Medical device with retractable needle
AssigneeMDC Investment Holdings, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Botich, Thor R. Halseth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A medical device having an automatically retractable needle is provided with a safety latch for preventing premature or inadvertent retraction of the needle. In a preferred embodiment, the medical device comprises an intravenous catheter or guide wire insertion device having a nose portion that is axially adjustable during assembly to provide a uniform needle length projecting from the forward end of the device.
Claims17
A catheter insertion device for positioning a catheter in a blood vessel of a patient, the catheter comprising a hub and a cannula connected with the hub, the device comprising:
- a barrel having a forward end contoured to mate with an interior surface of the catheter hub;
- a needle projecting forward from the barrel and having a sharpened tip extending beyond a forward end of the catheter cannula for penetrating the skin of the patient;
- and
- a needle retraction mechanism positioned in the barrel and operable by the user to effect retraction of the needle into the barrel after use;
- the needle retraction mechanism comprising:
- a spring for exerting a rearward bias upon the needle;
- a needle retainer for releasably holding the needle in the projecting orientation against the bias of the spring;
- an actuating member positioned axially within the barrel and movable therein for releasing the needle retainer from holding the needle, the actuating member having a first actuation surface operable for effecting movement of the actuating member;
- stop means for preventing movement of the actuating member, the stop means having a second actuation surface operable to allow movement of the actuating member, whereby operation of the first and second actuating surfaces is required to effect retraction of the needle into the barrel.
A medical device comprising a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient, comprising:
- a barrel having a nose portion;
- a spring connected with the needle for exerting a rearward bias on the needle;
- a tubular needle retainer positioned in the barrel for releasably holding the needle in a projecting configuration from the forward end of the barrel, the needle retainer forming a fluid seal with the needle and forming a flashback chamber between the needle retainer and the nose portion of the barrel;
- at least one of the barrel and the needle retainer having vent means formed therein for venting gas from the flashback chamber;
- and
- a hollow actuating member positioned in the barrel having an open forward end configured for releasing the needle retainer from the needle and for receiving the needle therein.
A method for assembling a catheter insertion device for guiding a catheter, which includes a hub and a cannula extending from the hub, the method comprising the steps of:
- securing one end of a spring at a first attachment location to a needle having a sharp end;
- securing the needle to a needle retainer at a second attachment location along the needle to the rear of the first attachment location;
- positioning the needle retainer within a barrel having a bore in a forward end thereof so that the needle extends beyond the forward end of the bore;
- positioning a nose piece, which is sized to be received within the bore, into the catheter hub;
- urging the catheter hub axially rearwardly toward the front end of the barrel, so that the nose piece is received within the bore with the needle is received within the catheter cannula, and the spring is compressed against an interior forward surface of the nose piece;
- fixing the nose piece to the bore of the housing when the sharpened end of the needle extends beyond the forward end of the catheter cannula by a predetermined distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.