Syringe needle abstract
A retractable needle shielding device for use with a medical syringe
is devised to reduce the risk of inadvertent needle strikes. The
shield includes a retractable tubular body movable from a position
completely shielding the needle to a position where the needle extends
outward from the tubular body. The tubular body may be configured
to retract over the barrel of the syringe and, in which case, should
be formed of a substantially transparent material. The shield may
include a collar engageable in series with and in fluid communication
with the nose of the barrel and the hub of the needle. The collar
preferably includes radially extending guides which are engageable
with grooves disposed interiorly of the tubular body. The collar
may be substantially the same length as the tubular body and, therefore,
not retract over the syringe barrel. Frictional elements are provided
to resist the displacement of the tubular body relative to the syringe.
The tubular body is dimensioned and configured to be extensible
over the length of a syringe needle and the needle cap.
Syringe needle claims
I claim:
1. A needle guard for use with a syringe comprising:
a tubular body having a cross-section complementary in shape and
slightly larger than that of the syringe, said tubular body being
axially displaceable between an extended position and a retracted
position to respectively conceal and expose a needle of the syringe;
a first frictional element offering resistance to an axial displacement
of said tubular body relative to the syringe;
a collar having a first end and a second end, said first end being
configured to be matingly engageable with a nose of a barrel of
the syringe, said second end being configured to be matingly engageable
with a hub of the needle of the syringe;
said collar including a bore passing therethrough, said bore being
in fluid communication with the bore in the nose of the barrel and
the bore in the hub of the needle;
said collar being configured to sealingly engage the nose of the
barrel and the hub of the needle to prevent leakage of fluid therefrom;
and
said first frictional element being affixed to an exterior surface
of said collar.
2. A needle guard according to claim 1 wherein said tubular body
includes a first open end and a second open end opposite said first
open end, said tubular body being dimensioned and configured to
loosely receive the syringe through said first open end thereof,
said tubular body further being dimensioned and configured to be
telescopically slidable axially over the syringe between the extended
position and the retracted position, said second open end being
dimensioned to enable the needle of the syringe to extend therethrough
upon sliding said tubular body to the retracted position.
3. A needle guard according to claim 1 wherein said collar is
fabricated from a sterile plastic material.
4. A needle guard according to claim 1 further including a second
frictional element, and wherein
said collar further includes diametrically opposed, radially extending
guide members, each one of said frictional elements being affixed
to a radial extremity of a respective one of said guide members,
and wherein
said tubular body further includes diametrically opposed, longitudinally
extending grooves disposed interiorly of the tubular body, said
grooves being configured to a shape complementary to that of said
guides,
said guides slidably communicating with a respective one of said
grooves.
5. A needle guard according to claim 1 wherein
said collar is fabricated from a sterile plastic material.
6. A needle guard according to claim 1 further including a second
frictional element, and wherein
said collar further includes diametrically opposed, radially extending
guide members, each one of said frictional elements being affixed
to a radial extremity of a respective one of said guide members,
and wherein
said tubular body further includes diametrically opposed, longitudinally
extending grooves disposed interiorly of the tubular body, said
grooves being configured to a shape complementary to that of said
guides,
said guides slidably communicating with a respective one of said
grooves.
7. A needle guard according to claim 1 wherein said tubular body
has a length substantially smaller than that of said collar, such
that upon displacment of said tubular body to the retracted position,
said tubular body telescopically slides axially over the syringe.
8. A needle guard for use with a syringe comprising:
a tubular body having a first open end and a second open end opposite
said first open end, said tubular body being dimensioned and configured
to loosely receive the syringe through said first open end thereof,
said tubular body further being dimensioned and configured to be
telescopically slidable axially over the syringe between an extended
position and a retracted position, said second open end being dimensioned
to enable the needle of the syringe to extend therethrough upon
sliding said tubular body to the retracted position;
a frictional element intermediate said tubular body and the syringe,
said frictional element offering resistance to an axial displacement
of said tubular body relative to the syringe;
a collar having a first end and a second end, said first end being
configured to be matingly engageable with a nose of a barrel of
the syringe, said second end being configured to be matingly engageable
with a hub of a needle of the syringe,
said collar including a bore passing therethrough, said bore being
in fluid communication with the bore in the nose of the barrel and
the bore in the hub of the needle,
said collar being configured to sealingly engage the nose of the
barrel and the hub of the needle to prevent leakage of fluid therefrom,
and
said frictional element being affixed to an exterior surface of
said collar.
Syringe needle description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a needle shielding device
for use in reducing the risk of inadvertent needle strikes of both
a patient and a person administering an injection or drawing blood
from the patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Medical professionals are susceptible to accidental needle strikes
during the administration of medicines to, or when drawing blood
from, a patient. There exists an increasing concern for the potential
transmission of infectious diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis,
through exposure to accidental needle strikes. To combat the spread
of disease, there have been numerous attempts to devise needle shielding
devices intended to reduce the risk of accidental needle strikes.
For example, a sheath is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2571653 issued
Oct. 16 1951 to Victor G. Bastien. The sheath is operable between
an extended position and a retracted position, and is cooperatively
engageable with the barrel of a syringe to lock in each position.
An annular opening is provided at each end of the sheath. When the
sheath is in the retracted position, the needle is extendable through
one opening and the barrel is received by the other opening.
Another needle shielding device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4356822
issued Nov. 2 1982 to Deborah Winstead-Hall. Winstead-Hall discloses
a cap which receives at least a portion of the barrel of a syringe.
The cap includes locking members for securing the cap and barrel
in a number of relative positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4631057 issued Dec. 23 1986 to Charles B. Mitchell,
discloses yet another needle shielding device. This needle shield
device is mounted on the barrel of a syringe and is movable relative
to the barrel from a retracted position to an extended position.
An annular rib engages the barrel to maintain the shielding device
in a retracted position. Upon extension of the shielding device,
a pair of teeth engage the barrel to lock the shield in an extended
position.
A shielding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4826491 issued
May 2 1989 to James J. Schramm, wherein the shield includes teeth
which cooperate with a syringe to provide three distinct retaining
positions. The shield is substantially non-releasable from an extended
position around the needle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4955868 issued Sep. 11 1990 to Edward Klein,
relates to a modification of a hypodermic syringe having a shield
to cover the needle of the syringe. This shield is retractable to
allow the needle to extend past the shield. A spring is used to
automatically return the shield to a position covering the needle.
Shielding devices for adaptation to conventional syringes are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 4998920 issued Mar. 12 1991 to Delores Johnson,
and U.S. Pat. No. 5106380 issued Apr. 21 1992 to Diane Lobello.
These devices each include a collar adapted to be affixed to a syringe
adjacent the syringe needle and a sleeve adapted to be arranged
circumjacent the syringe barrel. These sleeves engage the collar
upon placement of the sleeve in an extended position. The sleeve
according to Johnson is further engageable with the collar in a
retracted position.
Another shielding device for use with syringes is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5084030 issued Jan. 28 1992 to Phillip O. Byrne
et al. The shield according to Byrne is movable from a retracted
position to an extended position and is maintained in the extended
position by a hidden projection that engages the syringe.
UK Patent Application GB 2 202 747 A, published Oct. 5 1988 for
William Ducat, discloses a needle shield which includes a sleeve
that is axially slidable over the barrel of a syringe. The sleeve
may be spring biased and lockable in position. Another needle shielding
device deemed of interest is shown in an Italian publication, No.
704152 published Apr. 19 1966 for Unberto Fonghini.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or
in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a retractable needle shielding
device for use with a medical syringe. This device shields the needle
to reduce the risk of inadvertent needle strikes to both a patient
and a person administering an injection to, or drawing blood from,
the patient. The shield includes a retractable tubular body movable
from a position completely shielding the needle to a position where
the needle extends outward from the tubular body.
In a first embodiment, the tubular body is retractable over the
barrel of the syringe. For at least this reason, the tubular member
should be constructed from a substantially transparent material
to permit markings on the syringe to be visually observed therethrough.
In a second and third embodiment, the shield includes a collar
engageable in series with the barrel nose and the needle hub. These
collars each include radially extending guides which are engageable
with grooves disposed interiorly of their respective tubular bodies.
The cooperative engagement of the guides and grooves prevents each
of the tubular bodies from rotating with respect to its respective
collar. This enables each collar to be threadably engaged with the
needle hub by rotating the tubular body.
The tubular body, in accordance with the second and third embodiments,
is retractable over its respective collar. The collar, according
to the second embodiment, has a significantly smaller length than
that of the tubular body. For at least this reason, the tubular
body according to the second embodiment, similar to that of the
first embodiment, is retractable over the barrel. Hence, this tubular
body should be likewise be fabricated from a substantially transparent
material.
The collar according to the third embodiment is substantially the
same length as the tubular body. Therefore, unlike the first and
second embodiments, the tubular body according to the third embodiment
does not retract over the syringe barrel. It follows that it need
not be made of a transparent material. Further, since the tubular
body of this embodiment does not retract over the syringe barrel,
the tubular body need not have a cross-section larger than that
of the syringe barrel and therefore, is not limited in its use to
syringes having smaller cross-sections.
In each of the aforementioned embodiments, a frictional element
is provided to resist the displacement of the tubular body relative
to the syringe. In the first embodiment, this frictional element
in affixed to the interior surface of the tubular body. In the second
and third embodiments, a plurality of frictional elements are affixed
to the radial extremities of their respective collars. The frictional
element, according to at least the first embodiment, is preferably
substantially transparent so as to not interfere with a visual observation
therethrough.
The frictional elements resist movement of the tubular bodies.
Hence, the tubular bodies must be purposefully manipulated by the
medical professional. To this end, the frictional elements eliminate
the need for catches and the like.
In all three embodiments, the tubular body is extensible over the
entire length of a syringe needle. It should be noted that a biasing
element may be provided to displace the tubular body to an extended
position where the tubular body conceals the needle.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide
a needle shielding device capable of frictionally engaging syringe
assemblies.
It is another object that the device be easily and readily displaceable
while inserting a needle into, or extracting a needle from, a medicine
vial or a patient.
It is a further object that the shield be dimensioned and configured
to cover a syringe needle and receive a needle cap when capping
the needle.
Still another object that the shielding device lessen the possibility
of spreading contaminants through the use of a common syringe.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and
arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described
which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing
its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily
apparent upon further review of the following specification and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an environmental perspective view of a needle shielding
device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale, cross-sectional view drawn along lines
2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a reduced scale, elevational view of the needle shielding
device shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged scale, environmental perspective view of
an alternative needle shielding device.
FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view drawn along lines 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway, environmental perspective view of
another needle shielding device.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged scale, cross-sectional view drawn along lines
7--7 of FIG. 6.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently
throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention, as is shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 is a needle
shielding device 10. The shielding device 10 is intended for use
in offering protection against inadvertent puncture of both a patient
and a person administering the injection or drawing blood from the
patient.
The shielding device 10 includes a tubular body 12 preferably formed
of a hardened rubber or plastic material. The tubular body 12 is
further dimensioned to loosely receive the barrel B of a syringe
S. For example, the tubular body 12 shown has a cross-section complementary
in shape and slightly larger than that of the syringe barrel B.
A first open end 14 is provided through which the barrel B is received,
and a second open end 16 is provided through which the syringe needle
N may extend. The tubular body 12 is telescopically and axially
displaceable over a barrel B between an extended position P.sub.E
and a retracted position P.sub.R to respectively conceal and expose
the needle N. It should be noted that the tubular body 12 should
be substantially transparent to enable the barrel B to be visually
observed therethrough.
End formations 18 may be provided at the first end 14 of the tubular
body 12. The dimensions of the end formations 18 may be slightly
larger than that of the syringe finger grips G to improve the maneuverability
of the tubular body 12 relative to the syringe S.
Frictional elements, such as the frictional strips 20 shown, are
located intermediate the tubular body 12 and the syringe S. Preferably,
the frictional strips 20 are affixed to the interior surface 22
of the tubular body 12. The strips 20 are preferably diametrically
spaced apart and extend longitudinally the full extent of the tubular
body 12. The strips 20 are intended to frictionally engage the outer
wall of the barrel B offering resistance to an axial displacement
of said tubular body 12 relative to the syringe S.
The shielding device 10 according to this embodiment may be dimensioned
and configured to retrofit existing syringes S and does not interfere
with the needle N, the needle cap C, or the operation of the syringe
plunger P.
It should be noted that, although two frictional strips are shown,
as few as one and more than two frictional strips 20 may be affixed
to the inner wall 22 of the tubular body 12. To provide an equal
distribution of frictional engagement about the barrel B and between
the tubular body 12 and the barrel B, the frictional strips 20 should
be spaced equidistantly apart. For example, placing the two frictional
strips 20 diametrically apart, as is shown, provides an equal distribution
of friction about the barrel B and between the barrel B and the
tubular body 12 and therefore, further reduces the risk of the needle
shielding device 10 being inadvertently displaced.
In a second embodiment, as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the needle
shielding device 110 includes a collar 124. The collar 124 has a
first end 126 and second end 128 opposite the first end 126. The
first end 126 is configured to be matingly engageable with the nose
B.sub.N of the barrel B. The second end 128 is configured to be
matingly engageable with the hub N.sub.H of the needle N. In this
way, the collar 124 is located in series with the barrel B and the
needle N.
The collar 124 has a bore 130 passing therethrough which is in
fluid communication with a bore in the nose B.sub.N of the barrel
B and a bore in the hub N.sub.H of the needle N. This provides a
passage for fluid to flow through the collar 124 from the nose B.sub.N
to the hub N.sub.H. For at least this reason, the collar 124 should
be fabricated from a sterile material, such as a material similar
to that of which the syringe S is fabricated.
The collar 124 should further be configured to sealingly engage
the nose B.sub.H of the barrel B as well as the hub N.sub.H of needle
N to prevent leakage of fluid therefrom. This may be accomplished
through the formation of a LUER LOCK configuration 134 at the first
end 126 of the collar 124 which is engageable with the nose B.sub.N
of the barrel B and through the formation of a LUER LOCK configuration
136 at the second end 128 of the collar 124 which is engageable
with the hub N.sub.H of the needle N.
The collar 124 further includes diametrically opposed, radially
extending guide members 132. The radial extremities of the guide
members 132 are each provided with a frictional element, such as
the elongated frictional strips 120 shown.
These guides 132 communicate with longitudinally extending grooves
138 disposed within the inner wall 122 of the tubular body 112.
The grooves 138 like the guides 132 are diametrically opposed.
The grooves 138 are further configured to possess a shape complementary
to that of the guides 132. The guides 132 restrict the displacement
of the tubular body 112 relative to the collar 124 to an axial displacement.
The frictional strips 120 each engage a respective groove 138.
A tight fit relationship exists between each frictional strip 120
and a respective one of the grooves 138 to increase the resistance
to the axial displacement of the tubular body 112 relative to the
collar 124 and, in turn, relative to the syringe S.
In a third embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the needle shielding
element or device 210 includes a collar 224 having an extension
substantially equivalent to that of the tubular body 222. Unlike
the first two embodiments, according to this embodiment, the tubular
body 222 when retracted, does not overlap the syringe S (not shown)
but overlaps the collar 224. For this reason, the tubular body 222
need not be dimensioned to receive the barrel B (not shown), but
may have a cross-section smaller than that of the barrel B. Since
the tubular body 222 does not retract over the barrel B, the barrel
B remains fully exposed for visual observation when the needle shielding
device 210 is retracted to expose the needle N (not shown).
In the second and third embodiments, as are shown in FIGS. 4 through
7 after the syringe S has been used, the collar 124 224 with the
needle N attached thereto may be removed from the nose B.sub.N of
the barrel B by rotating the tubular body 112 222. This enables
the needle N and the shielding device 110 210 thereabout to be
discarded independently of the barrel B.
In each embodiment, the tubular bodies 12 112 222 as shown in
FIGS. 1 through 7 are each dimensioned to entirely enshroud a needle
N and to extend beyond the extent of the needle N, totally protecting
a medical professional and a patient from inadvertent needle pricks.
The tubular bodies 12 112 222 are further each dimensioned and
configured to cover the needle N and receive a needle cap C when
capping the needle N while the tubular bodies 12 112 222 are each
fully extended.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited
to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all
embodiments within the scope of the following claims. |