Hand-piece for injection device with a retractable and rotating needle

• US 6,966,899 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Milestone Scientific Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Milestone Scientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Livingston, Troy W., Hochman, Mark N., Pettinato, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/209,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/164.08, 604/177, 604/192, 604/198, 604/263, 604/188, 604/164.12, 604/171, 604/164.01, 604/165.01
• US Class Current: 604/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3228 the needle being retracted by a member protruding laterally through a slot in the barrel, e.g. double-ended needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3289 with rotation of the needle, e.g. to ease penetration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/00 Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests vaccination appliances for veterinary use A61D1/025 ; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; combinations of vial and syringe for mixing or transferring their contents A61J1/20; holders for containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/322 Retractable needles, i.e. disconnected from and withdrawn into the syringe barrel by the piston devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3232 Semi-automatic needle retraction, i.e. in which triggering of the needle retraction requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased retraction means
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00313 the reactor vessels being formed by arrays of wells in blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00364 Pipettes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00389 Feeding through valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00394 in multiple arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00698 Measurement and control of process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0072 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries

Abstract

An injection device is arranged and constructed to simultaneously rotate a needle during its forward translation as a therapeutic agent such as a liquid is ejected therefrom. In one embodiment the injection device is an automatic device including a pump forcing the liquid through a tube to a hand-piece. The needle has a first position in which it is disposed within a housing of the hand-piece, and a second position in which the needle extends outwardly of the hand-piece so that it can be used to eject the liquid, with the needle being automatically uni- or bi-directionally rotated as it is advanced between the first and second positions. In an alternate positions a syringe is provided with a barrel, a plunger extending into the barrel to eject the liquid through the needle, and a plunger which is pushed into the barrel by the operator.

Claims

1. An injection system for injecting a liquid such as a therapeutic agent into a patient, said system comprising:

a source of liquid;

a hand-piece remote from said source and adapted to be held by the operator during an injection procedure;

a coupling having a first, a second end, and a grove disposed therebetween;

a tubing connected to said second end;

said hand-piece including a hollow housing and a needle supported by said housing and having a first position wherein said needle is disposed in said housing and a second position in which said needle is disposed at least partially outside said housing to provide the injection, said needle being coupled to said first end of said coupling; and

a control member disposed on said hand-piece and coupled to said coupling;

wherein said needle is selectively movable between said first and second positions by said control member; and

wherein said handpiece and said coupling cooperate to cause said needle to translate and rotate simultaneously as said needle is moved along at least a substantial portion of the path between said first and second positions to prevent said needle from bending; and

wherein said coupling is breakable along said groove to allow said tubing to be removed from said hand piece and leaving said needle trapped within said hand-piece.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first stop cooperating with said handle to secure said needle in said first position.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a second stop cooperating with said handle to secure said needle in said second position.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a spring biasing said needle toward one of said first and second positions.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said spring bias said needle toward said first position, whereby when said needle is released from said second position it automatically returns to said first position.

6. The injection device of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a longitudinal slot and a button sliding in said slot, said button being coupled to said needle to move said needle between said first and said positions.

7. The injection device of claim 6 further comprising a first locking element that cooperates with said housing to lock said needle in said first position.

8. The injection device of claim 7 further comprising a second locking element cooperating with said housing to lock said needle in said second position.

9. The injection device of claim 8 wherein said button cooperates with one of said first and second locking elements to release said needle from said first and second positions, respectively.

10. The injection device of claim 6 further comprising a spring disposed in said housing, said spring being arranged to bias said needle toward one of said first and second position.

11. The injection device of claim 10 wherein said spring is arranged to bias said needle toward said first position whereby said needle automatically returns to said first position when released from any position external of said housing.