Safety syringe abstract
A safety syringe has a barrel, a needle hub movably received in
the barrel and having a hollow cone with a flange formed on an inner
periphery of the hollow cone and a plunger with a hook formed to
correspond to the flange of the needle hub such that when the hook
engages with the flange of the needle hub, the needle hub is ready
to be pulled back into the barrel by a rearward movement of the
plunger so that the syringe is ready to be disposed of safely.
Safety syringe claims
What is claimed is:
1. A safety syringe comprising: a barrel: a needle hub movably
received in and extending out of the barrel, the needle hub having
a needle securely attached to a top of the needle hub, the needle
having a before use arrangement and an after use arrangement relative
to the barrel; in the before use arrangement the needle extends
along a central axis of the barrel and out of the barrel, and in
the after use arrangement the needle is trapped within the barrel;
the needle hub further having a hollow cone integrally formed with
the needle hub, the hollow cone having a flange formed on an inner
periphery of the hollow cone; and a plunger slidably received in
the barrel, the plunger having a thumb press formed on a first distal
end of the plunger, and a stop formed on a second distal end of
the plunger; a hook arranged on a free face of the stop of the second
distal end of the plunger, the hook being an elongated elastic member
having first and second legs with a bent portion between the first
and second legs, the first leg of the hook having a fixed end secured
to the free face of the stop of the second distal end of the plunger,
the second leg of the hook terminating in a free end, the bent portion
of the hook forming an apex for the hook where the fixed and free
ends of the hook face each other across an unfilled area, the first
and second legs and the apex of the hook being arranged at an incline
relative to the central axis of the barrel, and the hook of the
plunger and the flange of the needle hub cooperating together for
switching the needle between the before use arrangement and the
after use arrangement; wherein: (1) in the before use arrangement
the hook of the stop of the plunger is spaced from the needle hub;
(2) during use of the safety syringe, forward movement of the plunger
causes the apex of the hook to enter into the hollow cone of the
needle hub so that the free end of the hook catches on the flange
of the hollow cone of the needle hub; and so that subsequent backward
and movement of the plunger pulls the needle hub backward into the
barrel only by the action of the hook acting against the flange,
and further backward movement of the plunger places the needle in
the after use arrangement; and (3) in the after use arrangement,
forward movement of the plunger relative to the barrel damages the
needle because the hook forces the needle hub together with needle
to deviate from the central axis of the plunger causing the needle
hub with the needle to engage an inner periphery of the barrel,
thereby damaging the needle in rendering the needle safe and unusable.
2. The safety syringe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hook is
made of metal.
3. The safety syringe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hook has
an inverted V shape.
Safety syringe description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retracting device for a safety
syringe, and more particularly to a retracting device which is able
to satisfactorily pull the needle hub back into the barrel so that
the syringe is able to be safely disposed.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional syringe is shown in FIG. 6 and has a barrel (5),
a needle hub (6) and a plunger (7).
The barrel (5) has a step (51) formed on an inner face thereof.
The needle hub (6) has a flange (61) corresponding to the step (51)
and having a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the step
(51). The plunger (7) has a stopper (71) and a hook (72) formed
on a distal end of the plunger (7). The needle hub (6) further defines
an annular cutout (62) to receive therein an engaging portion (711)
of the stopper (71) and a retaining portion (63) formed to maintain
the stopper (71) to be in engagement with the needle hub (6). The
stopper (71) has an extension (712) extending out of the annular
cutout (62) to correspond to the hook (72).
When the needle hub (6) is received in the barrel (5), because
the diameter of the flange (61) is larger than the step (51), the
diameter of the step (51) is enlarged so that the engagement between
the needle hub (6) and the barrel (5) is secured. Then, the engaging
portion (711) of the stopper (71) is received in the annular cutout
(62) of the needle hub (6).
When the plunger (7) is pushed in the barrel (5) toward the needle
hub (6), the hook (72) first passes over the extension (712) of
the stopper (71) so as to complete an injection. Thereafter, when
the user is pulling the needle hub (6) together with the needle
(not shown) back into the barrel (5) in order to safely dispose
of the syringe, the hook (72) engages with the extension (712) of
the stopper (71) and then the user is able to pull the needle hub
(6) together with the stopper (71) inward to the inside of the barrel
(5).
However, problems often happen to the users when trying to dispose
of the syringe of this type. That is, if the engagement between
the flange (61) and the step (51) is too tight, the user will have
difficulty pulling the needle hub (6) back into the barrel (5) and
if the engagement between the flange (61) and the step (51) is too
loose, the needle hub (6) will automatically fall into the barrel
(5) when the user is trying to have medicine received inside the
syringe. Accordingly, a precise calculation of the dimension of
the needle hub (6), the plunger (7) and even the barrel (5) should
be taken carefully so that a proper engagement among the needle
hub (6), the plunger (7) and the barrel (5) is available.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide
an improved retracting device for a safety syringe to mitigate and
obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an
improved retracting device for a safety syringe so that the user
is able to readily pull the needle hub back into the barrel.
In order to accomplish the foregoing objective, the syringe has
a barrel, a plunger movably received in the barrel and provided
with a hook integrally formed with a stop which is formed on a distal
end of the plunger, a needle hub movably received in the barrel
and having a flange formed on an inner periphery of the needle hub
to correspond to the hook. Engagement between the needle hub and
the hook enables the needle together with the needle hub to be readily
retracted into the barrel so that accidental damage to the paramedic
personnel is prevented.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the parts of the
syringe of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing an assembly among the
barrel, the needle hub and the plunger;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the hook engages with
the flange of the needle hub;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing that the needle hub is
retracted back into the barrel by the reward movement of the plunger;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing that the needle of the needle
hub is broken by the forward movement of the plunger; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the barrel,
the needle hub, the stopper and the plunger of a conventional safety
syringe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1 the safety syringe in accordance with
the present invention has a barrel (1), a needle hub (2) and a plunger
(3).
The barrel (1) is hollow inside to receive therein the needle hub
(2) and the plunger (3).
The needle hub (2) has an annular boss (21) formed on an outer
periphery of the needle hub (2) and the barrel (1) has an annular
recess (11) defined to correspond to the annular boss (21) such
that when the needle hub (2) is received in the barrel (1), as shown
in FIG. 2 the annular boss (21) is received in the annular recess
(11), which allows the needle hub (2) be detachably received in
the barrel (1). The needle hub (2) has a hollow cone (22) and a
flange (23) formed on an inner periphery of the hollow cone (22)
of the needle hub (2).
The plunger (3) has a thumb push (31) formed on a first distal
end of the plunger (3) and a stop (32) formed on a second distal
end of the plunger (3) and having a hook (321) integrally formed
on a front portion of the stop (32) to correspond to the hollow
cone (22).
With reference to FIG. 2 when the safety syringe of the present
invention is in assembly, the needle hub (2) is first inserted into
the barrel (1) to have the annular boss (21) of the needle hub (2)
received in the annular recess (11) of the barrel (1) so as to secure
a relative position of the needle hub (2) to the barrel (1). Meantime,
the plunger (3) is also received in the barrel (1) to be ready to
receive medicine in the barrel (1). From FIG. 2 it is noted that
before the safety syringe of the present invention is in use, a
distance exists between the stop (32) and the hollow cone (22) so
that the hook (321) is not in engagement with the flange (23) of
the hollow cone (22).
Furthermore, the hook (321) is preferably made of a metal. The
hook (321) is bent so that a free end of the hook (321) is resilient
relative a distal end securely formed with the stop (32).
With reference to FIG. 3 when the medicine inside the barrel (1)
is ejected, the user pushes the plunger (3) all the way into the
barrel (1) to force the stop (32) to engage with the hollow cone
(22). When the stop (32) engages with the hollow cone (22), the
hook (321) is received in the hollow cone (22). Because of the resilience
of the hook (321), the hook (321) is able to engage with the flange
(23) of the hollow cone (22). Thereafter the user is ready to pull
the needle hub (2) back into the barrel (1).
With reference to FIG. 4 after the needle hub (2) is retracted
in the barrel (1), because the free end of the hook (321) is in
engagement with one point of the flange (23), the needle hub (2)
is inclined relative to the barrel (1). When the needle hub (2)
is inclined to and fully received in the barrel (1), a forward movement
of the plunger (3) together with the needle hub (2), as shown in
FIG. 5 results in the needle (24) being bent inside the barrel
(1) such that the safety syringe of the present invention is able
to be disposed of safely.
It is thus noted that the retracting device used in the safety
syringe of the present invention includes the hook (321) formed
with the stop (32) and a flange (23) formed on the inner periphery
of the hollow cone (22) of the needle hub (2).
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics
and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the
foregoing description, together with details of the structure and
function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only,
and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,
size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention
to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the
terms in which the appended claims are expressed. |