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US 5,512,050 AGranted
Needle assembly with collapsible and retractable sheath
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorsRichard J. Caizza, Jon S. Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A needle cannula is surrounded by a collapsible sheath. The entire sheath can be retracted proximally on the needle cannula into a position where the distal tip of the needle cannula is visible to ensure optimal positioning and orientation for an injection. A spring may urge the entire sheath toward its distal position, and a lock may permit releasably retention of the entire sheath in its retracted proximal position.
Claims12
A needle assembly comprising:
- a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end;
- and
- a sheath having opposed proximal and distal ends and disposed in surrounding relationship to said needle cannula, said sheath being selectively movable between a distal position where said distal end of said needle cannula is at least partially surrounded by said sheath and a proximal position where said distal end of said needle cannula is exposed, whereby said distal position of said sheath facilitates a user's observation of said distal end of said needle cannula prior to penetration in an injection site or withdrawal site and whereby said penetration urges said sheath into a collapsed condition;
- and a safety spring surrounding portions of said sheath and being selectively expandable and contractible in an axial direction, wherein portions of said safety spring are engageable with portions of said sheath such that said expansion of said safety spring urges said sheath toward an extended covering condition respective of the distal end of the needle cannula.
1 more element
A needle assembly comprising:
- a needle cannula having a distal end and an opposed proximal end comprising a needle hub;
- a sheath having opposed proximal and distal ends and disposed in at least partially surrounding relationship to said needle cannula, said proximal end of said sheath being mounted to said needle hub for movement between a proximal position and a distal position, said sheath further being selectively collapsible and extendible between an extended condition and a collapsed condition, said sheath defining a length in said extended condition for surrounding said distal end of said needle cannula when said proximal end of said sheath is in said distal position on said needle hub, said length of said sheath in said extended condition further being selected to expose said distal end of said needle cannula when said proximal end of said sheath is in said proximal position on said needle hub;
- a sheath positioning spring disposed between said sheath and said needle hub for biasing said sheath toward said distal position;
- and
- locking means disposed on said sheath for releasably locking said sheath in said proximal position and against biasing forces exerted by said sheath positioning spring, whereby said distal position of said sheath facilitates orientation of said distal end of said needle cannula prior to penetration in an injection site, and whereby said penetration urges said sheath into said collapsed condition.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.