Retracting safety pen needle

• US 7,540,858 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Embecta Corporation
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: DiBiasi, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/626,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 604/181, 604/110, 604/188, 604/187, 604/192, 604/198
• US Class Current: 604/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3247 Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3254 Shielding of proximal needles, e.g. for pen needles
• 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 5/2466 by piercing without internal pressure increase A61M5/2429 takes precedence
• 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 5/347 rotatable, e.g. bayonet or screw A61M5/344 takes precedence

Abstract

A retracting safety injector pen needle has the needle mounted on a carrier which is movable with respect to the hub, so that the non-patient end of an injection pen needle device is retracted into the hub after an injection for safety.

Claims

1. A non-injection end passive safety system for an injection pen needle, comprising:

a) a needle having an injection end and a non-injection end;

b) a hub;

c) a needle carrier situated in and moving coaxially with respect to the hub and firmly securing the needle;

d) a shield having a travel element engaging a corresponding element on the carrier permitting axial movement of the shield with respect to the carrier, said travel element engaging a locking element on the carrier to lock the shield in a position covering the injection end of the needle;

e) a shield return spring biasing the shield in a direction away from the carrier toward the injection end of the needle;

f) a carrier activation spring biasing the carrier in a direction away from the hub in a direction toward the injection end of the needle;

wherein the carrier moves the needle toward the injection end and into the hub, effectively storing the needle within the hub to safely shield the non-injection end of the needle after an injection.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the travel element on the shield comprises a plurality of buttons positioned around the base of the shield, said buttons engaging tracks running axially on the carrier.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of buttons consists of three buttons.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the carrier further comprises at least one detent engaging at least one of said buttons on the shield to lock the shield in a position covering the needle.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a shield insert, the shield insert attaching to the shield and being movable with respect to the shield, so that when pressed against the skin of a patient during an injection, the shield insert remains stationary while the shield is permitted to rotate.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a lock down element on the hub engaging a corresponding element on the carrier, releasably attaching the carrier to the hub.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said lock down element is a plurality of axially extending tabs on the hub, inboard of the radial sides of the hub engaging with through holes on the carrier, said tabs flexing upon interaction with the shield to release the carrier.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising through holes or recesses on a radial side wall of the hub releasably engaging elements on the needle carrier, adapted so that when a cartridge is installed in the hub, the carrier is released from engagement with the hub.