Needle tip protector

• US 8,939,938 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mozarc Medical US LLC
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Funamura, Shigeaki, Wada, Yoshihiro, Sakai, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/445,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20100137803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164.08, 604/167.01, 604/246, 604/248, 604/256, 604/167.06
• US Class Current: 604/164.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0618 having means for protecting only the distal tip of the needle, e.g. a needle guard
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3273 freely sliding on needle shaft without connection to syringe or needle

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an indwelling needle set which includes a needle tip protector device which adds a minimal length to the needle set to maintain operability of the device. To accomplish this, a needle tip protector device is provided for releasable attachment to the needle set. The protector device includes a body and a protecting sleeve which is movable through an opening in the body from an advanced position located substantially within the body to a retracted position extending rearwardly from the body. The protecting sleeve is dimensioned to slidably receive a puncturing needle which includes an increased diameter position which cannot be withdrawn through the protecting sleeve.

Claims

1. A needle tip protection device comprising:

a needle tip protector body having a front portion configured to receive a basal end of an outer needle and a rear portion defining a rearwardly extending engagement tube defining a hole;

a stopper member supported by the rear portion of the needle tip protector body, the stopper member being movable from a first position, in which the member obstructs the hole of the engagement tube, to a second position, in which the member provides access to the hole of the engagement tube;

a protecting sleeve slidably positioned within the hole of the engagement tube and movable between a first advanced position, in which the sleeve extends through the hole in the engagement tube and past the stopper member, and a retracted position, in which the sleeve extends rearwardly from the needle tip protector body through the hole of the engagement tube, the protecting sleeve having a forward end and a rear end, the rear end of the protecting sleeve being dimensioned to be slidably received in the hole of the engagement tube and the forward end of the protecting sleeve being dimensioned to prevent passage of the forward end of the protecting sleeve through the hole of the engagement tube so the protecting sleeve remains connected to the protector body, the protecting sleeve defining a bore having a forward opening having a first diameter and a rear opening having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and

an inner needle having a needle tip smaller than the first diameter and larger than the second diameter.

2. The needle tip protection device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper member defines a hole, the hole in the stopper member being aligned with the hole in the engagement tube when the stopper member is in its second position and misaligned with the hole in the engagement tube when the stopper member is in its first position, the hole in the stopper member being dimensioned to permit passage of the protector sleeve.

3. The needle tip protection device according to claim 2, wherein the stopper member is urged to its first position by a spring.

4. The needle tip protection device according to claim 3, wherein the protecting sleeve extends through the hole in the stopper member when the protecting sleeve is in the advanced position, the protecting sleeve engaging walls of the sleeve defining the hole in the stopper member to retain the stopper member in its second position.

5. The needle tip protection device according to claim 4, wherein the walls of the sleeve defining the hole in the stopper member are convex.

6. The needle tip protection device according to claim 2, wherein the needle tip protector body further includes a diaphragm separating the front portion of the needle tip protector body and the rear portion of the needle tip protector body, the diaphragm defining an insertion hole which is aligned with the hole in the engagement tube.

7. The needle tip protection device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper member includes an engagement piece configured to secure the needle tip protector body to a needle housing of an indwelling needle set when the stopper member is in the second position.

8. The needle tip protection device according to claim 7, wherein the engagement piece of the stopper member includes an engagement claw.

9. The needle tip protection device according to claim 1, wherein the hole in the engagement tube defines a stepped bore, a rear portion of the stepped bore having a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of a forward portion of the stepped bore.

10. The needle tip protection device according to claim 9, wherein a step is defined between the forward portion of the stepped bore and the rear portion of the stepped bore, the forward end of the protecting sleeve engaging the step when the protecting sleeve is in its retracted position.

11. An indwelling needle set comprising:

an outer needle including a cannula and a housing body defining a chamber;

an elastic valve supported within the chamber;

an inner needle having a forward puncturing end and a rear end, the forward puncturing end having an enlarged diameter portion; and

a needle tip protection device including;

i) a needle tip protector body having a front portion configured to receive the rear end of the housing of the outer needle and a rear portion defining a rearwardly extending engagement tube defining a hole;

ii) a stopper member supported within the rear portion of the needle tip protector body, the stopper member being movable from a first position obstructing the hole of the engagement tube to a second position providing access to the hole of the engagement tube; and

iii) a protecting sleeve slidably positioned within the hole of the engagement tube and movable between a first advanced position, in which the sleeve is located within the needle tip protector body, and a retracted position, in which the sleeve extends rearwardly from the needle tip protector body through the hole of the engagement tube, the protecting sleeve having a forward end and a rear end, the rear end of the protecting sleeve being dimensioned to be slidably received in the hole of the engagement tube and the forward end of the protecting sleeve being dimensioned to prevent passage of the forward end of the protecting sleeve through the hole of the engagement tube so the protecting sleeve remains connected to the protector body, wherein the protecting sleeve defines a bore having a forward opening having a first diameter and a rear opening having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the inner needle being slidably positioned within the protecting sleeve, the enlarged diameter portion of the inner needle being greater in diameter than the second diameter of the rear opening of the protecting sleeve so the inner needle cannot be withdrawn from the protecting sleeve.

12. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, further including a tub insertion portion movably supported within the housing, the tube insertion portion defining a bore and being movable from a rearward position to a forward position, an insertion end of the tube insertion portion extending through an opening in the elastic valve.

13. The indwelling needle set according to claim 12, wherein the tube insertion portion is urged towards its rearward position by a spring.

14. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, wherein the housing body includes an external thread adapted to engage a tube member for supplying medicinal fluid to the needle set.

15. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, wherein the inner needle includes a hub member supported on a rear end of the inner needle.

16. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, wherein the stopper member defines a hole, the hole in the stopper member being aligned with the hole in the engagement tube when the stopper member is in its second position and misaligned with the hole in the engagement tube when the stopper member is in its first position, the hole in the stopper member being dimensioned to permit passage of the protector sleeve.

17. The indwelling needle set according to claim 16, wherein the stopper member is urged to its first position by a coil spring.

18. The indwelling needle set according to claim 17, wherein the protecting sleeve extends through the hole in the stopper member when the protecting sleeve is in the advanced position, the protecting sleeve engaging walls of the sleeve defining the hole in the stopper member to retain the stopper member in its second position.

19. The indwelling needle set according to claim 18, wherein the walls of the sleeve defining the hole in the stopper member are convex.

20. The indwelling needle set according to claim 16, wherein the needle tip protector body further includes a diaphragm separating the front portion of the needle tip protector body and the rear portion of the needle tip protector body, the diaphragm defining an insertion hole which is aligned with the hole in the engagement tube.

21. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, wherein the stopper member includes an engagement piece configured to secure the needle tip protector body to the housing body of the outer needle when the stopper member is in the second position.

22. The indwelling needle set according to claim 21, wherein the engagement piece of the stopper member includes an engagement claw and the housing body of the outer needle includes a projection, the engagement claw being positioned to engage the projection when the stopper member is in its second position to secure the needle tip protector body to the housing body and to disengage the projection when the stopper member is in its first position to detach the needle tip protector body from the housing body.

23. The indwelling needle set according to claim 11, wherein the hole in the engagement tube defines a stepped bore, a rear portion of the stepped bore having a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of a forward portion of the stepped bore.

24. The indwelling needle set according to claim 23, wherein a step is defined between the forward portion of the stepped bore and the rear portion of the stepped bore, the forward end of the protecting sleeve engaging the step when the protecting sleeve is in its retracted position.