Automatically locking hypodermic needle hiding shield for a dose metering syringe
First Claim
1. In combination:
- a syringe to administer an injection, said syringe comprising a medication cartridge housing in which a fluid medication is stored and a hypodermic needle coupled to and projecting outwardly from said medication cartridge housing in fluid communication therewith; and
a needle shield to shield said hypodermic needle prior to and after the administration of the injection, said needle hiding shield comprising;
an inner sleeve surrounding said medication cartridge housing and being coupled thereto,an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve,a needle guard having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of said needle guard connected to said outer sleeve, said needle guard surrounding and shielding said hypodermic needle coupled to said medication cartridge housing,spring means extending between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve for locating said inner sleeve at the proximal end of said needle guard, said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing coupled thereto adapted to be advanced distally through said needle guard, andlocking means releasably engaging said inner sleeve to block the distal advancement of said inner sleeve through said needle guard,said locking means releasing said inner sleeve to permit said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing coupled thereto to be advanced distally through said needle guard when the injection is to be administered to cause said spring means to be stretched and said hypodermic needle to be moved outwardly from the distal end of said needle guard to be unshielded and penetrate an injection site at which to deliver the fluid medication from said medication cartridge housing, said spring means relaxing at the conclusion of the injection to drive said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing proximally through said needle guard to retract said hypodermic needle inwardly of the distal end of said needle guard to be reshielded thereby.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hypodermic needle shield to be coupled to a conventional dose metering syringe to hide a hypodermic needle from view of a patient (e.g. a child) to whom an injection is to be administered so as to minimize the anxiety that will be experienced by the patient. The needle shield includes an inner anchoring sleeve that surrounds and is coupled to a medication cartridge housing and an opaque needle guard that surrounds and shields the hypodermic needle that is connected in fluid communication to the medication cartridge housing. A pair of locking keys projects from the needle guard for receipt in respective guide tracks formed in the inner anchoring sleeve. The needle guard is rotated relative to the inner anchoring sleeve to cause the keys to move through the guide tracks from a first position at which the inner anchoring sleeve and medication cartridge housing are blocked from advancing distally through the needle guard to a second position at which to permit the inner anchoring sleeve and the medication cartridge housing to be advanced distally through the needle guard for unshielding the hypodermic needle during the administration of the injection.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In combination:
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a syringe to administer an injection, said syringe comprising a medication cartridge housing in which a fluid medication is stored and a hypodermic needle coupled to and projecting outwardly from said medication cartridge housing in fluid communication therewith; and a needle shield to shield said hypodermic needle prior to and after the administration of the injection, said needle hiding shield comprising; an inner sleeve surrounding said medication cartridge housing and being coupled thereto, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve, a needle guard having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of said needle guard connected to said outer sleeve, said needle guard surrounding and shielding said hypodermic needle coupled to said medication cartridge housing, spring means extending between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve for locating said inner sleeve at the proximal end of said needle guard, said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing coupled thereto adapted to be advanced distally through said needle guard, and locking means releasably engaging said inner sleeve to block the distal advancement of said inner sleeve through said needle guard, said locking means releasing said inner sleeve to permit said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing coupled thereto to be advanced distally through said needle guard when the injection is to be administered to cause said spring means to be stretched and said hypodermic needle to be moved outwardly from the distal end of said needle guard to be unshielded and penetrate an injection site at which to deliver the fluid medication from said medication cartridge housing, said spring means relaxing at the conclusion of the injection to drive said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing proximally through said needle guard to retract said hypodermic needle inwardly of the distal end of said needle guard to be reshielded thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In combination:
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a syringe to administer an injection, said syringe comprising a medication cartridge housing in which a fluid medication is stored and a hypodermic needle coupled to and projection outwardly from said medication cartridge housing in fluid communication therewith; and a needle shield to shield said hypodermic needle prior to and after the administration of the injection, said needle shield comprising; an inner sleeve surrounding said medication cartridge housing and being coupled thereto, said inner sleeve having a pair of curved spring receiving grooves and a guide track formed therein, an outer sleeve surrounding said inner sleeve, a pair of springs extending between said inner sleeve and said outer sleeve, said pair of springs being received within respective ones of said pair of curved spring receiving grooves formed in said inner sleeve so that each one of said pair of springs is bent by said pair of curved spring receiving grooves, and a needle guard having proximal and distal ends and connected at said proximal end thereof to said outer sleeve, said needle guard surrounding and shielding said hypodermic needle coupled to said medication cartridge housing, said needle guard having a key projecting therefrom to be received within said guide track of said inner sleeve, said needle guard being rotated relative to said inner sleeve to cause said key to move from a first position in said guide track at which said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing coupled thereto are blocked from advancing distally through said needle guard to a second position in said guide track at which to permit said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing to be advanced distally through said needle guard when the injection is to be administered to cause said pair of springs to be stretched and said hypodermic needle to be moved outwardly from the distal end of said needle guard to be unshielded and penetrate an injection site at which to deliver the fluid medication from said medication cartridge housing, said pair of springs relaxing at the conclusion of the injection to drive said inner sleeve and said medication cartridge housing proximally through said needle guard to retract said hypodermic needle inwardly of the distal end of said needle guard to be reshielded thereby. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification