Needle protective device for subcutaneous sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016174884-A1
Application number	US-201615057330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	May 28, 2008
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An introducer is provided for introducing a sensor into the body of a patient. The introducer connects to a sensor hub. When the sensor hub and introducer are connected, the introducer needle is exposed. When the sensor hub and introducer are disconnected, a needle cover and the needle move with respect to each other so that the needle cover substantially covers the needle, protecting a user from being injured by the needle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An introducer configured to insert a sensor into a patient, the introducer comprising:
a housing detachably connectable to a sensor hub containing a sensor, wherein the sensor hub contains the sensor prior to connection to the housing, the housing including a needle cover, wherein the needle cover is an internal compartment of the housing; a needle that is moveable with respect to the needle cover and is extendable out of, and retractable into, the housing; a needle holder connected to the needle and contained within the housing; and a spring having a top end in contact with the needle holder and a bottom end in contact with the housing, wherein said needle holder and spring are configured such that, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, said spring is in a compressed position and the needle extends out of the housing to insert the sensor into the patient, and such that disconnection of the housing from the sensor hub causes said spring to expand, thereby retracting the needle into the housing to be covered by said needle cover inside the housing, and the sensor remaining inserted in the patient; wherein the housing includes a mating component to mate with the sensor hub and hold said spring in said compressed position when the housing is connected to the sensor hub; and wherein the mating component includes a lock that locks the needle holder into the needle extended position when the housing is connected to the sensor hub.

2 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the needle holder is slidably coupled to the housing.

3 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the mating component are configured such that disconnection of the housing from the sensor hub causes the mating component to release the needle holder such that the needle holder may move into the needle covered position.

4 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the mating component is held in a locking position by friction when the housing is connected to the sensor hub.

5 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the mating component includes a catch that catches on the sensor hub when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, whereby the mating component is held in a locking position by the catch.

6 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the needle is permanently covered by the needle cover after the housing is disconnected from the sensor hub.

7 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the needle holder has a top portion that defines an indentation therein, said indentation extending radially inwards from a periphery of said top portion, and wherein, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, said lock extends into, and engages with, said indentation on the needle holder's top portion, thereby locking the needle holder in the needle extended position.

8 . The introducer of claim 1 , wherein the needle holder has a top portion that defines two indentations therein, wherein the housing includes two mating components, each said mating component including a respective lock, and wherein, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, each said lock extends into, and engages with, a respective one of said indentations, thereby locking the needle holder in the needle extended position.

9 . The introducer of claim 8 , wherein each said mating component includes an arm, and wherein the arms are moveable towards, and away from, each other.

10 . The introducer of claim 9 , wherein, when the arms are moved towards one another, each said lock extends into, and engages with, a respective one of said indentations on the needle holder's top portion, and when the arms are moved away from one another, each said lock disengages from each said respective indentation.

11 . A sensor set comprising:
a sensor hub including a sensor; a sensor electronics hub connectable to the sensor and including sensor electronics operable to receive signals from the sensor; and an introducer configured to insert the sensor into a patient, the introducer including:
a housing detachably connectable to the sensor hub, wherein the sensor hub contains the sensor prior to connection to the housing, the housing including a needle cover, wherein the needle cover is an internal compartment of the housing;
a needle that is moveable with respect to the needle cover and is extendable out of, and retractable into, the housing;
a needle holder connected to the needle and contained within the housing; and
a spring having a top end in contact with the needle holder and a bottom end in contact with the housing,
wherein said needle holder and spring are configured such that, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, said spring is in a compressed position and the needle extends out of the housing to insert the sensor into the patient, and such that disconnection of the housing from the sensor hub causes said spring to expand, thereby moving the needle holder towards the needle covered position and retracting the needle into the housing to be covered by said needle cover inside the housing, and the sensor remaining inserted in the patient;
wherein the housing includes a mating component to mate with the sensor hub and hold said spring in a compressed position when the housing is connected to the sensor hub; and
wherein the mating component includes a lock that locks the needle holder into the needle extended position when the housing is connected to the sensor hub.

12 . The sensor set of claim 11 , wherein the needle holder has a top portion that defines an indentation therein, said indentation extending radially inwards from a periphery of said top portion, and wherein, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, said lock extends into, and engages with, said indentation on the needle holder's top portion, thereby locking the needle holder in the needle extended position.

13 . The sensor set of claim 11 , wherein the needle holder has a top portion that defines two indentations therein, wherein the housing includes two mating components, each said mating component including a respective lock, and wherein, when the housing is connected to the sensor hub, each said lock extends into, and engages with, a respective one of said indentations, thereby locking the needle holder in the needle extended position.

14 . The sensor set of claim 13 , wherein disconnection of the housing from the sensor hub disengages each said lock from each said respective indentation on the needle holder's top portion, thereby releasing the needle holder to move towards the needle covered position.

15 . The sensor set of claim 14 , wherein each said mating component includes an arm, and wherein the arms are moveable towards, and away from, each other.

16 . The sensor set of claim 15 , wherein, when the arms are moved towards one another, each said lock extends into, and engages with, a respective one of said indentations on the needle holder's top portion, and when the arms are moved away from one another, each said lock disengages from each said respective indentation.

17 . The sensor set of claim 11 , further including:
a mounting base containing a first side and a second side, wherein the first side has a first base portion and a second base portion and is attached at said first base portion to the sensor hub and is operable to mate with the sensor electronics hub at said second base portion; and a reusable adhesive attached to the second base portion on the first side of the mounting base, wherein the reusable adhesive is operable to removably adhere to the sensor electronics hub when the senso

Assignees

• Medtronic Minimed Inc

Inventors

• Gottlieb Rebecca K
• Shah Rajiv
• Wolfe Katherine T
• Larson Eric Allan

Classifications

• A61B17/3496

  Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips (for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612) · CPC title

• A61M25/0612

  Devices for protecting the needle; Devices to help insertion of the needle, e.g. wings or holders · CPC title

• A61M37/0069

  Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments (for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027) · CPC title

• A61M5/158

  Needles {for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body} · CPC title

• A61M2005/3247

  Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position · CPC title