Safety syringe needle device with interchangeable and retractable needle platform

Claim 2

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe; (b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel, having a portion projecting into the barrel toward its proximal end and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel; (c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter; (d) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between retracted and extended positions; (e) an adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the projecting adapter portion in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the distal end of the barrel, said structures being cooperable to cause (1) relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter in response to such axial movement, and (2) the adapter and needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to part from the end of the barrel in response to subsequent relative rotation of the plunger and the barrel, thereby enabling the adapter and the needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel; and (f) means connecting between said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger to indicate attempted movement of said plunger and said barrel relative to one another.

Claim 3

A syringe according to claim 1 wherein said fluid passage of said adapter has a passage portion opening into said barrel at a location between the proximal end of said projecting adapter portion and the distal end of said barrel to end air to be vented from said barrel through said needle upon receiving fluid into said barrel and moving said plunger toward the distal end of said barrel.

Claim 4

A syringe according to claim 2 wherein connecting means includes a tape secured to and interconnecting said barrel and said plunger.

Claim 5

A syringe according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means includes a plastic material heat shrunk about said barrel and exposed portions of said plunger in said retracted position thereof.

Claim 6

A syringe according to claim 2 wherein said connecting means includes a thin film coating of plastic material on the exposed external surfaces of said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger.

Claim 7

A syringe according to claim 2 including a needle guard removably connected to one of said ferrule and said distal end of said barrel and means connected to said barrel and said needle guard to indicate attempted movement of said needle guard and said barrel relative to one another.

Claim 8

A syringe according to claim 6 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a tape secured to and interconnecting said needle guard and said barrel.

Claim 9

A syringe according to claim 7 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a plastic material heat shrunk about said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 10

A syringe according to claim 7 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a thin film coating of plastic material on the external surfaces of said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 11

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe; (b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel, having a portion projecting into the barrel toward its proximal end and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel; (c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter; (d) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between retracted and extended positions; (e) an adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the projecting adapter portion in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the distal end of the barrel, said structures being cooperable to cause (1) relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter in response to such axial movement, and (2) the adapter and needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to part from the end of the barrel in response to subsequent relative rotation of the plunger and the barrel, thereby enabling the adapter and the needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel; and (f) a needle guard removably connected to one of said ferrule and said distal end of said barrel; and (g) means connected to said barrel and said needle guard to indicate attempted movement of said needle guard and said barrel relative to one another.

Claim 12

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe; (b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel, having a portion projecting into the barrel toward its proximal end and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel; (c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter; (d) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between retracted and extended positions; (e) an adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the projecting adapter portion in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the distal end of the barrel, said structures being cooperable to cause (1) relative rotation of the plunger end and the adapter in response to such axial movement, and (2) the adapter and needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to part from the end of the barrel in response to subsequent relative rotation of the plunger and the barrel, thereby enabling the adapter and the needle ferrule with the needle attached thereto to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel; and (f) a needle guard removably connected to one of said ferrule and said distal end of said barrel; and (g) means connected to said barrel and said needle guard to indicate attempted movement of said needle guard and said barrel relative to one another.

Claim 13

A syringe according to claim 10 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a tape secured to and interconnecting said needle guard and said barrel.

Claim 14

A syringe according to claim 10 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a plastic material heat shrunk about said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 15

A syringe according to claim 10 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a thin film coating of plastic material on the external surfaces of said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 16

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel; (b) an adapter carried by said barrel adjacent the distal end thereof and removable therefrom in response to rotation relative to the barrel, the adapter having a fluid passage and adapted for removable coupling to a hollow needle; (c) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between extended and retracted positions; and (d) adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the adapter and projecting into the interior of said hollow barrel, said structures having alignment, drive and connective pairs of respective engagement surfaces, said alignment pair of surfaces being engageable and relatively movable to align and engage said drive surfaces one with the other thereby to enable subsequent rotation of the adapter relative to the barrel in response to relative rotation of the plunger and barrel, said connective surfaces being engageable in response to substantially full axial insertion of said plunger in said barrel to connect the plunger and adapter one with the other, enabling the adapter and any attached needle to part from the end of the barrel and to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel; and means connecting between said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger to indicate attempted movement of said barrel and said plunger relative to one another.

Claim 17

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel; (b) an adapter carried by said barrel adjacent the distal end thereof and removable therefrom in response to rotation relative to the barrel, the adapter having a fluid passage and adapted for removable coupling to a hollow needle; (c) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between extended and retracted positions; and (d) adapter engagement structure disposed at the distal end of the plunger and engageable with a mating connection engagement structure on the adapter and projecting into the interior of said hollow barrel, said structures having alignment, drive and connective pairs of respective engagement surfaces, said alignment pair of surfaces being engageable and relatively movable to align and engage said drive surfaces one with the other thereby to enable subsequent rotation of the adapter relative to the barrel in response to relative rotation of the plunger and barrel, said connective surfaces being engageable in response to substantially full axial insertion of said plunger in said barrel to connect the plunger and adapter one with the other, enabling the adapter and any attached needle to part from the end of the barrel and to be withdrawn into the interior of the barrel when the plunger is withdrawn from the distal end of the barrel; and means connecting between said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger to indicate attempted movement of said barrel and said plunger relative to one another.

Claim 18

A syringe according to claim 15 wherein said fluid passage having at least a portion thereof opening through said adapter into the interior portion of said barrel at a location between its opposite ends such that said fluid passage portion opening forms the most superior portion of the interior of said barrel when the syringe is held in a generally vertical orientation with the needle uppermost.

Claim 19

A syringe according to claim 14 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a tape secured to and interconnecting said needle guard and said barrel.

Claim 20

A syringe according to claim 14 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a plastic material heat shrunk about said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 21

A syringe according to claim 10 wherein said connecting means between said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel includes a thin film coating of plastic material on the external surfaces of said needle guard and said distal end of said barrel.

Claim 22

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe; (b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel; (c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter; (d) a needle guard releasably connected with one of said ferrule and said distal barrel end; (e) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between retracted and extended positions relative to said barrel; and (f) means connecting between said barrel and said needle guard and between said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger to indicate attempted removal of said needle guard from said one of said ferrule and said distal barrel end and movement of said plunger relative to said barrel from said plunger retracted position.

Claim 23

A syringe comprising: (a) a hollow axially-elongated barrel for containing fluid to be injected by the syringe; (b) an adapter removably mounted at the distal end of said barrel and having a fluid passage in communication with the interior of the barrel; (c) a ferrule carrying a hollow needle and adapted for removable connection with one of the distal barrel end and the adapter adjacent the barrel end, with the hollow needle in communication with the fluid passage of the adapter; (d) a needle guard releasably connected with one of said ferrule and said distal barrel end; (e) a plunger axially movable in the hollow barrel between retracted and extended positions relative to said barrel; and (f) means connecting between said barrel and said needle guard and between said barrel and said plunger in the retracted position of said plunger to indicate attempted removal of said needle guard from said one of said ferrule and said distal barrel end and movement of said plunger relative to said barrel from said plunger retracted position.

Claim 24

A syringe according to claim 19 wherein said connecting means includes a tape secured to said barrel and extending to overlie portions of said needle guard and said plunger.

Claim 25

A syringe according to claim 19 wherein said connecting means includes a first plastic material heat-shrunk about said needle guard and said one of said ferrule and said distal barrel end and a second plastic material heat-shrunk about said barrel and exposed portions of said plunger in said retracted position thereof.

Claim 26

A syringe according to claim 19 wherein said connecting means includes a thin film coating of plastic material on the exposed external surfaces of said needle guard, said barrel and said plunger.