Self-Closing Needle and Fluid Loss Prevention Methods
AssigneeFresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
InventorsKenneth E. BUCKLER, Michael D. WILLIAMS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-closing needle assembly (100) that prevents fluid loss during needle disconnection by incorporating a rigid housing (110, 112), a spring-biased clip (705) with opposing jaws (1207, 1208) to compress a flexible tubing segment (703), and a security tape assembly (102) with adhesive patches (802) and pins (715). The assembly may provide a mechanism that holds the jaws open during use so as to allow unobstructed fluid flow, thereby triggering automatic closure of the tubing segment upon needle withdrawal and ensuring complete shut-off, enhancing patient safety and integrating seamlessly into medical workflows.
Claims16
A self-closing needle assembly comprising:
- a housing having a front tube opening and a rear tube opening;
- a spring-biased clip disposed within the housing and having opposing jaws configured to compress a tubing segment that is positioned between the opposing jaws;
- the tubing segment positioned in the housing and passing through the front tube opening and the rear tube opening, and fluidly connected a needle configured to be inserted into a surface;
- and
- a security tape assembly configured to adhere to said surface and configured to hold the opposing jaws of the spring-biased clip open while the housing is positioned in a predetermined position relative to the security tape assembly, wherein
- displacement of the housing from the predetermined position relative to the security tape assembly causes the security tape assembly to release the opposing jaws of the spring-biased clip to close and thereby pinch the tubing segment closed.
A method for preventing fluid loss during needle disconnection, comprising:
- providing a needle assembly comprising a housing, a spring-biased clip within the housing, and a tubing segment extending between jaws of the spring-biased clip to a needle;
- providing a security tape assembly that holds open the jaws of the spring-biased clip to maintain patency a fluid path through the tubing segment;
- holding the jaws of the spring-biased clip open by the security tape assembly;
- inserting the needle into a surface;
- adhering the security tape assembly to said surface to thereby maintain the housing in a predetermined position relative to the security tape assembly;
- and
- in response to withdrawal of the needle from said surface while the security tape assembly remains adhered, permitting the jaws to close and compress the tubing segment to stop fluid flow through the tubing segment.
A method of securing a needle assembly, the method comprising:
- providing the needle assembly comprising a rigid housing, a spring clip disposed within the housing, and a tubing segment passing through the spring clip;
- wherein the spring clip comprises an end wall having a hole, a top wall having a first jaw, and a bottom wall having a second jaw, the walls forming a substantially triangular shape;
- wherein the tubing segment passes through the hole and between the first and second jaws;
- providing a security tape assembly comprising a planar support structure and two pins extending parallel to the planar support structure;
- inserting the two pins through openings in the rigid housing and between the first and second jaws to maintain the first and second jaws in an open position;
- adhering the security tape assembly to a patient;
- and
- wherein upon withdrawal of the needle assembly from the patient while the security tape assembly remains adhered to the patient, the two pins withdraw from between the first and second jaws, allowing the first and second jaws to close and compress the tubing segment to block fluid flow through the tubing segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.