Combined medical device with sliding frontal attachment and retractable needle
Inventors
Shaw, Thomas J • Small, Mark • Zhu, Ni
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9956352-B2
Publication Date
2018-05-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A medical device having a frontal attachment and a connector housing having at least a body part of an associated medical apparatus, the frontal attachment slidably engaging the connector housing and having a forwardly projecting, rearwardly biased needle and a needle retraction assembly, and the connector housing having a needle retraction cavity laterally offset from the needle in a first position, the needle retraction cavity being selectively movable relative to the frontal attachment following use to reposition the needle retraction cavity into alignment with the needle to permit retraction.
Core Innovation
The medical device comprises a connector housing, a frontal attachment, a forwardly projecting needle, a needle retraction mechanism, and a locking needle cover. The connector housing and frontal attachment engage along a sliding interface substantially transverse to the needle. Following removal of the cover, transverse sliding repositions the housing to align the needle retraction cavity with the needle and retraction mechanism, initiating retraction to a safe position with no part of the needle projecting forwardly.
Structural configurations include integrated syringe assemblies and detachable attachments for associated medical apparatus, featuring a fluid seal that limits leakage and backflow during repositioning. The locking needle cover restricts relative sliding movement before use while the needle retraction cavity remains laterally offset from the fluid path. The background information and specific problem being solved are not explicitly described in the patent.
Claims Coverage
The provided relevant claims identify one independent claim featuring four inventive features covering the medical device, the transverse sliding arrangement, and the needle retraction mechanism.
Connector housing and frontal attachment
The medical device comprises a connector housing and a frontal attachment, where the connector housing has a forwardly facing surface with a first opening communicating with a rearwardly facing connector and a second opening communicating with a rearwardly projecting needle retraction cavity, and the frontal attachment has a base with a forwardly projecting needle support having a stepped internal bore.
Cooperatively engaged rails disposed in sliding engagement
The forwardly facing surface of the connector housing and the base and rearwardly facing surface of the frontal attachment each comprise cooperatively engaged rails disposed in sliding engagement along at least one sliding interface substantially transverse to the needle and needle retraction cavity.
Needle biased rearwardly by the needle retraction mechanism
The needle retraction mechanism is disposed in the stepped internal bore of the frontal attachment, with the opening into the bore positioned opposite the first opening in the connector housing, and the needle is biased rearwardly by the retraction mechanism.
Locking needle cover restricts relative sliding movement
The locking needle cover has a rearwardly extending locking arm inserted into the second opening of the connector housing to restrict relative sliding movement before use. Following removal of the cover, the housing slides transversely relative to the frontal attachment until the cavity aligns with the needle and retraction mechanism, initiating retraction to a safe position with no part of the needle still projecting forwardly.
The independent claim covers a medical device in which a locking cover initially restricts transverse sliding movement, after which transverse repositioning aligns the biased needle with the retraction cavity to fully retract the needle to a safe position.
Stated Advantages
The needle retracts to a safe position with no part of the needle still projecting forwardly from the frontal attachment.
One-handed retraction directly from a patient.
Reduced needle exposure and reuse.
A substantially linear fluid path.
Simplified manufacture.
Documented Applications
Use with an associated medical apparatus, including a syringe, vascular catheter insertion device, fluid infusion set, or fluid collection device.
Integrated syringe configurations.
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