AU660654B2 - Needle housings - Google Patents

Description

PC1 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE LATER PUBLICATION OF AMENDED CLAIMS (AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Ciassification 5 (11) International 2ublication Number: WO 92/13585 A61M 5/32, 5/50, 5/00 Al (43) International Publication Date: 20 August 1992 (20.08.92) (21) International Application Number: (22) International Filing Date: 3 Priority data: PK 4555 11 Febru PK 7789 15 Augus PCT/AU92/00035 February 1992 (03.02.92) ary 1991 (11.02.91) AU t 1991 (15.08.91) AU (81) Designated States: AT, AT (European patent), AU, BB, BE (European patent), BF (OAPI patent), BG, BJ (OAPI patent), BR, CA, CF (OAPI patent), CG (OAPI patent), CH, CH (European patent), CI (OAPI patent), CM (OAPI patent), CS, DE, DE (European patent), DK, DK (European patent), ES, ES (European patent), Fl, FR (European patent), GA (OAPI patent), GB, GB (European patent), GN (OAPI patent), GR (European patent), HU, IT (European patent), JP, KP, KR, LK, LU, LU (European patent), MC (European patent), MG, ML (OAPI patent), MN, MR (OAPI patent), MW, NL, NL (European patent), NO, PL, RO, RU, SD, SE, SE (European patent), SN (OAPI patent), TD (OAPI patent), TG (OAPI patent), US.

(14)72) Appioants.atd Inventors: GA--PI, im-nRbet [AU/ •v AU1; Macguane e"trt, 2291 (611) W~ALTCN, G arn, Fi a~ AU/AV.1 41-Di4eaA (74) Agent: SPRUSON FERGUSON; GPO Box 3898, Sydney, NSW 2001 (AU).

77) 1 kdri> JsP l^ T Published B With international search report.

With amended claims.

,ate of publication of the amended claims: I N17 Septemher I 92 (17.1)9.92) 660654 (54) Title: NEEDLE HOUSINGS (57) Abstract A needle housing comprises a conical wall portion and a cylindrical wall portion with annular skirt and annular base Base has located beneath it a layer of an adhesive impregnated material or alternatively a roughened anti-slip friction surface such as rubber for example.

An internal annular rib extends inwardly from skirt Annular rib is adapted to frictionally engage at surface (16) with the external peripheral surface of needle boss (12) prior to use. Located above rib is an O-ring (13) locating a needle boss (12) thereon. O-ring being an individual component is to be discarded upon the first removal of needle boss (12) from housing Housing is attached or otherwise supported above a fixed horizontal surface prior to removal of needle (10) and needle boss (12) for use. After use of boss (12) and needle the same may be reinserted into housing so as to be safely retained therein beneath rib A luminous band (14) on the upper surface of skirt aids in reinsertion of needle The danger of injury and possible infection with the HIV or hepatitis B virus to medical practitioners for example may be significantly curtailed.

i Needle Housings Field of the Invention This invention relates to needle housings and more particularly to such housings as might accommodate a needle used in the medial profession or in personal drug administration so that the physician, surgeon or other needle operator might be protected from injury by the needle after its use.

The danger of injury and possible infection with the HIV or hepatitis B virus to medical practitioners using needles in the normal course of their business is well documented. Further, persons who are in the habit of administering drugs to themselves run a severe risk of contacting either the specified viruses, or indeed contacting other viruses if a needle, once used, is reused in an urnsterilised form. Various attempts have been made to provide a safe system for disposal of such needles once used but such prior proposals have had deficiencies.

Object of the Invention It is the object of this invention to provide apparatus for housing used surgical needles in a substantially safe manner.

Disclosure of the Invention This invention in one broad form provides a housing for a single needle, the housing being adapted to secure therewithin the needle and to allow removal of the needle from a syringe for disposal of the needle once secured within the housing, the housing comprising a base adapted to be located on a substantially flat surface, a body adapted for location therein of a needle, a skirt integral with or dependent from the end of the housing body remote from the base thereof, the skirt being shaped to protect the portion of the anatomy of a person holding the housing body from the needle if misdirected towards location in the housing and the base being of substantially similar maximum width to the maximum width of the skirt, and a securement means comprising one or more stopper member located on an internal peripheral surface of the housing body and projecting inwardly thl ffrom, the securement means being adapted to retain within the body of the needle housing, the needle once located therein.

It is preferred that the base of the needle housing of this invention be circular and be provided on its underside with a friction surface of roughened rubber for example having anti-slip properties, or alternatively, any anti-slip adhesive means such as a pad impregnated with adhesive material, that pad being covered with a removable plastics or other shield. For example, the removable plastics or other shield may be a hot melt resin rubber base tape. Once the plastics shield is removed from the hdhesive material, tbe housing base may be located on or secured to a flat surface such that when the housing Sitself is held by the left hand (of a right handed person) the housing will resist movement INA\LIDLL1190:dss la relative to the base on which it is located, although the housiig might be removed by hand pressure from that base after a needle is secured in the housing.

It is further preferred that the aforesaid skirt located at the

'V-

y IN' ini InninGds WO 92/13585 PCT/AU92/00035 -1- NEEDLE I3OUSII FIELD OF TH-E--41NVETN---- This invpnfinn relfats to needle housings and more particularly to such housings as might ac ommodate a needle used in the medical profession or in personal rug administration so that the physician, surgeon or other needle ope ator might be protected from injury by the needle after its use.

The danger of injury a d possible infection with the HIV or hepatitis B virus to medical ractitioners using needles in the normal course of their business is we 1 documented. Further, persons who are in the habit of administering drug to themselves run a severe risk of contacting either the specified iruses, or indeed contacting other viruses if a needle, once used, is reused in an unsterilised form.

Various attempts have been made t provide a safe system for disposal of such needles once used but such pr or proposals have had deficiencies.

ECT OF HE INVENTION It is an object of this Invention to provide apparatus used surgical needles in a substantia ly safe manner.

DISCLOSURE OF T INVENTIQON for housing This invention in one broad form rovides a housing for a needle, said housing comprising a base adapted t be located on a substantially flat surface, a body adapted for locatlo therein of a needle, a skirt integral with or dependent from the end o the housing body remote from the base thereof and a securement means ad pted to retain within the body of said needle housing, a needle once locat d therein.

It is preferred that the base of the n edle housing of this invention be circular and be provided on its nderside with a friction surface of roughened rubber for example having\anti-slip properties, or alternatively, any anti-slip adhesive means suc as a pad impregnated with adhesive material, that pad being covered ith a removable plastics or other shield. For example, the removable plastics or other shield may be a hot melt resin rubber base tape. Once the pl stics shield is removed from the adhesive material, the housing ba e may be located on or secured to a flat surface such that when the housin itself is held by the left hand (of a right handed person) the housing will resist movement relative to the base on which it is located, although\the housing might be removed by hand pressure from that base after a nee le is secured in the housing.

1; f ur+'hoi nrofrrPri 1-ho.a'fnrar crjia4o a 4h_ ikAp'!,

FY

Ii ufa neer tatteaoe Icfda h WO 92/13s85 PC/AU92/00035 -3surface such as rubber for example, to allow needle housing 1 to be securely placed upon a flat surface.

An Internal annular rib 7 extends Inwardly from skirt 4 and Is formed Integrally therewith. Annular rib 7 Is preferably continuous, although alternatively, rib 7 may be replaced by a plurality of stopper (or teeth) members or other securement means. Rib 7 is adapted to frictionally engage the outer surface of needle boss 12 prior to the needle's first use. The relevant area of frictional engagement Is Indicated at 16 In Fig. 1.

As depicted In Fig. 1 an O-ring 13 Is provided above the annular skirt 7 and surrounds needle support 12. O-rlng 13 Is an individual component to be discarded upon the first removal of needle boss 12 completely from housing 1. 0-rlng 13 serves the purpose of preventing inadvertent Insertion of needle boss 12 Into housing 1 prior to.use.

In use, housing 1 Is attached or otherwise supported above a fixed horizontal surface and Is adhered thereto or otherwise secured against slipping thereon by way of adhesive or anti-slip surface 6. Housing parts 2 or 3 may then be held by the thumb and one or more fingers of a user. Annular skirt 14 protects this portion of the operator's anatomy should the needle be detached from the syringe or should the syringe be misdirected In an attempt to locate needle 10 In housing 1. To this end, a luminous band 14 Is provided In the upper surface of skirt 4. Once the needle support 10 Is Introduced Into the housing 1, an annular flange provided about the periphery of needle boss 12 passes rib 7 at which point the syringe may be removed from its contact with needle 10 and needle boss 12. As the peripheral diameter of boss 12 Is greater than or equal to the internal diameter of rib 7 In its relaxed state, a tight frictional engagement aids to prevent unwanted reioval of needle 10 and needle boss 12 from housing 1. At this stage, housing 1 may be removed from the surface beneath face 5. The needle housing 1 with Its contents of used needle 10 removed from syringe 11 may now be disposed of appropriately.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the Invention depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, a housing 1 comprises a cylindrical wall portion 2 and conica'I wall portion 3 with annular skirt 4 and annular base 5. Base has located beneath it a layer of adhesive Impregnated material 6 or other non-slip material to allow needle housing 1 to be secured or prevented to slip upon a flat surface.

Internal annilar rib 7 Is Integral with the inner wall 3A of WO 92/13585 PCT/A U92/00035 -4housing 1 and is preferably continuous although, in a less preferred embodiment of this invention, continuous rib 7 may be replaced by a plurality of stop members integral with wall 3A.

As is the case with the first embodiment described above, annular rib 7 is adapted to frictionally engage at 16 the outer peripheral surface of needle boss 12 prior to use.

When a needle attached to a syringe is used, housing 1 is attached to a fixed surface and Is held by the thumb and one or more fingers of the left hand of a right handed person. Annular skirt 4 protects this portion of the operator's anatomy should the needle be detached from the syringe or should the syringe be misdirected In an attempt to locate needle 10 in housing 1. When needle 10 is Introduced to housing 1 by an operator holding syringe 11, needle boss 12 is forced into housing 1 until rim 12A (see Fig. 3) thereof Is located within housing 1 beneath rib 7 thereof. Syringe 11 may then be removed from its contact with needle 10 and needle boss 12, rib 7 retaining needle 10 and needle support 12 wholly within needle housing 1. Thus needle 10 becomes isolated within needle housing 1 and needle housing 1 may be removed from its contact with the flat surface upon which it is located and needle housing 1 with its contents of used needle 10 removed from the syringe disposed of appropriately.

It will be seen that the invention the subject of this application provides a safe system for the disposal of used needles and substantially ensures single use only of any given needle.

Claims (13)

1. A housing for a single needle, the housing being adapted to secure therewithin the needle and to allow removal of the needle from a syringe for disposal of the needle once secured within the housing, the housing comprising a base adapted to be located on a substantially flat surface, a body adapted for location therein of a needle, a skirt integral with or dependent from the end of the housing body remote from the base thereof, the skirt being shaped to protect the portion of the anatomy of a person holding the housing body from the needle if misdirected towards location in the housing, and the base being of substantially similar maximum width to the maximum width of the skirt, and a securement means comprising one or more stopper member located on an internal peripheral surface of the housing body and projecting inwardly therefrom, the securement means being adapted to retain within the body of the needle housing, the needle once located therein.

2. A housing as defined in claim 1 wherein said skirt is substantially annular and said base is circular, said base having a maximum d imeter substantially equal to the outside diameter of said skirt.

3. A housing as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said base is provided with an anti-slip surface on the underside thereof.

4. A housing as defined in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising an adhesive surface on the underside of said base.

5. A housing as defined in claim 4 wherein said adhesive surface comprises a pad impregnated with an adhesive material, said pad being covered with a removable shield.

6. A housing as defined in claim 1 wherein said securement means consists in a single stopper member constituting a continuous rib protruding within said housing in an annular manner.

7. In combination, a housing ads defined in claim 1 and a needle supported by a needle boss.

8. The combination of claim 7 further comprising an annular ring adapted to locate above and in contact with said skirt and to surround said needle boss adjacent said skirt, prior to use of said needle.

9. The housing of claim I further comprising a luminous band or marking on the upper surface of the skirt.

The housing of claim 1 wherein the securement means is adapted to frictionally retain a needle boss before said needle is secured within said hosing.

11. The combination of claim 7 wherein the maximum peripheral diameter of the needle boss is greater than or equal to the relaxed state internal diameter of the securement means.

12. A housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. INfl\Ltlioo1i90:dss I f 6

13. A combination of a housing and a needle, the combination being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 10 April, 1995 Kim Robert Galpin Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON il I III II St, INALIULLO01 00;dss