Needle protective assembly for multi-draw needle

• US 6,790,199 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James D. Irwin
• Original Assignee: North American Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Gianakos, Art
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US09/768,397
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 604/162, 604/163, 604/192, 604/197, 604/198
• US Class Current: 604/197
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle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 25/0637 Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin
• 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

Abstract

A needle protective assembly in which a slidable sheath is mounted over a barrel which, in turn, encircles a needle. The sheath is adapted to slide along the barrel, and cover the needle after use, protecting against accidental needlesticks. The inner barrel is integrally formed with a hub in which the needle is mounted, and which may be used to attach the inventive protective assembly to a blood collection vial holder, or a hypodermic syringe, depending upon the application. In some embodiments, the protective assembly may also be formed integrally with either the blood collection vial holder, or the hypodermic syringe.

Claims

1. A needle protective assembly comprising:

a hollow needle having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end, said second end being opposite to said first end along said longitudinal axis of said needle, said first end of said needle having a point for insertion of said needle into a patient;

a barrel having a longitudinal axis which lies substantially along said axis of said needle, a first end and a second end, said second end being opposite to said first end along said longitudinal axis of said barrel, said barrel further having a hub integrally molded therein, disposed at said second end of said barrel, said barrel substantially covering a portion of said needle removed from said first end of said needle, said hub being attached to said needle, and adapted to permit passage of said needle therethrough;

a sheath slidably mounted on said barrel, from a first position in which said point is exposed, to a second position in which said sheath substantially covers said point so as to prevent accidental needlesticks by said point of said needle; and

a first removable cap for covering said first end of said needle when said sheath is in said first position;

wherein said needle extends beyond said hub, said first end of said needle is disposed on a first side of said hub, and said second end of said needle is disposed on a second side of said hub, opposite said first side of said hub; and

said assembly further includes a second removable cap, covering said second end of said needle and adapted to mate with said first removable cap, and thereby encapsulate said sheath, said barrel, said needle and said hub.