Flash activated passive shielding needle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11103170-B2
Application number	US-201715819590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2008
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

A safety needle device includes a housing including a passageway with a needle cannula extending therefrom. A shielding member is movable between a first position in which a puncture tip of the needle cannula is exposed therefrom and a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is encompassed therein. The shielding member is maintained in the first position against a biasing force which biases the shielding member toward the second position. A fluid and/or a temperature activation material is associated with the shielding member and is adapted to deform upon contact with a fluid medium and/or a certain temperature or temperature range. The fluid medium flowing through the needle cannula causes the fluid activation material to deform, such as through expansion, thereby releasing the shielding member from the first position and allowing a drive member to bias the shielding member toward the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A needle assembly, comprising:
a housing including a passageway extending therethrough, and a needle cannula having a puncture tip extending from a forward end thereof, said needle cannula having a proximal end located within the passageway;
a shielding member movable with respect to the housing between a first position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is exposed and a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is shielded by the shielding member, the shielding member maintained in the first position against a biasing force provided by a drive member biasing the shielding member toward the second position;
an activation material associated with the shielding member and adapted to deform upon direct contact with blood exiting the proximal end of the needle cannula and flowing through the passageway of the housing; and
a movable actuator located within the passageway,
wherein the blood exiting the proximal end of the needle cannula and flowing through the passageway of the housing contacts the activation material within the housing, causes the activation material to deform within the housing, and causes the actuator to move, thereby releasing the shielding member from the first position and causing the drive member to bias the shielding member toward the second position.

2. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shielding member includes an engagement member in interference engagement between the shielding member and the housing to maintain the shielding member in the first position against the biasing force.

3. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the activation material is adapted to expand, contract, or otherwise change in dimension upon direct contact with the blood flowing through the passageway of the housing.

4. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive member comprises a coil spring.

5. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the activation material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogels, compressed sponges, expandable foams, expandable powders, and the like, and combinations thereof.

6. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the activation material is deformed due to a temperature change caused by the blood flowing through the passageway of the housing.

7. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein deformation of the activation material causes the actuator to move in a perpendicular direction with respect to movement of the blood through the passageway.

8. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the passageway in the housing comprises a first passage containing the needle cannula, a second passage distinct from the first passage and positioned substantially parallel with the first passage, said second passage accommodating at least a portion of the shielding member, and a third passage connecting the first passage and the second passage, said third passage housing at least one of the activation material and the actuator.

9. A shielding needle assembly comprising:
a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end with a puncture tip;
a needle hub having a proximal end and a distal end, and a passage between the proximal and distal ends of the needle hub, with an interior portion of the needle hub distal end supporting the needle cannula proximal end;
a shielding member movable between a first position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is exposed and a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is shielded by the shielding member;
a drive member biasing the shielding member toward the second position, the shielding member and the needle hub including an interference engagement therebetween for maintaining the shielding member in the first position against a biasing force of the drive member;
an activation material adapted to deform within the needle hub upon direct contact with blood exiting the proximal end of the needle cannula; and
an actuator located within the passage,
wherein deformation of the activation material causes movement of the actuator which releases the interference engagement between the shielding member and the needle hub allowing the drive member to bias the shielding member toward the second position.

10. The shielding needle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the drive member comprises a coil spring.

11. The shielding needle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the activation material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hydrogels, compressed sponges, expandable foams, expandable powders, and the like, and combinations thereof.

12. The shielding needle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the activation material is adapted to expand, contract, or otherwise change in dimension upon direct contact with the blood flowing through the passage of the needle hub.

13. The shielding needle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the shielding member includes a support portion having a first portion and a second portion.

14. The shielding needle assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second portion cooperates with a lock arrangement to maintain the shielding member in the first position.

15. The shielding needle assembly of claim 14 , wherein the lock arrangement comprises a key-slot arrangement and is in contact with the actuator and wherein expansion of the activation material causes the actuator to contact the lock arrangement allowing the second portion of the shielding member to move through the key-slot arrangement and release the shielding member from the first position.

16. A blood collection set comprising the shielding needle assembly of claim 9 including a flexible tube extending from the needle hub, the flexible tube comprising a non-patient needle cannula at an opposed end adapted for connection to a receptacle for blood collection.

17. The shielding needle assembly of claim 9 , wherein deformation of the activation material causes the actuator to move in a perpendicular direction with respect to movement of the blood through the passage.

18. A method of actuating a shielding needle assembly comprising:
providing the shielding needle assembly comprising a housing including a first passageway extending therethrough, and a needle cannula having a puncture tip extending from a forward end, said needle cannula having a proximal end located within the first passageway, and a shielding member in a first position biased toward a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is shielded by the shielding member, the shielding member maintained against the bias in the first position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is exposed, the shielding needle assembly further comprising an interference engagement between the shielding member and the housing and an activation material associated therewith, and wherein flow of blood through the needle cannula deforms the activation material, thereby releasing the interference engagement between the shielding member and the housing and allowing the shielding member to be biased toward the second position; and
inserting the puncture tip of the needle cannula through skin of a patient to allow the blood to flow through the needle cannula and exit the proximal end of the needle cannula,
wherein the flow of the blood through the needle cannula and exiting the proximal end of the needle cannula directly contacts and causes deformation of the activation material within the housing which causes an actuator to release the interference engagement between the shielding member and the housing so as to release the shielding member from the fi

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Hwang Charles G
• Wilkinson Bradley M

Classifications

• A61M5/326

  Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user · CPC title

• A61B5/150389

  Hollow piercing elements, e.g. canulas, needles, for piercing the skin · CPC title

• A61B5/150534

  Design of protective means for piercing elements for preventing accidental needle sticks, e.g. shields, caps, protectors, axially extensible sleeves, pivotable protective sleeves · CPC title

• A61B5/15003

  for venous or arterial blood · CPC title

• A61M2025/0042

  Microcatheters, cannula or the like having outside diameters around 1 mm or less · CPC title