Device for protecting a syringe needle

1. A device for protecting a syringe ( 2 ) needle ( 7 ), comprising a needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) made of a flexible material and a protective end-piece ( 5 ) made of a rigid material adapted to cover the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) and equipped with internal means ( 12 ) for gripping the said needle protecting cap which are capable of entraining the latter upon the removal of the said protective end-piece, wherein the internal gripping means provided in the protective end-piece ( 5 ) comprise at least one longitudinal claw ( 12 ) secured to the side wall of the protective end-piece ( 5 ) via a flexible transverse intermediate hinge ( 13 ) forming an articulation longitudinally delimiting:

a downstream longitudinal section ( 16 ) having a free end in the form of a point ( 19 ) capable of sticking into the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ), and arranged so as to come into contact with the said needle-protecting cap upon the introduction of the latter into the protective endpiece ( 5 ) and to bring about the tilting of the claw ( 12 ), the said downstream longitudinal section having a rear endface ( 18 ) for abutting against the side wall of the said protective end-piece, adapted to limit the said tilting,

an upstream longitudinal section ( 17 ) equipped with a rear end-face ( 20 ) for abutting against the side wall of the protective end-piece ( 5 ), adapted to limit the opposite tilting of each claw ( 12 ) upon the removal of the said protective end-piece.

2. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each claw ( 12 ) has a front end-face ( 14 a , 14 b ) for contact with the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ), having the shape of a dihedron delimiting a frontal longitudinal edge ( 15 ) adapted to come into intimate contact with the said needle-protecting cap in the abutment position of the downstream longitudinal section ( 16 ) of the said claw.

3. A protective device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the downstream section ( 16 ) of each claw ( 12 ) has a rear end-face ( 18 ) having the shape of a dihedron delimiting a longitudinal edge forming the point ( 19 ) of the said claw with the longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of the front end-face ( 14 a , 14 b ) of the latter.

4. A protective device as claimed in claim 3 , in which the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has a frustoconical shape, wherein the front longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of each claw ( 12 ) is arranged so as to be parallel to the peripheral wall of the said needle-protecting cap, in the abutment position of the downstream section ( 16 ) of the said claw.

5. A protective device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has a plurality of longitudinal grooves each capable of accommodating the front longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of a claw ( 12 ).

6. A protective device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein each groove ( 9 ) extends over a partial length of the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) so as to provide a shoulder for axial abutment of the point ( 19 ) of each claw ( 12 ).

7. A protective device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has an external annular bulge ( 11 ) forming a shoulder with the end of the grooves ( 9 ).

8. A protective device as claimed in claim 2 , in which the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has a frustoconical shape, wherein the front longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of each claw ( 12 ) is arranged so as to be parallel to the peripheral wall of the said needle-protecting cap, in the abutment position of the downstream section ( 16 ) of the said claw.

9. A protective device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has a plurality of longitudinal grooves each capable of accommodating the front longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of a claw ( 12 ).

10. A protective device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein each groove ( 9 ) extends over a partial length of the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) so as to provide a shoulder for axial abutment of the point ( 19 ) of each claw ( 12 ).

11. A protective device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has an external annular bulge ( 11 ) forming a shoulder with the end of the grooves ( 9 ).

12. A protective device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has a plurality of longitudinal grooves each capable of accommodating the front longitudinal edge ( 15 ) of a claw ( 12 ).

13. A protective device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each groove ( 9 ) extends over a partial length of the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) so as to provide a shoulder for axial abutment of the point ( 19 ) of each claw ( 12 ).

14. A protective device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has an external annular bulge ( 11 ) forming a shoulder with the end of the grooves ( 9 ).

15. A protective device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the protective end-piece ( 5 ) has six internal claws ( 12 ) distributed around the axis of the said protective end-piece.

16. A protective device as claimed in claim 15 taken together, wherein the needle-protecting cap ( 8 ) has twelve grooves ( 9 ) distributed around the axis of the said cap.

17. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hinge ( 13 ) of each claw ( 12 ) is adapted so that the point ( 19 ) of the said claw undergoes a transverse displacement of the order of 2 mm upon the pivoting of this claw between its two end abutment positions.

18. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 , for a syringe ( 2 ) accommodated in a syringe body ( 1 ) equipped with means for rotational and translational locking of the said syringe, wherein the syringe body ( 1 ) has a separable section ( 5 ) delimited by a frangible zone ( 6 ), constituting the protective end-piece.

19. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the protective end-piece ( 5 ) has six internal claws ( 12 ) distributed around the axis of the said protective end-piece.

20. A protective device as claimed as in claim 1 , wherein said flexible transverse intermediate hinge is generally midway between said downstream longitudinal section and said upstream longitudinal section.