Safety intravenous catheter assembly

• US 6,689,102 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albany Medical College (Albany Medical Center)
• Original Assignee: Albany Medical College (Albany Medical Center)
• Inventors: Greene, Elliott S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYNARD, JENNIFER J
• Application Number:
  US10/120,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93, 604/162, 604/167, 604/171, 604/192, 604/198, 604/263, 604/195, 604/197, 604/164.01, 604/164.02, 604/164.03, 604/164.04, 604/164.05, 604/164.06, 604/164.07, 604/164.08, 604/164.09, 604/164.1, 604/164.11, 604/164.12, 604/164.13, 604/165.01, 604/165.02, 604/165.03, 604/165.04, 604/166-1-1
• US Class Current: 604/164.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0606 "Over-the-needle" catheter assemblies, e.g. I.V. catheters
• 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• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle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 5/3269 guided by means not coaxially aligned with syringe barrel, e.g. channel-like member formed on exterior surface of syringe barrel for guiding a pushing rod connected to and displacing needle safety sheath
• 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 safety intravenous catheter assembly includes a catheter hub, a needle cover attachable to and releasably lockable with the catheter hub, and a needle which extends through and is withdrawn into the needle cover. In one embodiment, the safety intravenous catheter assembly is configured so that the fixedly connected catheter hub and needle cover may rotate around the needle. A stop assembly is attached to the needle and to the needle cover for maintaining a tip of the needle within the needle cover after catheter insertion. The stop assembly may include a first locking position whereby the catheter hub cannot disengage from the needle cover, and a second locking position whereby the catheter hub can disengage from the needle cover. The needle cover includes a notch clip which may be integrally formed as one-piece.

Claims

1. A safety intravenous catheter assembly for use with a needle having a tip, said assembly comprising:

a catheter hub having a first axial bore extending through said catheter hub and a notch extending outwardly in said first axial bore of said catheter hub;

a needle cover having a first end insertable in said first axial bore and a second axial bore extending through said needle cover;

a notch clip joined with said needle cover, said notch clip lockably engagable with said notch in said catheter hub when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or past said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from and rotation within said catheter hub, and said notch clip releasably disengagable from said notch in said catheter hub when the tip of the needle is withdrawn from said second axial bore prior to a distal portion of said notch clip so that said catheter hub passes out of engagement with said needle cover;

a needle case attachable to the needle;

a stop assembly attached to said needle cover and to said needle case for maintaining the tip of the needle within said needle cover, said stop assembly having a first locking position wherein said catheter hub cannot disengage from said needle cover, and a second locking position whereby said catheter hub can disengage from said needle cover; and

means for rotatably attaching at least one of said needle case and said stop assembly to said needle cover so that said needle cover and said catheter hub together are rotatable about the needle when said notch clip is lockably engaged with said notch.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably attaching said at least one of said needle case and said stop assembly to said needle cover comprises a disk-shaped bottom portion of said needle cover having an outwardly-extending flange, and said stop assembly comprises a stop bar comprising a disk-shaped member having an upwardly-extending portion with an inwardly-extending flange for attaching to said outwardly-extending flange of said needle cover.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably attaching said at least one of said needle case and said stop assembly to said needle cover comprises a bottom portion of said needle cover having an outwardly-extending flange, and said stop assembly comprising a stop bar comprises a ring-shaped member comprising a pair of spaced-apart inwardly-extending flanges for attaching to said outwardly-extending flange of said needle cover.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably attaching said at least one of said needle case and said stop assembly to said needle cover comprises said needle cover comprising a bottom portion having a downwardly-depending groove, and said stop assembly comprises a stop bar having an upper end having outwardly extending flanges attachable to and movable along said groove.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably attaching said at least one of said needle case and said stop assembly to said needle cover comprises said needle case comprising an arcuate opening, and said stop assembly comprises a stop bar passable through and movable along said arcuate opening.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said notch clip is spaced from the needle when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or past said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from and rotation within said catheter hub.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said notch clip is spaced from said notch in said catheter hub when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or past said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from and rotation within said catheter hub.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle cover and said catheter hub are rotatable 360 degrees around the needle.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle cover and said notch clip comprise a monolithic needle cover and a notch clip.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said notch clip comprises a P-shaped member.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said notch clip comprises a ball bearing.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said stop assembly comprises a spring-biased detent.

13. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a needle wherein said stop assembly comprises a ring-like stop joined with said needle cover at said second end of said needle cover and said needle has a stop notch located in a side of said needle which engages said ring-like stop to limit withdrawal of said needle from said needle cover and wherein a tip of said needle is maintained inside said second axial bore when the tip of the needle is located in said second axial bore prior to said distal portion of said notch clip.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said ring-like stop comprises a resilient material.

15. A safety intravenous catheter assembly for use with a needle, said assembly comprising:

a catheter hub having a first axial bore extending through said catheter hub and a notch extending outwardly in said first axial bore of said catheter hub;

a monolithic needle cover and a notch clip, said needle cover having a first end insertable in said first axial bore and a second axial bore extending through said needle cover;

said notch clip lockably engagable with said notch in said catheter hub when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or past said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from and rotation within said catheter hub;

said notch clip releasably disengagable from said notch in said catheter hub when the tip of the needle is withdrawn from said second axial bore prior to a distal portion of said notch clip so that said catheter hub passes out of engagement with said needle cover; and

said notch clip being spaced from the needle when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or above said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from and rotation within said catheter hub.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said notch clip is spaced from said notch in said catheter hub when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted in said second axial bore at least adjacent to or past said notch clip so that said needle cover is inhibited from detachment from rotation within said catheter hub.

17. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising a needle case attachable to the needle and a stop assembly attached to said needle cover and to said needle case for maintaining a tip of the needle within said needle cover, said stop assembly having a first locking position wherein said catheter hub cannot disengage from said needle cover, and a second locking position whereby said catheter hub can disengage from said needle cover.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said stop assembly comprises a stop bar joined with said needle cover and a needle joined with said needle case and wherein said stop bar extends away from said second end of said needle cover, and the needle and said stop bar communicate with said needle case to limit withdrawal of the needle from said needle cover and thereby maintain the tip of the needle inside said second axial bore when the tip of the needle is withdrawn from said second axial bore prior to a distal portion of said notch clip so that said catheter hub passes out of engagement with said needle cover.

19. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said notch clip comprises a P-shaped member.

20. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said needle cover includes a second end and a stop assembly joined therewith at said second end.

21. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said needle cover includes a finger rest configured to aid a user in advancing said catheter and withdrawing the needle from said catheter assembly.