Low cost medical needle container and manufacturing methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517298-B2
Application number	US-201213714044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2012
Priority date	Dec 13, 2012
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

Packaging is disclosed for a medical needle, such as a pen needle, having a hub with a patient end of the needle protruding from a distal end thereof. The packaging includes a tube having a first closed end into which the patient end of the needle is inserted so that the hub contacts an interior of the tube, a second closed end enclosing a proximal end of the hub, and a circumferential region disposed between the proximal end of the hub and the second closed end for opening the package to expose the proximal end of the hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Packaging for a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the medical needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the packaging comprising:
a tube having:
a first closed end;
a second closed end; and
a circumferential region disposed between the first and second closed ends for opening the package to allow removal of the medical needle; and

axial splines on an interior of the tube for engaging the needle hub to prevent rotation of the medical needle relative to the packaging;
wherein the tube is formed of a single piece of material; and
the single piece of material breaks at the circumferential region to allow removal of the medical needle.

2. The packaging according to claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator on an exterior of the circumferential region indicating its location.

3. The packaging according to claim 1 , wherein the circumferential region comprises a weakened area to ease breaking the single piece of material at the circumferential region.

4. The packaging according to claim 3 , wherein the weakened area comprises external scoring.

5. The packaging according to claim 3 , wherein the weakened area comprises a perforation.

6. The packaging according to claim 1 , further comprising an insertion depth stop feature for limiting an insertion depth of the medical needle into the packaging.

7. Packaging for a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the medical needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the packaging comprising:
a tube having:
a first closed end;
a second closed end; and
a circumferential region disposed between the first and second closed ends for opening the package to allow removal of the medical needle;

wherein the tube is formed of a single piece of material;
the single piece of material breaks at the circumferential region to allow removal of the medical needle; and
the weakened area is disposed only on an interior of the tube.

8. Packaging for a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the medical needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the packaging comprising:
a tube having:
a first closed end;
a second closed end; and
a circumferential region disposed between the first and second closed ends for opening the package to allow removal of the medical needle; and

an insertion depth stop feature for limiting an insertion depth of the medical needle into the packaging;
wherein the tube is formed of a single piece of material;
the single piece of material breaks at the circumferential region to allow removal of the medical needle; and
the insertion depth stop feature comprises one of:
the first closed end that interferes with an inner shield covering the patient end of the medical needle; or
an at least partial circumferential protrusion disposed on an interior of the tube for engaging an outer flange on the hub of the medical needle.

9. The packaging according to claim 8 , wherein the circumferential protrusion additionally engages splines on the hub to prevent rotation of the medical needle relative to the packaging.

10. Packaging for a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the medical needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the packaging comprising:
a tube having:
a first closed end;
a second closed end; and
a circumferential region disposed between the first and second closed ends for opening the package to allow removal of the medical needle

wherein the tube is formed of a single piece of material;
the single piece of material breaks at the circumferential region to allow removal of the medical needle; and
the material comprises spiral-wrapped paper.

11. The packaging according to claim 10 , wherein the material comprises a plastic coating on an interior thereof.

12. The packaging according to claim 10 , wherein the material comprises a coating on an exterior thereof, the exterior coating comprising one of plastic or wax.

13. A method of packaging a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the method comprising:
forming a substantially cylindrical tube;
sealing a first end of the tube;
inserting the entire medical needle through a second end of the tube opposite to the first end; and
subsequent to the inserting, sealing the second end of the tube;
wherein forming the tube comprises:
coating a first side of a paper with a plastic layer;
adding texture to the plastic layer with a pressure roller; and
spirally adhering the paper to itself with the plastic layer on an interior of the tube.

14. A method of packaging a medical needle having a hub with a patient end of the medical needle protruding from a distal end thereof, the method comprising:
forming a substantially cylindrical tube;
sealing a first end of the tube;
inserting the distal end of the medical needle into the sealed first end of the tube; and
sealing a second end of the tube opposite to the first end;
wherein forming the tube comprises co-extruding paper and plastic layers of the tube.

15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising coating a second side of the paper with one of a wax or plastic.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein adding the texture comprises forming one of a raised feature and a recessed feature in the plastic layer at an angle to a rotational axis of the pressure roller.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein adding the texture further comprises forming the remaining one of the raised feature and the recessed feature in the plastic layer at the angle to the rotational axis of the pressure roller.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Banik Robert

Classifications

• B65B43/08

  Forming three-dimensional [3D] containers from sheet material · CPC title

• B65B69/00

  Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61M5/002 Primary

  Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. for syringes or needles, kits for diabetics (needle protection, e.g. caps, A61M5/3202; for sharps A61B50/3001) · CPC title

• B65B43/00

  Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging (forming pockets in sheets, blanks or webs, by pressing the material into forming dies or moving it through folding dies B65B47/00) · CPC title

• A61B2090/037

  with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter · CPC title