Syringe and sliding locking needle shield

Claim 2

In combination, (a) a syringe comprising a barrel having distal and proximal ends, a plunger slidable within said barrel, and a needle attached to said distal end of said barrel: (b) an elongated needle shield movable over said barrel between a retracted position in which the needle is exposed and an extended position in which said shield surrounds said needle, said shield having an inner surface and including an elongate keyway with an inner surface thereon and an adjacent locking channel along said inner surface; (c) a key operatively attached to said distal end of said barrel wherein said key projects radially outward from said barrel to slidably contact said keyway and wherein said locking channel allows entrance of said key therein when said shield is in said extended position, and said extended shield being rotatable with respect to said barrel for moving said key from said keyway into said locking channel; and (d) a depressible ramp for preventing movement of said shield about said barrel when said key is in said locking channel and wherein said depressible ramp is movable between first and second positions and said depressible ramp normally extends into said keyway from said inner surface of said keyway in said first position and is depressed from said first position by contact with said key in said second position when said shield is in said extended and rotatable position.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, wherein said keyway includes at least one longitudinally aligned second ramp structure positioned adjacent said depressible ramp to assist in the alignment of said key into said locking channel.

Claim 4

A medical device comprising: a syringe including a barrel member having distal and proximal ends, a plunger member slightly movable within said barrel member and a needle operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member, said needle including a distal needle point thereon; a collar means operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member, said collar means including a keyway, a first channel member and a key stop thereon, wherein said keyway and said first channel member are oriented laterally offset from each other and said key stop is adapted to extend radially outwardly and circumferentially about said collar means and includes distal and proximal surfaces thereon; an elongate needle shield having distal and proximal ends and said shield being adapted to be movable over said collar means between a retracted position wherein said needle point is exposed and an extended position wherein said needle point is protected; an elongate key extending inwardly from said shield wherein said key includes distal and proximal ends and the length of said key is such that when said shield is moved between said retracted and extended positions, said key is aligned in said keyway and when said shield is in said extended position, said key is released from said keyway to enable said proximal end of said key to be misaligned with said keyway and about against said distal surface of said key stop upon rotation of said shield about said barrel member in said extended position; an inwardly directed tab member on said shield wherein said tab member is adapted to be received in said first channel member when said shield is in said extended position, said tab member being oriented with respect to said key on said shield such that when said tab member is in said first channel member said key is aligned with said keyway and said shield may be returned to said retracted position; an inwardly directed stop means on said shield wherein said stop means is positioned proximally of said proximal end of said key and is adapted to abut against said proximal surface of said key stop when said shield is in said extended position.

Claim 5

A medical device comprising: a syringe including a barrel member having distal and proximal ends, a plunger member slightly movable within said barrel member and a needle operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member, said needle including a distal needle point thereon; a collar means operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member, said collar means including a keyway, a first channel member and a key stop thereon, wherein said keyway and said first channel member are oriented laterally offset from each other and said key stop is adapted to extend radially outwardly and circumferentially about said collar means and includes distal and proximal surfaces thereon; an elongate needle shield having distal and proximal ends and said shield being adapted to be movable over said collar means between a retracted position wherein said needle point is exposed and an extended position wherein said needle point is protected; an elongate key extending inwardly from said shield wherein said key includes distal and proximal ends and the length of said key is such that when said shield is moved between said retracted and extended positions, said key is aligned in said keyway and when said shield is in said extended position, said key is released from said keyway to enable said proximal end of said key to be misaligned with said keyway and about against said distal surface of said key stop upon rotation of said shield about said barrel member in said extended position; an inwardly directed tab member on said shield wherein said tab member is adapted to be received in said first channel member when said shield is in said extended position, said tab member being oriented with respect to said key on said shield such that when said tab member is in said first channel member said key is aligned with said keyway and said shield may be returned to said retracted position; an inwardly directed stop means on said shield wherein said stop means is positioned proximally of said proximal end of said key and is adapted to abut against said proximal surface of said key stop when said shield is in said extended position.

Claim 6

The medical device of claim 3 wherein said shield is rotatable about said collar means from a said extended position wherein said shield is movable to said retracted position to a locked and extended position wherein said tab member is received in a locking recess on said collar means.

Claim 7

The medical device of claim 4 wherein said key is misaligned with said keyway and said stop means abuts against said proximal surface of said key stop when said tab member is received in said locking recess on said collar means.

Claim 8

The medical device of claim 3 wherein said needle includes a needle hub thereon to removably mount said needle on said distal end of said barrel member and an elongate needle sheath is removably mounted on a position of said needle hub to enclose said needle therein and said shield includes an end wall associated with said distal end thereof and said end wall includes an aperture therein sized to permit passage of said needle hub therethrough while preventing the passage of said needle sheath therethrough.

Claim 9

A medical device comprising: a syringe including a barrel member having a longitudinal axis and distal and proximal ends, a plunger member adapted to be slidably received in said barrel member, and a needle operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member and said needle including a distal needle point thereon; an elongated needle shield having an inner surface and distal and proximal ends and wherein said shield is adapted to be movable with respect to said barrel member between a retracted position wherein said distal needle point is exposed and an extended position wherein said distal needle point is protected; an elongate keyway operatively associated with said inner surface of said shield and said keyway including a proximal end and a locking channel adjacent said proximal end of said keyway; a key operatively associated with said barrel member wherein said key extends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said barrel member to slidably contact said keyway and wherein said locking channel is oriented with respect to said keyway to receive said key therein as said shield is rotated about said barrel member when said shield is in said extended position; a depressible ramp member operatively positioned in said keyway wherein said ramp member is positioned adjacent said locking channel and movable between a first position wherein said ramp member extends into said keyway from said inner surface of said shield and a second position wherein said key contacts and depresses said ramp member with respect to said inner surface of said shield.

Claim 10

A medical device comprising: a syringe including a barrel member having a longitudinal axis and distal and proximal ends, a plunger member adapted to be slidably received in said barrel member, and a needle operatively associated with said distal end of said barrel member and said needle including a distal needle point thereon; an elongated needle shield having an inner surface and distal and proximal ends and wherein said shield is adapted to be movable with respect to said barrel member between a retracted position wherein said distal needle point is exposed and an extended position wherein said distal needle point is protected; an elongate keyway operatively associated with said inner surface of said shield and said keyway including a proximal end and a locking channel adjacent said proximal end of said keyway; a key operatively associated with said barrel member wherein said key extends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said barrel member to slidably contact said keyway and wherein said locking channel is oriented with respect to said keyway to receive said key therein as said shield is rotated about said barrel member when said shield is in said extended position; a depressible ramp member operatively positioned in said keyway wherein said ramp member is positioned adjacent said locking channel and movable between a first position wherein said ramp member extends into said keyway from said inner surface of said shield and a second position wherein said key contacts and depresses said ramp member with respect to said inner surface of said shield.

Claim 11

The medical device of claim 7 wherein said ramp member includes a distal surface and a side surface and wherein said key contacts and depresses said distal surface of said ramp member in said second position as said shield is returnable to said retracted position.

Claim 12

The medical device of claim 8 wherein said shield is rotatable about said barrel member from said extended position to an extended and locked position wherein said ramp member is in said first position when said shield is in said extended and locked position and in said second position when said shield is in said extended position.

Claim 13

The medical device of claim 9 wherein said side surface of said ramp member contacts said key when said shield is in said extended and locked position to retain said key in said locking channel.

Claim 14

The medical device of claim 7 wherein said needle includes a needle hub thereon to removably mount said needle on said distal end of said barrel member and an elongate needle sheath is removably mounted on a portion of said needle hub to enclose said needle therein and said shield includes an end wall associated with said distal end thereof and said end wall includes an aperture therein sized to permit passage of said needle hub therethrough while preventing the passage of said needle sheath therethrough.