Self retracting syringe needle apparatus and methods

Claim 1

A medical syringe system comprising: a medical syringe comprising a male luer fitting and an associated luer lock fitting used for fluid connections: a retractable needle assembly comprising a luer lock fitting which releasibly connects to the associated luer lock fitting, said retractable needle assembly further comprising: a housing comprising an elongated cylindrical body of sufficient length to contain a medical needle retracted therein, said housing comprising an exit and reentry end, wherethrough the medical needle with an associated cover travels for use outwardly therefrom and retracts inwardly for automatic, safe enclosure of the needle after use, and a connector end whereat connection is made to the male luer fitting; the needle cover at least partially disposed in the housing during transport and before the medical needle is used in a medical procedure, the needle cover and the housing cooperatively comprising a frangibly separable protective barrier at the exit and reentry end, said cover comprising a releasible connection to a medical needle subassembly whereby the needle subassembly is extended outwardly from the housing when the needle cover is pulled therefrom; the medical needle subassembly comprising the medical needle and at least one latching hub; a force storing unit which selectively stores retractive force to retract the medical needle into the housing when the cover and needle are extended outwardly from the housing and which reactively contracts to provide needle retractive force, said force storing unit comprising: a connection to said at least one hub; a hollow elastic tube comprising a mating section of a female luer fitting which receives the male luer fitting and contracts to form a seal between the male and female luer parts, when the elastic tube is stretched, by outward extension of the needle and cover, a pathway through the hollow elastic tube for fluid flow while the needle is extended and a rest state to which the tube returns after the medical procedure has been completed; said housing further comprising a catch and a release for said at least one latching hub.

Claim 28

A method for using a needle retracting device comprising the following steps: providing a medical syringe comprising a male luer fitting and an associated luer lock, a needle retracting assembly comprising: a housing which is physically separate from said medical syringe; a cover and a retractable needle housed within the cover before use; releasibly affixing the syringe to the housing; pulling the cover from the housing to expose the needle for use in a medical procedure; performing the medical procedure; safely retracting the needle into the housing.

Claim 29

A method for using a needle retracting device comprising the following steps: providing a medical syringe comprising a male luer fitting and an associated luer lock, a needle retracting assembly comprising: a housing which is physically separate from said medical syringe; a cover and a retractable needle housed within the cover before use; releasibly affixing the syringe to the housing; pulling the cover from the housing to expose the needle for use in a medical procedure; performing the medical procedure; safely retracting the needle into the housing.

Claim 33

A method for assembling a self-retracting needle apparatus which attaches to a syringe via a luer and luer lock fitting, said method comprising the steps of: providing an exterior housing comprising a needle exit and reentry end; providing a needle cover; providing a medical needle assembly comprising a medical needle and at least one hub for the needle; providing an interior housing comprising a back plate; providing an elastic tubular structure and a cap; attaching the at least one hub to the needle; disposing the cover about the needle and releasibly affixing the cover to the at least one needle hub; disposing the cover and attached needle assembly within confines defined by the interior housing; firmly affixing a first end of the elastic tubular structure to the backplate such that the other end is juxtaposed the at least one hub; disposing the other end of the elastic tubular structure over a portion of the at least one hub and affixing the structure to the hub to complete an internal combination structure; disposing the combination inside exterior housing such that a portion of the cover is exposed through the exit and reentry end outside the housing forming a protective barrier between the cover and housing; and placing the cap over the backplate to proved another protective barrier between the backplate and cap.

Claim 34

A method for assembling a self-retracting needle apparatus which attaches to a syringe via a luer and luer lock fitting, said method comprising the steps of: providing an exterior housing comprising a needle exit and reentry end; providing a needle cover; providing a medical needle assembly comprising a medical needle and at least one hub for the needle; providing an interior housing comprising a back plate; providing an elastic tubular structure and a cap; attaching the at least one hub to the needle; disposing the cover about the needle and releasibly affixing the cover to the at least one needle hub; disposing the cover and attached needle assembly within confines defined by the interior housing; firmly affixing a first end of the elastic tubular structure to the backplate such that the other end is juxtaposed the at least one hub; disposing the other end of the elastic tubular structure over a portion of the at least one hub and affixing the structure to the hub to complete an internal combination structure; disposing the combination inside exterior housing such that a portion of the cover is exposed through the exit and reentry end outside the housing forming a protective barrier between the cover and housing; and placing the cap over the backplate to proved another protective barrier between the backplate and cap.

Claim 39

A method for using a self-retracting needle apparatus comprising the steps of: providing the self-retracting needle apparatus comprising a housing for the apparatus, a medical needle which is generally stored in the housing; extended from the housing for use in a medical procedure and retracted into the housing for safe containment after use; means for storing energy by which the needle is retracted; means for latching the needle while extended for use and means for releasing the latching means to cause the needle to be retracted back into the housing; storing the energy storing means and latching means in a non-stressed state during a period prior to using the needle; extending the needle from the housing; while extending the needle, stressing the energy storing means to store energy therein and also stressing the latching means as the latching means are moved to a latching position; using the medical needle in a medical procedure; releasing the latch and retracting the needle by force of energy stored in the energy storing means.

Claim 40

A method for using a self-retracting needle apparatus comprising the steps of: providing the self-retracting needle apparatus comprising a housing for the apparatus, a medical needle which is generally stored in the housing; extended from the housing for use in a medical procedure and retracted into the housing for safe containment after use; means for storing energy by which the needle is retracted; means for latching the needle while extended for use and means for releasing the latching means to cause the needle to be retracted back into the housing; storing the energy storing means and latching means in a non-stressed state during a period prior to using the needle; extending the needle from the housing; while extending the needle, stressing the energy storing means to store energy therein and also stressing the latching means as the latching means are moved to a latching position; using the medical needle in a medical procedure; releasing the latch and retracting the needle by force of energy stored in the energy storing means.