System and method for safety syringe

Inventors

Shluzas, Alan E. • Diaz, Stephen H. • Shanley, John F. • Segelke, Scott • Merhige, John

Assignees

Credence Medsystems Inc

Abstract

A system for injecting includes a syringe body defining a proximal opening and a distal needle interface. The system also includes a plunger member defining a plunger interior and configured to be manually manipulated to insert a stopper member relative to the syringe body, the plunger member. The plunger member includes a needle retention feature disposed in the plunger interior, an energy-storage member disposed in the plunger interior, and an energy-storage member latching member disposed in the plunger interior. The system further includes a needle hub assembly coupled to the distal needle interface of the syringe body. The needle assembly includes a needle having a needle proximal end feature, a hub, and a needle latching member configured to couple the needle to the hub. The needle is at least partially retractable into plunger interior. The needle proximal end feature includes an annular distally facing surface.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a safety syringe system for injecting in which a syringe body defines a proximal opening and a distal needle interface and a plunger member is manually manipulated to insert a stopper member relative to the syringe body. The plunger member includes a needle retention feature disposed in a plunger interior, an energy-storage member disposed in the plunger interior, and an energy-storage member latching member disposed in the plunger interior. A needle hub assembly coupled to the distal needle interface removably couples a needle to a hub via a needle latching member interacting with an annular recess in the needle.

A defining behavior is that the needle is at least partially retractable into the plunger interior upon manipulation of the plunger member relative to the syringe body, transforming the energy-storage member latching member from a latched state to an unlatched state. The needle proximal end feature comprises an elongate needle proximal portion, a collar portion, and a proximal tip, including a proximal opening and a hollow interior. The collar portion comprises an uninterrupted annular distally facing surface, and the elongate needle proximal portion has a first cross-sectional diameter while the collar portion has a second cross-sectional diameter greater than the first cross-sectional diameter.

The needle proximal end feature cooperates with the needle retention feature to control retention during penetration and release during retraction. In one arrangement described, a tubular member is coupled to the proximal end feature such that an interior of the tubular member is in fluid communication with the hollow interior of the needle proximal end feature, and the tubular member includes a side opening and the annular recess. In further aspects described, the needle retention feature includes a receiving member configured with latching members and a rigid ring, including cooperative operation with the uninterrupted annular distally facing surface to influence distal force requirements and prevent distal movement in a protected configuration.

Claims Coverage

The partial content contains three independent claims. Each independent claim recites an injection system with a manually manipulated plunger and a retractable needle driven by an energy-storage member latching mechanism, and each claim further specifies structural needle proximal end geometry that cooperates with a needle retention feature to manage the transition between latched and unlatched states.

Across the independent claims, the main inventive coverage is the combination of a manually manipulated plunger with an energy-storage member latching mechanism that releases when the needle retracts, together with a specific needle proximal end feature geometry (including an uninterrupted annular distally facing surface, diameter relationships, and a hollow proximal end with a proximal opening) that cooperates with a needle retention feature for controlled injection safety.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications