Safety pen needle variable indicator
Inventors
Manocchio, John • Bowen, Mark • Oza, Kunjal • Vieira, Louis
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11364350-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
A safety pen needle assembly (12) is disclosed which comprises a hub (30), a needle cannula (20) engaged to the hub (30), the needle cannula (20) having a distal end for insertion into a patient, and a proximal end extending into the hub (30), a sleeve (14) surrounding the hub (30) and needle cannula (20), a shield (16) including a window (18), the shield (16) surrounding the sleeve (14) and movable relative to the sleeve (14) from a first position, to a second position and to a third position to expose and cover the distal end of the needle cannula (20), and a spring (144) urging the shield (16) to move relative to the sleeve (14) from the second position to the third position, wherein the window (18) indicates when the needle cannula (20) is extended in the second position.
Core Innovation
The safety pen needle assembly comprises a hub, a needle cannula, a sleeve, a movable shield with a window, a locking mechanism, and a spring. The shield moves relative to the sleeve among a first position in which the sleeve encloses the needle cannula and hub, a second position in which the needle cannula extends beyond them, and a third position in which the sleeve surrounds the distal end of the cannula.
The spring urges the shield from the second position to the third position, and the locking mechanism engages the shield to the hub to prevent further use of the needle cannula. The window indicates needle extension in the second position and activation of the locking mechanism in the third position. The background section is not included in the supplied partial content, so the problem identified there is not explicitly described in patent.
Claims Coverage
The supplied relevant claims identify one independent claim, claim 1, covering the safety pen needle assembly with four inventive features including a movable shield, spring, locking mechanism, and window-based indication.
Hub, needle cannula, and surrounding sleeve
The assembly includes a hub, a needle cannula engaged to the hub with a distal end for insertion into a patient and a proximal end extending into the hub, and a sleeve surrounding the hub and needle cannula.
Movable shield with three positions
The shield includes a window and surrounds the sleeve. It moves relative to the sleeve from a first position where the sleeve encloses the needle cannula and hub, to a second position where the needle cannula extends beyond the hub and sleeve, and to a third position where the sleeve surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula.
Spring and locking mechanism
A spring urges the shield to move from the second position to the third position. A locking mechanism engages the shield to the hub to prevent further use of the needle cannula.
Window indicating needle extension and lock activation
The window indicates, via an indicia on the hub, when the needle cannula is extended in the second position and when the locking mechanism is activated in the third position.
Claim 1 covers the assembly structure, the shield's movement among three positions, spring-driven movement to the third position, locking against further use, and window-based indication of needle extension and lock activation.
Stated Advantages
Visual status indication is intended to confirm insertion and reduce injection errors.
Spring-driven retraction and a locking mechanism prevent renewed needle exposure after use.
Documented Applications
A sensor-equipped smart ring communicates shield-position and dose-related data to an external smart device.
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