Pen needle with retractable shield
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12296156-B2
Publication Date
2025-05-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A pen needle (30) for a delivery device includes a hub (32) supporting a needle (54) and a distal needle shield (70) that can retract to expose the needle during injection and return to the extended position after use and lock in the extended position to cover the needle. A proximal needle shield (0.102) moves from a retracted position to an extended position with respect to the hub to shield or cover a proximal end of the needle when the needle hub is separated from the delivery device. A spring (130) extends between the distal needle shield and the proximal needle shield to bias each needle shield to the respective extended position. The distal needle shield (70) is coupled to the proximal needle shield (102) in an initial position to retain the spring (130) in a compressed state. The distal needle shield (70) is depressed to disengage the distal needle shield from the proximal needle shield (102) so that the spring expands to an extended state and moves the shields to the extended positions. A locking member (142, 156) can be provided to lock the proximal needle shield (70) and distal needle shield (102) in the extended position.
Core Innovation
A pen needle includes a hub and a needle coupled to the hub, where the needle has a distal end extending from a distal end of the hub and a proximal end extending proximally relative to the hub for connecting to a delivery device. The pen needle further includes a distal needle shield coupled to the hub for sliding between a first extended position that shields the distal end for injection, a retracted position that exposes the distal end for injecting a substance into a patient, and a second extended position that again shields the distal end. A proximal needle shield is also coupled to the hub for sliding from a retracted position where the proximal end of the needle is exposed to an extended position.
The distal needle shield is coupled to the proximal needle shield in a manner that retains the proximal needle shield in the retracted position. The distal needle shield is rotatable by axial movement relative to the hub from the first position to the second position to disconnect the distal needle shield from the proximal needle shield. Coupling and separating between distal and proximal coupling members/tabs occurs as part of the axial-movement-driven rotation, including detent/projection cam surface engagement and separation of coupling tabs.
A spring provides biased movement of the shields, including biasing into extended positions. The spring and the coupling state can be compressed when the distal and proximal needle shields are coupled, and expansion moves the distal and proximal shields toward extended positions. Locking members are configured to hold the distal needle shield in the second extended position and to lock the proximal needle shield in the extended position, thereby achieving an anti-needle-stick and non-reuse configuration.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims (clm-00001 and clm-00021) directed to a pen needle having both a distal needle shield and a proximal needle shield with defined sliding positions, shield coupling/disconnection, and spring bias to extended positions. Across the two independent claims, the main inventive features concentrate on positional shield actuation, axial movement-driven rotation and disconnection/coupling relationships, and spring-biased retention and locking in extended, shielded states.
Distal and proximal needle shields with coupled retract/extend positions
A distal needle shield coupled to the hub for sliding between a first extended position to shield the distal end of the needle, a retracted position to expose the distal end of the needle for injecting a substance into a patient, and a second extended position to shield the distal end of the needle, and a proximal needle shield coupled to the hub for sliding from a retracted position where the proximal end of the needle is exposed to an extended position, wherein the proximal needle shield is coupled with the distal needle shield for retaining the proximal needle shield in the retracted position.
Axial movement rotation disconnects distal from proximal needle shield
The distal needle shield is rotatable by axial movement relative to the hub from the first position to the second position to disconnect the distal needle shield from the proximal needle shield.
Spring-biased distal and proximal needle shields to extended positions
A spring having a first end contacting the distal needle shield for biasing the distal needle shield in a distal direction to the second extended position, and a second end contacting the base of the proximal needle shield for biasing the proximal needle shield and the shield member to the extended position.
Coupling member interface retains proximal needle shield in retracted position
A proximal needle shield having a second coupling member configured for coupling to the first coupling member of the distal needle shield and retaining the proximal needle shield in the retracted position, and the distal needle shield having a first coupling member.
Together, the independent claims cover a pen needle where a distal needle shield and a proximal needle shield move between retracted/exposed and extended/shielding positions, with coupling that retains the proximal shield in the retracted position. Axial movement of the distal needle shield produces rotation and disconnects distal from proximal shielding, while a spring biases the distal and proximal needle shields toward extended positions and coupling member relationships maintain the retracted state until disconnection.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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