Automatic self-protecting hypodermic needle assembly
First Claim
1. An automatic self-protecting hypodermic needle assembly comprising:
- a hypodermic syringe including a housing, a moveable plunger in said housing, a medicant chamber formed between said housing and said plunger, and a hollow needle extending from said housing, said hollow needle in communication with said medicant chamber and having a tip at a distal end of said needle;
a needle guard assembly attached to said syringe housing, said needle guard assembly including;
a guard housing disposed adjacent said needle;
protective cap means removeably attached to said guard housing, said protective cap means having an aperture therethrough, said needle extending through said aperture;
said guard housing having propellant means disposed therein in communication with said protective cap means, said propellant means includes a first chemical propellant means which, when activated, expands and applies a pressure to said protective cap means;
activating means in selective communication with said propellant means to selectively activate said first chemical propellant when said activating means comes into contact with said first chemical propellant means; and
control means in communication with said activating means and actuated by depression of said plunger to activate said first chemical propellant means and produce a pressure which dislodges said protective cap means from said guard housing and moves said protective cap means along the length of said needle until said protective cap means engages the tip of said needle and said needle tip becomes embedded in said protective cap means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic self-protecting hypodermic needle assembly comprising a hypodermic syringe having a housing, a moveable plunger in the housing, a medicant chamber formed between the housing and the plunger, and a hollow needle extending from the housing in communication with the medicant chamber. A needle guard assembly is attached to the syringe housing and includes a guard housing adjacent the needle, a protective cap removably attached to the guard housing and an aperture through which the needle extends. A propellant is located in the guard housing in communication with the protective cap. When activated by an activating element, the propellant expands from a liquid to a gas, applies a pressure to the protective cap, and drives the protective cap along the length of the needle until the cap extends beyond the tip of the needle and the needle tip becomes embedded in the protective cap. Control means are provided under the operation of the medical attendant using the hypodermic syringe to automatically activate the propellant upon completion of the use of the syringe, and to embed the needle tip into the protective cap.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An automatic self-protecting hypodermic needle assembly comprising:
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a hypodermic syringe including a housing, a moveable plunger in said housing, a medicant chamber formed between said housing and said plunger, and a hollow needle extending from said housing, said hollow needle in communication with said medicant chamber and having a tip at a distal end of said needle; a needle guard assembly attached to said syringe housing, said needle guard assembly including; a guard housing disposed adjacent said needle; protective cap means removeably attached to said guard housing, said protective cap means having an aperture therethrough, said needle extending through said aperture; said guard housing having propellant means disposed therein in communication with said protective cap means, said propellant means includes a first chemical propellant means which, when activated, expands and applies a pressure to said protective cap means; activating means in selective communication with said propellant means to selectively activate said first chemical propellant when said activating means comes into contact with said first chemical propellant means; and control means in communication with said activating means and actuated by depression of said plunger to activate said first chemical propellant means and produce a pressure which dislodges said protective cap means from said guard housing and moves said protective cap means along the length of said needle until said protective cap means engages the tip of said needle and said needle tip becomes embedded in said protective cap means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification