Safety syringe

• US 6,475,194 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GEM Plastics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GEM Plastics Incorporated
• Inventors: Verdi, Mario, Garza, Francisco, Domici, John K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, ROBIN OCTAVIA
• Application Number:
  US09/824,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20010037088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 604/187, 604/181, 604/197, 604/198, 604/218, 604/232, 604/235, 604/110, 604/192
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3267 Biased sleeves where the needle is uncovered by insertion of the needle into a patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3271 with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3272 having projections following labyrinth paths

Abstract

An improved safety syringe device includes a shield from which a vacuum needle extends and retracts, a vial that is telescopically received within a cavity of the shield and that attaches to the vacuum needle at its distal end, and a ring rotatably connected around a portion of the vial near its distal end. The vial includes a protrusion that engages with a tab on the ring to move the tab within a channel defined on the interior surface of the shield cavity. The safety syringe device further includes a temporary locking feature to maintain the vial at a generally fixed position within the shield during use of the syringe.

Claims

1. A safety syringe for use with a vacuum needle comprising:

a vial having a proximal end and a distal end configured to attach to said vacuum needle, said vial including at least one first protrusion and at least one second protrusion extending from an exterior surface of said vial, said second protrusion being circumferentially spaced a selected distance from said first protrusion along the vial exterior surface;

a ring rotatably secured around a portion of said vial between the vial distal end and said protrusions, said ring including at least one tab with an engaging surface projecting from an exterior surface of said ring, wherein the engaging surface of said tab engages with an engaging surface on each of said protrusions during operation of said syringe;

a shield having an aperture at a proximal end, an aperture at a distal end and a cavity defined therebetween, wherein the shield cavity telescopically receives said vial and said ring at the shield proximal end aperture and the shield distal end aperture permits said vacuum needle attached to the vial distal end to extend from or retract into the shield cavity, and wherein an interior surface of said shield includes at least one channel configured to receive said tab and said first protrusion and permit travel of said tab and said first protrusion between the shield proximal and distal ends;

a resilient member within the shield cavity to axially bias said vial and said ring within the shield cavity in a direction toward the shield proximal end; and

a retaining member surrounding a portion of said vial between said protrusions and the vial proximal end, wherein said retaining member is configured to engage and seal the shield proximal end aperture while permitting axial movement of said vial with respect to said retaining member and said shield.

2. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said resilient member rotationally biases said ring within the shield cavity.

3. The safety syringe of claim 2, wherein said resilient member is a coil spring.

4. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said resilient member comprises a toroidal section and a pair of helical sections extending substantially linearly from said toroidal section at substantially equidistant locations along the circumference of said toroidal section, said helical sections being bendable from at least a substantially coplanar position to at least a substantially perpendicular position with respect to said toroidal section.

5. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said vial includes a pair of first protrusions spaced symmetrically on the exterior surface of said vial and a pair of second protrusions spaced symmetrically on the exterior surface of said vial, said ring includes a pair of tabs spaced symmetrically on the exterior surface of said ring and said shield includes a pair of channels spaced symmetrically on the interior surface of said shield.

6. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said shield further includes at least one raised portion disposed along the shield interior surface and surrounded by said channel, said raised portion including a distal end defining a first ridge, a second ridge and a valley disposed between said ridges, wherein said ridges face the distal end of said shield and a portion of said channel extends around said ridges.

7. The safety syringe of claim 6, wherein said channel further includes a first groove and a second groove longitudinally aligned along the interior surface of said shield, said first groove is configured to completely receive and provide a travel path for said tab and said first protrusion between the shield proximal end and said first ridge at a distal end of said first groove, and said second groove is configured to completely receive and provide a travel path for said tab between said second ridge at a distal end of said second groove and the shield proximal end.

8. The safety syringe of claim 7, wherein said valley is configured to receive and hold said tab upon traversal of said first ridge by said tab.

9. The safety syringe of claim 8, wherein said first protrusion is aligned on said vial such that, during movement of said first protrusion within said first groove toward the shield distal end, said first protrusion engages said tab at their corresponding engaging surfaces thereby forcing said ring to move axially within said shield and allowing said tab to traverse said first ridge upon displacement of said vial and said ring within said shield a selected distance from the shield proximal end, and said second protrusion is aligned on said vial such that, during movement of said second protrusion toward the shield distal end when said tab is held within said valley, said second protrusion engages said tab at their corresponding engaging surfaces thereby forcing said ring to move axially within said shield and allowing said tab to traverse said second ridge upon displacement of said vial and said ring within said shield the selected distance from the shield proximal end.

10. The safety syringe of claim 9, wherein the engaging surfaces of said tab and said protrusions are configured to engage in a camming relationship such that, upon engagement of said tab with one of said protrusions and displacement of said vial and said ring within said shield the selected distance from the shield proximal end, said tab slides along one of said protrusions and said ring is forced to rotate within said shield in a direction forcing said tab to traverse a corresponding one of said first and second ridges.

11. The safety syringe of claim 9, wherein said resilient member rotationally biases said ring within the shield cavity in a direction from said first groove toward said second groove thereby forcing said tab to traverse said first ridge and said second ridge upon displacement of said vial and said ring the selected distance from the shield proximal end.

12. The safety syringe of claim 11, wherein said second protrusion is further aligned on said vial to prevent traversal of said second ridge by said tab due to rotational displacement of said ring by said resilient member prior to said tab being received and held within said valley.

13. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said channel includes at least one sidewall adjacent and non-perpendicular to the shield interior surface.

14. The safety syringe of claim 6, wherein the distal edge of said raised portion is defined by a spline, rotating surface extending between said ridges.

15. The safety syringe of claim 14, wherein a transition angle is defined between said spline, rotating surface and an adjacent wall of the portion of said channel extending around said ridges, and said transition angle varies between about 30°

and about 60°

at varying positions along said rotating surface.

16. The safety syringe of claim 1, wherein said retaining member is constructed of a acetal resin material.

17. A safety syringe comprising:

a vial including a protrusion extending from an exterior surface of said vial;

a ring rotatably secured around a portion of said vial between a longitudinal end of said vial and said protrusion, said ring including a tab with an engaging surface projecting from an exterior surface of said ring, wherein the engaging surface of said tab engages with an engaging surface of said protrusion during operation of said syringe; and

a shield including a cavity to telescopically receive said vial and said ring, wherein an interior surface of said shield includes a channel configured to receive said tab and permit travel of said tab within the shield cavity, wherein said channel includes a sidewall adjacent and non-perpendicular to the shield interior surface.

18. A safety syringe comprising:

a vial including a protrusion extending from an exterior surface of said vial;

a ring rotatably secured around a portion of said vial and including a tab with an engaging surface projecting from an exterior surface of said ring, wherein the engaging surface of said tab engages with an engaging surface of said protrusion during operation of said syringe;

a shield inclding an aperture at a longitudinal end of said shield and a cavity to telescopically receive said vial and said ring at the shield aperture, wherein an interior surface of said shield includes a channel configured to receive said tab and permit travel of said tab within the shield cavity;

a resilient member within the shield cavity to axially bias said vial and said ring within the shield cavity in a direction away from the shield aperture; and

a retaining member surrounding a portion of said vial and configured to engage and seal the shield aperture while permitting axial movement of said vial with respect to said retaining member and said shield.