Safety reset key and needle assembly

• US 8,162,889 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Swisher, David Rork, Moos, Kimberly A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bouchelle, Laura
• Application Number:
  US12/892,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/192, 604/198, 604/162, 604/164.08, 600/652, 600/657
• US Class Current: 604/162
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/025 for taking bone, bone marrow or cartilage samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3472 for bones, e.g. intraosseus injections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3494 with safety means for protection against accidental cutting or pricking, e.g. limiting insertion depth, pressure sensors for the peridural space A61B17/3401
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0258 Marrow samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle

Abstract

A needle assembly includes a mounting structure and a needle mounted on the mounting structure and extending outwardly from the mounting structure. The needle has a longitudinal axis, a sharp end and a central axial passageway. A safety shield is associated with the needle and includes a tubular housing having distal and proximal ends. The distal end of the housing has a funnel-shaped surface. A reset key is configured to engage the distal end of the housing. The reset key includes a support. A shaft extending from the support is adapted for inserting into the distal end the housing. The funnel-shaped surface guides the shaft into the housing to register the reset key with the safety shield.

Claims

1. A needle assembly comprising:

mounting structure;

a needle extending from the mounting structure along a longitudinal axis, the needle having a sharp end and a central axial passageway extending along the longitudinal axis;

a safety shield moveable with respect to the needle for selectively covering the sharp end of the needle, the shield including a tubular housing having a funnel-shaped end surface opposite the mounting structure when the shield covers the sharp end of the needle, said surface leading to a central aperture that is aligned with the central axial passageway of the needle when the shield covers the sharp end of the needle; and

a reset key configured to engage the safety shield, the reset key comprising a shaft sized for inserting into the central aperture of the housing, the funnel-shaped end surface guiding the shaft into the aperture of the housing to register the reset key with the safety shield and the shaft with the central axial passageway of the needle to obturate the passageway;

wherein the tubular housing of the safety shield has an outer surface surrounding the funnel-shaped end surface; and

the reset key includes a shroud having an inner wall sized and shaped for receiving the outer surface of the tubular housing to center the safety shield in the reset key.

2. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the reset key includes a rib positioned inside a central opening defined by the inner wall of the shroud; and

the end surface of the safety shield has a slot sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving the rib to release an internal locking mechanism in the shield permitting the shield to move to uncover the sharp end of the needle.

3. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said rib is a first rib and the reset key includes a plurality of ribs including said first rib, each of said plurality of ribs being positioned inside the central opening defined by the inner wall of the shroud; and

said slot is a first slot and the end surface of the safety shield has a plurality of slots including said first slot, the plurality of slots being at least as numerous as the plurality of ribs of the reset key, each of said plurality of slots being sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving a corresponding rib of said plurality of ribs.

4. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the reset key includes a rib; and

the end surface of the safety shield has a slot sized, shaped and positioned for receiving the rib to release an internal locking mechanism in the shield permitting the shield to move to uncover the sharp end of the needle.

5. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said rib is a first rib and the reset key includes a plurality of ribs including said first rib; and

said slot is a first slot and the end surface of the safety shield has a plurality of slots including said first slot, the plurality of slots being at least as numerous as the plurality of ribs of the reset key, each of said plurality of slots being sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving a corresponding rib of said plurality of ribs.

6. A needle assembly comprising:

mounting structure;

a needle extending from the mounting structure to a sharp end;

a safety shield moveable with respect to the needle for selectively covering the sharp end of the needle, the shield including a tubular housing having an outer surface; and

a reset key including a shroud having an inner wall sized and shaped for receiving the outer surface of the tubular housing to register the reset key with the safety shield, the reset key being configured to releasably engage the safety shield.

7. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein the outer surface of the safety shield housing and the inner wall of the reset key shroud have complementary circular cross sections.

8. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

the reset key includes a rib positioned inside a central opening defined by the inner wall of the shroud; and

the end surface of the safety shield has a slot sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving the rib to release an internal locking mechanism in the shield permitting the shield to move to uncover the sharp end of the needle.

9. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein:

said rib is a first rib and the reset key includes a plurality of ribs including said first rib, each of said plurality of ribs being positioned inside the central opening defined by the inner wall of the shroud; and

said slot is a first slot and the end surface of the safety shield has a plurality of slots including said first slot, the plurality of slots being at least as numerous as the plurality of ribs of the reset key, each of said plurality of slots being sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving a corresponding rib of said plurality of ribs.

10. A needle assembly comprising:

mounting structure;

a needle extending from the mounting structure to a sharp end;

a safety shield moveable with respect to the needle for selectively covering the sharp end of the needle, the shield including a tubular housing having an end surface opposite the mounting structure when the shield covers the sharp end of the needle, the end surface having a slot therein; and

a reset key configured to engage the safety shield, the reset key including a rib sized, shaped, and positioned for receipt in the slot in the end surface of the safety shield when the reset key engages the shield to release an internal locking mechanism in the shield permitting the shield to move to uncover the sharp end of the needle.

11. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein the internal locking mechanism is biased to prevent the shield to move to uncover the sharp end of the needle.

12. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

said rib is a first rib and the reset key includes a plurality of ribs including said first rib, each of said plurality of ribs being positioned on the end surface; and

said slot is a first slot and the end surface of the safety shield has a plurality of slots including said first slot, the plurality of slots being at least as numerous as the plurality of ribs of the reset key, each of said plurality of slots being sized, shaped, and positioned for receiving a corresponding rib of said plurality of ribs.

13. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein:

the plurality of ribs consists of three ribs; and

the plurality of slots consists of three slots.

14. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein the ribs and slots are equally spaced.

15. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of ribs comprises a radially extending blade.

16. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein:

the needle has a central axial passageway;

the end surface of the safety shield includes a central aperture that is aligned with the central axial passageway of the needle when the shield covers the sharp end of the needle; and

the reset key includes a shaft sized for inserting into the central aperture of the end surface of the housing to register the reset key with the safety shield and the shaft with the central axial passageway of the needle to obturate the passageway.

17. A needle assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

the needle has a central axial passageway;

the end surface of the safety shield includes a central aperture that is aligned with the central axial passageway of the needle when the shield covers the sharp end of the needle; and

the reset key includes a shaft sized for inserting into the central aperture of the end surface of the housing to register the reset key with the safety shield and the shaft with the central axial passageway of the needle to obturate the passageway.