Retractable needle medical devices

Claim 2

A medical device, having a forward end, comprising: a tubular barrel; a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient; a spring housing positioned in the forward end of the device having an aperture for aligning the needle therein such that the needle extends forwardly out of the device from within the spring housing; a spring positioned concentrically about the needle and compressed within the spring housing; a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle within the spring housing against the expansive force exerted by the spring, the fingers having rearward facing angled surfaces for moving the finger; and an actuating member slidably positioned axially within the barrel, having a cavity formed therein for receiving the needle, and having a forward facing shoulder surface formed thereon to mate with the rearward angled surfaces of the fingers for forcibly moving the fingers out of engagement with the needle when the actuating member is urged in the forward direction within the tubular barrel, whereby the needle is released and propelled into the cavity.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein the actuating member comprises a tubular sleeve having a tapered forward end for providing the shoulder surface, and a frangible end member integrally formed with the tubular sleeve for closing the forward end of the cavity, the frangible end member being separable from the sleeve when the actuating member is urged forward to effect retraction of the needle.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein the actuating member has a longitudinal slot formed along a side of the sleeve and opening into the cavity.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1, wherein the fingers include radially inward extending hooks for providing an interior abutment surface at the rear of the spring housing, and further comprising a needle retaining member affixed to the rear of the needle, the needle retaining member providing a forward abutment surface for the rear end of the spring and a rear abutment surface for engagement with the interior abutment surface provided by the hooks.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1 wherein the device is a syringe hypodermic syringe.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein the device is a phlebotomy device.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1 comprising a catheter having a flexible cannula, wherein the needle supports the cannula.

Claim 9

A medical device, having a forward end, comprising: a tubular barrel; a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient; a spring housing positioned in the forward end of the device having an aperture for aligning the needle therein such that the needle extends forwardly out of the device from within the spring housing; a spring positioned concentrically about the needle and compressed within the spring housing; a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle within the spring housing against the expansive force exerted by the spring, the fingers having rearward facing angled surfaces for moving the fingers; and an actuating member slidably positioned axially within the barrel, having a cavity formed therein for receiving the needle, and having a forward facing shoulder surface formed thereon to mate with the rearward angled surfaces of the fingers for forcibly moving the fingers out of engagement with the needle when the actuating member is urged in the forward direction within the tubular barrel, whereby the needle is released and propelled into the cavity; wherein the fingers include radially inward extending hooks for providing an interior abutment surface at the rear of the spring housing, and further comprising a needle retaining member affixed to the rear of the needle, the needle retaining member providing a forward abutment surface for the rear end of the spring and a rear abutment surface for engagement with the interior abutment surface provided by the hooks; and wherein the fingers and the hooks are mutually joined along respective sides thereof forming a fluid seal between the needle retaining member and the interior abutment surface for substantially preventing fluid from entering the spring housing from the interior of the barrel.

Claim 10

A medical device, having a forward end, comprising: a tubular barrel; a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient; a spring housing positioned in the forward end of the device having an aperture for aligning the needle therein such that the needle extends forwardly out of the device from within the spring housing; a spring positioned concentrically about the needle and compressed within the spring housing; a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle within the spring housing against the expansive force exerted by the spring, the fingers having rearward facing angled surfaces for moving the fingers; and an actuating member slidably positioned axially within the barrel, having a cavity formed therein for receiving the needle, and having a forward facing shoulder surface formed thereon to mate with the rearward angled surfaces of the fingers for forcibly moving the fingers out of engagement with the needle when the actuating member is urged in the forward direction within the tubular barrel, whereby the needle is released and propelled into the cavity; wherein the fingers include radially inward extending hooks for providing an interior abutment surface at the rear of the spring housing, and further comprising a needle retaining member affixed to the rear of the needle, the needle retaining member providing a forward abutment surface for the rear end of the spring and a rear abutment surface for engagement with the interior abutment surface provided by the hooks; and wherein the fingers and the hooks are mutually joined along respective sides thereof forming a fluid seal between the needle retaining member and the interior abutment surface for substantially preventing fluid from entering the spring housing from the interior of the barrel.

Claim 11

A medical device, having a forward end, comprising: a tubular barrel; a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient; a spring housing positioned in the forward end of the device having an aperture for aligning the needle therein such that the needle extends forwardly out of the device from within the spring housing; a spring positioned concentrically about the needle and compressed within the spring housing; a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle within the spring housing against the expansive force exerted by the spring, the fingers having rearward facing angled surfaces for moving the fingers; and an actuating member slidably positioned axially within the barrel, having a cavity formed therein for receiving the needle, and having a forward facing shoulder surface formed thereon to mate with the rearward angled surfaces of the fingers for forcibly moving the fingers out of engagement with the needle when the actuating member is urged in the forward direction within the tubular barrel, whereby the needle is released and propelled into the cavity; wherein the fingers include radially inward extending hooks for providing an interior abutment surface at the rear of the spring housing, and further comprising a needle retaining member affixed to the rear of the needle, the needle retaining member providing a forward abutment surface for the rear end of the spring and a rear abutment surface for engagement with the interior abutment surface provided by the hooks; and wherein the needle retainer includes exterior grooves along the joints between the fingers to facilitate separation of the fingers when the needle is retracted.

Claim 12

A medical device, having a forward end, comprising: a tubular barrel; a needle for puncturing the skin of a patient; a spring housing positioned in the forward end of the device having an aperture for aligning the needle therein such that the needle extends forwardly out of the device from within the spring housing; a spring positioned concentrically about the needle and compressed within the spring housing; a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle within the spring housing against the expansive force exerted by the spring, the fingers having rearward facing angled surfaces for moving the fingers; and an actuating member slidably positioned axially within the barrel, having a cavity formed therein for receiving the needle, and having a forward facing shoulder surface formed thereon to mate with the rearward angled surfaces of the fingers for forcibly moving the fingers out of engagement with the needle when the actuating member is urged in the forward direction within the tubular barrel, whereby the needle is released and propelled into the cavity; wherein the fingers include radially inward extending hooks for providing an interior abutment surface at the rear of the spring housing, and further comprising a needle retaining member affixed to the rear of the needle, the needle retaining member providing a forward abutment surface for the rear end of the spring and a rear abutment surface for engagement with the interior abutment surface provided by the hooks; and wherein the needle retainer includes exterior grooves along the joints between the fingers to facilitate separation of the fingers when the needle is retracted.

Claim 13

A catheter insertion device comprising: a tubular barrel having an axial bore with a reduced diameter forward portion and an enlarged diameter rear portion; a catheter having a flexible cannula mounted to a catheter hub; a spring housing positioned in the forward portion of the barrel, having a nose portion a rear, and a front alignment aperture wherein the nose portion receives the interior of the catheter hub; a needle positioned axially in the spring housing and extending through the front alignment aperture for supporting and guiding the flexible cannula during insertion of the cannula into a patient; a spring compressed within the spring housing for exerting a rearward bias upon the needle; an actuating member positioned axially in the barrel, having a forward end, a rear actuating surface for allowing a user to urge the actuating member forward within the barrel, an engagement surface formed on the forward end of the actuating member for operatively engaging with the rear of the spring housing, and a central cavity formed therein for receiving the needle; and a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle in position against the bias of the spring, the needle retainer having a rear engagement surface contoured to mate with the engagement surface of the actuating member such that the resilient figures are moved radially outward within the barrel for releasing the needle into the central cavity.

Claim 14

A catheter insertion device comprising: a tubular barrel having an axial bore with a reduced diameter forward portion and an enlarged diameter rear portion; a catheter having a flexible cannula mounted to a catheter hub; a spring housing positioned in the forward portion of the barrel, having a nose portion a rear, and a front alignment aperture wherein the nose portion receives the interior of the catheter hub; a needle positioned axially in the spring housing and extending through the front alignment aperture for supporting and guiding the flexible cannula during insertion of the cannula into a patient; a spring compressed within the spring housing for exerting a rearward bias upon the needle; an actuating member positioned axially in the barrel, having a forward end, a rear actuating surface for allowing a user to urge the actuating member forward within the barrel, an engagement surface formed on the forward end of the actuating member for operatively engaging with the rear of the spring housing, and a central cavity formed therein for receiving the needle; and a needle retainer forming the rear of the spring housing, the needle retainer comprising a plurality of axially extending resilient fingers for holding the needle in position against the bias of the spring, the needle retainer having a rear engagement surface contoured to mate with the engagement surface of the actuating member such that the resilient figures are moved radially outward within the barrel for releasing the needle into the central cavity.

Claim 15

The catheter insertion device of claim 10 wherein the actuating member comprises a tubular sleeve with a frangible end member formed integrally on the forward end of the sleeve for sealing the central cavity and formed for separation from the sleeve when the actuating member is urged forward to effect retraction of the needle.

Claim 16

The catheter insertion device of claim 11 wherein the tubular sleeve has a longitudinal slot formed along a side thereof and opening into the central cavity.

Claim 17

The catheter insertion device of claim 10 wherein the actuating member comprises a tubular sleeve having a longitudinal slot formed along a side thereof and opening into the central cavity.

Claim 18

A medical device comprising: a housing; a needle having a sharpened tip, the needle being operable between a projecting position in which the sharpened tip projects forwardly from the housing, and a retracted position in which the sharpened tip is retracted within the housing; a spring circumscribing the needle, biasing the needle rearwardly toward the retracted position; a needle retainer for releasably retaining the needle in the projecting position, comprising: an axially elongated radially deformable element forming a latch for retaining the needle against the bias of the spring; a longitudinally elongated member axially displaceable within the housing; and a lock for impeding axial displacement of the elongated member after the needle is retracted; wherein upon application of an actuation force on the radially deformable element, the radially deformable element deforms radially, thereby permitting the needle to be propelled by the spring rearwardly toward the retracted position.

Claim 19

A medical device comprising: a housing; a needle having a sharpened tip, the needle being operable between a projecting position in which the sharpened tip projects forwardly from the housing, and a retracted position in which the sharpened tip is retracted within the housing; a spring circumscribing the needle, biasing the needle rearwardly toward the retracted position; a needle retainer for releasably retaining the needle in the projecting position, comprising: an axially elongated radially deformable element forming a latch for retaining the needle against the bias of the spring; a longitudinally elongated member axially displaceable within the housing; and a lock for impeding axial displacement of the elongated member after the needle is retracted; wherein upon application of an actuation force on the radially deformable element, the radially deformable element deforms radially, thereby permitting the needle to be propelled by the spring rearwardly toward the retracted position.

Claim 20

The medical device of claim 14 wherein the lock comprises a lip on one of the elongated member and the housing.

Claim 21

The medial device of claim 15 wherein the lock further comprises a tab projecting form the other of the elongated member and the housing.

Claim 22

The medical device of claim 14 wherein the housing has a rearward end and the lock is disposed adjacent the rearward end of the housing.

Claim 23

A medical device comprising: a housing having a rearward end; a needle having a sharpened tip, the needle being operable between a projecting position in which the sharpened tip projects forwardly from the housing, and a retracted position in which the sharpened tip is retracted within the housing; a spring circumscribing the needle, biasing the needle rearwardly toward the retracted position; a needle retainer for releasably retaining the needle in the projecting position, comprising: an axially elongated radially deformable element forming a latch for retaining the needle against the bias of the spring; and a lock disposed adjacent the rearward end of the housing for impeding axial displacement of the needle after the needle is retracted; wherein upon application of an actuation force on the radially deformable element, the radially deformable finger deforms radially, thereby permitting the needle to be propelled by the spring rearwardly toward the retracted position.

Claim 24

A medical device comprising: a housing having a rearward end; a needle having a sharpened tip, the needle being operable between a projecting position in which the sharpened tip projects forwardly from the housing, and a retracted position in which the sharpened tip is retracted within the housing; a spring circumscribing the needle, biasing the needle rearwardly toward the retracted position; a needle retainer for releasably retaining the needle in the projecting position, comprising: an axially elongated radially deformable element forming a latch for retaining the needle against the bias of the spring; and a lock disposed adjacent the rearward end of the housing for impeding axial displacement of the needle after the needle is retracted; wherein upon application of an actuation force on the radially deformable element, the radially deformable finger deforms radially, thereby permitting the needle to be propelled by the spring rearwardly toward the retracted position.