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Publication Number
US-11141531-B2
Publication Date
2021-10-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A dental safety syringe comprising selectively attachable barrel and plunger assemblies, the barrel assembly desirably further comprising a needle cartridge containing a needle holder and spring, and having a distal end from which a needle can be made to project forwardly while administering a medication and then subsequently withdrawn into the needle cartridge to avoid contamination following or between injections. The needle cartridge also comprises a proximal end having a recess into which an ampule containing medication can be inserted prior to connecting the plunger assembly to the barrel assembly so that a rubber dam in the distal end of the ampule is pierced by the proximal end of the needle whenever the syringe is fully assembled.
Core Innovation
A dental safety syringe includes a reusable barrel assembly and a cooperatively configured plunger assembly that is slidably engageable with the barrel assembly. The barrel assembly has a longitudinally extending window and projecting lugs, and the removable needle cartridge is insertable into the reusable barrel through the window.
The removable needle cartridge is disposed forwardly of an ampule containing medication and comprises a needle and a needle holder biased rearwardly by a compressible spring disposed inside the removable needle cartridge. The needle can be made to project forwardly while administering the medication from the ampule and then be subsequently withdrawn into the removable needle cartridge to avoid contamination following or between injections.
The projecting lugs of the reusable barrel are cooperatively engageable and alignable with the slots on the outside surface of the plunger body, enabling both axial and rotational movement of the plunger body relative to the reusable barrel. The cooperative engagement is configured to move the needle to initiate withdrawal of the needle into the removable needle cartridge when the plunger body is moved rearwardly relative to the reusable barrel.
Claims Coverage
The claims cover a dental safety syringe with six inventive features.
Spring-biased retractable removable needle cartridge for contamination avoidance
A removable needle cartridge disposed forwardly of an ampule containing a medication and further comprises a needle, a needle holder biased rearwardly by a compressible spring disposed inside the removable needle cartridge and a distal end from which the needle can be made to project forwardly while administering the medication from the ampule and then subsequently withdrawn into the removable needle cartridge to avoid contamination following or between injections.
Cooperative barrel/plunger coupling enabling axial and rotational movement
Projecting lugs of the reusable barrel of the barrel assembly are cooperatively engageable and alignable with slots disposed on the outside surface of the plunger body and configured to allow both axial and rotational movement of the plunger body relative to the reusable barrel to move the needle to initiate withdrawal of the needle into the removable needle cartridge and reusable barrel whenever the plunger body is moved rearwardly relative to the reusable barrel.
Reusable barrel with window and projecting lugs with insertable removable needle cartridge
The barrel assembly further comprising a reusable barrel with a longitudinally extending window and projecting lugs, and a removable needle cartridge insertable into the reusable barrel through the window.
Plunger body with slots and plunger rod with thumb ring and harpoon
The cooperatively configured plunger assembly further comprising a plunger body with open proximal and distal ends, an outside surface and slots disposed on the outside surface, a plunger rod slidably insertable into the plunger body having a proximal end and a distal end, and having a thumb ring attached to the proximal end of the plunger rod and a harpoon attached to the distal end of the plunger rod.
Needle projection and subsequent full withdrawal controlled by plunger movement
Moving the plunger body forward relative to the reusable barrel causes the needle to project forward from the distal end of the reusable barrel; and the cooperatively configured barrel assembly and plunger assembly withdraw the entire needle into a removable needle cartridge when the plunger body is moved rearwardly relative to the reusable barrel.
Ampule placement to establish fluid communication and fluid flow path to patient
A needle holder with a recess that positions the distal end of a medication ampule during attachment of a cooperatively configured plunger assembly to the barrel assembly to create fluid communication between the ampule and the needle; and a fluid flow path enables medication to flow through the needle into a patient when the plunger rod is pushed forward relative to the plunger body and reusable barrel.
Overall, the independent claim coverage centers on a dental safety syringe that combines a reusable barrel/plunger mechanism with a cooperatively configured axial-and-rotational coupling to control a spring-biased removable needle cartridge, providing forward needle projection for medication administration and subsequent needle withdrawal into the cartridge to avoid contamination, with additional dependent coverage relating to ampule placement, fluid communication, and medication delivery via a fluid flow path.
Stated Advantages
Avoid contamination following or between injections by withdrawing the needle into the removable needle cartridge.
Enable needle retraction initiated by cooperative axial and rotational movement of the plunger body relative to the reusable barrel.
Provide medication delivery to a patient through a fluid flow path when the plunger rod is pushed forward.
Documented Applications
Administering medication in a dental context by projecting a needle forward to deliver medication from an ampule and subsequently withdrawing the needle into a removable needle cartridge.
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