Needle point guard safety cap assembly

• US 6,015,397 A
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence R. Koh
• Original Assignee: Lawrence R. Koh
• Inventors: Koh, Lawrence R., Elson, Edward E.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US09/160,511
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/192, 604/187, 604/198, 604/263
• US Class Current: 604/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3249 Means to disalign the needle tip and the distal needle passage of a needle protection sleeve
• 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 5/3213 Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243
• 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 point cover assembly for securely covering and protecting the needle point after a syringe has been used includes a cover in the form of an elongated hollow member that is open at one end for receiving the needle therein, and at its other end is mostly enclosed by an end wall having a hole through which the needle can pass. A lid encloses the otherwise open end of the cover member. The lid has a hole through which the needle may pass so that the needle may extend through both the lid hole and the hole in the end wall. When the syringe is being used to make an injection, the needle point projects through the hole in the end wall. After an injection has been made and the syringe is ready for disposal, a manually actuable extensible frame slides the cover to where its end wall is beyond the extremity of the needle point. The cover member can then be supported by the hole in the lid and rotated about the lid hole until the needle point passes inside the enclosed end wall of the cover member into a protected position where it cannot pass through the cover member hole.

Claims

1. A needle point guard safety cap assembly for securely covering and protecting the needle point of a syringe after the syringe has been used, comprising:

a) a syringe attachment member operable to firmly attach the needle point guard safety cap assembly to the needle hub of a syringe;

b) a needle point cover member in the form of an elongated hollow member that is open at one end for receiving the needle therein, and at its other end is mostly enclosed by an end wall having a hole through which the needle can pass;

c) a lid adapted to close the otherwise open end of the cover member, the lid also having a hole through which the needle may pass so that the needle may extend through both holes;

d) an extensible frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the syringe attachment member and the distal end coupled to the needle point cover;

the extensible frame being manually actuable for advancing the cover member along the needle to where the end wall of the cover member is beyond the extremity of the needle point;

e) the needle point cover member then being supported by the hole in the lid and then, in response to further advancement of the cover member, rotating about the lid hole until the needle point passes inside the enclosed end wall of the cover member into a protected position where it cannot pass through the cover member hole.

2. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein the lid is pivotally secured to the cover member;

and the syringe attachment member, cover member, lid, and extensible frame are integrally formed of plastic material.

3. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, wherein the cover member further comprises a well chamber formed in the end wall adjacent to the hole for passage of the needle therein, the well chamber being operable for enclosing the sharp end of the needle once the needle point cover has be actuated, thereby preventing the sharp end of the needle from re-emerging through the hole.

4. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 3 further comprising a fulcrum on the needle point cover, with the extensible frame being further operable to act on the fulcrum when the end wall of the cover member is beyond the extremity of the needle point and thereby cause the cover member to rotate such that the sharp end of the needle enters the well chamber.

5. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, wherein the extensible frame further comprises a proximal frame segment and a distal frame segment, the frame segments coupled in the center of the extensible frame with a hinge, the hinge being in a closed position prior to actuation of the needle point cover with the proximal and distal frame segments lying substantially parallel to one another, with extension of the frame being acheived by opening the hinge.

6. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 5, further comprising at least one securing clip on the extensible frame, the securing clip being operable to irreversibly engage the needle when the needle point cover is fully actuated.

7. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, further comprising interlocking members on the syringe attachment member and the extensible frame, the interlocking members releasably securing the needle point guard safety cap assembly in its un-actuated state and providing a tactile indication when the needle point guard safety cap assembly is actuated.

8. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 7, wherein the interlocking member on the syringe attachment member comprises a protrusion having a bulbous enlarged end, and the interlocking member on the extensible frame comprises a slot of a width slightly less than the diameter of the bulbous end;

the protrusion and slot being positioned on the syringe attachment member and extensible frame, respectively, such that when the needle point guard safety cap assembly is in its unactuated state with the needle point cover member most distal from the needle point the protrusion engages the slot with the bulbous end of the protrusion passing through the slot, whereby the needle shield is releasably maintained in its unactuated state.

9. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, wherein the syringe attachment member further comprises at least one annular slot to engage a corresponding annular ring on the needle hub of a syringe.

10. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, wherein the syringe attachment member further comprises at least one longitudinal slot to engage a corresponding longitudinal ridge on the needle hub of a syringe to maintain a fixed radial orientation of the needle point guard safety cap with respect to the cannula opening of the syringe.

11. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 1, wherein the needle point cover member is adapted to receive a needle sheath, thereby allowing the needle sheath to cover the needle when the needle point cover member is distal from the needle point.

12. In a needle point guard safety cap assembly having (1) a syringe attachment member operable to connect the needle point guard safety cap assembly to the needle hub of a syringe;

(2) a needle point cover operable to enclose the needle tip when the needle point guard safety cap is actuated; and

(3)an extensible frame having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the syringe attachment member and the distal end coupled to the needle point cover,

interlocking members on the syringe attachment member and extensible frame operable to releasably lock the needle point guard safety cap assembly in an unactuated state and to provide tactile feedback to the user when the needle point guard safety cap assembly actuation is initiated.

21. The need point guard safety cap assembly of claim 12, further comprising at least one securing clip on the extensible frame to engage the needle shaft upon activation of the needle point guard safety cap assembly to prevent the needle tip from exiting the needle point cover,

the interlocking members and securing clip further serving to provide tactile feedback to the user when the needle point guard safety cap assembly actuation is initiated and completed, respectively.

13. In a needle point guard safety cap assembly having (1) a syringe attachment member operable to connect the needle point guard safety cap assembly to the needle hub of a syringe;

(2) a needle point cover operable to enclose the needle tip when the needle point guard safety cap is actuated; and

(3)an extensible frame having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the syringe attachment member and the distal end coupled to the needle point cover,

at least one securing clip on the extensible frame to engage the needle shaft upon activation of the needle point guard safety cap assembly to prevent the needle tip from exiting the needle point cover and to provide tactile feedback to the user when the needle point guard safety cap assembly actuation is completed.

22. The need point guard safety cap assembly of claim 13, further comprising interlocking members on the syringe attachment member and extensible frame operable to releasably lock the needle point guard safety cap assembly in an unactuated state, the interlocking members and securing clip further serving to provide tactile feedback to the user when the needle point guard safety cap assembly actuation is initiated and completed, respectively.

14. In a needle point guard safety cap assembly having (1) a syringe attachment member operable to connect the needle point guard safety cap assembly to the needle hub of a syringe;

(2) a needle point cover operable to enclose the needle tip when the needle point guard safety cap is actuated; and

(3)an extensible frame having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the syringe attachment member and the distal end coupled to the needle point cover;

(a) an inner chamber within the needle point cover operable to contain the needle tip when the needle point guard safety cap assembly is actuated, and a needle entry hole and needle exit hole in communication with the inner chamber, the syringe needle passing through the entry hole, inner chamber, and exit hole prior to actuation of the needle point cover, and then withdrawing from the exit hole upon actuation such that the needle tip is within the inner chamber;

(b) a fulcrum integral with the needle point cover and which upon actuation of the needle point guard safety cap assembly contacts the shaft of the needle, the fulcrum operable to cause the needle point cover to rotate with respect to the needle shaft;

(c) a lever arm also integral with the needle point cover, the lever arm operable to apply rotational force to the needle point cover; and

(d) a pressure platform integral with the extensible frame, the pressure platform operable to apply pressure to the lever arm when the needle point guard safety cap assembly is actuated and the syringe needle tip is within the inner chamber, causing the needle point cover to rotate such that needle tip cannot re-emerge from needle point cover through the exit hole.

15. A needle point guard safety cap assembly for securely covering and protecting the needle point of a syringe after the syringe has been used, comprising:

a) means for firmly attaching the needle point guard safety cap assembly to the needle hub of a syringe;

b) a needle point cover in the form of an elongated hollow member that is open at one end for receiving the needle therein, and at its other end is mostly enclosed by an end wall having a hole through which the needle can pass;

c) means for enclosing the otherwise open end of the cover member, but permitting a needle to pass through;

d) frame means coupled to the syringe attachment means and the distal the needle point cover means;

the frame means being manually actuable for advancing the cover member along the needle to where the end wall of the cover member is beyond the extremity of the needle point;

e) the cover member then being supported by the hole in the lid and, as it advances, rotating about the lid hole until the needle point passes inside the enclosed end wall of the cover member into a protected position where it cannot pass through the cover member hole;

f) the needle point guard safety cap assembly being integrally formed.

16. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 15 further comprising manually actuated locking means for securing the cover member in the needle-protective position.

17. A needle point guard safety cap assembly as in claim 15 further comprising a means for releasably locking the cover in a position distal from the point.

18. A needle point guard safety cap assembly comprising:

a) a base cup comprising;

(i) a circumferential wall with a bottom wall attached thereto for defining a cup,

(ii) the cup being adapted to attach to a syringe,

(iii) the bottom wall of the cup having a hole therethrough to allow passage of a needle,

(iv) a pair of attachment arms extending outward from the circumferential wall near the base cup bottom wall, and

(v) a locking protrusion extending from the circumferential wall near the base cup bottom wall;

b) a collapsible segmented extension having at least two segments comprising;

(i) a wishbone segment having two arms and a base, the arms being flexibly attached to the base cup attachment arms such that the base cup can rotate about the axis formed by the attachment arms to wishbone connection; and

(ii) a lower segment having upper and lower ends, the upper end being flexibly attached to the wishbone base, the lower segment having a locking slot near the lower end for releasably locking the lower segment to the base cup locking protrusion when the segmented extension is collapsed and the lower segment is in a position adjacent the base cup; and

c) a needle point cap flexibly connected to lower end of the lower segment, the needle point cap comprising;

(i) a circumferential wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall which define a chamber; and

(ii) the top wall and the bottom wall of the needle point cap each containing a bore therethrough to allow passage of the needle.

19. In a needle point guard safety cap assembly having a syringe attachment member and an extensible frame coupled to the syringe attachment member,

a needle point cover coupled to the extensible frame, the needle point cover having the form of an elongated hollow member having a first end and a second end;

a lid member coupled to the needle point cover and closing the first end, the lid member having a hole formed therein for receiving the needle;

the needle point cover second end being mostly enclosed by an end wall having a hole through which the needle can be extended for use, the end wall further having a well chamber to engage and retain the sharp end of the needle when the needle is retracted.

20. The needle point cover of claim 19, further comprising a fulcrum member which may be acted upon by the extensible frame of the needle point safety cap assembly when the end wall of the cover member is beyond the extremity of the needle point, thereby causing the cover member to rotate such that the sharp end of the needle enters the well.