AU670254B2 - Needle housing assembly - Google Patents

Description

OPI DATE 19/07/93 APPLN. ID 32507/93 'AOJP DATE 16/09/93 PCT NUMBER PCT/AU92/00674 AU9332507 INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDI)ER THE PATENT COOPERATION TRIATY (P(T) (51) International Patent Classification 5 (ll) International Publication Number: W O 93/11814 A61M 5/32 Al (43) International Publication Date: 24 June 1993 (24.06 93) (21) International Application Number: PCT'AU92 '00674 (22) International Filing Date: 21 December 1992 (21.12.92) Priority data: PL0122 19 December 1991 (19.12.91) AU (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): GAL-P4N, Kin, Robeit [AUA 3; ~4-aetquarie Street, Mcrewcther, NSW 2291 (AU-.

(74-72) Applieaq t and Inventor: WALTON, Graeme, Francis [AU/AU); 41 Dilkera Avenue, Valentine, NSW 2280

(AU).

(74) Agent: SPRUSON FERGUSON; GPO Box 3898, Sydney, NSW 2001 (AU).

SC d NeC""R js 22q\ (81) Designated States: AT, AU, BB, BG. BR. CA. CH. CS.

DE. ES, Fl. GB, HU. JP, KP. KR. LK. LU. MG., MN, MW. NL, NO. NZ. PL. PT. RO. RU. SD, SE. LA.

US, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE. DK. ES. FR, GB. GR, IE. IT, LU. MC. NL. PT, SE). OAPI patent (BF, BJ. CF, CG, Cl. CM, GA, GN, ML, MR. SN, TD,

TG).

Published With international search report.

I 7 0254 (54)Title: NEEDLE HOUSING ASSEMBLY (57) Abstract A ne-'le housin- assem- bly (10) formed of plastics material comprises a polygonal or circular housing (11) having a base (17) at a lower end thereof and an adhesive strip (18) attached thereto. At the upper end of housing an annular 13 19 finger guard (16) is provided. I Connected to one edge of the finger guard (16) by way of a hinge (19) is a cap Cap n (12) comprises a snap lock structure (13) which is adapted 6) to snap engage with a peripher- I al edge of finger guard (16) in a closed configuration. In use.

the housing (11) will be att- ll ached by way of adhesive strip (18) to a flat surface on a table 1 for example. The needle (14) and needle hub still attached to a syringe is then inserted into the needle housing (11) such that an interference engagement between the hub (15) and housing portion (11) allows for removal, by screwing off, of the syringe from the hub without the user having to touch the hub (15) or needle (14) directly. Upon connection of the huh (15) with housing and removal of the syringe, the cap (12) may be folded closed and snap engaged about the finger guard (16).

Needle Housing Assembly Field Of The Invention The following invention relates to needle housings and more particularly though not exclusively to capped housings to accommodate a needle used in the medical profession by doctors, dentists, orthodontists or surgeons for example, such that the needle operator might be protected from injury by the needle after its use.

The danger of injury and possible infection with the AIDS or hepatitis 13 virus for example to medical practitioners using needles in the normal course of their business is well known.

Further, persons who administer drugs to themselves run the risk of contracting either of the above-mentioned viruses, or other viruses if a needle, once used, is reused in an unsterilized form.

There have been various attempts to provide a safe system of disposal of used needles, each proposal haying deficiencies. For example, in the situation where a drug to be administered is contained within a carpule, a double ended needle is required. A first end of the needle is adapted to puncture the carpule so as to allow passage of the drug ii from the carpule through the needle to be administered via the other end thereof. Once used, it would be desirable to securely store the needle concealing both ends.

S"Object Of The Invention It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for housing such used needles in a substantially safe manner.

oO• Disclosure Of The Invention There is disclosed herein a housing for a used needle, comprising: a body adapted for location therein of a used needle; a base at one end of the body and extending laterally outwardly therefrom; a skirt at the other end of the body and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to substantially the same extent as the base; and a protective cap adapted to be received by said skirt so as to securely conceal a used needle within the housing.

Preferably, the base is adapted to be releasably secured to a surface.

Preferably, the base of the needle housing, being circular or polygonal is provided on its underside with a pad impregnated with adhesive material, the pad being covered with a removable plastics or Other shield. Once the plastic shield is removed from the adhesive material, the housing base may be secured to a flat surface such that when the housing itself is held by the left hand (of a right handed iN III L 0132 SAK WO 93/11814 PC/A .92/00674 2 person) the housing will not move relative to the base to which It is secured, although the housing might be removed by hand pressure from that base after a needle is secured in the housing. Preferably, the skirt located at the opposite end of the needle housing from the base, is annular and Integral with the housing.

Preferably, the housing comprises a portion adapted to receive in interference fit a needle hub upon which the needle is supported.

Preferably the cap is hingedly attached to the skirt and is adapted to snap lock over the skirt. Alternatively the cap may be formed as a separate component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with riference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figs. l(a) and l(b) are schematic cross-sectional elevational views of a needle housing assembly, and Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) are schematic cross-sectional elevational views of a second embodiment of a needle housing assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Figs. l(a) and l(b) of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a needle housing assembly 10. Assembly typically formed of plastics material comprises a hexagonal or other polygonal or circular housing 11. Housing 11 comprises a base 17 at a lower end thereof and an adhesive strip 18 attached thereto. At the upper end of housing 11 an annular finger guard 16 Is provided.

Connected to one edge of the finger guard 16 by way of a hinge 19 is a cap 12. Cap 12 comprises a snap lock structure 13 which is adapted to snap engage with a peripheral edge of finger guard 16 In a closed configuration.

Needle housing 11 comprises an upper widened portion 11(a) and a lower narrow portion 11(b). The widened portion 11(a) is adapted to receive in interference fit a needle hub 15 such that a distal portion 14(b) of a needle 14 resides in the narrow portion 11(b). It should be appreciated in this regard that the embodiment described is adapted to receive a used needle and needle hub (14,15) of the type used in a syringe which injects fluid from a carpule. To this end, the proximal end 14(a) of the needle is the end adapted to puncture the carpule.

Although the principle application of the needle housing assembly herein is to the storage of such needles, conventional single ended needles may WO 93/1114 P( "I/A l'92/00674 3similarly be accommodated.

In use, the housing 11 will be attached by way of adhesive strip 18 to a flat surface on a table for example. The needle 14 and needle hub still attached to a syringe is then inserted into the needle housing 11 such that an interference engagement between the hub 15 and housing portion 11(a) allows for removal, by screwing off, of the syringe from the hub 15 without the user having to touch the hub 15 or needle 14 directly. Upon connection of the hub 15 with the housing 11, and removal of the syringe, the cap 12 may be folded closed and snap engaged about the finger guide 16.

It should be appreciated that any form of hinge 19 or snap engagement mechanism 13 may be employed in this assembly.

Turning now to Figs. 2(a) and an alternative embodiment of a needle housing assembly is depicted.

In this embodiment, the needle housing 11 is essentially identical to housing 11 of the first described embodiment. A dictinction however is In the provision of an upwardly extending annular wall 16(a) of finger guard 16. Rather than providing a hingedly connected cap 12, a separately formed cap 12 is adapted to be received over the wall portion 16(a). As an alternative, cap 12 may be adapted to snap engage or threadlngly engage over the wall portion 16(a).

It shoulo be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the cap 12 need not be attached to a peripheral portion of the finger guard 16. Alternatively, the cap may be adapted to be engaged with a portion of the needle housing 11 radially inward of the periphery of finger guard 16.

Claims (7)

1. A housing for a used needle, comprising: a body adapted for location therein of a used needle; a base at one end of the body and extending laterally outwardly therefrom; a skirt at the other end of the body and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to substantially the same extent as the base; and a protective cap adapted to be received by said skirt so as to securely conceal a used needle within the housing.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the base is adapted to be releasably secured to o1 a surface.

3. The housing of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the base being circular or polygonal is provided on its underside with a pad impregnated with adhesive material, the pad being covered with a removable plastics or other shield.

4. The housing of any one of the preceding claims comprising a portion adapted to receive in interference fit a needle hub upon which said used needle is mounted.

The housing of any one of the preceding claims wherein the cap is hingedly attached to the skirt and is adapted to snap lock over the skirt.

6. The housing of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the cap is formed as a separate component. 20

7. A housing for a used needle, the housing being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 6 March, 1996 Needle Technology (Aust) Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person 25 SPRUSON FERGUSON IN LILLtI132? SAK