Anti-needle stick protective inner blunt tubular stylet for intravenous therapy

The invention is a new and unique device much needed to protect the health care providers from the leading cause of exposure to blood born diseases in their profession, this being inadvertent needle sticks by contaminated needles. Dirty needle stick accidents are one of the major means in which health care providers are exposed to the HIV virus on the job. The invention is a blunt tubular stylet that is inserted into the commonly used intravenous therapy device. Initially it is positioned inside the needle stylet in a retracted position, by means of the friction catches. This allows the cutting tip of the existing intravenous therapy device's cutting tip to be exposed. Upon successful venipuncture the invention is positioned so its blunt tubular stylet is advanced beyond the intravenous therapy venipuncture device's cutting tip, obscuring it. Upon withdrawal of the intravenous therapy venipuncture device, the sharp cutting tip of its needle stylet is fully protected by the invention's blunt metal stylet. The intravenous therapy device's needle stylet along with the inventions blunt tubular stylet firmly secured within now can be safely disposed of.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A small blunt metal tubular stylet with a hard plastic hub, which comes in 
various sizes and lengths to fit inside various sized intravenous therapy 
catheter-over-needle devices. 
This tubular stylet is designed to fit inside the needle stylet of existing 
commonly used intravenous therapy venipuncture devices. In the retracted 
position the tubular stylet allows the cutting edge of the needle stylet 
to be exposed to allow venipuncture. 
Upon successful venipuncture with a commonly used venipuncture device the 
blunt tubular stylet is designed to be advanced forward, protruding beyond 
the needle stylet's cutting edge, obscuring the sharp cutting tip of the 
needle stylet. The blunt tubular stylet is firmly secured in place within 
the needle stylet by friction ridges or metal catches designed into the 
periphery of the hard clear plastic hub which is attached to one of the 
ends of the blunt tubular stylet. 
The stylet being a hollow tube will allow the blood to capillary back into 
the clear hard plastic hub on the opposite end of the blunt tubular 
stylet. This will allow the intravenous therapist to observe for the blood 
flashback, which will indicate to the therapist that a successful venous 
access has been achieved. The purpose of the blunt tubular stylet is to 
protrude beyond the needle stylets of existing commonly used venipuncture 
devices obscuring its sharp cutting edges. This is done after achieving a 
successful venipuncture. Upon withdrawal of the needle stylet this will 
prevent accidental needle sticks from blood contaminated needles. This 
will result in a great reduction in the spread of blood born disease to 
patients and health care providers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This is a sander metal tube designed to fit within the inner bore of the 
needle stylet of existing commonly used catheter-over-needle or needle 
type intravenous therapy devices for the purpose to form a protruding 
blunt protective stylet. 
On one end of the stylet is a clear hard plastic hub with friction ridges 
or barbs to facilitate a snug secure fit of the blunt tubular stylet into 
the needle stylet when advanced. The plastic hub is also shaped to allow 
fitting of any existing commonly used medical syringe tip or intravenous 
therapy tubing's male connection by means of friction fit or Luer lock fit 
.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The blunt tubular stylet in its entirety is shown in FIG. 1. Stylet (1) and 
friction catches (2) are firmly and permanently affixed to hub (3). 
A hollow metal stylet (1) which is blunt at both ends and that come in 
various lengths and diameters to accommodate the spectrum of sizes that 
are available with commonly used intravenous therapy devices today. Stylet 
(1) is bonded permanently to hub (3). Small barbed projections (2) bonded 
permanently into hub (3). Barbed projections (2) are designed as friction 
catches to secure the device(s) securely into the intravenous therapy 
venipuncture device (4) as seen in FIG. 3. Stylet (1) and barbed 
projections (2) are permanently affixed to the clear hard plastic hub (3). 
Stylet (1) is affixed on one end of hub (3), in a manner to form a free 
unobstructed channel from the exposed end of the blunt tubular stylet to 
the end enclosed within the clear hard plastic hub. The clear plastic hub 
is shaped and sized to fit securely into existing intravenous therapy 
vascular access device's needle stylet's hub. The opposite end of the 
clear hard plastic hub is shaped and sized to accommodate the fitting of 
existing conventional medical syringe tips and the male connector end of 
the intravenous therapy tubing by means of a friction or Luer lock 
connection. 
A cross section view of the blunt tubular stylet is shown in FIG. 2. Stylet 
(1) is the hollow metal blunt stylet. Barbed projections (2) are the 
barbed friction catches. Hub (3) is the clear hard plastic hub. 
The entire blunt stylet device as it is seen when it is inserted into the 
intravenous therapy catheter-overneedle venipuncture device is shown in 
FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the blunt metal stylet in its fully advanced 
position. The blunt stylet in this advanced safety position extends beyond 
the needle stylet's cutting tip, obscuring it.