Medical safety needle and method
First Claim
1. A safety needle comprising:
- a hollow elongated needle having a sharpened end at one end thereof;
a hub adapted to be connected to a medical device;
said hub including at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion;
a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said hub for sliding reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said hub;
a longitudinally extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said hub, said retracting groove having disposed therein coming means for holding the sheath at least temporarily in one or more predetermined positions with respect to the hub;
said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherein said sheath is retracted to expose said needle for use;
said retracting groove includes temporary locking means therein adjacent one end of said retracting groove for engaging said protrusion to hold said sheath in said second position and to release said protrusion and said sheath from said second position upon a longitudinal force being exerted on said sheath toward said needle'"'"'s sharpened end;
said temporary locking means including a radially inwardly extending projection within said retracting groove adjacent said one end of said retracting groove; and
said projection having a camming surface on both sides thereof to allow said protrusion to pass over said projection in both direction of movement within said groove.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical safety needle assembly for a hypodermic syringe, catheter or the like. The assembly includes a hollow needle carried by a hub having at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion. A generally cylindrical hollow sheath is positioned telescopically around the hub for relative sliding reciprocal movement therebetween. The sheath, which is injection molded by the collapsible core method of plastic molding, includes at least one set of interconnecting grooves in which the protrusion is guided. A plurality of projections are positioned in the grooves to hold the protrusion, and thus the sheath, in particular locations relative to the hub and needle. First the needle is covered by the sheath to protect the needle prior to use; then the sheath is retracted to expose the needle for hypodermic use; and lastly, the sheath is moved to shield the needle to an even greater extent than it was prior to use to protect personnel from accidental needle sticks. An indicator on the sheath shows whether the needle has been used or tampered with. When in the final position, the sheath is locked to prevent accidental or secondary use of the needle. Also, after use, the needle and hub and protecting sheath may be removed and discarded as a unit from a syringe or other medical device. This feature allows reuse of the medical device while the discarded needle remains shielded.
50 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A safety needle comprising:
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a hollow elongated needle having a sharpened end at one end thereof; a hub adapted to be connected to a medical device; said hub including at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion; a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said hub for sliding reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said hub; a longitudinally extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said hub, said retracting groove having disposed therein coming means for holding the sheath at least temporarily in one or more predetermined positions with respect to the hub; said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherein said sheath is retracted to expose said needle for use; said retracting groove includes temporary locking means therein adjacent one end of said retracting groove for engaging said protrusion to hold said sheath in said second position and to release said protrusion and said sheath from said second position upon a longitudinal force being exerted on said sheath toward said needle'"'"'s sharpened end; said temporary locking means including a radially inwardly extending projection within said retracting groove adjacent said one end of said retracting groove; and said projection having a camming surface on both sides thereof to allow said protrusion to pass over said projection in both direction of movement within said groove. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A hypodermic safety syringe comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, hollow syringe barrel having a first open end and a second open end; a plunger extending into said barrel through said first open end; a hollow elongated needle having a sharpened end at one end thereof; a hub mounted adjacent said second open end of said barrel; said hub including at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion; a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said hub for sliding reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said hub and said syringe barrel, said sheath being sized to accept the syringe barrel and being movable reciprocably to cover at least a portion of the syringe barrel; a longitudinal extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said hub, said retracting groove having disposed therein camming means for holding the sheath at least temporarily in one or more predetermined positions with respect to the hub; said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherein said sheath is retracted to expose said needle for use; said sheath being formed by the collapsible core method of injection molding.
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16. A hypodermic safety syringe comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, hollow syringe barrel having a first open end and a second open end; a plunger extending into said barrel through said first open end; a hollow elongated needle having a sharpened end at one end thereof; a hub mounted adjacent said second open end of said barrel; said hub including at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion; a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said hub for sliding reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said hub and said syringe barrel, said sheath being sized to accept the syringe barrel and being movable reciprocably to cover at least a portion of the syringe barrel; a longitudinally extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said hub, said retracting groove having disposed therein camming means for holding the sheath at least temporarily in one or more predetermined positions with respect to the hub; said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherien said sheath is retracted to expose said needle for use; said hub, said sheath and said needle being removable from such appliance as a unit while said sheath surrounds said needle and continues to protect from accidental needle sticks after said needle has been disposed of.
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17. A hypodermic safety syringe comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, hollow syringe barrel having a first open end and a second open end; a plunger extending into said barrel through said first open end; a hub mounted adjacent said second open end of said barrel, said hub carrying at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion; a hollow needle fixed with respect to the barrel, said needle having a conduit therethrough in fluid communication through said second open end with the interior of said barrel; said needle having a sharpened distal end; a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said barrel for reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said barrel; a longitudinally extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said barrel; said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherein said sheath is retracted toward said first open end exposing said needle for use; said retracting groove includes temporary locking means therein adjacent one end of said retracting groove for engaging said protrusion to hold said sheath in said second position and to release said protrusion and said sheath from said second position upon a longitudinal force being exerted on said sheath away from said barrel toward said needle sharpened end; said temporary locking means including a radially inwardly extending projection within said retracting groove adjacent said one end of said retracting groove; said projection having a camming surface on both sides thereof to allow said protrusion to pass over said projection in both directions of movement within said groove; a circumferentially extending starting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath extending at least partially around the interior surface of said sheath adjacent the other end of said sheath opposite said one end of said sheath and positioned longitudinally on said sheath such that when said protrusion is in said starting groove, said sheath is longitudinally located in said first position; said starting groove being sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that rotary movement of sheath relative to said barrel will cause said protrusion to ride within said starting groove from a starting position to said first position; a starting projection in said starting groove between said starting position and said first position for holding said protrusion in said starting position until a rotary force is applied to said sheath relative to said barrel to allow said protrusion to pass over said starting projection; a final locking projection in said retracting groove adjacent the other end of said retracting groove opposite said one end of said retracting groove; and said final locking projection being located closer to said other end of said retracting groove than the area of communication between said retracting groove with said starting groove, such that after syringe use, said sheath may be extended toward said needle sharpened end and said final locking projection will hold said sheath in a third position wherein said sheath extends further beyond said sharpened end than when said sheath is in said first position.
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18. A safety needle comprising:
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a hollow elongated needle having a sharpened end at one end thereof; a hub adapted to be connected to a medical device; said hub including at least one radially outwardly extending protrusion; a generally cylindrical hollow sheath positioned telescopically around said hub for sliding reciprocal longitudinal movement with respect to said hub; a longitudinally extending retracting groove formed in the interior surface of said sheath sized to accept therewithin said protrusion on said hub such that said protrusion rides within said groove as said sheath is longitudinally reciprocated with respect to said hub, said retracting groove having disposed therein camming means for holding the sheath at least temporarily in one or more predetermined positions with respect to the hub; said sheath being movable from a first position wherein said sheath extends beyond said sharpened end for shielding said sharpened end, to a second position wherein said sheath is retracted to expose said needle for use; said longitudinally extending retracting groove being relatively straight and extending at one end thereof to the corresponding end of the sheath to permit the protrusion on the hub to be inserted into said groove. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification