Abstrict A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit of the present invention
for preventing iatrogenic infection through a needle includes a
cap holding section for disposing and holding therein a cap which
covers, when a medical treatment is performed, a needle positioned
at the extreme end of a syringe barrel constituting a disposable
syringe device; and a needle separating section for separating the
needle, which is covered with the cap and fitted on an end of the
syringe barrel, therefrom.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit for preventing iatrogenic
infection through a needle, comprising: a cap holding section for
disposing and holding therein a cap which covers, when a medical
treatment is performed, a needle positioned at the extreme end of
a syringe barrel constituting a disposable syringe device; and a
needle separating section for separating the needle, which is covered
with the cap and fitted on an end of the syringe barrel, therefrom.
2. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
1 wherein the needle separating section comprises a syringe guide
section for guiding the disposable syringe device to a predetermined
position, and a slanting surface having a predetermined angle is
formed on the syringe guide section.
3. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
1 wherein the cap holding section is integrated with the needle
separating section.
4. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
2 wherein the cap holding section is integrated with the needle
separating section.
5. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
1 wherein the cap holding section comprises a cap length adjustment
section for enabling caps having a different length to be disposed.
6. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
1 wherein the cap holding section comprises a cap locking section.
7. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit for preventing iatrogenic
infection infecting through a needle, comprising: a cap holding
section for disposing and holding therein a cap which covered, when
a medical treatment was performed, a needle positioned at the extreme
end of a syringe barrel constituting a disposable syringe device.
8. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit for preventing iatrogenic
infection infecting through a needle, comprising: a needle separating
section for separating the needle, which is covered with the cap
and fitted on an end of the syringe barrel, therefrom.
9. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
1 further comprising a needle accommodation box having auxiliary
unit mounting sections on which at least one of the cap holding
section and the needle separating section is mounted.
10. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
7 further comprising a needle accommodation box having auxiliary
unit mounting sections on which the cap holding section is mounted.
11. A disposable syringe device auxiliary unit according to claim
8 further comprising a needle accommodation box having auxiliary
unit mounting sections on which the needle separating section is
mounted.
Description [0001] This application claims benefit of Japanese Application
No. 2001-189973 filed on Jun. 22 2001 the contents of which are
incorporated by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a disposable syringe device
auxiliary unit for enabling a cap to be attached to a needle or
enabling the needle to be removed from a disposable syringe device
with one hand.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Recently, disposable syringe devices that are discarded
when they are used once, that is, so-called disposable syringe devices
are widely used to prevent iatrogenic infection through syringe
devices. The disposable syringe device is composed of a sterilized
disposable syringe and a sterilized needle mounted thereon. The
needle is covered with a sterilized cap.
[0006] Therefore, when chemicals are injected into or blood is
collected from a patient using the disposable syringe device, the
cap is detached, and the exposed needle is stuck under or in the
skin, in the muscle or in the blood pipe of the patient.
[0007] One of the most serious problems in medical disasters, which
happen to doctors, nurses, and medical practicians in a medical
site, is a so-called accidental needle stick in which a used needle
is stuck in a hand or a finger of them. The accidental needle stick
happens when a person sticks the extreme end of an exposed needle
in himself or herself or in other person by mistake after he or
she collects blood from or injects chemicals into a patient. In
addition to the above, however, there is also a possibility that
the accidental needle stick happens when a cap is attached to the
needle again.
[0008] The accidental needle stick, which happens when the cap
is attached to the needle again, is caused at the time the needle
of a disposable syringe device, which is held with one hand, is
inserted into a cap held with the other hand.
[0009] Further, in an operation in which a disposable syringe device
may be used repeatedly, there is a possibility that the accidental
needle stick happens when a disposable syringe device used once
is left with the needle thereof exposed because a cap is lost or
when a needle is repeatedly separated from and mounted on again
a syringe barrel to draw chemicals into the syringe barrel.
[0010] Further, the accidental needle stick also happens when a
person comes in touch with a needle without a cap by mistake when
used disposable syringe devices are discarded as medical wastes,
and when needles are discarded in the state that they are separated
from syringe barrels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a disposable
syringe device auxiliary unit for preventing a cap, which is detached
from a disposable syringe device just before it is used, from being
lost.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
disposable syringe device auxiliary unit for enabling a cap to be
reliably and easily attached again to the needle of a disposable
syringe device after the device is used while preventing a hand
and a finger from being stuck with the needle by mistake.
[0013] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a disposable syringe device auxiliary unit for preventing the hand
and finger of a medical practician from being stuck with the needle
of a disposable syringe device by mistake when he or she separates
the needle from a syringe barrel.
[0014] To describe briefly, the disposable syringe device auxiliary
unit of the present invention includes a cap holding section, in
which a cap covering a needle positioned at the extreme end of a
syringe barrel constituting a disposable syringe device, is disposed
and held in a medical treatment; and a needle separating section
for separating the needle, which is covered with the cap and fitted
on an end of the syringe barrel, therefrom. With this arrangement,
it can be prevented to lose the cap covering the needle as well
as the occurrence of a medical disaster caused by an accidental
needle stick can be prevented because the cap is attached to the
needle and the needle is separated from the syringe barrel with
one hand.
[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of
the invention will become more clearly understood from the following
description referring to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1A to FIG. 6C show a first embodiment of the present
invention, wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1A is a view explaining a disposable syringe device
of a type in which the inner peripheral surface of the joint section
of a needle is fitted on the projection of an outer barrel;
[0018] FIG. 1B is a view explaining a locking type disposable syringe
device;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a view explaining a disposable syringe device
auxiliary unit;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a view explaining a needle accommodation box to
which the disposable syringe device auxiliary unit is attached;
[0021] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the needle accommodation
box integrated with the disposable syringe device auxiliary unit;
[0022] FIG. 4B is a sectional view of the needle accommodation
box taken along the line 4B-4B of FIG. 4A;
[0023] FIG. 4C is a sectional view of the needle accommodation
box taken along the line 4C-4C of FIG. 4A;
[0024] FIG. 5A is a view showing a state in which a cap stands
in a hole;
[0025] FIG. 5B is a view showing a state in which a needle is inserted
into the cap;
[0026] FIG. 5C is a view showing a state in which the cap is attached
to the needle again;
[0027] FIG. 6A is a view showing the projection of the outer barrel,
where the needle to which the cap is attached again is disposed,
faces the opening of a separation/guide groove;
[0028] FIG. 6B is a view showing a state in which the projection
is moved from the opening of the separation/guide groove to the
bottom thereof;
[0029] FIG. 6C is a view showing a state in which the needle to
which the cap is attached again is separated from the projection;
[0030] FIG. 7A is a view explaining an example of the arrangement
of a needle separator as a modification of the separation/guide
groove;
[0031] FIG. 7B is a view explaining another example of the arrangement
of the needle separator;
[0032] FIGS. 8 to FIG. 11 are views explaining a second embodiment
of the present invention, wherein:
[0033] FIG. 8 is a view explaining a needle separation auxiliary
unit;
[0034] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a cap holding auxiliary
unit;
[0035] FIG. 9B is a side elevational view of the cap holding auxiliary
unit;
[0036] FIG. 10 is a view explaining a needle accommodation body
with which the needle separation auxiliary unit and the cap holding
auxiliary unit are integrated;
[0037] FIG. 11 is a view explaining the operation of the needle
separation auxiliary unit and the cap holding auxiliary unit that
are integrated with the needle accommodation box.
[0038] FIG. 12A is a perspective view showing another example of
the arrangement of the cap holding auxiliary unit;
[0039] FIG. 12B is a view explaining the another example of the
arrangement of the cap holding auxiliary unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
[0041] A disposable type syringe device (hereinafter, referred
to simply as a "disposable syringe device") will be described
below with reference to FIG. 1A.
[0042] As shown in the figure, a disposable syringe device 1 is
composed of a disposable syringe 2 acting as a syringe barrel, a
needle 3 detachably attached to the disposable syringe 2 and a
cylindrical cap 4 for preventing the needle 3 from being left in
an exposed state.
[0043] The cap 4 covers the needle 3 as shown by a dotted line.
With this arrangement, the needle 3 is prevented from being left
in the exposed state. The disposable syringe 2 the needle 3 and
the cap 4 have been sterilized.
[0044] The disposable syringe 2 is composed of an outer barrel
21 and an inner barrel 23 that is slidable with respect to the inner
hole of the outer barrel 21. A scale 2a is formed on the outer surface
of the outer barrel 21 to measure an amount of chemicals, and the
like. A stopper 22 is disposed to the extreme end of the inner barrel
23. Further, an approximately conical projection 25 projects from
an extreme end surface 24 of the outer barrel 21.
[0045] An approximately conical joint section 31 is disposed to
the base end portion of the needle 3. The joint section 31 has an
inner peripheral surface, which is fitted on the outer peripheral
surface of the projection 25 and integrated with the disposable
syringe 2 and an outer peripheral surface on which the inner peripheral
surface of the cap 4 on the opening side thereof is fitted.
[0046] That is, the disposable syringe device 1 of the first embodiment
is a type in which the needle 3 and the disposable syringe 2 are
disposed in an integrated state in such a manner that the inner
peripheral surface of the joint section 31 is fitted on the projection
25 of the outer barrel 21. Then, the needle 3 can be removed from
the projection 25 of the outer barrel 21 by releasing the fitting
state between the joint section 31 and the projection 25.
[0047] When the needle 3 is integrated with the disposable syringe
2 a gap having a size "L" is formed between the base
end surface of the joint section 31 and the extreme end surface
24 of the outer barrel 21.
[0048] The cap 4 is disposed integrally with the needle 3. The
cap 4 is integrated with the needle 3 by fitting and disposing a
collar section 4a of the cap 4 which is formed in the base end
portion thereof, on the outer peripheral surface of the joint section
31 of the needle 3.
[0049] Note that the disposable syringe device 1 is not limited
to the type in which the needle 3 is integrated with the projection
25 by being fitted thereon and may be arranged as a locking type
disposable syringe device 1A as shown in FIG. 1B.
[0050] In the locking type disposable syringe device 1A, a spiral
projection 21b is formed on the inner peripheral surface of an extreme
end 21a of the outer barrel 21. In contrast, a guide projection
33 which moves along the spiral projection 21b, is formed to a
base end section 32 of a needle 3A.
[0051] Accordingly, in the needle 3A, when the guide projection
33 is moved inward along the spiral projection 21b, the needle 3A
is locked and fixed to the extreme end 21a of a disposable syringe
2A as if it is in a threaded state. When the guide projection 33
is moved to the outside which is in a direction opposite that when
it is fixed, in the same way for releasing a threaded state, the
needle 3A can be released from the locked and fixed state.
[0052] A plurality of line-shaped slender projections 4b, which
project in an axial direction, are formed on the outer peripheral
surface of a cap 4A used in the locking type disposable syringe
device 1A.
[0053] The arrangement and the operation of the disposable syringe
device auxiliary unit of the first embodiment will be described
with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6.
[0054] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the disposable syringe device
auxiliary unit of the first embodiment (hereinafter, abbreviated
as a "syringe auxiliary unit") 5 is formed of a sheet
member 53. A hole section 51 and a separation/guide groove 52 are
formed in the sheet member 53 integrally therewith. The hole section
51 acts as a cap holding section where the cap 4 is disposed and
held, and the separation/guide groove 52 acts as a needle separating
section for separating the needle 3 from the disposable syringe
2.
[0055] The hole section 51 of the syringe auxiliary unit 5 is formed
through a bent section 54 which is formed by bending the sheet member
53 at a predetermined portion at an approximately right angle. The
extreme end of the cap 4 is inserted into the hole section 51 from
the upper surface side thereof.
[0056] The separation/guide groove 52 is formed in a width which
permits the projection 25 to be disposed therein in a loosely fitting
state and in a predetermined depth. A slanting surface 55 which
separates the joint section 31 of the needle 3 from the projection
25 of the disposable syringe 2 is formed on the surface of the
sheet member 53 which is opposite to the surface thereof where the
bent section 54 is formed.
[0057] The slanting surface 55 is formed such that the thickness
of the sheet member 53 is continuously made thicker from an opening
52a side of the separation/guide groove 52 to a predetermined position
somewhat lower than a bottom 52b of the separation/guide groove
52.
[0058] Specifically, the slanting section 55 has a thickness which
is smaller than the above size "L" on the opening side
thereof and a thickness which causes the joint section 31 fitted
on the projection 25 to be separated therefrom at a mid-portion
thereof. Then, the thickness of the sheet member 53 is set larger
than the thickness which causes the joint section 31 to be separated
from the projection 25.
[0059] Accordingly, when the portion of the interval, which has
the size "L", of the disposable syringe 2 to which the
needle 3 is joined, is disposed in the separation/guide groove 52
and moved from the opening 52a side to the bottom 52b side, the
locked and fixed state between the joint section 31 and the projection
25 is changed to a separated state.
[0060] Note that while the cap 4 roughly has three kinds of size,
a cap having a different size can be handled by appropriately setting
the distance "H" from the end surface of the sheet member
53 on the opening side thereof to the bent section 54 as shown in
FIG. 2.
[0061] Further, reference numeral 56 denotes a slot for adjusting
the position of the syringe auxiliary unit 5 where it is mounted.
The position, where the syringe auxiliary unit 5 is mounted on a
needle accommodation box 6 which will be described later, can be
changed by moving it along the slot 56.
[0062] With the above arrangement, the cap 4 can be disposed in
an upright state even if it has a different length. That is, the
size "H" and the slot 56 act as a cap length adjustment
section.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 3 a syringe barrel and needle holding/separating
apparatus can be arranged by mounting a syringe auxiliary unit 5A
arranged as described above on the needle accommodation box 6. The
needle accommodation box 6 is formed in an approximately box shape
and composed of, for example, stainless steel. A pair of auxiliary
unit mounting sections 61 are disposed along the short sides of
the needle accommodation box 6. The syringe auxiliary unit 5A is
mounted on any one of the auxiliary unit mounting sections 61 by
a fixing screw 59 shown in FIG. 4C.
[0064] It should be noted that, in the syringe auxiliary unit 5A
of the first embodiment, the size "H" is set to H=0. Further,
reference numeral 65 denotes a pair of second auxiliary unit mounting
sections disposed along the long sides of the needle accommodation
box 6.
[0065] An escape groove 62 is formed to the position, which corresponds
to the separation/guide groove 52 of syringe auxiliary unit 5A,
of each of the auxiliary unit mounting sections 61. The escape groove
62 has a width larger than the width of the separation/guide groove
52 by a predetermined size. A bottom 62a of the escape groove 62
is positioned nearer to a bottom 6a of the needle accommodation
box 6 than the bottom 52b of the separation/guide groove 52.
[0066] Further, a first female screw section 63 into which the
fixing screw passing through the slot 56 is threaded, and a mounting/fixing
hole 64 are formed in the auxiliary unit mounting sections 61. When
the needle accommodation box 6 is fixed to, for example, a visiting
car, a fixture (not shown), on which the needle accommodation box
6 is to be mounted, is disposed through a mounting/fixing hole 64.
[0067] Note that reference numeral 66 denotes second female screw
sections with which fixing screws are threaded to hold and fix an
auxiliary unit which is disposed to any one of the second auxiliary
unit mounting sections 65.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 4A, the syringe auxiliary unit 5A is disposed
to one of the auxiliary unit mounting sections 61 of the needle
accommodation box 6. Then, the fixing screw 59 is threaded into
the first female screw section 63 through the slot 56 so as to integrate
the syringe auxiliary unit 5A with the needle accommodation box
6. At this time, the height of the hole 51 from the bottom 6a is
adjusted by moving the syringe auxiliary unit 5A with respect to
the slot 56 so that the cap 4 stands upright with the extreme end
thereof in contact with the bottom 6a as shown by a two-dot-and-dash
line in FIGS. 4B and 4C.
[0069] Then, the needle accommodation box 6 which is integrated
with the syringe auxiliary unit 5A, is fixed to the visiting car
(not shown) integrally therewith at a predetermined position thereof
through the fixture (not shown), which carries medical appliances,
for example, disposable syringe devices, various kinds of chemicals,
gauze, absorbent cottons, waste bags, etc., in order to go to a
doctor's round visit.
[0070] The operation of the syringe auxiliary unit 5A integrated
with the needle accommodation box 6 will be described below.
[0071] When it is necessary to inject chemicals to a patient during
the doctor's round visit, first, a disposable syringe device 1 carried
by the visiting car is taken out. Then, the cap 4 of the disposable
syringe device 1 is detached. Then, the extreme end side of the
cap 4 is inserted into the hole 51 of the syringe auxiliary unit
5A from thereabove. With this operation, as shown in FIG. 5A, the
extreme end surface of the cap 4 comes into contact with the bottom
6a of the needle accommodation box 6 as well as the cap 4 is held
in the hole 51 in a state that a mid-portion of the slanting surface
of the cap 4 is forcibly inserted into the hole 51. When the cap
4 is held in the hole 51 it stands approximately upright.
[0072] Next, chemicals are drawn into the outer barrel 21 of the
disposable syringe device 1. Then, the needle 3 of the disposable
syringe device 1 is stuck into the patient, and the chemicals are
injected into the patient. On the completion of the injection of
the chemicals, the extreme end of the needle 3 is inserted into
the inner hole of the cap 4 standing in the hole 51 as shown in
FIG. 5B to prevent the used needle 3 from being left in an exposed
state.
[0073] Then, the disposable syringe 2 is further forcibly inserted
into the cap 4 vertically downward as shown by an arrow in FIG.
5C while keeping the outer peripheral surface of the joint section
31 of the needle 3 which projects from the disposable syringe 2
in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cap 4. With
this operation, the joint section 31 is reliably inserted into and
disposed in the cap 4.
[0074] That is, the used needle 3 can be covered with the cap 4
again with outer barrel 21 gripped with one hand without the need
of directly gripping the cap with a hand or fingers, because when
the cap 4 was detached, it was caused to stand in the hole 51 of
the syringe auxiliary unit 5A.
[0075] Thereafter, a job is performed to extract the used disposable
syringe device 1 the needle 3 of which is covered with the cap 4
from the hole 51 and to separate the needle 3 from the disposable
syringe 2.
[0076] At this time, first, the portion of the projection 25 of
the used disposable syringe device 1 which corresponds to the interval
having the size "L", is caused to face the opening 52a
of the separation/guide groove 52 as shown in FIG. 6A; the portion
of the projection 25 is disposed in the separation/guide groove
52 as shown by an arrow in FIG. 6A; and then the disposable syringe
device 1 is moved toward the bottom 52b as a whole with the extreme
end surface 24 of the outer barrel 21 being in contact with the
slanting surface 55 of the syringe auxiliary unit 5A.
[0077] With this movement, the base end surface of the joint section
31 of the needle 3 comes into contact with the inner surface of
the sheet member 53. When the disposable syringe device 1 is further
moved toward the bottom 52b, as shown in FIG. 6B, the interval formed
between the base end surface of the joint section 31 and the extreme
end surface 24 of the outer barrel 21 is increased so as to separate
the joint section 31 from the outer barrel 21.
[0078] When the projection 25 reaches the vicinity of the bottom
52b, as shown in FIG. 6C, the needle 3 covered with the cap 4 is
separated from the projection 25 of the outer barrel 21 and falls
toward the bottom 6a of the needle accommodation box 6. In contrast,
only the disposable syringe 2 is left at hand and discarded into
a waste bag previously prepared in the visiting car.
[0079] Note that when the needle 3 is not yet separated from the
projection 25 at the time the projection 25 reaches the vicinity
of the bottom 52b as shown in FIG. 6B, a swing operation, for example,
is applied to the disposable syringe device 1 at hand as shown by
an arrow in FIG. 6B. Thus, the needle 3 is separated from the projection
25 of the outer barrel 21 and the needle 3 covered with the cap
4 falls into the needle accommodation box 6 as shown in FIG. 6C.
[0080] With this operation, the needle 3 which is covered with
the cap 4 and will be accommodated in a piercing-resistant vessel
later, is accommodated in the bottom 6a of the needle accommodation
box 6. In contrast, the disposable syringe 2 which can be discarded
into a dedicated carton case, is accommodated in a waste bag. With
this operation, the separation of the needle 3 from the disposable
syringe 2 is completed.
[0081] As described above, when the disposable syringe device is
used, the cap, which covers the needle provided with the disposable
syringe, is disposed and held in the hole of the syringe auxiliary
unit, which reliably prevents the cap from being lost when an injection
is made to a patient.
[0082] Further, when the used needle is covered with the cap again
after the injection is made to the patient, a doctor or a nurse
can attach the cap to the needle again by gripping the disposable
syringe with one hand without the need of gripping the cap with
the other hand, that is, by inserting the needle into the inner
hole of the cap standing in the hole with the one hand.
[0083] With these operations, the occurrence of a medical disaster
that is caused by a needle stuck in a hand or a finger during a
medical treatment can be prevented.
[0084] Further, when the portion of the projection of the outer
barrel, which corresponds to the above interval, is disposed to
the opening side of separation/guide groove and the disposable syringe
device is moved in the bottom direction, the needle, which is covered
with the cap, of the used disposable syringe device can be separated
from the projection of the outer barrel with one hand.
[0085] With this operation, the needle, which is covered with the
cap and is to be accommodated in the piercing-resistant vessel,
can be easily and reliably segregated from the disposable syringe,
which can be discarded into the dedicated carton box. At the same
time, the occurrence of a medical disaster that the needle is stuck
in a hand or a finger can be prevented.
[0086] Further, the syringe auxiliary unit can be replaced, disinfected,
and sterilized, when necessary, because it can be removed from the
needle accommodation box.
[0087] Note that the first embodiment shows the arrangement that
the syringe auxiliary unit is integrated with the needle accommodation
box that is fixed to the visiting car. However, the needle accommodation
box integrated with the syringe auxiliary unit may be fixed on a
cart disposed in an operating room or on a treatment table in a
clinic.
[0088] In particular, when the needle accommodation box integrated
with the syringe auxiliary unit is fixed on the cart disposed in
the operating room, the cap can be reliably prevented from being
lost, even if it is necessary to frequently attach and detatch the
cap to and from the needle. Further, the occurrence of a medical
disaster that a hand or a finger is stuck with the needle in a job
for covering the needle with the cap, can be reliably prevented.
[0089] Further, a disposable sheet-like member, for example, may
be detachably disposed in the needle accommodation box 6. With this
arrangement, when the needle 3 integrated with the cap 4 is moved
from the needle accommodation box 6 to the piercing-resistant vessel,
the needle 3 integrated with the cap 4 can be taken out together
with the sheet-like member by taking out the sheet-like member from
the needle accommodation box 6.
[0090] Further, in the first embodiment, the needle 3 covered with
the cap 4 is separated from the projection 25 of the outer barrel
21 during the doctor's round visit. However, the used needle 3 covered
with the cap 4 may be temporarily discarded into the waste bag in
a state that it is integrated with the disposable syringe 2 and
the needle 3 covered with the cap 4 may be separated from the projection
25 of the outer barrel 21 after the doctor's round visit.
[0091] In this case, for example, a needle separator 7 acting as
a syringe auxiliary unit, which is provided only with the separation/guide
groove 52 and an escape groove 71 is disposed on a working table
75 integrally therewith through a fixture 72 and a box 77 is disposed
in the vicinity of the needle separator 7 as shown in FIG. 7A. Then,
a job for separating the needle 3 to which the cap 4 is attached
again from the disposable syringe 2 may be performed in this state.
[0092] Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, a needle separator 7A may
be directly attached to, for example, a pail 76 acting as the piercing-resistant
vessel through a fixing screw 73. Then, the job for separating the
needle 3 to which the cap 4 is attached again from the disposable
syringe 2 may be performed in this state.
[0093] With this arrangement, a job for separating the needle,
which is covered with the cap, of the used disposable syringe device
from the projection of the outer barrel can be performed with one
hand. Accordingly, the occurrence of a medical disaster that a hand
or a finger is stuck with the needle during the job for separating
the needle from the disposable syringe can be prevented.
[0094] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.
[0095] In the second embodiment, a needle separation auxiliary
unit 81 which is composed of a separation/guide groove 52 acting
as a needle separating section and a slanting surface 55 is arranged
as a type of syringe auxiliary units as shown in FIG. 8 in place
of the syringe auxiliary unit 5A of the first embodiment in which
the cap holding section is integrated with the needle separating
section. Further, a cap holding auxiliary unit 82 acting as a type
of the syringe auxiliary units is arranged such that it is provided
with a plurality of cap clamping/holding sections 83a acting as
a cap holding unit as shown in FIG. 9A.
[0096] Then, as shown in FIG. 10 a syringe barrel/needle hold/separation
unit is arranged by mounting the needle separation auxiliary unit
81 and the cap holding auxiliary unit 82 on first and second auxiliary
unit mounting sections 61 and 65 of the needle accommodation box
6 respectively.
[0097] As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the cap holding auxiliary unit
82 is composed of an auxiliary unit main body 84 cap length adjustment
members 86a and 86b which are integrated together by, for example,
countersink screws 85 and an elastic block 83 clamped between a
pair of elastic member holding sections 84a.
[0098] The auxiliary unit main body 84 is formed in an approximately
L-shaped cross section, and the pair of elastic member holding sections
84a project therefrom. The cap length adjustment members 86a and
86b, which act as a cap length adjusting section, are formed in
thicknesses corresponding to cap lengths and fixed on the bottom
of the auxiliary unit main body 84. The elastic block 83 is an elastic
member which has a predetermined elastic force and is composed of,
for example, an urethane resin formed in a predetermined shape.
[0099] The elastic block 83 is provided with steps so that it is
formed in thicknesses corresponding to, for example, three types
of the caps 4 each having a different length. The elastic block
83 has the cap clamping/holding sections 83a and cap taking-out
grooves 83b each formed at a predetermined position, and the cap
taking-out grooves 83b communicate with the cap clamping/holding
sections 83a. The cap taking-out grooves 83b are narrower than the
cap clamping/holding sections 83a.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 10 the needle separation auxiliary unit
81 is fixed to the auxiliary unit mounting section 61 of the needle
accommodation box 6 integrally therewith through the fixing screw
59. Further, the auxiliary unit main body 84 is fixed to the second
auxiliary unit mounting sections 65 integrally therewith by disposing
the fixing screws (not shown) in the second female screw sections
66. The elastic block 83 and the cap length adjustment members 86a
and 86b are disposed to the auxiliary unit main body 84 integrally
therewith. That is, the cap holding auxiliary unit 82 is fixed to
the second auxiliary unit mounting section 65.
[0101] Then, the needle accommodation box 6 integrated with the
auxiliary units 81 and 82 is fixed to the visiting car integrally
therewith at a predetermined position through the fixture (not shown),
and a doctor's round visit is performed.
[0102] When it is necessary to inject chemicals to a patient during
the doctor's round visit, first, a disposable syringe device 1 carried
by the visiting car is taken out. Then, the cap 4 of the disposable
syringe device 1 is detached. At this time, the cap 4 is pushed
into a cap clamping/holding section 83a corresponding to the length
of the cap 4 from thereabove.
[0103] Then, a mid-portion of the slanting surface of the cap 4
is inserted and held under pressure by the elastic force of the
elastic block 83 in a state that the extreme end surface of the
cap 4 comes into the cap length adjustment member 86a as shown in
FIG. 11. The cap 4 stands approximately upright when it is inserted
and held under pressure.
[0104] After the needle 3 of the disposable syringe device 1 is
used, the extreme end of the needle 3 is inserted into the inner
hole of the cap 4 standing in the cap clamping/holding section 83a
to prevent the used needle 3 from being left exposed.
[0105] Then, the disposable syringe 2 is forcibly pushed. With
this operation, the joint section 31 of the needle 3 is reliably
inserted into and disposed in the cap 4. Thereafter, a job is performed
in the needle separation auxiliary unit 81 to extract the used disposable
syringe device 1 the needle 3 of which is covered with the cap 4
through the cap taking-out groove 83b communicating with the cap
clamping/holding section 83a, and to separate the needle 3 from
the disposable syringe 2.
[0106] As described above, the cap holding auxiliary unit is composed
of the auxiliary unit main body 84 the elastic block, which is
disposed to the auxiliary unit main body and includes the plurality
of cap clamping/holding sections, and the cap length adjustment
members threaded with and fixed to the auxiliary unit main body
in the state that they are integrated together. Accordingly, even
if disposable syringe devices the caps thereof have a different
length are carried by the visiting car, the caps can be held by
the cap clamping/holding sections 83a, which corresponding to the
lengths thereof, in a stably standing state.
[0107] Further, when the needle is forcibly pushed into the cap,
the extreme end surface of the cap is pushed against the cap length
adjustment member so as to permit the cap to be reliably attached
to the needle because the cap is inserted and held under pressure
making use of the elastic force of the elastic block 83. The other
operations and advantages of the second embodiment are similar to
those of the first embodiment.
[0108] Note that reference numeral 56a shown in FIG. 8 denotes
an escape hole through which the screw portion of the fixing screw
59 passes.
[0109] Further, only the needle separation auxiliary unit 81 or
the cap holding auxiliary unit 82 may be integrated with the needle
accommodation box.
[0110] Further, the cap holding auxiliary unit 82 disposed to the
second auxiliary unit mounting sections 65 is not limited to the
arrangement in which the auxiliary unit main body 84 the elastic
block 83 and the cap length adjustment members 86a and 86b are
integrated together, and may be arranged as, for example, a cap
holding auxiliary unit 90 as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. The cap
holding auxiliary unit 90 is arranged such that cap holding blocks
92 which advance and retract freely, are disposed in cap length
adjustment grooves 91a formed in a holding unit main body 91 through
a plurality of fixing screws 93.
[0111] As shown in the figure, the cap holding block 92 is composed
of cap locking blocks 94 and elastic block members 95 disposed thereunder
and having holding grooves 95a formed therein.
[0112] Each of the cap locking blocks 94 has a collar disposition
groove 94a formed therein with which the collar section 4a of the
cap 4 is loosely engaged. Further, each of the holding grooves 95a
clamps and holds a portion of the collar section 4a in the vicinity
of the lower end thereof with a predetermined elastic force.
[0113] In the second embodiment, when it is necessary to inject
chemicals to the patient during the doctor's round visit, the disposable
syringe device 1 carried by the visiting car is taken out. Thereafter,
the collar section 4a of the cap 4 that is fitted on the needle
3 is disposed in a collar disposing groove 94a at an inner predetermined
position against the elastic force of a holding groove 95a as shown
in an arrow a of FIG. 12B without removing the cap 4 from the disposable
syringe device 1.
[0114] With this operation, the cap 4 is inserted into the predetermined
position of the cap holding auxiliary unit 90 under pressure by
the elastic force of the holding groove 95a formed to the elastic
block member 95 and held thereat without causing the extreme end
surface of the cap 4 to be in contact with a lower surface 91b of
the holding unit main body 91.
[0115] When the disposable syringe 2 is moved upward in this state,
the opening side surface of the collar section 4a comes into contact
with the collar disposing groove 94a, and thereby the cap 4 can
be detached from the disposable syringe 2 while leaving only the
cap 4 in the cap holding auxiliary unit 90.
[0116] In contrast, after the disposable syringe device 1 is used,
the extreme end of the used needle 3 of the disposable syringe device
1 is caused to face the inner hole of the cap 4 locked to the collar
disposing groove 94a and inserted thereinto to prevent the used
needle 3 from being left in an exposed state. Finally, the disposable
syringe 2 is forcibly pushed. At this time, the extreme end side
surface of the collar section 4a comes into contact with the collar
disposing groove 94a, and thereby the joint section 31 of the used
needle 3 is reliably inserted into the cap 4 and disposed therein.
[0117] Thereafter, the collar section 4a of the used disposable
syringe device 1 having the needle 3 covered with the cap 4 is extracted
from the collar disposing groove 94a against the elastic force of
the holding grooves 95a as shown by an arrow b of FIG. 12B.
[0118] As described above, the cap holding block is formed to freely
move with respect to the cap length adjustment grooves formed in
the holding unit main body as well as the collar disposing grooves
are formed in the cap locking blocks that constitute the cap holding
block. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the heights of the
collar disposing grooves from the lower surface of the holding unit
main body according to the lengths of caps, and to easily attach
and detach the caps to and from the needles by locking the collar
sections of the caps to the collar disposing grooves.
[0119] Further, in the second embodiment, when the heights of the
collar disposing grooves from the lower surface of holding unit
main body are adjusted, the collar section of caps are locked by
the collar disposing grooves. Thus, the heights can be easily adjusted
without the need of abutting the extreme ends of the caps against
the lower surface.
[0120] Note that while the above embodiments show the arrangement
that the cap stands approximately upright, an arrangement that the
cap stands obliquely may be also employed.
[0121] Further, while the disposable syringe device 1 of the above
embodiments is arranged such that the needle 3 is fixed by being
fitted over the projection 25 of the outer barrel 21 the disposable
syringe device 1 may be also arranged as the locking type disposable
syringe device 1A as shown in FIG. 1B. When the locking type disposable
syringe device 1A is used, a needle covered with a cap is separated
from a disposable syringe manually, while the cap is detached from
and attached again to the needle in the same way as that of the
aforementioned embodiments.
[0122] Further, the cap holding auxiliary units 82 and 90 may be
integrated with a metal vessel carried by the work table and the
visiting car through a fixture (not shown) provided with the cap
holding auxiliary units 82 and 90 so that a cap is held thereby.
[0123] Having described the preferred embodiments of the invention
referring to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood
that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments
and various changes and modifications thereof could be made by one
skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of
the invention as defined in the appended claims.
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