodermic syringe according to claim 17 including fixing means for connection to counterpart elements of a pressure gun, and pressure members of the pressure sun associated with at least one of said plunger and piston.