Medical syringe abstract
An improved medical syringe enables quick operation of a handle
member to position a needle and syringe barrel in selected positions
to extend and withdraw a needle to provide a needle system or a
needle-less system.
Medical syringe claims
1. A medical syringe comprising: an outer housing having forward
and rear end portions, a syringe barrel of curvilinear cross-section
slidable in the outer housing, a resilient seal in a forward portion
of the outer housing, a hollow needle extending forwardly from the
syringe barrel and movable therewith to penetrate the seal member
and extend outwardly from the forward end of the outer housing,
spring means between the syringe barrel and a forward wall portion
of the housing, means to apply pressure on liquid in the syringe
barrel and to apply partial vacuum thereto for selective movement
of the syringe barrel to compress the spring means or to draw liquid
into the syringe barrel via said hollow needle, a plurality of spaced-apart
stops defined on an upper portion of the outer housing, and a control
handle pivotal relative to the syringe barrel, said handle having
means to engage said stops for selective positioning of the outer
housing and said needle thereon to extend the needle beyond the
forward end portion of the outer housing, and to retract the needle
within the outer housing end portion.
2. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the outer housing is
generally curvilinear in cross-section.
3. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the control handle is
biased outwardly of a pivot on the syringe barrel by spring means
engaging the handle and the syringe barrel, the spring having arms
engaging the handle and the syringe housing.
4. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein said syringe barrel
is of generally cylindrical cross-section.
5. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein said means to apply
pressure and partial vacuum comprises a plunger slidable in the
syringe barrel.
6. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the needle is substantially
coaxial with the syringe barrel.
7. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the spring means comprises
a coil spring.
8. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein a forward portion of
the outer housing is of reduced cylindrical configuration and wherein
said seal is mounted.
9. A syringe according to claim 7 wherein said resilient seal
member in the forward portion of the outer housing is generally
coaxial with the syringe barrel.
10. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of stops
on the upper housing to receive the handle means comprises spaced-apart
notches in the upper wall of the outer housing, and the handle means
to engage in the notches is a handle portion adapted to engage in
the notches.
11. A syringe according to claim 1 wherein the means to engage
the stops comprises a prong on the handle means.
12. A syringe according to claim 10 wherein the means to engage
the stops comprises a rod portion of the handle.
13. A medical syringe comprising: an outer housing having forward
and rear end portions, a syringe barrel of curvilinear cross-section
slidable in the outer housing, a resilient seal in a forward portion
of the outer housing, a hollow needle extending forwardly from the
syringe barrel and movable therewith to penetrate the seal member
and extend outwardly of the forward end of the outer housing, spring
means between the syringe barrel and a forward wall portion of the
housing, means to apply pressure on liquid in the syringe barrel
and to apply partial vacuum to draw liquid into the syringe barrel
via said hollow needle, a plurality of spaced-apart stops defined
on an upper portion of the outer housing, a control handle pivotal
relative to the syringe barrel, said handle having means to engage
said stops for selective positioning of the syringe barrel and said
needle thereon to extend the needle beyond the forward end portion
of the outer housing, and to retract the needle within the outer
housing end portion, and a plunger manually movable to extend outwardly
of the syringe barrel to draw liquid via said hollow needle from
a container to the syringe barrel, the plunger being manually movable
inwardly of the syringe barrel to exert pressure in the syringe
barrel.
14. A syringe according to claim 13 wherein the control handle
is biased outwardly of a pivot on the syringe barrel by spring means
engaging the handle and the syringe barrel, the spring having arms
engaging the handle and the syringe housing.
15. A syringe according to claim 13 wherein said syringe barrel
is of generally cylindrical cross-section.
16. A syringe according to claim 13 wherein said means to apply
pressure and partial vacuum comprises a plunger slidable in the
syringe barrel.
17. A syringe according to claim 13 wherein the spring means comprises
a coil spring.
18. A syringe according to claim 13 wherein a forward portion
of the outer housing is of reduced cylindrical configuration and
wherein said seal is mounted.
19. A medical syringe comprising: an outer housing having forward
and rear end portions, a syringe barrel of curvilinear cross-section
slidable in the outer housing, a seal in a forward portion of the
outer housing, a hollow needle extending forwardly from the syringe
barrel and movable therewith to penetrate the seal member and extend
outwardly of the syringe body, spring means between the syringe
barrel and a forward wall portion of the housing, a plurality of
spaced-apart stops defined on an upper portion of the outer housing,
and a control handle movable relative to the syringe barrel, and
means to engage any of the respective stops for the selective positioning
of the needle to extend the needle beyond the forward end portion
of the housing and to retract the needle within the housing end
portion, manual pushing on the handle thus converting the syringe
between a needle device or system and a needle-less device or system,
the user presses down on the handle spring means to move the needle
from its outward position rearwardly into the housing.
20. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein the control handle
is biased outwardly of a pivot on the syringe barrel by spring means
engaging the handle and the syringe barrel, the spring having respective
arms engaging the handle and the outer housing.
21. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein said syringe barrel
is of generally cylindrical cross-section.
22. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein the spring means comprises
a coil spring.
23. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein a forward portion
of the outer housing is of reduced cylindrical configuration and
wherein said seal is mounted.
24. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of stops
on the upper housing to receive the handle means comprises spaced-apart
notches in the upper wall of the outer housing, and the handle means
to engage in the notches is a handle portion adapted to engage in
the notches.
25. A syringe according to claim 19 wherein the means to engage
the stops comprises a prong on the handle means.
26. A syringe according to claim 24 wherein the means to engage
the stops comprises a rod portion of the handle.
Medical syringe description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The syringe of the present invention has a retractable needle
positionable by a handle engageable in any of a plurality of stops
or notches by simple manual manipulation, whereby the syringe is
convertible from a needle to a needle-less system by extending or
withdrawing the needle. The needle may be extended for aspirating
a solution into the syringe from a bottle or an ampoule. The solution
may then be injected into a patient directly or through an intravenous
port. The needle may be retracted to expose the blunt tip of the
syringe for engaging a needle-less intravenous port.
[0002] The syringe of the invention is versatile in other respects.
Conversion from a needle system to a needle-less system or vice
versa is readily accomplished by manipulating a control handle without
touching the needle, thus greatly reducing the risk of accidentally
sticking the operator with the needle. Removal and replacement of
a needle are eliminated. The conversion from a needle system to
a needle-less system and vice versa may be repeated again and again
for a single patient in accordance with the patient's needs. A needle
may be used repeatedly without removal from the syringe, thus eliminating
the discarding of many needles, and the attendant high costs of
such discarding. To dispose of the syringe or when the syringe is
temporarily out of service, the needle is readily retractable into
the syringe housing by operation of the handle. The foregoing advantages
and convenience save substantial medical professional time in assembling
and filling of syringes. The capability provided by the syringe
of the invention can avoid delays and is even life-saving in some
circumstances.
[0003] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises
a syringe barrel slidable in an outer housing, a hollow needle extending
forwardly from the syringe barrel and movable with the barrel to
penetrate a resilient member and extend outwardly from the housing.
A control handle is pivotally mounted and has means to engage any
of a plurality of spaced-apart stops or notches for the selective
positioning of the needle to extend it beyond the forward end of
the housing or to retract the needle within the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIGS. 1 2 and 3 are sectional views of a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, showing the needle and other components
in different positions in use in operation of the syringe of the
invention;
[0005] FIG. 4 is a top view of the syringe of FIGS. 1-3;
[0006] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5-5 in FIG. 3;
[0007] FIG. 5A is a sectional view taken at line 5A-5A in FIG.
4;
[0008] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the syringe of FIGS. 1-3
with its needle extended;
[0009] FIGS. 7 8 and 9 are sectional views of a second embodiment
of the syringe of the invention, showing components in successive
positions of operation;
[0010] FIG. 10 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention
shown in FIGS. 7-9;
[0011] FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken at line 11-11 in FIG.
9; and
[0012] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the syringe of FIGS. 7-9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment 10 of
the present invention comprises an outer housing 12 a syringe body
or barrel 14 of generally cylindrical configuration, and a plunger
16 slidable in the syringe body 14.
[0014] A helical spring 18 is disposed between an end wall 20 of
the housing and an end wall 24 of the plunger 16. A hollow needle
22 is extensible through end wall 24 of the syringe to communicate
with the interior of the syringe.
[0015] A resilient seal 26 is threadedly mounted in the end wall
20. The needle 22 extends through the resilient seal member 26 and
tubular end member 28. The needle preferably has an inclined sharp
end portion to facilitate entry into a plug of a vial or an opened
ampoule for aspiration of liquid, or for injection into a person.
[0016] Control handle 34 is manually pivotal about a pivot 36 on
a bracket secured on a forward portion of syringe barrel 14 as
shown. The handle 34 extends outwardly via an upper opening in the
housing 12 as shown. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A, a spring 38 having
a coiled central portion and respective arms engaging the handle
and the bracket engages the handle 34 and the bracket mounted on
the syringe housing, thus to bias the handle 34 upwardly and outwardly
relative to the pivot at 36.
[0017] In assembling the syringe of the invention, a foot or ridge
40 on the syringe is first positioned outwardly of housing 12 as
shown in FIG. 1. As assembly proceeds, foot 40 moves inside the
housing 12 as shown in FIG. 2 and engages a bent end portion 41
to prevent the syringe 14 from moving outwardly on housing 12. The
syringe is then movable to extend needle 22 to pierce seal 26 as
indicated in FIG. 3. Housing 12 is at the lower portion of undulating
contour, as shown, for improved manual gripping.
[0018] A rod portion 42 on the handle 34 is adapted to engage in
any of the notches 44 46 or 48 defined in the upper portion of
the housing. In utilizing the syringe, portion 42 of the handle
is first engaged in the first notch 44. To move the handle portion
to engage in the second notch 46 it is only necessary to push the
handle a short distance forward to engage the second notch 46 and
cause the needle to pierce and extend through the seal member 26.
Once the handle is moved into the second notch 46 the syringe cannot
then be moved back to notch 44 because the foot 40 is retained by
the end edge of the housing 12.
[0019] FIG. 3 shows the handle engaged in the third notch 48 so
that needle 22 extends outwardly from the end of the housing for
use in injection of medication into a person or aspiration of medication
or drug from a bottle or an ampoule. In this position, the force
of the compressed spring 18 is resisted by the engagement of handle
rod portion 42 in the third notch 48. The needle remains in this
position until released by manual pressure on handle 34.
[0020] In utilizing the syringe, plunger 16 is axially movable
outwardly by pulling on outer cap 50 of the plunger to produce suction
in the syringe to draw liquid from an ampoule or bottle, etc. Urging
the plunger inwardly produces pressure in the syringe as for injecting
via the needle 22 or via tubing connected to patient to inject liquid
into a patient, bottle or ampoule.
[0021] Further, a watertight seal at needle 22 prevents liquid
in the syringe from retrograde flow into housing 12 when the tip
of the housing is attached to a female connector onto intravenous
tubing, regardless of whether positive or negative pressure is applied
to the syringe plunger with the syringe plunger pushed forward or
pulled backward.
[0022] A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIGS. 7-12. This embodiment comprises certain improvements or
alternate features which differ from the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6.
Features of this embodiment which are in common with the first embodiment
are identified by the same reference numerals.
[0023] Like the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6 the device of FIGS. 7-12
may be used as a needle system and also as a needle-less system.
[0024] The embodiment of FIGS. 7-12 differs from that of FIGS.
1-6 in that its upper body portion and upper features are flatter
and lower and in that notches 76 78 and 80 are defined differently
and differently positioned, as shown. A handle 64 is pivotally mounted
relative to the syringe, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6. A hook
portion 70 is pivotal by means of handle 64 to engage the hook in
a selected notch 76 78 or 80.
[0025] As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6 an important feature
of the invention is the provision of means whereby simply pushing
on the handle 64 converts the syringe from a needle to a needle-less
device. With the syringe in its forward position of FIG. 9 with
the hook 72 disposed in the third notch 80 the needle extends outwardly
from the housing, as shown in FIG. 9. With the needle in its outward
position, the user maintains pressure on the spring.
[0026] The components remain in steady positions with needle extended
until released by manual downward pressure on the handle and pushing
forwardly on the handle to release the prong from the third notch
80. The spring of the syringe urges the syringe only as far as the
position shown in FIG. 8 wherein the needle is fully retracted
into the tip of housing, as shown in FIG. 8.
[0027] The prong 72 is stopped at a first position by engagement
with the first notch 76 and only needs to be pushed a short distance
forwardly to pierce the seal and engage the second notch 78. The
prong is released from the notch by pushing forward slightly and
pressing downwardly on the handle 64.
[0028] It will be understood that various changes and modifications
may be made from the preferred embodiments discussed above without
departing from the scope of the present invention, which is established
by the following claims and equivalents thereof. |