Needle ejector safety system

• US 5,695,477 A
• Filed: 10/28/1994
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Sfikas
• Original Assignee: John Sfikas
• Inventors: Sfikas, John
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US08/331,077
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 128/919, 604/187, 604/200, 604/201, 604/239, 604/230, 604/241, 604/243, 604/110, 604/192, 604/195, 604/194
• US Class Current: 604/241
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2414 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3206 Needle or needle hub disconnecting devices forming part of or being attached to the hub or syringe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/919 Syringe, means to protect user

Abstract

A safety needle system for use with a hollow syringe-like body which uses a needle for aspirating, injecting or collecting having a reciprocal guide for linearly guiding the needle into and out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body. The needle safety system permits the controlled release of a used needle so that it can be placed safely in a receptacle without danger of it going elsewhere. The structure also permits the reuse of the hollow syringe-like body. The needle safety system can be retrofitted onto existing syringe-like bodies or incorporated into syringe-like bodies during manufacture.

Claims

1. A needle safety system for inhibiting accidental contact with a needle on a hollow syringe-like body for aspirating, injecting or collecting, the needle being associated with a needle body having a groove, the syringe-like body having a central axis and a distal end, the needle safety system comprising:

a needle safety device;

means for attaching the needle safety device to the syringe-like body wherein the attaching means comprises a protrusion and the syringe-like body to which the needle safety system attaches comprises a corresponding bore at the distal end of the syringe-like body, said protrusion being capable of operable association with the corresponding bore at the distal end of the syringe-like body;

a needle guide for assisting operable engagement of the needle with the syringe-like body, the needle guide being associated with the attaching means;

means for supporting the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, the supporting means extending from the attaching means, wherein the supporting means comprises a support arm extending from the attachment means and a mount on the support arm; and

means for reciprocally guiding the needle linearly out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body, wherein the reciprocally guiding means comprises a spring biased engagement arm having proximate and distal ends, means for holding the needle at the distal end of the engagement arm and a pad at the proximate end of the engagement arm, the engagement arm being slidably received in the mount, the holding means being at least one C-shaped holding means that controls linear movement of the needle relative to the syringe-like body.

2. The needle recovery system of claim 1 further comprising a needle housing having the needle extending therethrough, the needle housing being capable of operable association with the holding means.

3. The needle recovery system of claim 2 wherein the needle housing defines a recess therein to receive the syringe-like body.

4. The needle recovery system of claim 2 wherein the needle housing defines a recess therein to receive the needle guide.

5. The needle recovery system of claim 1 further comprising a needle housing having a radial ridge wherein the holding means is a pair of C-shaped holding means adapted and arranged to engage the needle housing about the radial ridge.

6. A needle safety system for inhibiting accidental contact with a needle on a hollow syringe-like body for aspirating, injecting or collecting, the needle being associated with a needle body having a groove, the syringe-like body having a central axis and a distal end, the needle safety system comprising:

a needle safety device;

means for attaching the needle safety device to the syringe-like body wherein the attaching means comprises a bore capable of operable association with a corresponding protrusion at the distal end of the syringe-like body;

a needle guide for assisting operable engagement of the needle with the syringe-like body, the needle guide being associated with the attaching means;

means for supporting the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, the supporting means extending from the attaching means, wherein the supporting means comprises a support arm extending from the attachment means and a mount on the support arm; and

means for reciprocally guiding the needle linearly out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body, wherein the reciprocally guiding means comprises a spring biased engagement arm having proximate and distal ends, means for holding the needle at the distal end of the engagement arm and a pad at the proximate end of the engagement arm, the engagement arm being slidably received in the mount, the holding means being at least one C-shaped holding means that controls linear movement of the needle relative to the syringe-like body.

7. A needle safety system, for inhibiting accidental contact with a needle on a hollow syringe-like body for aspirating, injecting or collecting, the syringe-like body having a central axis and a distal end, the needle safety system comprising:

a needle safety device;

means for attaching the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, said attaching means having a frusto-conical needle guide for assisting operable engagement of the needle with the syringe-like body, the needle guide being associated with the attaching means;

means for supporting the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, the supporting means extending from the attaching means; and

means for reciprocally guiding the needle linearly out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body while maintaining control of the needle, the guiding means being in operable association with the supporting means.

8. A needle safety system, for inhibiting accidental contact with a needle on a hollow syringe-like body for aspirating, injecting or collecting, the syringe-like body having a central axis and a distal end, the needle safety system comprising:

a needle safety device;

means for attaching the needle safety device to the syringe-like body;

means for supporting the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, the supporting means extending from the attaching means; and

means for reciprocally guiding the needle linearly out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body while maintaining control of the needle, said guiding means has a distal end and comprises means for holding the needle at the distal end, and the guiding means being in operable association with the supporting means, said holding means is a C-shaped holding means that controls linear movement of the needle along the central axis of the syringe-like body.

9. The needle safety system of claim 8 wherein the C-shaped holding means inhibits linear movement of the needle relative to the syringe-like body when the needle is in operative engagement with the syringe-like body.

10. A needle safety system, for inhibiting accidental contact with a needle on a hollow syringe-like body for aspirating, injecting or collecting, the syringe-like body having a central axis and a distal end, the needle safety system comprising:

a needle safety device;

means for attaching the needle safety device to the syringe-like body;

means for supporting the needle safety device to the syringe-like body, the supporting means extending from the attaching means; and

means for reciprocally guiding the needle linearly out of operable engagement with the syringe-like body while maintaining control of the needle, the guiding means being in operable association with the supporting means, wherein the guiding means comprises a spring biased engagement arm.

11. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the guiding means has a proximate end and comprises a pad at the proximate end.

12. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the spring biased engagement arm has proximate and distal ends, means for holding the needle at the distal end of the engagement arm and a pad at the proximate end of the engagement arm.

13. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the supporting means comprises a support arm.

14. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the supporting means comprises a mount for slidably receiving the guiding means.

15. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the supporting means comprises a support arm extending from the attachment means and a mount for slidably receiving the guiding means, the mount being on the support arm.

16. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the attaching means comprises a protrusion and the syringe-like body to which the needle safety system attaches comprises a corresponding bore at the distal end of the syringe-like body, said protrusion being capable of operable association with the corresponding bore at the distal end of the syringe-like body, the supporting means comprises a support arm extending from the attachment means and a mount on the support arm and the guiding means comprises the spring biased engagement arm having proximate and distal ends, means for holding the needle at the distal end of the engagement arm and a pad at the proximate end of the engagement arm, the engagement arm being slidably received in the mount.

17. The needle safety system of claim 10 further comprising a means for locking the needle safety system with the needle in operative engagement with the syringe-like body.

18. The needle safety system of claim 10 wherein the attaching means comprises a bore capable of operable association with a corresponding protrusion at the distal end of the syringe-like body, the supporting means comprises a support arm extending from the attachment means and a mount on the support arm and the guiding means comprises the spring biased engagement arm having proximate and distal ends, means for holding the needle at the distal end of the engagement arm and a pad at the proximate end of the engagement arm, the engagement arm being slidably received in the mount.