Hypodermic needle guard and method to prevent needle stick injuries
OwnerLawrence W. Hakeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A needle guard and a method to prevent needle stick injuries are disclosed, for use with a hypodermic syringe or other instrument with a sharp point. The needle guard, comprises a protective sleeve with a fitting, that may be used with or added to a conventional syringe and needle assembly. The interior of the fitting contains a deformable engagement means adapted to permanently engage the fitting on the syringe barrel. Prior to and during use of the needle, the sleeve remains in a retracted position covering the barrel of the syringe. After the needle has been used, the sleeve is pushed forward into its locked extended position, so that the end of the sleeve extends beyond the tip of the needle. The tip of the needle is thereby shielded, preventing accidental sticks.
Claims22
A needle guard for a hypodermic syringe assembly, the assembly being of the type including a hypodermic needle and a syringe barrel having a needle hub portion adjacent the hypodermic needle, the needle guard comprising a separate assembly which is attachable to the syringe assembly and which in combination therewith maintains either a non-protective or an irreversible protective configuration for the needle, said needle guard comprising in combination:
- a separate, attachable fitting having an exterior portion and an interior portion, the interior portion having deformable engagement means adapted to cooperatively mount the fitting in a fixed position on the needle hub portion of the syringe, the deformable engagement means including means to penetrate the surface of the needle hub portion of the syringe;
- a hollow protective sleeve on the fitting, said sleeve having an interior surface adapted to slidably coact with the fitting, an exterior surface, a distal end and a proximal end;
- guide means for slidably connecting the interior surface of said sleeve and the exterior portion of said fitting, said sleeve thereby being movable on the fitting axially in the direction of the length of the needle between a non-protective retracted position exposing the needle and a protective, extended position covering the needle;
- and
- means for irreversibly locking said sleeve only in the protective, extended position relative to said fitting, whereby axial and rotational movement of the sleeve relative to the fitting is prevented, and the sleeve in the protective, extended position protrudes beyond the tip of the needle such that the sleeve defines a guard which irreversibly prevents further access to the needle once the sleeve has been moved to the extended position.
A needle guard for a hypodermic syringe with a permanently mounted needle, the hypodermic syringe of the type having a needle hub portion proximate the needle, the needle guard comprising a separate assembly which is attachable to the hypodermic syringe and which in combination therewith maintains either a non-protective or an irreversible protective configuration for the needle, said needle guard comprising in combination:
- a separate, attachable fitting having an exterior portion and an interior portion, the interior portion having deformable engagement means adapted to cooperatively mount the fitting in a fixed position on the needle hub portion of the syringe, the deformable engagement means including means to penetrate the surface of the needle hub portion of the syringe;
- a hollow protective sleeve on the fitting, said sleeve having an interior surface adapted to slidably coact with the fitting, an exterior surface, a distal end and a proximal end, said sleeve thereby being movable on the fitting axially in the direction of the length of the needle between a non-protective retracted position exposing the needle and a protective, extended position covering the needle;
- a hollow, generally cylindrical packaging cap being adapted to slidably cooperate with the distal end of the sleeve, the cap defining an internal annular shoulder;
- and
- means for irreversibly locking said sleeve only in the protective, extended position relative to said fitting, whereby axial and rotational movement of the sleeve relative to the fitting is prevented, and the sleeve in the protective, extended position protrudes beyond the tip of the needle such that the sleeve defines a guard which irreversibly prevents further access to the needle once the sleeve has been moved to the extended position.
A method to prevent needle stick injuries caused by a hypodermic syringe of the type including a hypodermic needle and a syringe barrel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a fitting into a protective sleeve, the fitting being adapted to cooperatively mount on a hypodermic syringe;
- (b) sliding the sleeve into a packaging cap;
- (c) guiding a hypodermic syringe into the sleeve;
- (d) applying an axial force to the syringe in the direction of the cap, while simultaneously applying an axial counter-force to the cap, so the fitting engages the syringe;
- (e) removing the packaging cap from the sleeve;
- (f) forcing a fluid through the syringe needle;
- (g) sliding the sleeve in the direction of the needle so the sleeve irreversibly extends beyond the tip of the needle.
A method to prevent needle stick injuries caused by a hypodermic syringe of the type including a hypodermic needle and a syringe barrel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a fitting into a protective sleeve, the fitting being adapted to cooperatively mount on a hypodermic syringe;
- (b) sliding the sleeve into a machine mold;
- (c) guiding a hypodermic syringe into the sleeve;
- (d) supplying an axial force to the syringe in the direction of the mold, while simultaneously applying an axial counter-force from the mold, so the fitting engages the syringe;
- (e) removing the sleeve from the mold;
- (f) forcing a fluid through the syringe needle;
- (g) sliding the sleeve in the direction of the needle so the sleeve irreversibly extends beyond the tip of the needle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.