Safety needle and method of using same
First Claim
1. A safety needle for insertion into the body of a patient comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, a protective sheath having an axis and comprising a needle cup enclosing the needle point and a mounting sleeve for mounting said sheath to the needle support, flexible means for supporting said needle cup from said mounting sleeve, said flexible means comprising at least two ribs each having two ends, each rib being connected at one end to said mounting sleeve and at the other end to said needle cup, said needle being disposed between said two ribs, said needle cup having a needle opening through which the needle is adapted to pass, said ribs having an unflexed, at rest position and a flexed position such that in the unflexed position the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening and the ribs are spaced from and disposed substantially parallel to the needle and in the flexed position the needle axis is aligned with the needle opening and the ribs are bowed outwardly away from each other on opposite sides of the needle, said ribs being automatically movable from the flexed position to the unflexed position when the needle is withdrawn from the body of the patient so as to automatically position the needle cup relative to the needle such that the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A safety hypodermic needle and a method of using the same are disclosed. The safety needle comprises a hypodermic needle and a protective sheath molded of an flexible polymeric material. The protective sheath comprises a needle cup which encloses the sharp needle point and is supported on a plurality of outwardly flexed ribs. The needle cup has a needle opening which is misaligned with the needle axis in the at rest or unflexed condition of the protective sheath. Application of transverse and axial forces to the needle cup aligns the needle with the opening and cause the ribs to bow outwardly so that the needle passes through the opening and into the patient'"'"'s body.
155 Citations
26 Claims
- 1. A safety needle for insertion into the body of a patient comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, a protective sheath having an axis and comprising a needle cup enclosing the needle point and a mounting sleeve for mounting said sheath to the needle support, flexible means for supporting said needle cup from said mounting sleeve, said flexible means comprising at least two ribs each having two ends, each rib being connected at one end to said mounting sleeve and at the other end to said needle cup, said needle being disposed between said two ribs, said needle cup having a needle opening through which the needle is adapted to pass, said ribs having an unflexed, at rest position and a flexed position such that in the unflexed position the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening and the ribs are spaced from and disposed substantially parallel to the needle and in the flexed position the needle axis is aligned with the needle opening and the ribs are bowed outwardly away from each other on opposite sides of the needle, said ribs being automatically movable from the flexed position to the unflexed position when the needle is withdrawn from the body of the patient so as to automatically position the needle cup relative to the needle such that the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening.
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17. A safety needle comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, a protective sheath surrounding said needle and having an axis misaligned with the needle axis, said sheath comprising a needle cup enclosing the needle point, a mounting sleeve mounting the sheath to the needle support, and at least two flexible ribs each having two ends, each rib being connected at one end to said mounting sleeve and at the other end to said needle cup, said needle cup having a needle opening through which the needle is adapted to pass, said ribs having an unflexed position and a flexed position such that in the unflexed position the ribs are disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation to the needle and the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening, and in the flexed position the ribs are bowed outwardly away from the needle and from each other and the needle is aligned with and extends through the needle opening, said ribs being automatically returnable from the flexed position to the unflexed position so as to automatically position the needle cup relative to the needle such that the needle axis is again misaligned with the needle opening.
- 18. A protective sheath for a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, said sheath comprising a mounting sleeve for mounting the sheath to the needle support, a needle cup adapted to enclose the needle point, said needle cup comprising a front cup portion and a rear cup portion, hinge means for hingedly connecting the cup portions together, at least one flexible rib connecting said mounting sleeve to said rear cup portion, said front cup portion having an end cover adapted to confront the needle point in a first position thereof, a tab connected to said front cup portion for pivoting said front cup portion about the hinge means from said first position away from the rear cup portion to a second position exposing the needle point of said needle.
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23. A method of using a safety needle comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, a protective sheath having an axis and comprising a needle cup enclosing the needle point and a mounting sleeve for mounting the sheath to said needle support, flexible means supporting said needle cup from said mounting sleeve, said flexible means comprising at least two ribs each having two ends, each rib being connected at one end to said mounting sleeve and at the other end to said needle cup such that said needle is disposed between said two ribs, said needle cup having a needle opening through which the needle is adapted to pass, said ribs having an unflexed, at rest position in which the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening and the ribs are disposed substantially parallel to the needle axis and a flexed position in which the needle axis is aligned with the needle opening and the ribs are outwardly bowed away from each other on opposite sides of the needle, said method comprising the steps of:
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engaging the body of a patient with the needle cup. pressing the needle cup against the patient'"'"'s body in a direction to urge the needle and needle cup relatively of each other until the needle axis is aligned with the needle opening; pressing the needle cup against the patient'"'"'s body in a direction to urge the needle cup axially of the protective sheath to flex the ribs outwardly away from the needle axis and away from one another and move the needle through the needle opening and into the body of the patient; and removing the needle from the body of the patient and the needle cup away from contact with the body of the patient to permit the ribs to automatically return to the unflexed, at rest position and automatically misalign the needle axis with the needle opening of the needle cup. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of using a safety needle comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle support, a protective sheath having an axis and comprising a needle cup enclosing the needle point and a mounting sleeve for mounting the sheath to said needle support, flexible means supporting said needle cup from said mounting sleeve, said flexible means comprising at least two ribs each having two ends, each rib being connected at one end to said mounting sleeve and at the other end to said needle cup such that said needle is disposed between said two ribs, said needle cup having a needle opening through which the needle is adapted to pass, said ribs having an unflexed, at rest position in which the needle axis is misaligned with the needle opening and the ribs are disposed substantially parallel to the needle axis and a flexed position in which the needle axis is aligned with the needle opening and the ribs are outwardly bowed away from each other on opposite side of the needle, a tab attached to the needle cup and having an opening and a pin attached to the protective sheath, said method comprising the steps of:
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grasping the tab; manually moving the needle cup with the tab until the needle passes through the needle opening to expose the needle; engaging the pin with the tab opening to releasably retain the needle exposed; inserting the needle in the body of a patient; engaging the body of the patient with the needle cup to thereby release the pin from the tab opening; and withdrawing the needle from the patient'"'"'s body and the needle cup away from contact with the body of the patient to permit the ribs to automatically return to the unflexed, at rest position and automatically misalign the needle axis with the needle opening of the needle cup. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification