Removable needle rule
AssigneeMinrad Inc.
InventorJohn C. McNeirney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A measuring and gauging device for ruling the depth of penetration of the needle of an invasive instrument into a patient's body is also used to fit over the needle and the needle tip to protect against needle damage, accidental sticking of the user's fingers and puncture of the package within which the invasive instrument is stored and shipped.
Claims10
A kit comprising an invasive instrument and a measuring device, the invasive instrument having a penetrating element and a stopping element movable along the penetrating element, the measuring device comprising a ruler portion having a scale component including a marking disposed along an axis of the ruler portion, and a separate hollow guide portion being contiguous with and offset from the ruler portion and disposed along the said axis, the hollow guide portion having a first opening at a first end of the guide portion through which the penetrating element of the invasive instrument can be inserted into the guide portion, the hollow guide portion being of a material allowing visual inspection of the extent to which the penetrating element is inserted therein, so that the stopping element can be adjusted to rest contiguously with the opening of the guide portion whereby the position of the stopping element is indicative of a predetermined length of the penetrating element.
A method of ruling a predetermined length of a penetrating element of an invasive instrument by a measuring device, the invasive instrument having a stopping element, the measuring device comprising a ruler portion having a scale component and a separate hollow guide portion contiguous with and offset from the ruler portion, the method comprising:
- removably inserting the penetrating member into the guide portion through an opening at one end of the guide portion;
- aligning the tip of the penetrating member with a predetermined location on the scale component of the ruler portion by visually monitoring the movement of the tip along within the separate and offset guide portion in relation to the scale component of the ruler portion;
- and
- adjusting the stopping element to rest contiguously with the opening of the guide portion so that the position of the stopping element is indicative of the predetermined length of the penetrating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.