WO1991017783A1

WO1991017783A1 - Protective hypodermic needle

Info

Publication number: WO1991017783A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/003334
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerardo Castaldo
Original assignee: Gerardo Castaldo
Priority date: 1990-05-11
Filing date: 1991-05-13
Publication date: 1991-11-28
Also published as: AU7885691A

Abstract

A protective hypodermic needle which includes a biassing mechanism (24) for allowing for the permanent retraction of a needle within a protective casing so as to virtually guarantee that no other persons, following the intended usage of the needle on a patient, might injure themselves by said needle. In one embodiment of the invention, the spring means (24) are retractable into a casing (28), wherein once retracted, such casing utilizes an alternated path (28) in order to prevent the needle from again remerging from the casing. Such casing may, optionally, include means for drying out the tip (32) of the needle so as to further reduce the possibility of transmission of any disease, etc., should the casing of the invention become damaged or break.

Description

Protective Hypodermic Needle

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a protective hypodermic needle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a protective hypodermic needle wherein, following one usage of the sterile needle, the-then contaminated needle is able to be safely retracted so that other persons might not be concerned about injuring themselves on the needle and concern themselves with the possible transmission of disease from others.

Background Art

Heretofore, the prior art has failed to include a hypodermic needle which, following usage, would virtually guarantee against the possibility of pricking one's self on the used needle.

Long ago, the need for protecting the needle, prior to usage, was recognized as being essential in order that the hypodermic needle would be sterile.

This was, of course, necessary so that the person, or patient, being treated by medical personnel would not be infected by when receiving the intended injection for treatment of an alignment. At such time, there was little concern that one might later prick one's self, e.g., other medical personnel, an orderly, etc., on the used needle. While such accidents did occur from time to time, the consequences were usually no more than a minor cut. On a small number of occasions, the person pricked with the contaminated needle did develop an alignment carried by the patient earlier treated with the needle. In virtually all cases, the disease, which was accidently transmitted was treated in the conventionally known medical manner. Illnesses known to be life threatening, such as heart disease, cancer, etc., were not diseases which could be transmitted from person-to-person. Additionally, while some life-threatening conditions were capable of transmission between persons, in virtually all cases, the probability of a patient actually dying from such disease was sufficiently small, so as to be a statistical, or a theoretical possibility, and not considered particularly likely.

During the past decade of the 1980's, the outbreak of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or "AIDS," has drastically altered the foregoing assumptions. AIDS is known to be a disease readily transmitted via bodily fluids, such as blood. Transmission by way of the use of contaminated needles, has been known to occur. AIDS, however, unlike other diseases capable of human-to-human transmission, is known to be, or at least believed to be, 100% for those infected with the full disease. Accordingly, the medical profession must now concern itself, not such with the safe transport of unused needles, but also the safe disposable of used needles in order to prevent the transmission of a disease known to be almost certainly fatal. In the case of AIDS, because of the virtually 100% fatality rate borne by its carriers, even the statistically small chance of obtaining the disease of another through an accidental prick from a previously used needle, becomes very significant and presents great concern.

The need, therefore, for disposable of contaminated hypodermic needles is of great concern. Disclosure of Invention

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a protective hypodermic needle wherein the needle, once contaminated following use, may be safely disposed of in a manner which virtually precludes the possibility of a person, other than the intended patient, from being pricked by the needle. It is, still, a further object of the present invention to provide a protective hypodermic needle which would prevent the transmission of certain contagious diseases between individuals.

It is, yet, an additional object of the present invention to provide a protective hypodermic needle which will assist in the effort to reduce the transmission of the HIV (i.e., AIDS) virus.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a protective hypodermic needle which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The foregoing and related objects are accomplished by a protective hypodermic needle which includes spring means for allowing for the permanent retraction of a needle within a protective casing so as to virtually guarantee that no person, following the intended usage of the needle on a patient. In one embodiment of the invention, the spring means are retractable into a casing, wherein once retracted, such casing utilizes an alternated path in order to prevent to needle from again re-emerging from the casing. Such casing may, optionally, include means for drying out the tip of the needle so as to further reduce the possibility of transmission of any disease, etc., should the casing of the invention become damaged or break.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the protective hypodermic needle of the invention is provided with a casing with spring loaded means therein which, when the needle is retracted, permanently prevents the needle from re-emerging from the casing by causing a blockage of the needle's path from the casing.

The casing, following retraction of the needle therein, is preferably made of Teflon (registered trademark), or other hardened material, such as, for example, a hardened plastic. Such casing can then be disposed with little, if any, extraordinary safety precautions, which would otherwise be required for conventionally known hypodermic needles. Other objects and features of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawing figures. It should, of course, be understood that the accompanying drawing figures are intended to be merely illustrative of the scope of the present invention and are not intended as defining the scope and limitations thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures

In the drawing, wherein similar reference numerals define similar features throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional hypodermic needle with a cylindrical cover for the needle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conventional hypodermic needle of FIG. 1, with the cylindrical cover for the needle being shown as being removable; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the conventional hypodermic needle of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the needle being shown as capable of insertion into the arm of a person;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the protective hypodermic needle of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial, perspective view of that portion of the hypodermic needle of FIG. 4, which includes the protective hypodermic needle retraction means of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial, perspective view of the upper portion of the needle of the present invention, with parts of the casing of the invention being broken away; FIG. 7 is a detailed, elevational view of the retractable spring mechanism of the upper portion of the present invention, with the needle shield shown (a) in phantom and (b) on the jacket of the invention; FIG. 8A is a partial, detailed view, taken in elevation, showing the needle shield of the present invention following use and retraction of the same so that later injury to others is not possible;

FIG. 8B is a partial, outlined view, taken in elevation, of the needle shield of the present invention following retraction spring means and prior to hypodermic needle settling in needle shield;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the present invention showing use of the invention upon the arm of a patient prior to retraction of the needle;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the protective hypodermic needle of the present invention following usage of the invention, as shown in FIG. 9, and retraction of the same;

FIG. 11 presents a partial, top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the protective hypodermic needle of the present invention, wherein the path of such needle is unblocked, prior to usage of the needle, by spring loaded means;

FIG. 12A is a partial, top perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 11, fully showing the loaded spring means of FIG. 11, following usage of the hypodermic needle; and,

FIG. 12B is a partial, top elevational view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 11, following usage of the hypodermic needle.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Turning now, in detail, to an analysis of the accompanying drawing figures, FIGS. 1 - 3, illustrate the state of the art hypodermic needle 10. This conventional needle includes a cylindrical cover 12, for covering and protecting needle 14, in order to maintain the sterility of the needle prior to usage on a patient's arm 16.

The conventional hypodermic needle 10 of FIGS. 1 - 3, fails to include means for protecting needle 14 and preventing the needle from unintentionally pricking a subsequent person to that of the intended patient. Alternatively, while it is true that needle 14 may be re-covered with cylindrical cover 12, for one to replace such cover may actually expose one to a risk of unintentional pricking which is even greater than that which is likely without again covering the needle 14.

As described above, when the point of needle 14 leaves a patient following usage, such point typically contains fluids which carry the patient's blood and, as a result, allow for the spread of the patient's alignments to others. While any living bacterium or virus are not likely to survive for any great length of time, so as to be a serious threat to others, particularly the health care worker administering the injection, some exposure is always present at the immediate time, or shortly thereafter, of injection. Overtime, this danger declines, but can never be totally ruled out as a possibility.

Prior to the outbreak of the AIDS virus during the early 1980's, the unlikely possibilities of being accidentally pricked by an earlier used needle; picking up an alignment as a result; and, suffering serious injury, or even death, as a consequence, was considered a statistical possibility far to remote to justify protective means for once used hypodermic needles. Since the outbreak of the AIDS virus results in almost certain death for all of its victims, even a remote probability of being accidentally pricked by the needle from an AIDS' patient is generally perceived as being too great, i.e., zero tolerance for any risk.

The disadvantages of conventional hypodermic needles, as shown in FIGS. 1 - 3, are overcome by the presently claimed invention, as shown in FIGS. 4 -12B: FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the protective hypodermic needle 20 of the present invention. Needle 20 includes a cylindrical cover 12, for protecting the needle 14, as is conventional. Hypodermic needle 20, however, includes retraction means 22, which is preferably accomplished by use of spring means 24, or equivalent biassing means.

Hypodermic needle 20, of FIG. 4, includes the protective retraction means 22, as shown in FIG. 5, and more clearly shown in FIG. 6. Retraction means 22, more particularly, includes jacket 26, which is preferably made of Teflon. Biassing or other spring means 24 are primarily housed within jacket 26. Reference numeral 29 designates the base of the needle 14, which is preferably made of rubber and includes sealing means.

Retraction means 22, and more particularly jacket 26, are constructed so that such may be twisted or rotated to either the left or the right. When such rotation is accomplished, as will be explained and shown in greater detail below, needle 14 is retracted within a needle shield, while still being biassed in an outward, or forward, direction. The needle 14 is, nevertheless, able to be secured within the needle shield in a permanent and safe manner. This aspect of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A and 8B.

More particularly, FIG. 7 is a detailed, elevational view of the retractable spring mechanism 22 of the upper portion of the present invention, with a needle shield 28 shown (a) in phantom and (b) upon jacket 26. Needle shield 28 includes a channel 30, through which needle 14 is able to pass. When a new hypodermic needle 20 of the present invention is employed, needle 14 is extended through channel -10- 30 and may be kept sterile in a conventional manner.

Following use of needle 14 upon a patient 16, jacket 26 may be rotated. This rotation retracts inward needle 14 through channel 30 of needle shield 28. All the while, biassing, or spring means 24 is pushing needle 14 is a forward or outward direction. This manner of retracting needle 14 through channel 30 may be considered as being similar to the retraction of the ball point of a pen into a casing; a technical art which is neither the same nor analogous to that with which the present invention is concerned. This manner of retraction is preferably carried out immediately upon completion of the injection to the patient.

As may be closely observed from FIGS. 7 and 8A and 8B, channel 30 of needle shield 28 is not fully aligned with the original course of needle 14, but rather, incorporates a slight deviation from perfect alignment; the course of perfect alignment being illustrated in phantom, in FIG. 8B, by course a, with the deviated alignment of course 30 being shown by course b. In addition, upon full retraction of needle 14, by twisting or rotating the outer jacket of retraction means 22, it should be possible for needle 14 to clear the length of channel 30; as shown by designation c, in FIGS. 7 and 8B. By providing channel 30 with a deviated alignment, b, and by assuring that the length c of channel 30 within needle shield 28 is short enough in order for needle 14 to clear length c, then when needle 14 is fully retracted, and such retraction means are released, needle 14 could be expected to follow a path of perfect alignment, path a. Again, such means for retraction and release of the same would be equivalent to that found in many ball point pens . In contrast, however, to such a non-analogous arrangement, since channel 30 of needle shield 28 follows a path of deviated alignment b, it is extremely unlikely that release of retraction means 22, or, more particularly, biassing means 24, would allow needle 14 to re-enter channel 30 and travel through the same in order to again protrude in a dangerous fashion. Because of this misalignment of channel 30, the protective needle of the present invention may only be used once and cannot be re-used unless, in some manner not intended, needle 14 were able to find the deviated path of channel 30.

In determining the proper deviation of channel 30 from the path of perfect, or normal, alignment a, conflicting considerations must be balanced and taken into account:

1. On the one hand, if the deviated path b, is not sufficiently great, i.e., too little deviation from the normal, then the likelihood is greater than needle 14 could, conceivably find the opening of channel 30, enter the same, and again, and unintentionally, protrude from the hypodermic needle of the invention.

2. Conversely, if the path ( b) of misalignment or deviation of channel 30 is too great, then eventual retraction of needle 14 through channel 30 could be unnecessarily inhibited since the inner walls of the channel would increase the amount of friction between needle 14 and channel walls. If this friction were too great, and retraction of needle 14 not possible, then, obviously, the safety intended by using the present invention would be defeated. Again referring to FIGS. 7 and 8A and 8B, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, following retraction of the needle 14, through channel 30, and release of spring means 24, the inner portion of needle shield 28, where the point of needle 14 would be expected to permanently come to rest, is provided with small amounts of a substance 32 that would be expected to dehydrate the point of the already-used needle. An example of such a substance is dry Clorox solution ("CLOROX" is a trademark. )

Turning to FIGS. 9 and 10, which illustrate usage of the hypodermic needle 20, of the present invention. FIG. 9 presents a perspective view of the present invention showing use upon the arm 16 of a patient prior to retraction of the needle 14.

As with conventional needles, the desired injection is administered to the patient 16. However, upon completion of the desired dosage of medicine so administered, the needle is removed, not by simple withdrawal from the arm of the patient, as with conventional needles, but, rather, by rotation of the outer jacket of the hypodermic needle. In this manner, the needle is cleanly retracted from the arm of the patient and readily passes into the needle shield 28 of the invention. This procedure is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Finally, FIGS. 11 and 12A and 12B, illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention employing spring-loaded means 40a, 40b for closure of the path d of needle 14 following use of the hypodermic needle for administering treatment to a patient. In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, biassing means, or spring means, 40a, biases needle 14 in an outward, or forward, direction. Biassing, or spring-loaded means 40b is biassed against needle 14 at a substantially right angle. This relationship is shown in FIG. 11.

The tension in spring means 40a may be adjusted by appropriate rotation of a tension-release cylinder 42, or equivalent means, relative to the jacket of the hypodermic needle at large. Use of this embodiment of the present invention is contemplated wherein the hypodermic needle is used to administer treatment to a patient in a manner which is conventional. There is, afterall, no danger of illness, or other contamination, if known means are used prior to injection of the patient.

Upon completion of a patient's treatment, tension-release cylinder 42 is rotated so that the tension of spring means 40a is increased. The tension is continually increased until the needle 14 is fully retracted into the housing of the hypodermic needle. This embodiment of the invention is best shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B.

When the point of needle 14 is retracted inward passed, or below, spring means 40b, the tension in this biassing, or spring, means is released. Such tension release causes biassing means 40b to close off the path d from the housing or jacket of the hypodermic needle, to an outside point, as best shown in FIG. 12B.

While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications may be made unto the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

Claims 1. A protective hypodermic needle, comprising: a needle; a jacket for said needle; biassing means within said jacket for biassing said needle in an outward direction toward a patient; retraction means within said jacket for retracting said needle in an inward direction and away from the patient; and, a needle shield for retaining and receiving said needle after use of said needle for administering an injection to the patient, said needle shield having a channel, through which said needle passes, said channel having an alignment away from the normal path formed by said needle.

2. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 1, wherein said jacket is made of Telfon.

3. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 1 , wherein said biassing means is spring means.

4. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 1, further comprising means for dehydrating the point of said needle.

5. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 4, wherein said means for dehydrating is dried Clorox solution.

6. A protective hypodermic needle, comprising: a needle; a jacket for said needle with a needle opening; first biassing means within said jacket for biassing said needle in an outward direction toward a patient; second biassing means within said jacket, said second biassing means being positioned perpendicularly to said needle for closing the opening of said jacket; and, retraction means for said first biassing means within said jacket for retracting said needle in an inward direction and away from the patient.

7. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 1, wherein said jacket is made of Telfon.

8. The protective hypodermic needle according to Claim 1, wherein said biassing means is spring means.