Wing-like needle protector

• US 6,939,331 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Ohshima, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US10/483,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164.08, 604/110, 604/192, 604/198, 604/263, 604/174, 604/177, 128/919, 600/516
• US Class Current: 604/263
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0631 having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle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 5/158 Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16804 Flow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3216 Caps placed transversally onto the needle, e.g. pivotally attached to the needle base

Abstract

There is here provided a wing-like needle protector which can surely prevent mistaken sticking, and can safely cap a hollow needle. The wing-like needle protector for housing a wing-like needle 1 which comprises a hollow needle 2, a holding cylinder 3 for holding a rear end of the hollow needle 2, and a pair of wing pieces 4, 4 formed integrally with the holding cylinder 3 so as to freely coalesce with each other. The protector comprises a gutter-shaped member 7 for housing the hollow needle 2, the holding cylinder 3 and the coalesced wing pieces 4, 4, and a gripper 8 protruded outward from a bottom surface of the gutter-shaped member 7. The gutter-shaped member 7 has a closed tip 9a of a portion 9 for housing the hollow needle 2, an opened rear end 10a of a portion 10 for housing the holding cylinder 3, and a narrowed area 7a where the holding cylinder 3 is fitted in a bottom portion, and the holding cylinder 3 is engaged with the narrowed area 7a. The narrowed area 7a may be partially provided on the bottom portion of the gutter-shaped member 7. The wing pieces 4, 4 of the gutter-shaped member 7 may be housed in and engaged with a portion 11 for housing the wing pieces 4, 4.

Claims

1. A wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle which comprises a hollow needle, a holding cylinder for holding a rear end of the hollow needle, and a pair of wing pieces formed integrally with the holding cylinder so as to freely coalesce with each other, comprising:

a gutter-shaped member including a portion for housing the hollow needle a portion for housing the holding cylinder and a portion for housing the coalesced wing pieces extending upwardly of the portion for housing the holding cylinder with the coalesced wing pieces being repulsively engaged with the portion for housing the coalesced wing pieces and protruding upwardly from an upper end of the gutter-shaped member; and

a gripper projecting outwardly from a bottom surface of the gutter-shaped member;

wherein the gutter-shaped member has a closed tip of the portion for housing the hollow needle, an opened rear end of the portion for housing the holding cylinder, and a narrowed area where a space between side walls of the gutter-shaped member is narrow so as to fit the holding cylinder in a bottom portion with the holding cylinder being engaged with the narrowed area.

2. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 1, wherein the narrowed area is partially provided on the bottom portion of the gutter-shaped member.

3. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 1, wherein the portion for housing the hollow needle is inclined from the portion for housing the holding cylinder toward the gripper.

4. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 1, wherein a width of the gripper is narrower than a width of the bottom surface of the gutter-shaped member.

5. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 2, wherein the portion for housing the hollow needle is inclined from the portion for housing the holding cylinder toward the gripper.

6. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 2, wherein a width of the gripper is narrower than a width of the bottom surface of the gutter-shaped member.

7. The wing-like needle protector in combination with a wing-like needle according to claim 3, wherein a width of the gripper is narrower than a width of the bottom surface of the gutter-shaped member.