T-shaped slot locking safety syringe
AssigneeQatar University
InventorsSami Alkhatib, Faris Tarlochan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To prevent accidental needle stick injuries, a syringe has a plunger configured to pull the syringe into the syringe barrel after clinical use. The syringe has an additional safety feature that restricts subsequent movement of the plunger. After the needle has been retracted in its entirety within the barrel of the syringe, movement of the plunger is restricted by a two-part locking mechanism, a notch on the plunger and a T-shaped slot on the barrel with a one-way catch section to prevent the needle tip from being pushed accidentally through the barrel wall.
Claims17
A syringe, comprising:
- a barrel comprising a distal end, a proximate end, and a second locking mechanism element at the distal end;
- a projecting member configured for attachment to the proximate end of the barrel;
- and
- a plunger comprising a first locking mechanism element configured to engage with the second locking mechanism element to secure the plunger from moving in the barrel,
- wherein the second locking mechanism element comprises two catch sections formed along an external perimeter of the second locking mechanism element,
- wherein each of the two catch sections open in a single direction towards the distal end,
- wherein the second locking mechanism element is a T-shaped slot,
- wherein the T-shaped slot comprises a first portion oriented in a longitudinal length direction parallel to a central axis of the plunger,
- wherein the T-shaped slot comprises a second portion oriented in a latitudinal width direction of the plunger, and perpendicular to the central axis of the plunger, and
- wherein the two catch sections are fixed to the external perimeter of the first portion, and are positioned opposite of each other with respect to the central axis of the plunger.
A method of operating a syringe, comprising:
- attaching a projecting member to a proximate end of a barrel;
- passing a plunger through an opening formed at a distal end of the barrel by applying pressure to an end portion of the plunger;
- and
- engaging a first locking mechanism element on the plunger with a second locking mechanism element on the barrel by retracting the plunger toward the distal end and away from the proximate end of the barrel,
- wherein engaging the first locking mechanism element with the second locking mechanism element comprises:
- rotating the plunger within the barrel until the first locking mechanism element engages with the second locking mechanism element;
- and
- pulling the end portion of the plunger vertically away from the distal end of the barrel until the first locking mechanism element engages two catch sections formed along an external perimeter of the second locking mechanism element,
- wherein the movement of the plunger, when the second locking mechanism element engages the first locking mechanism element and the two catch sections, is restricted to a region within the second locking mechanism element,
- wherein each of the two catch sections open in a single direction towards the distal end,
- wherein the second locking mechanism element is a T-shaped slot,
- wherein the T-shaped slot comprises a first portion oriented in a longitudinal length direction parallel to a central axis of the plunger,
- wherein the T-shaped slot comprises a second portion oriented in a latitudinal width direction of the plunger, and perpendicular to the central axis of the plunger, and
- wherein the two catch sections are fixed to the external perimeter of the first portion, and are positioned opposite of each other with respect to the central axis of the plunger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.