Self-capping needle assembly
AssigneeJohnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
InventorsJoseph J. Chang, Thomas Sloane
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved self-capping disposable needle assembly for use in combination with a skin puncture apparatus is provided. More specifically, an improved self-capping disposable needle assembly for use with a catheter which assembly contains a pleated sleeve made from any natural or synthetic fiber material is provided. The fiber materials employed as the pleated sleeve optionally may be treated with a suitable agent that provides the fiber material with a hydrophobic coating and prevents fluids such as blood from seeping therefrom.
Claims15
A disposable needle assembly for use in combination with a skin puncture apparatus, said assembly comprising a needle assembly including a needle having a sharpened distal tip and a pleated hydrophobic sleeve surrounding said needle wherein said pleased sleeve is made from a natural or synthetic fiber material wherein the fiber material is braided, woven or non-woven.
A disposable needle assembly for use in combination with a skin puncture apparatus, said assembly comprising:
- a catheter assembly including a passageway therethrough;
- a hub portion for connecting said needle assembly to said catheter assembly, said hub portion including a passageway extending therethrough;
- a hollow needle portion in fluid communication with said hub passageway, said needle portion having a distal tip relative to said hub portion;
- a cap including (i) a pleated sleeve for connecting the hub portion to said cap and limiting the extent to which the cap can be extended from the hub portion, wherein said pleated sleeve is hydrophobic and composed of a natural or synthetic fiber material;
- (ii) locking means for locking said cap over said distal tip when said pleated sleeve is fully extended, said cap having a neutral position along said needle portion near said hub portion of said needle assembly for exposing a length of said needle portion and an extended position for capping said distal tip;
- and (iii) a releasable securing means for positively securing said cap with said catheter assembly as said needle portion is disposed within said passageway of said catheter assembly and releasing said cap from said catheter assembly when said cap is moved to said extended position whereby removal of said needle portion from said passageway of said catheter assembly moves said cap relative to said needle portion to said extended position capping said distal tip as said capping means is unseated from said catheter assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.