EP0250104A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Disposable hypodermic syringe and needle combination having retractable, accident preventing sheath
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1987-05-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A disposable combination of a hypodermic syringe (30) and needle (38) has a sheath (42) movably mounted on the syringe barrel to normally occupy a first position wherein the sheath extends to cover and protect the needle. Substantially axial guide channels (48, 50) are provided in the exterior surface (32) of the barrel to accept an inwardly pointed boss of the sheath to guide the sheath into a second position and a third position. In the second position of the sheath, relative to the barrel and needle, the needle (38) is at least partially exposed. In the third position of the sheath, which is used for disposal of the syringe and needle combination, the needle (38) is again covered by the sheath (42) and preferably the sheath is irreversibly locked whereby abuse or misuse of the syringe and needle combination is substantially prevented. In alternative embodiments, instead of axial guide channels, the bosses of the sheath may be engaged in appropriately formed circumferential grooves or depressions (72, 74) formed in the outer surface of the barrel.
Inventors
- 👤 Treesa A. Spencer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/31; A61M5/32; A61M5/3205; A61M5/321; A61M5/3243; A61M5/3271; A61M5/3272
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger mounted in the barrel; a hypodermic needle mounted to the barrel at an end of the barrel which is opposite to the end where the plunger enters the barrel; a sheath mounted to the barrel and extending therefrom in a first position to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevent the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person during transportation and storage of the combination; means incorporated into the barrel and the sheath for permitting movement of the sheath upward on the barrel into a second position wherein the needle is at least partially exposed, for permitting downward movement of the sheath on the barrel into a third position wherein the needle is substantially covered by the sheath, and for substantially irreversibly locking the sheath to the barrel in the third position, whereby the needle is protected when the combination is discarded after normal use.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger mounted in the barrel; a hypodermic needle mounted to the barrel at an end of the barrel which is opposite to the end where the plunger enters the barrel; a sheath mounted to the barrel and extending therefrom in a first position to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevent the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person during transportation and storage of the combination; means incorporated into the barrel and the sheath for permitting movement of the sheath upward on the barrel into a second position wherein the needle is at least partially exposed, for permitting downward movement of the sheath on the barrel into a third position wherein the needle is substantially covered by the sheath, and for substantially irreversibly locking the sheath to the barrel in the third position, whereby the needle is protected when the combination is discarded after normal use.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of Claim 1 wherein the sheath is tapered at its end remote from the barrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination of Claim 1 wherein the sheath includes a removable cover at its end remote from the barrel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of Claim 1 wherein the sheath is made of a plastic material which melts low enough so that the sheath does not withstand sterilization by heat, whereby repeated use of the syringe through sterilization can be substantially avoided.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of Claim 1 wherein the means comprise a channel formed in the external surface of the barrel, and a boss formed in the interior surface of the sheath, the boss being guided in and riding in the channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of Claim 6 wherein the channel includes cavities wherein the boss rests in the first, second, and third positions of the sheath relative to the barrel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of Claim 6 wherein first, second, and third cavities respectively correspond to the first, second, and third positions of the sheath relative to the barrel, and wherein the first and second cavities comprise a camming surface for the boss.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of Claim 8 wherein the boss is locked into the third cavity in the third position of the sheath relative to the barrel, whereby the sheath is locked into the third position when said third position is attained.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The combination of Claim 5 wherein the means comprise two parallel interconnected channels in the external surface of the barrel, the first channel being adapted for permitting movement of the sheath from the first position to the second position and the second channel being adapted for permitting movement of the sheath from the second position to the third position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination of Claim 1 wherein the means comprise cavities disposed on the exterior surface of the barrel, and bosses disposed in the internal surface of the sheath, the bosses engaging the cavities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
118 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger mounted in the barrel; a hypodermic needle mounted to the barrel at one end of the barrel which is opposite to the end where the plunger enters the barrel; a sheath mounted to be slidable on the barrel between a first position wherein the sheath extends to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevents the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person during ordinary shipment and storage of the combination, and at least a second position wherein the sheath is retracted to permit ordinary use of the needle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
118 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger mounted in the barrel; a hypodermic needle mounted to the barrel at one end of the barrel which is opposite to the end where the plunger enters the barrel; a sheath mounted to be slidable on the barrel between a first position wherein the sheath extends to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevents the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person during ordinary shipment and storage of the combination, and at least a second position wherein the sheath is retracted to permit ordinary use of the needle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of Claim 11 further comprising mens for reversibly locking the sheath in the first position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of Claim 11 further comprising means for reversibly locking the sheath in the second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination of Claim 11 further comprising means for irreversibly locking the sheath in a third position wherein the sheath extends to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevents the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person, whereby the combination becomes essentially unusable after it is discarded with the sheath locked in the third position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
82 words
The combination of Claim 11 further comprising first means for reversibly locking the sheath in the first position, second means for reversibly locking the sheath in the second position, and third means for irreversibly locking the sheath in a third position wherein the sheath extends to substantially cover the needle and thereby prevents the needle from accidental contact with a foreign object or person, whereby the combination becomes essentially unusable after it is discarded with the sheath locked in the third position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination of Claim 15 wherein the first, second, and third means comprise a channel incorporated in the outer surface of the barrel, a plurality of cavities in the channel, and a boss incorporated in the interior of the sheath, the boss being guided in the channel and fitting in the cavities.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
157 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger and a hypodermic needle attached to the barrel substantially at one end of the barrel, the syringe barrel having a channel on its exterior surface, and a sheath movably attached to the barrel in a first position to extend over the needle thereby preventing the needle from coming into contact with the external environment, the sheath having a boss which fits into the channel, the sheath being further movable into a second retracted position over the barrel wherein the needle is at least partially exposed, and being still further movable into a third position wherein the sheath covers the needle and the needle is substantially irreversibly locked relative to the barrel, during movement of the sheath relative to the barrel, the boss of the sheath being guided in the channel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
157 words
A combination of a hypodermic needle and syringe of the type which is discardable after a single use, the combination comprising: a syringe barrel having a plunger and a hypodermic needle attached to the barrel substantially at one end of the barrel, the syringe barrel having a channel on its exterior surface, and a sheath movably attached to the barrel in a first position to extend over the needle thereby preventing the needle from coming into contact with the external environment, the sheath having a boss which fits into the channel, the sheath being further movable into a second retracted position over the barrel wherein the needle is at least partially exposed, and being still further movable into a third position wherein the sheath covers the needle and the needle is substantially irreversibly locked relative to the barrel, during movement of the sheath relative to the barrel, the boss of the sheath being guided in the channel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of Claim 17 wherein the channel includes depressions corresponding to the first, second, and third positions of the sheath, the boss fitting into said depressions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of Claim 17 wherein the barrel and the sheath are made of different plastic materials, the sheath being made of a material which substantially melts at the temperature of sterilization by heat, whereby after being discarded the combination cannot be heat sterilized for repeated use.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
10 words
The combination of Claim 17 wherein the sheath is tapered.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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