Self-retracting medical needle apparatus and methods

A needle retraction device comprising:

• a housing;
• a needle hub disposed in the housing in a retracted position, said needle hub being movable from the retracted position to an extended position relative to the housing;
• a needle connected to the needle hub;
• a means associated with the needle hub for moving the needle from the retracted position to the extended position;
• a means associated with the housing for temporarily locking the needle hub in the extended position;
• and
• a biasing mechanism disposed between the housing and the needle hub that is biased when the needle hub is in the extended position for biasing the needle hub to the retracted position.

A method of using a needle retraction device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a device having a housing, a needle movably disposed in the housing in an initial retracted position and a biasing mechanism between the needle and the housing;
• moving the needle distally with respect to the housing from a retracted position to an extended position;
• biasing the biasing mechanism upon distal movement of the needle;
• and retracting the needle from the extended position to the retracted position.

A method of using a medical needle safety device comprising the steps of:

• providing a device having a needle tip protecting shroud, a medical needle assembly comprising a needle hub movable from a retracted position to an extended position, a medical needle connected to the needle hub and having a sharpened tip initially disposed in said shroud, a biasing mechanism disposed in a substantially relaxed state between said hub and shroud and a releasible latch;
• exposing said needle tip by moving said needle relative to said shroud to a needle tip extended position for use in a medical procedure;
• with needle movement, biasing the biasing mechanism and retaining said bias by the releasible latch;
• and
• releasing the latch to protectively cover the needle tip by the shroud.

An extendable and retractable medical needle apparatus adapted for use in fluid collecting and dispensing procedures comprising:

• a housing;
• a medical needle, at least partially disposed within said housing;
• an extension assembly initially disposed in a retracted state in said housing for extending said needle from said housing from the retracted state to an extended state for use in a medical procedure, said extension assembly comprising:
• a removable, needle tip protecting cover;
• an energy storing member disposed between a portion of said housing and said needle such that said energy storing member stores energy as the needle is disposed for use;
• a latching mechanism by which the needle is latched to the housing in the extended state for use in a medical procedure;
• and
• a release mechanism for releasing the latching mechanism from the latched state, thereby causing the energy storing mechanism to retract the needle to be safely disposed in the housing.

A method for using an extendable and retractable medical needle apparatus comprising the steps of:

• providing the medical needle apparatus comprising:
• a housing;
• a medical needle at least partially disposed within said housing;
• an extension assembly for extending said needle from the housing to an extended state for use in a medical procedure, said extension assembly comprising:
• a cover for protection of the needle;
• an energy storing member disposed between a portion of said housing and said needle such that said energy storing member stores energy as the needle is disposed for use;
• a latching mechanism by which the needle is latched in the extended state for use in a medical procedure;
• and
• a release mechanism disposed for releasing the latching mechanism from the latched state, thereby causing the energy storing member to retract the needle until safely disposed within the housing;
• storing the energy storing member and latching mechanism in a non-stressed state relative to the direction of needle retraction during a period prior to readying the needle for use;
• readying the needle for use by extending the needle from the housing;
• and
• releasing the latching mechanism and retracting the needle by force of energy stored in the energy storing member, after using the medical needle in a medical procedure.

An extendable and retractable catheter needle device, comprising:

• a housing;
• a catheter needle disposed within an IV catheter, said catheter needle and said IV catheter being at least partially, protectively disposed within said housing prior to use in a medical procedure;
• an extension assembly initially disposed in a retracted state for extending said needle from the housing in the retracted state to an extended state for use in a medical procedure, said extension assembly comprising:
• a cover for protection of the needle and catheter;
• an energy storing member disposed between said container and said needle such that said energy storing member stores energy as the needle is disposed for use;
• a latching mechanism by which the needle is latched to the housing in the extended state for use in a medical procedure;
• and
• a release mechanism for releasing the latching mechanism from the latched state, thereby causing the energy storing member to retract the needle into the housing.

An extendable and retractable catheter needle assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a catheter needle which is disposed within an IV catheter to be used for transcutaneous insertion of the catheter into a patient, said catheter needle and IV catheter being at least partially, protectively disposed in said housing prior to use in a medical procedure;
• apparatus for extending said catheter needle and catheter from the housing for use in the medical procedure, said extending apparatus comprising a cover which provides protection for both needle and catheter and by which the needle is extended for use;
• an energy storing part which is unstressed prior to extending of the catheter needle and which stores energy as the catheter needle and catheter are extended;
• a releasible latch by which the catheter needle is latched in an extended state for use in a medical procedure;
• and
• said housing comprising a cantilevered button which is integral with said housing and which is depressed to release the latch from the latched state, thereby causing the needle to be safely retracted into the housing under force of the energy stored in the energy storing part.

A method for using a self-retracting needle apparatus comprising the steps of:

• providing the self-retracting needle apparatus comprising a housing for the apparatus;
• a medical needle which is generally stored in the housing, extended from the housing for use in a medical procedure and retracted into the housing for safe containment after use;
• an energy storing part which provides retractive force for the needle;
• a latch which releasibly secures the needle while extended from the housing;
• and an actuator which is used to release the latch to cause the needle to be retracted back into the housing;
• storing the energy storing part and latch in a non-stressed state during a period prior to readying the needle for use;
• readying the needle for use by extending the needle from the housing;
• while extending the needle, stressing the energy storing part to store energy therein and also releasibly securing the latch when the needle is fully extended;
• using the medical needle in a medical procedure;
• and
• releasing the latch and retracting the needle by force of energy stored in the energy storing part.