# US 11,305,070 B2 · Needle cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,070 B2 - Document ID: US11305070B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/494,025 - Filed: 2018-03-08 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-15 - Assignees: Owen Mumford Limited - Applicants: Owen Mumford Limited - Inventors: Jack Calvert; Rosie Hutt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305070B2 ## CPC - A61M 5/3257: {Semi-automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve extension requires a deliberate action by the user, e.g. manual release of spring-biased extension means} - A61M 5/3134: {characterised by constructional features of the distal end, i.e. end closest to the tip of the needle cannula} - A61M 5/3202: {Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps (A61M5/50 takes precedence; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001)} - A61M 5/3271: {with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position} - A61M 5/46: having means for controlling depth of insertion - A61M 5/3243: {being axially-extensible, e.g. protective sleeves coaxially slidable on the syringe barrel (devices for protecting guide needles in combination with catheters A61M25/0612)} - A61M 2005/3247: {Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position} - A61M 2005/3254: {Shielding of proximal needles, e.g. for pen needles} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A needle protection device (10) for protecting a needle has a needle carrier (12) for carrying said needle (14) and being translatable along a longitudinal axis X between a first, deployed, position (D) and a second, protected, position (P); a shuttle (16) surrounding said needle (14); a hub (24) for receiving the needle carrier (12); a sleeve (26) being rotatable around each of said needle carrier (12), said shuttle (16) and said hub (24); a first driving mechanism (30) between said needle carrier (12) and said shuttle (16) to cause axial displacement of said shuttle (16) in a first direction (A) between a first, retracted position R and a second, deployed position Ds upon axial displacement of the needle carrier (12) along axis X; and a second driving mechanism (32) between said needle carrier (12) and said sleeve (26) to cause axial displacement of the carrier (12) in said first direction (A) upon rotational displacement of the sleeve (26). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A needle protection device for protecting a needle having a first end and a second end comprising: a) a needle carrier for carrying said needle, said needle carrier having a first end and a second end, an outer surface and a longitudinal axis X and being translatable along said longitudinal axis X between a first, deployed position and a second, protected, position; b) a shuttle surrounding said needle carrier, having a first end and a second end, a longitudinal axis X, a longitudinally extending inner aperture for receiving said needle, an inner opening having a surface for receiving said needle carrier and an outer surface; c) a hub for receiving the needle carrier; d) a sleeve having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface surrounding and being rotatable around each of said needle carrier, said shuttle and said hub; e) a first driving mechanism comprising a spiral cam on one of said needle carrier and said shuttle and a cam follower on the other side of said needle carrier and said shuttle; and f) a second driving mechanism comprising a spiral slot on one side of said needle carrier and said sleeve and a protrusion on the other side of said needle carrier and said sleeve, wherein rotational displacement of the sleeve causes axial displacement of the carrier in a first direction which translates to axial displacement of said shuttle in said first direction between a first retracted position and a second deployed position, wherein the rotational displacement of the sleeve does not cause axial displacement of the hub relative to the sleeve, and wherein the pitch of the cam of the first drive mechanism is greater than the pitch of the slot of the second drive mechanism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spiral cam is on the needle carrier and the cam follower is on the inner aperture of the shuttle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spiral cam comprises a longitudinally extending spiral cam and wherein said cam follower comprises a longitudinally extending spiral cam follower. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said spiral cam comprises a protrusion projecting from the outer surface of the needle carrier and wherein said cam follower comprises a recess extending into the inner surface of the inner opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1 and including a first anti-rotation mechanism between the shuttle and the sleeve such as to prevent the shuttle rotating upon rotation of the sleeve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first anti-rotation mechanism comprises a longitudinally extending slot within the outer surface of the shuttle and a corresponding projection at the first end of the inner surface of the sleeve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the anti-rotation mechanism comprises a pair of longitudinally extending slots within the outer surface of the shuttle and a pair of corresponding projections at the first end of the inner surface of the sleeve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second driving mechanism comprises the protrusion on the outer surface of the needle carrier and the spiral slot on the inner surface of the sleeve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 8 and including a second anti-rotation mechanism between the hub and the needle carrier such as to prevent the needle carrier rotating relative to the hub during axial translation of the needle carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second anti-rotation mechanism includes a radially extending base portion having a radially outer edge and being secured to the second end of the needle carrier, one or more axially extending slots at said outer edge and one or more axially extending projections extending from said hub and passing through said one or more axially extending slots such that said base portion slides along said one or more extension portions upon rotational movement of the sleeve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second driving mechanism comprises a pair of protrusions including the protrusion on the outer surface of the needle carrier and a pair of longitudinally extending first spiral slots including the spiral slot on the inner surface of the sleeve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1 and further including a retaining mechanism for retaining the axial position of the sleeve relative to the hub. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said retaining mechanism comprises a radially extending recess extending around an outer circumference of the hub and a radially extending projection extending around an inner circumference of said inner surface of the sleeve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said retaining mechanism comprises a click-fit fitting having first and second interlocking surfaces which, between them, prevent the sleeve being removed from the hub. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hub includes a first end, a second end, an inner void at said second end and an aperture extending through said hub between said inner void and said first end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said needle is mounted within the needle carrier such that the first end of the needle extends beyond the first end of the needle carrier and the second end of the needle extends beyond the second end of the needle carrier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first end of the needle extends axially beyond the first end of the shuttle when the needle carrier is in the first deployed position and is contained within the shuttle when the needle carrier is in the second protected position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end of the needle extends into an inner void when the needle carrier is in the first deployed position and is contained within an aperture when the needle carrier is in the second protected position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A needle protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a first position of the needle carrier the second end of the needle extends into an inner void and in a second position does not extend into said inner void.