US 5,507,041 A · Needle holding apparatus and method of use

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for handling a needle to reduce the likelihood of accidental pricking. The apparatus includes cylindrical sleeve for receiving a phalanx of a finger or thumb. The apparatus also includes a pair of planar magnetic surfaces supported on the cylindrical sleeve for removably holding a needle thereon. The surfaces are spaced from and flush with each other. The spacing between the planar surfaces allows the needle to be easily placed on or removed from the surfaces with the aid of a needle grasping tool. The device further includes a shield located to one side of the spaced planar magnetic surfaces to protect the wearer from accidental pricking when the needle is being placed onto, removed from, or held by the magnetic planar surfaces. The method includes placing the cylindrical sleeve on the phalanx of a finger or thumb so that the shield is closer to the proximal end of the phalanx or thumb and the planar surfaces are closer the distal end of the phalanx or thumb, placing the needle on the spaced planar magnetic surfaces, and removing the needle from the spaced planar magnetic surfaces. If worn on a finger, the cylindrical sleeve is preferably rotated so that the planar magnetic surfaces face away from the side of the finger.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A surgeon's needle holder comprising:

phalanx receiving means for receiving a phalanx of a wearer's finger or thumb, said phalanx receiving means defining an outwardly facing base surface;
needle holding means affixed to said base surface and having an outwardly facing surface for removably holding a needle;
and
shield means projecting outwardly from said base surface of said phalanx receiving means to one side of said needle holding means for shielding a finger or thumb received by the phalanx receiving means from a needle being placed on, removed from or held by said holding means to reduce the likelihood of a wearer pricking their said finger or thumb with the needle, said shield means projecting outwardly beyond said outwardly facing surface of said needle holding means.

1 more element

A method of handling a needle to minimize or reduce the likelihood of pricking oneself with said needle, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a surgeon's needle holder including:
phalanx receiving means for receiving a phalanx of a wearer's finger or thumb;
needle holding means having an outwardly facing surface for removably holding a needle;
and
shield means projecting outwardly from said base surface of said phalanx receiving means to one side of said needle holding means for shielding a finger or thumb received by the phalanx receiving means from a needle being placed on, removed from or held by said holding means to reduce the likelihood of a wearer pricking a said finger or thumb with the needle, said shield means projecting outwardly beyond said outwardly facing surface of said needle holding means;
inserting a phalanx of a finger or thumb of a hand into the phalanx receiving means of the surgeon's needle holder so that the shield means of the surgeon's needle holder is adjacent the proximal end of the phalanx with the needle holding means closer to the distal end of the phalanx than the shield means;
placing a needle on the needle holding means of the surgeon's needle holder so that the needle is held by the needle holding means;
and
removing the needle from the needle holding means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Needle holding apparatus and method of use

Life of this patent

Needle holding apparatus and method of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19