Safety Shield System for Prefilled Syringe

A safety shield system for use with a syringe having a barrel defining a reservoir within which a medicament may be held, the syringe having a needle affixed to the barrel and in fluid communication with the reservoir, the syringe further including a plunger rod and piston selectively movable within the reservoir along an injection stroke, the medicament being expelled from the reservoir through the needle by movement of the plunger rod and piston in the reservoir, said safety shield system comprising:

• a holder;
• a retainer defined on said holder and comprising a detent and two confrontingly oppositely disposed surfaces, said retainer securing a flange of the syringe barrel within said holder and permitting axial movement of the barrel therein and with respect thereto, the axial movement of the barrel being caused by movement of the plunger rod and piston within the reservoir;
• a shield coupled to said holder, said shield being axially movable with respect to said holder between an extended position, in which the needle is surrounded by said shield, and a retracted position, in which a part of the needle is not surrounded by said shield;
• a spring urging said shield towards said extended position;
• a detent defined on said holder;
• and
• a rib defined on said shield and engageable with said detent to secure said shield in said extended position;
• said shield being initially deployed in said extended position and being movable from said extended position to said retracted position upon contact with the skin of a patient, said spring urging said shield from said retracted position to said extended position upon removal of contact with the skin of the patient, said detent and rib lockingly securing said shield in said extended position.

A medical device comprising:

• a syringe comprising:
• a barrel defining a reservoir within which a medicament may be held;
• a hub at an end of said barrel and defining a skin engaging surface;
• a needle having a forward tip and being in fluid communication with said reservoir, said forward tip of said needle extending beyond said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from 0.5 mm to 3 mm;
• a plunger rod having a piston secured thereto, said piston being selectively movable within said reservoir along an injection stroke, the medicament being expelled from said reservoir through said needle by movement of said piston in the reservoir;
• and
• a safety shield system comprising:
• a holder;
• a retainer defined on said holder and comprising a detent and two confrontingly oppositely disposed surfaces, said retainer securing a flange of the syringe barrel within said holder and permitting axial movement of the barrel therein and with respect thereto, the axial movement of the barrel being caused by movement of the plunger rod and piston within the reservoir;
• a shield coupled to said holder, said shield being axially movable with respect to said holder from a retracted position, in which a part of the needle is not surrounded by said shield, and an extended position, in which the needle is surrounded by said shield;
• a spring urging said shield towards said extended position;
• a first stop member provided on one of said shield and said holder;
• and
• a second stop member provided on said other one of said shield and said holder and engageable with said first stop member to releasably hold said shield in said retracted position;
• said barrel being operationally coupled to said shield such that axial movement of said barrel in the direction of the needle causes disengagement of said first and second stop members, allowing said spring to move said shield to the extended position.

A medical device comprising:

• a syringe comprising:
• a barrel defining a reservoir within which a medicament may be held;
• a hub at an end of said barrel and defining a skin engaging surface;
• a needle having a forward tip and being in fluid communication with said reservoir, said forward tip of said needle extending beyond said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from 0.5 mm to 3 mm;
• a plunger rod having a piston secured thereto, said piston being selectively movable within said reservoir along an injection stroke, the medicament being expelled from said reservoir through said needle by movement of said piston in the reservoir;
• and
• a safety shield system comprising:
• a holder;
• a retainer defined on said holder and comprising a detent and two confrontingly oppositely disposed surfaces, said retainer securing a flange of the syringe barrel within said holder and permitting axial movement of the barrel therein and with respect thereto, the axial movement of the barrel being caused by movement of the plunger rod and piston within the reservoir;
• a shield coupled to said holder, said shield being axially movable with respect to said holder between an extended position, in which the needle is surrounded by said shield, and a retracted position, in which a part of the needle is not surrounded by said shield;
• a spring urging said shield towards said extended position;
• a detent defined on said holder;
• and
• a rib defined on said shield and engageable with said detent to secure said shield in said extended position;
• said shield being initially deployed in said extended position and being movable from said extended position to said retracted position upon contact with the skin of a patient, said spring urging said shield from said retracted position to said extended position upon removal of contact with the skin of the patient, said detent and rib lockingly securing said shield in said extended position.