Hypodermic safety syringe with retracting needle system

• US 5,190,526 A
• Filed: 09/18/1992
• Issued: 03/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gabbard Murray Gabbard Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gabbard Murray Gabbard Incorporated
• Inventors: Murray, Kenneth W., Gabbard, Charles C., Gabbard, Nola M. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US07/946,662
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/195, 604/198, 604/263, 604/187
• US Class Current: 604/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3234 Fully automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle does not require a deliberate action by the user

Abstract

A hypodermic safety syringe, according to the present invention, includes a barrel having an open end, a cone shaped end and an interior surface. A hollow needle and carriage assembly is temporarily attached and is restrained by four catches extending from the interior tapered surface. A plunger assembly is reciprocally received into the barrel and is in air-tight engagement with the interior surface of the barrel. Thus, an interior chamber is formed in the barrel whereby liquids are retrieved and emitted through the hollow needle. A cavity within the plunger contains a spring and retraction guide assembly with a mating member corresponding to mating members extending from the needle carriage. As the mating members contact and become captured the needle and carriage assembly is released by the approaching plunger assembly as the catches are deflected outward by the angled surface of the plunger. At the end of the injection stroke small spherical bearings, in locking contact with the retraction guide, are caused to move outward and into a radially concave interior surface releasing the retraction guide, captured needle and carriage assembly thereby retracted into the cavity within the plunger structure. Thus rendering the syringe safe for handling and transport to disposal.

Claims

1. A hypodermic safety syringe with a retracting needle system comprising;

a transparent cylindrical body element for containing a liquid;

having appurtenances interacting with;

a hollow needle temporarily interconnected with said body element for communicating liquid between said body element and a patient, area or process, said needle having a carriage and a hollow tine, said needle repositionable between an operable extreme wherein said needle projects axially outward from said body element and an inoperable extreme whereby said needle is retracted and contained completely within said body element by interacting with;

a plunger reciprocally received into said body element whereby vacuum and pressurization forces are generated by adjustment of said plunger within said body element wherein liquid is drawn into said body element communicating through said needle by vacuum caused by adjusting said plunger outward from said body element and wherein liquid is expelled from said body element communicating through said needle by pressurization force caused by adjusting said plunger into said body element;

a retraction mechanism whereby a retraction guide is permanently connected to a spring and is locking contact with spherical bearings thus held motionless within a cylindrical cavity within the plunger structure,

a safing means associated with said hypodermic safety syringe with retracting needle whereby the needle is automatically retracted into a cavity within said plunger substantially at the end of the injection stroke whereby mating members extending from the retraction guide and needle carriage engage and become captured as an angled surface on the plunger deflects catches restraining the needle and carriage assembly;

spherical bearings within shafts in the plunger align with a radial concave interior surface of the barrel thereby releasing the retraction guide, captured needle and carriage assembly thereby retracting within the cavity in the plunger structure and rendering the syringe safe for handling and transport to disposal.

2. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 1 wherein said needle and carriage assembly comprise a hollow needle permanently affixed within a tapered carriage with four radially aligned mating members adapted to receive, engage and capture an adapted mating member extending from a retraction guide armed within a plunger.

3. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 2 wherein said plunger further consists of a front section containing latitudinal bores for receiving spherical bearings whereby a retraction guide is caused to be in locking contact with said bearings and restrained by force of a spring;

said plunger further containing a cylindrical cavity adapted to receive said needle and carriage assembly upon retraction this being facilitated by weep holes in the cylindrical cavity providing a means to exhaust air trapped within the cavity whereby said air is emitted into a space between the plunger and barrel.

4. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 3 whereby said retraction guide having a protruding mating surface adapts to engage and capture said needle and carriage assembly;

said retraction guide having radially concave surfacing thereby permitting said spherical bearings to encroach upon and render locked said retraction guide.

5. The hypodermic safety needle of claim 4 whereby said spring is permanently mated to said retraction guide and permanently mated to a circular cap affixed to the open end of the cylindrical cavity adapted to receive and restrain the circular cap;

said spring providing a biasing means for restraining the retraction guide assisted through static position of said spherical bearings thereby providing a biasing means retracting the retraction guide and captured needle and carriage assembly automatically as the injection stroke achieves finality;

thereby rendering the syringe safe for handling and transport to disposal.

6. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 5 whereby said plunger having longitudinal ribs with notches substantially adapted to fit snugly about an insert guide restrained at the open end of the barrel whereby said plunger can be caused to be rendered axially locked prior to and after use of said syringe.

7. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 6 further comprising a protective cover adapted to contain within, a portion of, said needle protruding from said barrel and further adapted to be detachably attached to said barrel.

8. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 7 further comprising a graphic scale embossed upon the exterior surface of said barrel, accounting for internal volume losses and providing for measurability of volumes of liquid contained within the cylindrical chamber;

said graphic scale units of measurement corresponding to particular industry requirements.

9. The hypodermic safety syringe of claim 1 whereby said cylindrical cavity is caused to contain a sufficient vacuum force acting on said retraction guide in a manner as a biasing means;

thereby providing a force acting in conjunction with said spherical bearings whereby said retraction guide is locked motionless and automatically retracting the retraction guide and captured needle and carriage assembly as the injection stroke reaches finality;

thereby rendering the syringe safe for handling and transport to disposal.