Detectable heavy duty needle

• US 20020193755A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neogen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ideal Instruments Incorporated (Neogen Corporation)
• Inventors: Prindle, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 6,960,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/272
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/0053 by injection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/32 Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub infusion needles A61M5/158; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body A61M5/42, A61M5/46 take precedence; guide needles for catheters A61M25/065; Devices for protection of needles apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising needles A61M5/001
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12

Abstract

The present invention provides a detectable heavy duty needle cannula (12) for use in hypodermic syringes and the like. Needle cannula (12) comprises a magnetizable or magnetized stainless steel alloy, which enables needle cannula (12) to be detectable in metal detectors that are commonly used in the meat processing industry to detect broken needle cannulas in the flesh of slaughtered animals. Needle cannula (12) further comprises a sidewall (17) that is thicker than the sidewalls of prior art needle cannulas. The thicker sidewall imparts to needle cannula (12) greater resistance to breakage during the process of injecting animal health products into an animal and greater detectability in a metal detector.

Claims

1. A needle assembly comprising an elongate permanently magnetizable or magnetic stainless steel needle cannula having a proximal end, a distal end and a sidewall therebetween, the cannula having a lumen therethrough wherein the cannula at its proximal end is securely fixed to a mounting hub which is capable of being mounted on a device for injecting a dosage of a material in an animal.

2. The needle assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly is for use in a hypodermic needle and the device is a hypodermic syringe.

3. The needle assembly of claim 1 or 2 wherein the sidewall has a thickness greater than 0.46 mm.

4. The needle assembly of claim 3 wherein the lumen has a diameter of about 1.19 mm.

5. The needle assembly of claim 1 wherein the magnetic stainless steel comprises Fe and 0.01-3.0 wt % Si, less than 0.03 wt % P, 4-25 wt % Cr, 0.003-7.0 wt % Al, 0.01-1.0 Mn, 0.001-0.03 wt % S, 0.01-5.0 wt % Mo, 0.01-1.0 wt % Ti, 0.003-0.08 wt % C, 0.01-5.0 wt % Ni, 0.01-0.5 wt % Cu, less than 0.01 wt % Pb, 0.02-0.5 Bi, 0.5-1.0 wt % Nb, 0.02-1.0 wt % Zr, and 0.05-1.0 wt % V.

6. The needle assembly of claim 5 wherein the magnetic stainless steel comprises Fe and 0.36 wt % Si, 0.20 wt % P, 24.68 wt % Cr, 0.01 wt % Al, 0.90 wt % Mn, 0.009 wt % S, 1.80 wt % Mo, less than 0.01 wt % Ti, 0.08 wt % C, 4.98 wt % Ni, 0.10 wt % Cu, and less than 0.01 wt % Pb.

7. The needle assembly of claim 1 wherein the needle cannula has a circular cross-section.

8. The needle assembly of claim 1 wherein the mounting hub includes projections extending therefrom for threaded engagement with a luer collar.

13. The needle of claim 1 wherein the stainless steel comprises Fe and 0.01-3.0 wt % Si, less than 0.03 wt % P, 4-25 wt % Cr, 0.003-7.0 wt % Al, 0.01-1.0 Mn, 0.001-0.03 wt % S, 0.01-5.0 wt % Mo, 0.01-1.0 wt % Ti, 0.003-0.08 wt % C, 0.01-5.0 wt % Ni, 0.01-0.5 wt % Cu, less than 0.01 wt % Pb, 0.02-0.5 Bi, 0.5-1.0 wt % Nb, 0.02-1.0 wt % Zr, and 0.05-1.0 wt % V.

9. A stainless steel tubular needle defined by at least one wall forming the tube and supported on a hub for mounting on a device for injecting a dosage of a material in an animals, wherein the needle is magnetizable or magnetic to a level which enables detection of the magnetism of the needle when broken off in the flesh of an animal when the animal is slaughtered and processed.

10. The needle of claim 9 which is a hypodermic needle and wherein the material is a fluid.

11. The needle of claim 9 or 10 wherein the wall has a thickness of greater than 0.018 inch.

12. The needle of claim 11 wherein the needle has an inside diameter of about 0.046 inch.

14. The needle of claim 13 wherein the stainless steel contains Fe and 0.36 wt % Si, 0.20 wt % P, 24.68 wt % Cr, 0.01 wt % Al, 0.90 wt % Mn, 0.009 wt % S, 1.80 wt % Mo, less than 0.01 wt % Ti, 0.08 wt % C, 4.98 wt % Ni, 0.10 wt % Cu, and less than 0.01 wt % Pb.

15. The needle of claim 9 or 10 with a circular cross-section.

17. The method of claim 16 which is a hypodermic needle and wherein the material is a fluid.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17 wherein the wall has a thickness of greater than 0.018 inch.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the needle has an inside diameter of about 0.046 inch.

20. The method of claim 16 or 17 wherein the stainless steel comprises Fe and 0.01-3.0 wt % Si, less than 0.03 wt % P, 4-25 wt % Cr, 0.003-7.0 wt % Al, 0.01-1.0 Mn, 0.001-0.03 wt % S, 0.01-5.0 wt % Mo, 0.01-1.0 wt % Ti, 0.003-0.08 wt % C, 0.01-5.0 wt % Ni, 0.01-0.5 wt % Cu, less than 0.01 wt % Pb, 0.02-0.5 Bi, 0.5-1.0 wt % Nb, 0.02-1.0 wt % Zr, and 0.05-1.0 wt % V.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the stainless steel contains Fe and 0.36 wt % Si, 0.20 wt % P, 24.68 wt % Cr, 0.01 wt % Al, 0.90 wt % Mn, 0.009 wt % S, 1.80 wt % Mo, less than 0.01 wt % Ti, 0.08 wt % C, 4.98 wt % Ni, 0.10 wt % Cu, and less than 0.01 wt % Pb.

22. The method of claim 16 or 17 wherein the needle has a circular cross-section.

24. The method of claim 23 which is a hypodermic needle.

25. The method of claim 23 or 24 wherein the wall has a thickness of greater than 0.018 inch.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the needle has an inside diameter of about 0.046 inch.

27. The method of claim 23 or 24 wherein the stainless steel comprises Fe and 0.01-3.0 wt % Si, less than 0.03 wt % P, 4-25 wt % Cr, 0.003-7.0 wt % Al, 0.01-1.0 Mn, 0.001-0.03 wt % S, 0.01-5.0 wt % Mo, 0.01-1.0 wt % Ti, 0.003-0.08 wt % C, 0.01-5.0 wt % Ni, 0.01-0.5 wt % Cu, less than 0.01 wt % Pb, 0.02-0.5 Bi, 0.5-1.0 wt % Nb, 0.02-1.0 wt % Zr, and 0.05-1.0 wt % V.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the stainless steel contains Fe and 0.36 wt % Si, 0.20 wt % P, 24.68 wt % Cr, 0.01 wt % Al, 0.90 wt % Mn, 0.009 wt % S, 1.80 wt % Mo, less than 0.01 wt % Ti, 0.08 wt % C, 4.98 wt % Ni, 0.10 wt % Cu, and less than 0.01 wt % Pb.

29. The method of claim 23 or 24 wherein the animal is a swine.

16. In a method of injecting flesh of a living food animal which comprises:

(a) providing an injection means comprising a tubular needle defined by at least one wall forming the tube and supported on a hub and mounted on a device for injecting a dosage of a material in an animal, wherein the needle is made of stainless steel, which is magnetizable or magnetic at a level that enables detection of the magnetism of the needle if the needle is broken off in the flesh of the living animal during the injection; and

(b) injecting the living animal with the dosage using the needle, whereby when the needle breaks in the animal during the injection, the needle can be detected in the flesh of the animal upon slaughter and processing into the food.

23. In a slaughtering method for slaughter and processing of animals for food while conveying the flesh of the animal, the improvement which comprises detecting a broken stainless steel tubular needle in the flesh, wherein the needle has at least one wall and is supported on a hub for mounting on a device for injecting a dosage of a material into an animal, wherein the needle is magnetized to a level which enables detection of the magnetism of the needle when broken off in the flesh of an animal when the animal is slaughtered and processed.