Winged needle

• US 5,147,319 A
• Filed: 06/13/1991
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KATO Hatsujo Kaisha Limited
• Original Assignee: KATO Hatsujo Kaisha Limited
• Inventors: Asano, Hiroyuki, Ishikawa, Toichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lynch, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/714,956
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 604/177, 604/180, 604/192, 604/193, 604/197, 604/198, 604/263, 604/174, 604/179
• US Class Current: 604/174
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0637 Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3216 Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base

Abstract

A winged needle with which the needle can be safely exposed and covered. The winged needle comprises a base into which the needle is rooted, wings which can be folded to cover the needle, sheath-portion of the wings which surrounds the needle on all sides when the wings are folded, and a coupling device which couples the wings. This structure enables a user to handle the winged needle from the base side without having his hand face the needle tip, significantly reducing the possibility of puncturing the user'"'"'s hands.

Claims

1. A winged needle comprising:

a needle;

a base into which the needle is rooted;

a pair of flat wings which flank both sides of said base, for providing flat surfaces with which said winged needle can be fastened to an arm of a patient;

hinge means which allow said pair of wings to fold toward said needle;

sheath-portions respectively integrated with said pair of flat wings which surround said needle on all sides when said pair of flat wings are folded toward said needle; and

coupling means for coupling said pair of flat wings together with said sheath-portions when said pair of wings are folded to maintain said needle surrounded by said sheath portions.

2. A winged needle as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheath- portions includes:

a ditched projection which is formed on one of two meeting edges of the wings and makes a three-sided cover for the needle; and

a lipped section which is formed on the other meeting edge and accepts said ditched projection.

3. A winged needle as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes female and male parts which couple by elastic deformation.

4. A winged needle as defined in claim 1 including engaging means which engages said base and said wings when said wings are not folded towards said needle.

5. A winged needle according to claim 1, wherein all of said base, said pair of flat wings, said hinge means, said sheath-portions and said coupling means are formed from a flexible elastic material as a unitary member.