Automatic needle protector

• US 5,389,085 A
• Filed: 11/29/1993
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beech Medical Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Medical Consultants, Inc.
• Inventors: D'Alessio, Larry M., Romano, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/159,053
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 604/192-198, 604/263, 604/110
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3272 having projections following labyrinth paths

Abstract

A syringe has a needle mounted in the lower end of a tubular mount. A protective cover, in the form of a sleeve, fits over this lower end of the tubular mount, and extends to fully cover the sharp end of the needle. The tubular mount has a pair of elongated, axial slots for the entry and exit of a cog or lug on the inside of the sleeve. Pressure on the sleeve slides the lug up the entry slot and exposes the needle. A cross over slot carries the lug to the exit slot, where it slides down to the lower end of the mount, and over a locking ridge to automatically and securely recover the needle. A spring, coupled between the mount and the sleeve has an axial force urging the sleeve down in either slot, and a rotary force urging the cog towards the exit slot. The lug must be in the entry slot to depress and use the needle, but the lug is then rotated to the exit slot and returned by the spring, automatically, to lock the lug in the safe, covering position of the sleeve. In a further embodiment, a mount is provided having a needle supporting hub attached to an upper end, an open lower end, and an aperture in the side of the mount. A protective cover fits inside of the mount and has a protruding lug which engages the mount aperture. A spring coupled between the mount and the cover is subjected to rotational and compressive forces to automatically urge the cover to the needle protection position.

Claims

1. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an upper end coupled to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof, said aperture including an entrance position and an armed position radially spaced from said entrance position by a portion of said mount protruding into said aperture; and

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end disposed inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture, wherein said device is armed by rotating said cover to move said lug from said entrance position over said protruding portion of said mount and to said armed position.

6. The needle protector device recited in claim 1 further comprising a spring coupled to said protective cover and extending through said mount.

7. The needle protector device recited in claim 1 wherein said mount is a unitary part.

8. The needle protector device recited in claim 1 wherein said mount has an assembly slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount through which said lug is directed during assembly.

2. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an Upper end attached to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof;

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end fitting inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture; and

a spring coupled between said mount and said protective cover for providing an axial force and a torsional force to move said protective cover from said retracted position to said needle protection position.

3. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an upper end attached to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof; and

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end fitting inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture, wherein said aperture includes an entrance position adjacent to said lower end of said mount and an armed position radially spaced from said entrance position by an angled portion of said mount, wherein said device is armed by rotating said cover to move said lug from said entrance position to said armed position, and wherein said mount has an assembly slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount through which said lug is directed during assembly.

4. The needle protector device recited in claim 3 wherein said cover has a cantilevered tab disposed at said upper end of said cover and supporting said lug, said lug having a tapered edge which contacts said mount when said lug is moved from said assembly slot to said entrance position of said aperture during assembly causing said cantilevered tab to deflect.

5. The needle protector device recited in claim 4 wherein said mount has a second aperture disposed in said side of said mount and a second assembly slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount and wherein said cover has a second cantilevered tab disposed at an upper end of said cover and supporting a second lug for engaging said second assembly slot during assembly and said second aperture as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position.

9. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an upper end coupled to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof;

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end disposed inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture, wherein said aperture includes an entrance position adjacent to said lower end of said mount and an armed position radially spaced from said entrance position by an angled portion of said mount, wherein said device is armed by rotating said cover to move said lug from said entrance position of said aperture over said angled portion of said mount and to said armed position of said aperture; and

a spring couple to said cover for urging said cover from said retracted position to said needle protection position in which said lug is disposed in said entrance position of said aperture.

13. The needle protector device recited in claim 9 wherein said mount is a unitary part.

14. The needle protector device recited in claim 9 wherein said mount has an assembly slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount through which said lug is directed during assembly.

10. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an upper end attached to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof; and

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end fitting inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture, wherein said aperture includes an entrance position adjacent to said lower end of said mount and an armed position radially spaced from said entrance position by an angled portion of said mount, wherein said device is armed by rotating said cover to move said lug from said entrance position of said aperture to said armed position of said aperture, and wherein a spring is coupled between said mount and said cover, said spring providing a rotary force to move said lug radially in said aperture and an axial force to move said lug toward said lower end of said mount.

11. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle having a tip;

a hub having an upper end adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle and a lower end to which said needle is attached;

a mount having an upper end attached to said hub, an open lower end, and an aperture disposed in a side thereof; and

projective cover having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said mount, said protective cover having an upper end fitting inside of said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle tip or a retracted position in which said needle tip extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position and said retracted position, said lug moves within said aperture, wherein said aperture includes an entrance position adjacent to said lower end of said mount and an armed position radially spaced from said entrance position by an angled portion of said mount, wherein said device is armed by rotating said cover to move said lug from said entrance position of said aperture to said armed position of said aperture, and wherein said mount has an assembly slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount through which said lug is directed during assembly.

12. The needle protector device recited in claim 11 wherein said cover has a cantilevered tab disposed at said upper end of said cover and supporting said lug, said lug having a tapered edge which contacts said mount when said lug is moved from said assembly slot to said entrance position of said aperture during assembly causing said cantilevered tab to deflect.

15. A needle protector device comprising:

a needle;

a mount having an upper end at which a fitting and said needle are disposed said fitting being adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle, said mount further having an aperture disposed in a side thereof;

a protective cover having a diameter smaller than said mount, said protective cover having an upper end disposed in said lower end of said mount and an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a protective position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle or a retracted position in which said needle is exposed through said apertured lower end of said cover, said cover having a lug for mating with said aperture so that said cover is moved between said protective position and said retracted position as said lug moves through said aperture; and

a spring, coupled between said mount and said cover and being responsive to axial and rotary biasing, for urging said lug to move in said aperture.

16. The needle protector device recited in claim 15 wherein said spring is coupled between said upper end of said mount and said upper end of said cover, said spring providing a rotary force to move said lug through said slot and an axial force to move said lug toward said lower end of said mount.

17. The needle protector device recited in claim 15 wherein said slot comprises an entrance slot extending from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount, an exit slot extending from said upper end of said mount toward said lower end of said mount, and a crossover slot extending between said entrance slot and said exit slot at ends of said entrance and exit slots distal from said lower end of said mount.

18. The needle protector device recited in claim 17 wherein said crossover slot extends from said ends of said entrance and exit slots distal from said lower end of said mount toward said upper end of said mount.

19. The needle protector device recited in claim 17 wherein said slot further comprises a ridge disposed at said lower end of said mount for receiving said lug to maintain said cover in said protective position.

20. The needle protector device recited in claim 17 wherein said slot further comprises an arming slot extending in an upward slope from said ridge to a lower end of said entrance slot.

21. The needle protector device recited in claim 15 wherein said mount is a unitary part.

22. A needle protector device comprising:

a mount having a hub at an upper end and an open lower end, said hub having a needle attached thereto and being adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle; and

a protective cover coupled to said mount and having an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle and said cover is prevented from being retracted to expose said needle, in an armed position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle and said cover is retractable to expose said needle, or in a retracted position in which said needle extends through said apertured lower end of said cover, wherein said cover is automatically moveable from said retracted position to said needle protection position.

23. The needle protector device recited in claim 22 wherein said mount has an aperture in a side thereof and said cover has a lug for engaging said aperture of said mount so that, as said cover is moved between said needle protection position, said armed position, and said retracted position, said lug moves in said aperture.

24. The needle protector device recited in claim 23 further comprising a spring coupled to said cover and extending through said mount, said spring providing a force to automatically move said cover from said retracted position to said needle protection position.

25. The needle protector device recited in claim 22 wherein said mount is a unitary part.

26. A needle protector device comprising:

a mount having a hub at an upper end and an open lower end, said hub having a needle attached thereto and being adapted for coupling to a unit operative with said needle;

a protective cover coupled to said mount and having an apertured lower end, wherein said cover is adapted for being in a needle protection position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle and said cover is prevented from being retracted to expose said needle, an armed position in which said lower end of said cover is disposed over said needle and said cover is prevented from moving to said needle protection position, and a retracted position in which said needle extends through said apertured lower end of said cover; and

a spring coupled to said cover for urging said cover from said retracted position to said needle protection position.

27. The needle protector device recited in claim 26 wherein said mount has an aperture disposed in a side thereof, said aperture having an entrance position and an armed position spaced from said entrance position by a portion of said mount protruding into said aperture, and wherein said cover has a lug in engagement with said aperture of said mount, whereby said protruding portion of said mount prevents said cover from moving to said needle protection position when said cover is in said armed position with said lug in the armed position of said aperture.

28. The needle protector device recited in claim 26 wherein said mount is a unitary part.