Frontal attachment device for syringe with pinch-activated needle retraction

Inventors

Shaw, Thomas J. • Small, Mark • Zhu, Ni

Assignees

Retractable Technologies Inc

Abstract

A retractable needle device attachable to the front of a fluid collection or infusion device such as a syringe, the retractable needle device comprising a housing having an engagement member, a slide support surface, a retraction cavity and a first pinch surface; a needle; a needle alignment member comprising a needle tube and a second pinch surface; and a needle retraction mechanism positioned within the needle tube and configured to bias the needle rearwardly; wherein the first and second pinch surfaces are configured so that a pinching force applied to them will cause relative lateral movement between the housing and needle alignment member. This translational movement from an injection position, wherein the needle is aligned with the syringe connector, to a retraction position, wherein the needle is aligned with the retraction cavity, allows the needle retraction mechanism to force the needle into the retraction cavity.

Core Innovation

The invention is a detachable retractable needle device selectively attachable to a fluid collection or infusion device having a forwardly facing connector. It includes a housing with a first pinch tab, a needle alignment member with a second pinch tab and a forwardly projecting needle tube, a retractable needle, a needle retraction mechanism seated inside the needle tube, and a retainer clip that engages the needle tube and retains the alignment member against the housing.

The first and second pinch tabs cooperate so that pinching them moves the housing transversely and initiates needle retraction. The needle holder aligns with the retraction tube, and a retraction spring retracts the needle into the tube; retraction is independent of plunger position and can occur while the needle remains inserted. The provided partial content does not include the background section, so the problem being solved is not explicitly described.

Claims Coverage

The relevant claims identify four inventive features covering pinch-actuated housing movement, a sliding needle alignment member, retainer clip engagement, and retraction components.

The claims cover a detachable needle device in which opposed pinch tabs move the housing transversely to initiate retraction, with a sliding alignment member, a retainer clip, and specified retraction components.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications