Intravenous catheter assembly

• US 6,001,080 A
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B Braun Melsungen AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Injectimed Inc.
• Inventors: Cohen, Richard, Ohnemus, Randall E., Smith, Craig W., Kuracina, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US09/172,185
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 604/158, 604/161, 604/162, 604/164, 604/171, 604/192, 604/198, 604/263
• US Class Current: 604/171
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3109 Caps sealing the needle bore by use of, e.g. air-hardening adhesive, elastomer or epoxy resin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/325 Means obstructing the needle passage at distal end of a needle protection sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0612 Devices for protecting the needle; Devices to help insertion of the needle, e.g. wings or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0625 with a permanent connection to the needle hub, e.g. a guiding rail, a locking mechanism or a guard advancement mechanism
• 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: A61M 5/3202 Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3243 being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3257 Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3275 being connected to the needle hub or syringe by radially deflectable members, e.g. longitudinal slats, cords or bands

Abstract

A needle tip protective device. In one embodiment the needle tip protective device includes a needle guard that is slidably mounted on a hypodermic needle having a needle tip located at the distal end of the needle. The needle guard contains a movable needle trap that is biased against or toward the hypodermic needle. The needle trap advances over the tip of the needle, entrapping the needle tip as the needle guard is urged forward near the sharpened distal end of the hypodermic needle. A tether, or other limiting means, limits the forward movement of the needle guard along the needle. In one embodiment, the needle guard is manually urged forward along the shaft of the needle by the user. In yet another embodiment, a spring, or other biasing means, is used to move the needle guard along the shaft of the needle.

Claims

1. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising:

a catheter hub comprising a proximal end and a distal end;

a needle having a proximal end and a sharpened distal end;

a needle guard slidably mounted on said needle, said needle guard having a proximal end and a distal end, said needle guard containing a movable needle trap that is urged toward said needle, said needle trap entrapping said sharpened distal end of said needle when said distal end of said needle guard moves forward of said sharpened distal end of said needle, said needle guard releasably coupled to said proximal end of said catheter hub;

limiting means for limiting the axial movement of said needle guard; and

a hub comprising a needle nest for receiving the proximal end of said needle.

2. An intravenous catheter assembly comprising:

a catheter hub comprising a proximal end and a distal end;

a needle having a proximal end and a sharpened distal end;

a needle guard slidably mounted on said needle, said needle guard having a proximal end and a distal end, said needle guard containing a movable needle trap that is urged toward said needle, said needle trap entrapping said sharpened distal end of said needle when said distal end of said needle guard moves forward of said sharpened distal end of said needle, said needle guard releasably coupled to said proximal end of said catheter hub.

3. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising limiting means for limiting the axial movement of said needle guard.

4. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising a hub comprising a needle nest for receiving the proximal end of said needle.

5. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle trap is integral to said needle guard.

6. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle trap is inherently urged toward said needle.

7. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said distal end of said needle trap comprises a needle tip guard for entrapping said sharpened distal end of said needle.

8. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a resilient member for urging said needle trap toward said needle.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said resilient member comprises a proximal end and a distal end.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said resilient member comprises a coil spring.

11. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said distal end of said resilient member is retained at the proximal end of said needle guard.

12. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a collar that is attached to the proximal end of said needle guard.

13. The assembly of claim 12 further comprising a resilient member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said resilient member being retained on said collar.

14. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said needle guard comprises a first notch for retaining said distal end of said resilient member.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said needle trap comprises a lead-in section having a second notch, said lead-in section locating said resilient member within first and second notches, said second notch releasably retaining said distal end of said resilient member.

16. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said needle trap comprises at least one longitudinal channel for reducing the contact surface area between said needle trap and said resilient member.

17. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said needle tip guard comprises at least one skirt.

18. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle guard includes a finger post for advancing said needle guard along said needle.

19. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said proximal end of said catheter hub includes a recess.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein said needle guard is releasably coupled to said catheter by a male section comprising an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said arm attached to said needle trap, said distal end of said arm having a projection, said projection being received within said recess of said catheter hub to couple said needle guard with said catheter hub.

21. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said proximal end of said catheter hub includes a projection.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein said needle guard is releasably coupled to said catheter by a male section comprising an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said arm attached to said needle trap, said distal end of said arm having a recess, said projection of said catheter hub being received within said recess of said arm to couple said needle guard with said catheter hub.

23. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle guard includes at least one internal guide section to maintain said needle and said needle guard in sliding alignment.

24. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said limiting means comprises a tether having a first end and a second end, said first end attached to said hub, said second end attached to said needle guard.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said tether is flexible.

26. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said limiting means comprises a rigid tether and said hub includes an aperture for receiving said rigid tether, said rigid tether having a first end and a second end, said first end having a stop to prevent said first end of said rigid tether from advancing through said hub aperture, said second end attached to said needle guard.

27. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle guard is side-loadable onto said needle.

28. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said collar is side-loadable onto said needle.

29. The assembly of claim 25 wherein said hub includes a pocket for storing said flexible tether.

30. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said needle trap comprises a lead-in section that is followed by a multilevel landing, said lead-in area locating said resilient member within first notch an said landing, said landing releasably retaining said distal end of said resilient member.

31. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle includes a change in contour near the sharpened distal end of said needle, said change in contour providing limiting means to limit the axial movement of said needle guard along said needle.

32. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said hub comprises at least one projection for removably attaching a protective storage cover to said hub.

33. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said hub includes a flashback chamber, said needle in fluid communication with said flashback chamber.

34. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said hub comprises a proximal end and a distal end, said hub including a longitudinal wall section at said distal end of said hub, said wall section substantially surrounding said needle nest.

35. The assembly of claim 34 wherein said wall section comprises at least one aperture for providing access to said needle nest.

36. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle guard comprises a first section and a second section, said first and second sections having attachable mating faces.

37. The assembly of claim 36 wherein said needle guard comprises an integral configuration whereby said first and second sections are joined by a hinge section.

38. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said needle guard includes a longitudinal recess for receiving said needle.

39. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a resilient member that is disposed between said hub and said needle guard, said resilient member urging said needle guard toward said sharpened distal end of said needle.

40. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said resilient member comprises a proximal end and a distal end.

41. The assembly of claim 40 wherein said resilient member comprises a coil spring.

42. The assembly of claim 39 wherein said needle guard comprises a first notch for retaining said distal end of said resilient member.

43. The assembly of claim 42 wherein said needle trap comprises a lead-in section having a second notch, said lead-in area locating said resilient member within first and second notches, said second notch releasably retaining said distal end of said resilient member.

44. The assembly of claim 39 further comprising retaining means for releasably retaining said needle guard adjacent to said hub.

45. The assembly of claim 44 wherein said retaining means comprises a latching arm having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said latching arm hingedly attached to said hub, said distal end of said latching arm having a protrusion.

46. The assembly of claim 45 wherein said needle guard includes a recess for receiving said latching arm protrusion.

47. The assembly of claim 45 wherein said latching arm further comprises a finger pad for manually disengaging said latching arm from said needle guard.

48. The assembly of claim 45 wherein said latching arm further comprises a ramp for biasing the latching arm in an outward manner when a compressive force is applied to said needle guard.

49. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising a housing for containing said resilient member and said needle guard.

50. The assembly of claim 49 wherein said housing comprises a collapsible bellows.

51. The assembly of claim 50 wherein said bellows limits the axial movement of said needle guard along said needle.