Granted Patent B2

US 6,840,920 · App. 10/434,717 · Granted Jan 11, 2005

Abstract

Claims (19)

1. A butterfly needle device having a passive needle protection system comprising:

an elongated needle having a proximal end and a distal tip, said needle defining an axis;

a first winged element disposed over said needle;

a second winged element positioned on said first winged element for rotation about said needle axis relative to said first winged element;

a hollow needle guard disposed over said needle for reciprocal axial movement relative thereto;

a means for biasing said needle guard distally relative to said needle; and

a means for initially holding said needle guard in a proximal position relative to said needle wherein said distal tip of said needle is exposed and for releasing said needle guard to axially advance into a distal position to cover and protect said distal tip of said needle with said needle guard in response to a pre-selected rotational movement of said second winged element relative to said first winged element.

2. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 1 wherein said first winged element comprises:

a hollow, cylindrical base member disposed over said needle and centered on said axis; and

a first wing attached to and extending from said cylindrical base member.

3. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 2 wherein said second winged element comprises:

a hollow cylinder; and

a second wing attached to and extending from said hollow cylinder.

4. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 3 wherein said second wing is positioned for rotation about said axis relative to said first wing between a closed configuration wherein said wings are juxtaposed and an open configuration wherein said wings are displaced from each other by approximately one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) and said pre-selected rotational movement comprises a cycle of said first and second wings from said closed configuration to said open configuration and then back to said closed configuration.

5. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 4 wherein said holding and releasing means comprises a plug extending radially from said needle guard, an axially aligned groove formed on said base member and positioned for interaction with said plug, and a slot formed on said hollow cylinder and positioned for interaction with said plug.

6. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 5 wherein said hollow cylinder is a first hollow cylinder and said holding and releasing means further comprises a second hollow cylinder attached to said first wing and positioned coaxially with said guard, said second hollow cylinder formed with a channel positioned for interaction with said plug.

7. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a needle/tubing adapter attached to said proximal end of said needle, and wherein said biasing means comprises a spring disposed between said needle/tubing adapter and said needle guard.

8. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a means for locking said needle guard in position covering said distal tip of said needle.

9. A butterfly needle device as recited in claim 8 wherein said first winged element comprises a hollow, cylindrical base member disposed over said needle and centered on said axis and a first wing attached to and extending from said cylindrical base member, and wherein said locking means comprises a tab extending from said needle guard to a tab end, said tab biased toward a first position wherein said tab end is distanced from said axis by a distance d 1 and away from a second position wherein said tab end is distanced from said axis by a distance d 2 , with d 1 >d 2 , said locking means further comprising a catch recess formed in said base member to receive said tab and lock said needle guard.

Assignments (8)