Needle protector devices and assemblies

• US 6,379,332 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
• Original Assignee: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
• Inventors: Van Landuyt, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh, LoAn H.
• Application Number:
  US09/408,522
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 604/263-264, 604/272, 604/181, 604/187, 604/192, 604/194, 604/195, 604/197, 604/198, 604/200, 604/201, 604/205, 604/206, 604/236, 604/244, 604/158, 604/164.01, 604/164.07, 604/164.08, 604/164.09, 604/164.11, 604/167-1-1, 604/167.06, 604/168.01, 128/919
• US Class Current: 604/164.07
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3226 with means obstructing or blocking the needle mounting opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612

Abstract

A needle protector assembly for protecting a needle tip after it has been withdrawn from a catheter has a protective housing into which the needle is slid. A device at the patient end of the housing has two locking arms sprung outwardly away from one another, which engage projections on the hub of the catheter. A shutter plate and finger project inwardly from the locking arms and each has a catch that engages one another. The finger is sprung rearwardly away from the shutter plate but is held forwardly by a trigger lever engaging the side of the needle. When the needle is withdrawn into the housing, the trigger lever springs down allowing the finger to move rearwardly away from the shutter plate, thereby disengaging the catches. This allows the locking arms to spring outwardly and disengage the catheter hub, so that the assembly can be removed from the catheter.

Claims

1. A needle protector device for protecting a tip of a needle, wherein the needle protector device comprises:

resilient locking means for locking with a hub of a catheter;

first and second catch members engageable with one another to retain said locking means in engagement with said hub;

trigger means, said trigger means being arranged to engage a needle such that said trigger means is displaced from a first position when said needle projects into said catheter to a second position when said needle is withdrawn from said catheter, and wherein said trigger means is arranged to cooperate with said catch members such that said catch members are retained in engagement with one another when said trigger means is in said first position and can disengage from one another when said trigger means is in said second position.

2. A needle protector device according to claim 1, wherein said resilient locking means includes two locking arms urged resiliently outwardly away from one another, and wherein said catch members are mounted with said arms.

3. A needle protector device according to claim 2, wherein each said locking arm has an inwardly-projecting member, and wherein said catch members are mounted with respective ones of said inwardly-projecting members.

4. A needle protector device according to claim 3, wherein one of said inwardly-projecting members has an aperture through which said needle projects when said needle extends in said catheter.

5. A needle protector device according to claim 4, wherein said aperture on said one inwardly-projecting member is displaced out of alignment with said needle when said needle is withdrawn from said catheter.

6. A needle protector device according to claim 3, wherein one of said inwardly-projecting members is urged resiliently laterally away from said other member and is held against said other member by said trigger means.

7. A needle protector device according to claim 2, wherein each said locking arm has a hook projection towards one end, and wherein said hook portions are arranged to engage a projection on said hub of said catheter when said arms are held inwardly.

8. A needle protector device according to claim 1, wherein said needle protector device is arranged to prevent said needle being extended after it has been withdrawn.

9. A needle protector according to claim 1, wherein said trigger means includes a generally longitudinally-extending member urged resiliently laterally against a side of said needle.

10. A needle protector according to claim 1, wherein said needle protector is a one-piece plastics molding.

11. A needle protector device for protecting a tip of a needle, wherein the needle protector device comprises:

two resiliently mounted locking arms arranged to lock with a hub of a catheter;

a shutter plate projecting inwardly from one of said arms;

a finger projecting inwardly from the other of said arms, said fingers being urged resiliently laterally away from said shutter plate;

a first catch member on said shutter plate;

a second catch member on said finger engageable with said first catch member to retain said locking arms in engagement with said hub;

a trigger lever, said trigger lever extending generally longitudinally and bearing resiliently on a side of said needle, with one end of said trigger lever engaging said finger and holding it against said shutter plate so that said two catches engage one another when said needle projects into said catheter, and wherein said trigger lever moves away from said finger when said needle is withdrawn, thereby allowing the finger to move laterally away from said shutter plate and allowing said two catches to disengage one another so that said two locking arms can move apart and disengage from said hub.

12. A needle assembly for use with a catheter, said needle assembly comprising:

a needle shaft; and

elongate protective housing;

a slider mounted with a machine end of said needle shaft and slidable along said housing from a first position in which a patient end of said shaft protrudes from said housing into said catheter to a second position in which the patient end of said shaft is protected within said housing; and

a needle protector device for protecting a patient end of said needle shaft, wherein said needle protector device comprises;

resilient locking means for locking with a hub of said catheter;

first and second catch members engageable with one another to retain said locking means in engagement with said hub;

trigger means, said trigger means being arranged to engage said needle shaft such that said trigger means is displaced from a first position when said needle projects into said catheter to a second position when said needle is withdrawn from said catheter into said housing, and wherein said trigger means is arranged to cooperate with said catch members such that such catch members are retained in engagement with one another when said trigger means is in said first position and can disengage from one another when said trigger means is in said second position, such that said needle protector device retains said catheter with said needle assembly when said needle extends within said catheter and disengages said catheter from said needle assembly when said needle is withdrawn into said protective housing.