Needle-based device with a safety mechanism implemented therein

Inventors

Moleda, Jaroslaw

Assignees

Medivena Sp zoo

Abstract

A method includes protecting an entire length of a needle of a needle-based device in a first state of disuse thereof with a needle cap, encompassing, by a needle shield, the entire length of the needle and at least a partial length of the needle cap in the first state of disuse, and encompassing an entire protruding length of the needle cap outside the needle shield within a safety cap and securing the safety cap onto an outer surface of the needle shield such that the needle and the needle cap are completely protected and covered during the first state of disuse. Following removing the safety cap along with the needle cap from the needle shield, the method also includes retracting the needle shield to cause the needle to emerge out of the needle shield to prepare the needle-based device for a second state of use thereof.

Core Innovation

A needle-based device provides a needle cap completely encompassing a needle protruding from a needle mount coupled to a body of the needle-based device in a first state of disuse. A needle shield encompasses the entire length of the needle and at least a partial length of the needle cap such that a length of the needle cap protrudes outside the needle shield from an end of the needle shield farthest away from the needle mount in the first state of disuse. A safety cap encompasses the entire protruding length of the needle cap and is secured onto an outer surface of the needle shield proximate the end farthest away from the needle mount such that the needle and the needle cap are completely protected and covered during the first state of disuse.

The safety cap is removed along with the needle cap from the end of the needle shield farthest away from the needle mount in the first state of disuse such that the encompassing of the entire length of the needle by the needle shield is maintained. Following the removing of the safety cap along with the needle cap in the first state of disuse of the needle-based device, the needle shield retracts in a first direction toward the body of the needle-based device to cause the needle to emerge out of the needle shield to prepare the needle-based device for a second state of use.

Guide elements protrude from the end of the needle shield farthest away from the needle mount in the first state of disuse, internal to the needle shield, in a direction parallel to a length of the needle shield so the needle cap passes through the guide elements to prevent significant lateral movement of the needle and the needle cap in the first state of disuse. The distance between the guide elements along a direction perpendicular to the length of the needle shield is less than an inner diameter of the needle shield, and a length of each of the guide elements along the direction of the length of the needle shield is significantly less than the length of the needle shield.

In further configurations, the method protects the entire length of the needle in the first state of disuse by springingly covering the entire protruding needle length with a spring placed on the needle mount, and the needle shield encompasses the entire length of the spring in addition to the entire protruding needle length. The needle-based device is automatically transitioned back to the first state of disuse immediately following the second state of use in accordance with a force applied in a second direction diametrically opposite to the first direction, including automatic decompression of the spring to generate an automatic restoring force applied opposite the first direction.

Claims Coverage

The provided excerpt includes four independent method claims. Across these independent claims, the core claim set contains four main inventive elements: complete disuse protection using a needle cap, a needle shield, and a safety cap; transition to a second state of use by removing the safety cap and retracting the needle shield; guide elements that prevent significant lateral movement of the needle and needle cap with specified geometric relationships; and, in some claims, an automatically returning spring-based force mechanism.

Across the independent claims, the inventive focus is on complete protection of a protruding needle in a first state of disuse using a needle cap, a needle shield, and a safety cap, then enabling a second state of use by removing the safety cap and retracting the needle shield to allow the needle to emerge. Additional inventive structure is directed to internal guide elements that constrain lateral movement with specific spacing and length relationships. In some independent claim sets, a spring is included so the device automatically transitions back to the first disuse state via a force in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found