Fluid passing apparatus with means for covering the same

Claim 2

Apparatus for passing a fluid into or out of a warm-blooded animal or tissue thereof comprising: (a) a body having an interior surface defining a cavity adapted to contain said fluid; (b) a plunger movable axially within the body and comprising a head section having an outer surface in communication with the interior surface of the body to thereby form said cavity and a stem connected at one end to the head section; (c) a needle assembly having a longitudinal axis and being in flow communication with the cavity of the body and comprising a housing having opposed ends and a longitudinally extending chamber between said ends, needle means permanently affixed to one of said ends, and means for securing the needle assembly to the body outside of the cavity through the other of said ends when the needle assembly is in operative use for passing said fluid; (d) a first detent means axially extending into the cavity and connected to the end of the needle assembly remote from the needle means, said first detent means comprising two spaced apart detents each having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the needle assembly and a radially extending ledge; and (e) a second detent means connected to the head section of the plunger and adapted to engage the first detent means upon an inward stroke of the plunger and to retract the needle assembly into the cavity of the body upon an outward stroke of the plunger, said second detent means comprising at least one detent having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the head section of the plunger and a radially extending ledge that is adapted to be mounted upon the ledge of the first detent means when the first and second detent means engage each other on the inward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second detent means comprises two spaced apart detents adapted to individually engage the two detents of the first detent means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for offsetting the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly as it is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger thereby preventing the needle means from exiting the body.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the offsetting means comprises one of the two detents of either of said first or second detent means having a different length than the other of the two detents of the first or second detent means wherein when the needle assembly is retracted into the body, the needle assembly is cocked to one side of the body.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 comprising an opening in the body for receiving the needle assembly and thereby allow the fluid to pass from the body into the needle means, said offsetting means comprising a conically tapered side integral with said opening of the body and extending into the cavity.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the second detent means comprises a single detent adapted to engage and spread apart the spaced apart detents of the first detent means thereby causing radial tension in said first detent means, wherein when the needle assembly is retracted into the body, the needle assembly cocks to one side of the body and is thereby prevented from exiting the body.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second detent means comprises a single detent.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means within the body for supporting the first detent means.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the support means comprises two spaced apart detents extending axially within the body, each of said detents of the support means comprising a first end extending from the upper surface of the body and a tapered end remote from the first end and a radially inwardly extending ledge, the tapered ends of the detents of the first detent means being in contact and supported by the ledges of the detents of the support means when the needle assembly is mounted to the body.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second detent means is adapted to contact and spread apart the detents of the support means on an inward stroke of the plunger thereby releasing the detents of the first detent means for engagement by the detents of the second detent means.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for offsetting the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly as it is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger thereby preventing the needle means from exiting the body.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second detent means each comprise a single detent offset from the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly, wherein when the second detent means engages the first detent means upon the outward stroke of the plunger, the needle means is cocked to one side of the body as the needle assembly is retracted into the body.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detents of the first detent means further comprise opposed inner and outer sides, each of said inner sides and one of said outer sides being offset from the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body has a rectilinear shape having four sides and the head section of the plunger has four sides adapted to sealingly engage the sides of the body, wherein the radial position of the plunger is fixed during axial movement of the plunger within the body to thereby enable the first detent means to be precisely aligned with the second detent means when the first and second detent means engage each other on the inward stroke of the plunger and retract the needle assembly on the outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a collar defining a channel for receiving the needle assembly and means in said collar for engaging the needle assembly when in operative use for passing said fluid and for disengaging the needle assembly upon the outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the engagement means comprises a flange adapted to contact a groove within the collar when said needle assembly is within the channel.

Claim 18

Apparatus for passing a fluid into or out of a warm-blooded animal or tissue thereof comprising: (a) a body having an interior surface defining a cavity adapted to contain said fluid; (b) a plunger movable axially within the body and comprising a head section having an outer surface in communication with the interior surface of the body to thereby form said cavity, a stem connected at one end to the head section and an inner wall; (c) a needle assembly having a longitudinal axis and being in flow communication with the cavity of the body and comprising a housing having opposed ends and a longitudinally extending chamber between said ends, needle means permanently affixed to one of said ends, and means for securing the needle assembly to the body outside of the cavity through the other of said ends when the needle assembly is in operative use for passing said fluid; (d) a first detent means axially extending into the cavity and connected to the end of the needle assembly remote from the needle means, said first detent means comprising a single detent having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the needle assembly and a radially extending ledge; (e) a second detent means connected to the head section of the plunger and adapted to engage the first detent means upon an inward stroke of the plunger and to retract the needle assembly into the cavity of the body upon an outward stroke of the plunger, said second detent means comprising a single detent having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the head section of the plunger and a radially extending ledge that is adapted to be mounted upon the ledge of the first detent means when the first and second detent means engage each other on the inward stroke of the plunger; and (f) means for offsetting the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly as it is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger thereby preventing the needle means from exiting the body, wherein the inner wall of the plunger is adapted to exert radial tension on the detent of the first detent means on said inward stroke and to release said tension and thereby cock the needle assembly when the needle assembly is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 19

Apparatus for passing a fluid into or out of a warm-blooded animal or tissue thereof comprising: (a) a body having an interior surface defining a cavity adapted to contain said fluid; (b) a plunger movable axially within the body and comprising a head section having an outer surface in communication with the interior surface of the body to thereby form said cavity, a stem connected at one end to the head section and an inner wall; (c) a needle assembly having a longitudinal axis and being in flow communication with the cavity of the body and comprising a housing having opposed ends and a longitudinally extending chamber between said ends, needle means permanently affixed to one of said ends, and means for securing the needle assembly to the body outside of the cavity through the other of said ends when the needle assembly is in operative use for passing said fluid; (d) a first detent means axially extending into the cavity and connected to the end of the needle assembly remote from the needle means, said first detent means comprising a single detent having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the needle assembly and a radially extending ledge; (e) a second detent means connected to the head section of the plunger and adapted to engage the first detent means upon an inward stroke of the plunger and to retract the needle assembly into the cavity of the body upon an outward stroke of the plunger, said second detent means comprising a single detent having a tapered end remote from the end connected to the head section of the plunger and a radially extending ledge that is adapted to be mounted upon the ledge of the first detent means when the first and second detent means engage each other on the inward stroke of the plunger; and (f) means for offsetting the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly as it is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger thereby preventing the needle means from exiting the body, wherein the inner wall of the plunger is adapted to exert radial tension on the detent of the first detent means on said inward stroke and to release said tension and thereby cock the needle assembly when the needle assembly is retracted into the body on the outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner wall of the plunger is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the needle assembly in the direction of the first detent means.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the inner wall of the plunger and the first detent means each comprise corresponding upper and lower portions, whereby the lower portion of the inner wall of the plunger is adapted to contact the lower portion of said first detent means, said respective upper portions having a gap therebetween, wherein when the needle assembly is retracted into the body the radial tension exerted on the lower portion of the first detent means causes the upper portion of the first detent means to move toward the upper portion of the inner wall of the plunger thereby causing the needle assembly to cock to one side of the body on the outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an opening in the body for receiving the needle assembly and thereby allow the fluid to pass from the body into the needle means, said offsetting means further comprising a conical tapered side integral with the opening of the body and extending into the cavity.

Claim 23

Apparatus for passing a fluid into or out of a warm-blooded animal or tissue thereof comprising: (a) a body having an upper surface and an interior surface defining a cavity adapted to contain said fluid; (b) a plunger movable axially within the body and comprising a head section having an outer surface in communication with the interior surface of the body to thereby form said cavity and a stem connected at one end to the head section; (c) a needle assembly receiving section extending from and integral with the upper surface of the body and comprising an aperture for providing flow communication for the fluid from the cavity of the body to a needle means, and a recess for reversibly locking a needle assembly to the upper surface of the body externally of the cavity; (d) a needle assembly having a longitudinal axis and being a flow communication with the cavity of the body through the needle assembly receiving section and comprising a housing having opposed ends and a longitudinal extending chamber between said ends, needle means permanently affixed to one of said ends and means for securing the needle assembly to the needle assembly receiving section externally of the cavity through the other of said ends when the needle assembly is in operative use for passing said fluid; (e) a first detent means axially extending into the cavity and connected to the end of the needle assembly remote from the needle means; and (f) a second detent means connected to the head section of the plunger and adapted to engage the first detent means upon an inward stroke of the plunger and to retract the needle assembly into the cavity of the body upon an outward stroke of the plunger.

Claim 24

Apparatus for passing a fluid into or out of a warm-blooded animal or tissue thereof comprising: (a) a body having an upper surface and an interior surface defining a cavity adapted to contain said fluid; (b) a plunger movable axially within the body and comprising a head section having an outer surface in communication with the interior surface of the body to thereby form said cavity and a stem connected at one end to the head section; (c) a needle assembly receiving section extending from and integral with the upper surface of the body and comprising an aperture for providing flow communication for the fluid from the cavity of the body to a needle means, and a recess for reversibly locking a needle assembly to the upper surface of the body externally of the cavity; (d) a needle assembly having a longitudinal axis and being a flow communication with the cavity of the body through the needle assembly receiving section and comprising a housing having opposed ends and a longitudinal extending chamber between said ends, needle means permanently affixed to one of said ends and means for securing the needle assembly to the needle assembly receiving section externally of the cavity through the other of said ends when the needle assembly is in operative use for passing said fluid; (e) a first detent means axially extending into the cavity and connected to the end of the needle assembly remote from the needle means; and (f) a second detent means connected to the head section of the plunger and adapted to engage the first detent means upon an inward stroke of the plunger and to retract the needle assembly into the cavity of the body upon an outward stroke of the plunger.