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Publication Number
US-9844634-B2
Publication Date
2017-12-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
An automatic needle device comprises a body into which a needle assembly and needle are mounted. The device also includes a needle guard to cover the needle until it is used and to lock over the needle after use so the needle is not re-exposed. The locking is accomplished with a coil spring action locking device. A container for holding the automatic needle device also facilitates the viewing of the distal end of the needle prior to use on a patient.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an automatic needle device attachable to an injection device. The device includes a housing element with distal and proximal ends, a connector at the proximal end adapted for attachment to the injection device, and a needle assembly at least partly within the housing element with a needle extending from the distal end of the needle assembly.
A needle guard having distal and proximal ends is positioned in the distal end of the housing element and is movable from a first extended position to a retracted position to a second extended position. The needle guard covers the needle in the first and second extended positions and exposes the needle in the retracted position, and is biased by a biasing device in a distal direction so that it retracts upon contact of its distal end with a surface.
A locking mechanism locks the needle guard in the second extended position when the needle guard moves to the second extended position under the influence of the biasing device. In one embodiment, a spring distal end pushes the proximal end of the needle guard and is positioned in an interior locking surface within the housing element, with the spring being a coil spring having one or more coils in the distal end offset from remaining coils.
In another described locking embodiment, the spring distal end pushes against a locking element proximal surface and the locking element distal surface pushes the needle guard proximal end. The locking element includes one or more locking protrusions engaging an interior surface within the housing and sliding within corresponding grooves, and user viewing of the needle distal end is provided via openings in the needle guard side walls and/or substantially transparent material in the needle guard side walls.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim coverage includes 2 independent claims. Each independent claim includes an automatic needle device with a movable, bias-actuated needle guard and a locking mechanism that locks the needle guard in a second extended position; user-visibility features are further specified in dependent claims.
Automatic needle device attachable to an injection device with movable needle guard and distal-bias retraction
A housing element having distal and proximal ends with a connector at the proximal end adapted for attachment to the injection device; a needle assembly within the housing element with a needle extending from the distal end; a needle guard positioned in the distal end of the housing element and movable from a first extended position to a retracted position to a second extended position, covering the needle in the first and second extended positions and exposing the needle in the retracted position; the needle guard biased by a biasing device in a distal direction and retracted to the retracted position upon contact of the distal end of the needle guard with a surface.
Locking needle guard in a second extended position using a spring with an interior locking surface offset-coil geometry
A locking mechanism locking the needle guard in the second extended position when the needle guard, under the influence of the biasing device, moves to the second extended position; the spring distal end pushes the proximal end of the needle guard and is positioned in an interior locking surface within the housing element when the needle guard moves to the second extended position whereby the needle guard is locked in the second extended position; the spring being a coil spring having one or more of the coils in the distal end offset from remaining coils, with the offset coils positioned in the interior locking surface within the housing unit.
Locking mechanism with locking element, grooves, and slots for securing needle guard in second extended position
A locking mechanism locking the needle guard in the second extended position when the needle guard, under the influence of the biasing device, moves to the second extended position; the spring distal end pushing against a locking element proximal surface, the locking element distal surface pushing the needle guard proximal end; the locking element further comprising one or more locking protrusions engaging an interior surface within the housing when the needle guard moves to the second extended position whereby the needle guard is locked in the second extended position; and the one or more locking protrusions sliding within one or more corresponding grooves within the interior surface of the housing element, each groove having a slot at a distal end receiving the locking protrusions when the needle guard moves to its second extended position.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure is an automatic needle device with a needle guard that is distally biased, retracts upon contact with a surface, and is locked in a second extended position. The locking is implemented either by positioning a distal offset-coil spring end into an interior locking surface or by using a locking element with locking protrusions that slide into grooves and slots, with additional claim coverage specifying viewing of the needle distal end through guard openings and/or substantially transparent guard material.
Stated Advantages
Locks the needle guard in the second extended position.
Exposes the needle in the retracted position while the needle guard covers the needle in the first and second extended positions.
Allows user viewing of the needle distal end.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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