Safety syringe
Inventors
Diaz, Stephen H. • Shanley, John F. • Shluzas, Alan E. • Tillack, Jeff • Thayer, Dan
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11285271-B2
Publication Date
2022-03-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
One embodiment is directed to a safety syringe system, comprising: an off-the-shelf syringe assembly comprising a syringe body and a plunger tip; a needle assembly removably coupleable to the distal end of the syringe body such that medicinal fluid may be transferred through a retractable needle coupled to a needle housing comprising the needle assembly upon insertion of the plunger tip relative to the syringe body; and a plunger control assembly coupled to the plunger tip and configured to facilitate manual insertion of the plunger tip relative to the syringe body; wherein upon insertion of the plunger tip to a final insertion state and release of an associated manual insertion load, the plunger tip may be proximally withdrawn, pulling the retractable needle proximally relative to the needle housing to a safe locked and retracted state wherein it is no longer exposed for injection.
Core Innovation
The described invention is a safety syringe system for injecting that combines a syringe body with a stopper member and a plunger member, together with a retractable needle assembly coupled to the distal end of the syringe body. The needle assembly includes a needle housing and a needle that is removably coupled to the needle housing by an O-ring disposed in the needle housing. When the needle assembly is coupled to the distal end of the syringe body, the distal end of the syringe body is in contact with the O-ring, and the O-ring limits movement of the needle along a longitudinal axis.
The O-ring is compressed between the distal end of the syringe body and an interior surface of the needle housing, such that the O-ring squeezes an outer surface of the needle. This configuration supports a needle that is configured to be retracted inside of the syringe body. In embodiments, the needle includes a needle sleeve having a circumferential notch formed thereon and a distal needle portion, with the needle removably coupled by the O-ring so that longitudinal movement is constrained prior to retraction.
The system is used with a stopper member disposed in the syringe interior and coupled to the plunger member, where injection occurs by inserting the stopper member distally in the syringe interior to inject injectable fluid through the needle. Retraction is triggered by moving the stopper member to the distal end of the syringe body, and when the stopper member has been inserted to the distal end, the needle retracts inside of the syringe body. The needle housing and syringe body can also include a Luer connector at a distal end of the syringe body and a complementary Luer connector in the needle housing, facilitating coupling at the distal end.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims: a system for injecting and a method for injecting. Across these independent claims, the coverage centers on an O-ring based needle removably coupled in a needle housing to limit longitudinal movement and to enable retraction inside a syringe body upon distal movement of a stopper member.
O-ring controlled removably coupled needle in needle housing for retraction
A needle assembly with a needle housing including an O-ring disposed in the needle housing, where the needle is removably coupled to the needle housing by the O-ring such that the O-ring limits movement of the needle along a longitudinal axis, and the needle is configured to be retracted inside of the syringe body.
Compressed O-ring squeezes outer surface of needle
The O-ring is configured to be compressed between the distal end of the syringe body and an interior surface of the needle housing, such that the O-ring squeezes an outer surface of the needle.
Stoppers and plunger coupled to trigger needle retraction by distal movement
A syringe body having a stopper member disposed in the syringe interior and a plunger member coupled to the stopper member, where moving the stopper member to the distal end of the syringe body triggers retraction of the needle inside of the syringe body.
Needle sleeve with circumferential notch and distal needle portion
A needle comprising a needle sleeve having a circumferential notch formed thereon and a distal needle portion, with the needle removably coupled to the needle housing by the O-ring.
Luer connector interface between syringe body and needle housing
The syringe body comprises a Luer connector at a distal end thereof, and the needle housing comprises a complementary Luer connector.
Method including compressing O-ring, inserting stopper, injecting through needle, and retracting needle when stopper reaches distal end
A method for injecting that includes compressing the O-ring between the distal end of the syringe body and an interior surface of the needle housing such that the O-ring squeezes an outer surface of the needle; inserting the stopper member distally in the syringe interior to inject the injectable fluid through the needle; triggering retraction of the needle inside of the syringe body by moving the stopper member to the distal end of the syringe body; and retracting the needle inside of the syringe body when the stopper member has been inserted to the distal end of the syringe body.
The independent claims are grounded in an O-ring in a needle housing that compresses against the needle and is compressed between the syringe body distal end and the needle housing, limiting longitudinal needle movement and enabling the needle to retract inside the syringe body when a stopper member coupled to a plunger member is moved to the distal end. Optional claim coverage further specifies a Luer connector interface and a needle sleeve with a circumferential notch.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?