Safety syringe with rotating sleeve lock
A safety lock syringe assembly comprising a barrel including a distal end and a proximal end, one or more lugs extending outwardly from an outer surface of the barrel, and a needle extending from the distal end, and a sleeve having threads that engage the one or more lugs, the sleeve includes a sleeve locking mechanism, wherein the sleeve threadably rotates in a first direction to a first position that exposes the needle, the sleeve threadably rotates in a second direction to a second position that shields the needle, and the sleeve threadably rotates in the second direction to a third position that engages the one or more lugs to the sleeve locking mechanism to irreversibly lock the shield to the barrel.
1 . A safety lock syringe assembly comprising:
a barrel including:
a distal end and a proximal end;
one or more lugs extending outwardly from an outer surface of the barrel; and
a needle extending from the distal end; and
a sleeve having threads that engage the one or more lugs, the sleeve includes a sleeve locking mechanism; wherein
the sleeve threadably rotates in a first direction to a first position that exposes the needle;
the sleeve threadably rotates in a second direction to a second position that shields the needle;
the sleeve threadably rotates in the second direction to a third position that contacts the one or more lugs to the sleeve locking mechanism to irreversibly lock the sleeve to the barrel; and
the sleeve locking mechanism includes threads that have a pitch different from a pitch of the threads of the sleeve.
2 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more lugs are disposed at the distal end of the barrel.
3 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more lugs includes two lugs that extend radially from an external surface of the barrel and opposite from each other at a distal end of the barrel.
4 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the distal end of the barrel is connected to and in fluid communication with a barrel tip;
a barrel cap is fixed onto the barrel tip; and
the needle is fixed to the barrel cap and in fluid communication with the barrel tip.
5 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threads of the sleeve are disposed at a distal portion of the sleeve.
6 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threads of the sleeve are internal threads.
7 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve locking mechanism is disposed at a central portion of the sleeve.
8 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve locking mechanism includes a sleeve indentation, a sleeve lock surface and a sloped sleeve ramp surface.
9 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve locking mechanism is disposed at a proximal end of the threads of the sleeve.
10 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.
11 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a plunger assembly including:
a plunger slidably disposed in the barrel; and
a stopper disposed at a distal end of the plunger to dispense medicament out of the barrel.
12 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein movement between the first, second and third positions occur without use of a spring.
13 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve axially moves as a result of rotational engagement between the threads of the sleeve and the one or more lugs of the barrel.
14 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more lugs is integrally formed to the barrel as a unitary structure.
15 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve lock mechanism is configured to irreversibly engage with the one or more lugs when pressed into contact.
16 . A safety lock syringe assembly comprising:
a barrel including:
a distal end and a proximal end;
one or more lugs extending outwardly from an outer surface of the barrel; and
a needle extending from the distal end; and
a sleeve having threads that engage the one or more lugs, the sleeve includes a sleeve locking mechanism; wherein
the sleeve threadably rotates in a first direction to a first position that exposes the needle;
the sleeve threadably rotates in a second direction to a second position that shields the needle,
the sleeve threadably rotates in the second direction to a third position that contacts the one or more lugs to the sleeve locking mechanism to irreversibly lock the sleeve to the barrel, wherein
the sleeve locking mechanism includes a sleeve indentation having a sloped sleeve ramp surface providing a continuous travel path for the one or more lugs and cooperating with a sleeve lock surface.
17 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 16 , the sleeve indentation and the sleeve lock surface provides an inflection point as the one or more lugs engage the sleeve locking mechanism.
18 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 16 , wherein the sleeve lock surface is parallel to a longitudinal axis.
19 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 16 , wherein
the sloped sleeve ramp provides a continuous travel path for the one or more lugs to engage the sleeve indentation; and
the sleeve indentation cooperates with the sleeve lock surface to prevent the one or more lugs from exiting a locked position.
20 . The safety lock syringe assembly of claim 16 , wherein the sloped sleeve ramp is at a different pitch from the threads of the sleeve.