Abstract:
The invention is related to a particular type of safety needle and syringe. The needle has a locking device which can be used with or without a syringe. The needle is cylindrical with one surface flattened out. The Blunting member is aligned within the needle. With the intake of fluids the blunting instrument moves out, blocks the needle tip and locks inside the needle. Thus preventing reuse and needle stick Injury.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Section 371 National Stage application based on PCT International Application No. PCT/US08/03647, filed on Mar. 20, 2008, claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/919,454 filed on Mar. 22, 2007. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a safety needle system and syringe. The safety needle system may be used with a hypodermic syringe, IV Catheter, and for every other medical or industrial purpose. The invention is also broadly applicable to needles connected to fluid transfer devices other than syringes, and applications in medical and non-medical use. The needle is a self blunting instrument which after intake of fluid prevents needle stick injuries. 
     The needle is safe during and after use, the safety feature being an integral part of the design. The intention is to create a simple low cost self blunting needle system and syringe which does not require human action to activate the safety feature. 
     The invention requires no additional learning or training by the medical or non-medical staff for the blunting of the needle. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Syringes have been designed to prevent reuse or have automatic or mechanical safety features. U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,975 discloses a syringe in which a plug is positioned in the syringe to be pushed into a position of blocking flow to and from the syringe needle passage. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,937 discloses a syringe in which the plunger stem  23  has a collar unit  25  secured thereon which, when the plunger is pushed through the barrel  11  of the hypodermic syringe, it passes through ring  26  mounted at one end of the barrel to prevent subsequent retraction of the plunger for refuse of the device. 
     US Pat No. 2005/0027263 for an IV Catheter includes a unitary, resilient needle guard received in a catheter hub. The needle guard includes a proximal arm or wall that includes an opening through which a needle passes for axial movement. When the needle is retracted from the catheter, it releases the force that had previously prevented movement of the needle guard within into a position in which it is clamped onto the needle shaft and in which its distal wall blocks access to the needle tip. In the condition, the spring needle guard and needle can be removed from the catheter hub. A slot or crimp may be formed in the needle shaft that engages with the needle guard after the protected needle and needle guard are removed from the catheter hub, thereby to prevent removal of the protected needle from the needle guard. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,707 discloses a blood collection device which includes a syringe assembly containing a slidable needle assembly within the cavity of a syringe body. The invention retracts the needle within a disposable syringe. 
     US Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0093038 discloses a needle retraction type safety syringe in which the passive needle retraction element after engaging with the active needle retraction element can be forced to separate from the positioning restriction of the second positioning means that the needle can be retracted into the barrel by pulling back the push rod. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,107 discloses a single use safety blood collection device, which permits retraction of the hypodermic needle after its use into the sleeve of the device, itself to thereby to encapsulate the used needle. Once the needle is retracted after use it cannot thereafter be extended again. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first separate aspect, the present invention is a device that makes the use of, syringes and needles safe during and after use, while in-taking fluids. 
     In a second separate aspect, the safety feature being an integral part of the invention is activated with routine use of the product. The self blunting needle system and syringe does not require human action to activate the safety feature, thus reducing chances of error. 
     In a third separate aspect, as the safety feature does not require additional action to activate, this eliminates the learning curve for the use of the product. 
     In a fourth separate aspect, the changes and modifications to the syringe are made to create a simple low cost self blunting needle system and syringe. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjugation with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawing are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a complete view of the hypodermic syringe with needle, at shipping position. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross section view of the needle and blunting member. 
         FIG. 3  is the cross section view of the needle during after withdrawal of fluids. 
         FIG. 4  shows blunting member with varying thickness and transition of shape. 
         FIG. 5  is the cross section view of the hypodermic syringe with the needle in shipping position. 
         FIG. 6  is the cross section view of the hypodermic syringe with the needle during withdrawal of fluids. 
         FIG. 7  is the cross section view of the hypodermic syringe and needle after use. 
         FIG. 8  is a view of the hypodermic syringe with needle with the moving member not attached to fulcrum point, at shipping position. 
         FIG. 9  is a view of the hypodermic syringe with needle with the moving member not attached to fulcrum point, during withdrawal of fluids. 
         FIG. 10  is a view of the hypodermic syringe with needle with the moving member not attached to fulcrum point, after use. 
         FIG. 11  shows multiple moving members. 
         FIG. 12  is the cross section view of the syringe depression. 
         FIG. 13  is a view of the fulcrum point. 
         FIG. 14  is a view of the moving member with releasing plunger head extension guide. 
         FIG. 15  is a view of the moving member with the non-releasing plunger head extension guide. 
         FIG. 16  is the releasing joint with segment placed inside the arc so that the longer width of the segment is aligned with the arc opening. 
         FIG. 17  is the releasing joint with the segment and arc position during movement. 
         FIG. 18  is the releasing joint where the shorter width of the segment is aligned to the arc opening. 
         FIG. 19  is the releasing joint where the released part is released. 
         FIG. 20  shows cross section of blunting member and needle with inward curvature and needle tip at angle. 
         FIG. 21  shows cross section of blunting member and needle with outward curvature and needle tip at angle. 
         FIG. 22  shows cross section of blunting member and needle wherein the needle tip is at an angle. 
         FIG. 23  shows cross section view of blunting member with two inward curvatures. 
         FIG. 24  shows cross section view of blunting member with one outward curvature and one inward curvature. 
         FIG. 25  shows cross section view of blunting member with one inward curvature. 
     
    
    
     DRAWING—REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               101 —Hypodermic syringe 
               102 —Syringe tube 
               103 —Flattened surface along syringe tube 
               104 —Plunger rod 
               105 —Normal plunger arm 
               106 —Flattened plunger arm 
               107 —Thumb rest 
               108 —Plunger head support 
               109 —Cavity between plunger arms and plunger head 
               110 —Plunger head 
               111 —Plunger head flattened surface 
               112 —Plunger head extension 
               113 —Syringe cavity 
               114 —Syringe depression 
               115 —Fulcrum point 
               116 —Syringe head 
               117 —Syringe head flattened surface 
               118 —Needle generally 
               119 —Needle mouth 
               120 —Needle mouth flattened surface 
               121 —Needle tube 
               122 —Needle cavity 
               123 —Needle tube flattened surface 
               124 —Needle opening 
               125 —Needle curvature 
               126 —Needle puncture tip 
               127 —Needle tip angle 
               128 —Needle mouth and needle tube touch 
               129 —Blunting member stopper 
               130 —Alternate blunting member stopper 
               131 —Moving member 
               132 —Blunting member 
               133 —Blunting member cavity 
               134 —Blunting member flattened surface 
               135 —Blunting member curvature 
               136 —First indent 
               137 —Sheathing indent 
               138 —Puncture tip protector 
               139 —Moving member blunting member edge 
               140 —Moving member plunger head edge 
               141 —Plunger head extension guide 
               142 —Moving member stopper 
               143 —Blunting member guide 
               144 —Moving member incline lower part 
               145 —Moving member incline higher part 
               146 —Releasing joint releasing part 
               147 —Releasing joint released part 
               148 —Fulcrum point stopper 
               149 —Fulcrum point incline 
               150 —Fulcrum point released part 
               151 —Moving member fulcrum joint 
               152 —Moving member extension 
               153 —Non releasing plunger head extension guide 
               154 —Blunting member thickness variation 
               155 —Blunting member outward indent 
               156 —Blunting member transition in shape 
               157 —Multiple blunting members 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises of the following components;  FIG. 2  shows a needle member  118  which terminates in a needle puncture tip  126 . The needle member  118  has a slight inward or outward curvature  125  before it tapers into the needle puncture tip  126 . This inward or outward curvature  125  will lock the blunting member  132  in the extended position. Furthermore, the needle puncture tip  126  will be at an acute angle  127  to facilitate the sheathing of the needle puncture tip  126 . The needle member  118  has a stopper  130  to prevent the blunting member  132  from falling out of the needle mouth  119 . The stopper on the needle member  130  is placed on the needle tube member  121  or alternately at the point where the needle tube  121  and needle mouth  119  meet at  128 . 
     A blunting member  132  is placed inside the needle member  118 . Blunting member  132  may extend outside the needle mouth  119  into the syringe tube  102  or one of the parts of the blunting member  132  can extend outside the needle mouth  119  into the syringe tube  102  to be pushed by the moving member  131  or the moving member  131  can have an extension going into the needle tube  121  to push the blunting member  132 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The blunting member  132  can be of any shape as long as it aligns within the needle  118 , allows for the flow of fluids and locks. The blunting member  132  can comprise of a single part or be divided into multiple parts  157  as shown in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . The blunting member  132  has a curvature  130  that stops the blunting member  132  or its multiple parts  157  from falling out through the needle mouth  119 , when it is stopped by a stopper  130  on the needle member. Alternately to the blunting member curvature  130  the blunting member  132  can have variation in thickness  154 , where the thicker part gets stopped at the blunting member stopper  129  or alternate blunting member stopper  130  on the needle member  118  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 12  shows that the syringe tube  102  has a syringe depression  114 . This raised member  114  inside the syringe tube  102  is independently or in combination means of providing a fulcrum point  115 , guide movement of moving member  131  and stop movement of moving member  131  in one direction. 
     Fulcrum point  115  on the syringe depression  114  provides a pivot point for the moving member  131 . Fulcrum point  115  also stops movement of the moving member  131  in one direction. Fulcrum point  115  has a snap fit to provide ease of assembly to the moving member  131 . Moving member  131  stays attached to the fulcrum point  115  or alternately the fulcrum point  115  allows the release of the moving member  131  after pushing the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     At least one moving member  131  is placed inside the syringe tube  102 . Moving member  131  may be attached to the fulcrum point  115  on the syringe depression  114  as shown in  FIG. 1  or placed between the syringe depression  114  and the syringe head  116 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The moving member  131  is a means of reversal of motion when pulled at the plunger head extension guide  141  by the plunger head extension  112  as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15  show that the moving member  131  comprises of moving member plunger head edge  140  and moving member blunting member edge  139  that are either straight, curved or a combination thereof. Moving member blunting member edge  139  pushes the blunting member  132  further into the needle member  118  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 . Moving member  131  has a blunting member guide  143  to guide the movement of the blunting member  132 . Blunting member guide  143  is either flat, raised, depressed, textured, have gear teeth or a combination thereof, as a means of guiding blunting member  132 . Moving member  131  has a plunger head extension guide  141  that is either flat, raised, cut-out, depressed or a combination thereof to guide the movement of moving member  131  when pulled by the plunger head extension  112 . Moving member has an incline to facilitate assembly and movement in one direction. It has a stopper  142  to stop movement in one direction. 
     Plunger rod  104  extends into plunger head  110  flattened at one surface  111  aligned with the flat surface of the syringe tube  103 . Plunger head  110  has a plunger head extension  112  that attaches or fastens to the moving member  131 , pulls it with the pulling action of the plunger rod  104 , and detaches after pushing the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 16  to  FIG. 19  show that the Releasing joint has two parts one being the releasing joint releasing part  146  and the other part being releasing joint released part  147 . Either one of them can be on the moving member  131  and the other on the plunger head extension  112 . Alternately releasing joint can be between multiple moving members  131  or between fulcrum point  115  and moving member  131 . Releasing joint releasing part  146  is an arc and the releasing joint released part  147  is a segment of a circle. Segment is placed inside the arc in a position so that the longer width of the segment is aligned with the arc opening. Segment rotates in the arc until the point where the shorter width of the segment is aligned to the arc opening. At the point where the shorter width of the segment is aligned to the arc opening the segment is released from the arc. 
     Syringe tube  102 , flattened plunger arm  106 , plunger head  110 , syringe head  116 , needle mouth  119 , and blunting member  132  have a flattened surface for alignment. 
       FIG. 7  and  FIG. 10  show that the pulling action of the plunger rod  104  pulls the plunger head  110  and plunger head extension  112 , this moves the moving member  131 . The movement of the moving member  131  pushes the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121 , the blunting member  132  gets extended and the needle puncture tip  126  gets sheathed within the periphery of the blunting member  132 . 
       FIG. 1  is a complete view of the needle system and syringe, showing a hypodermic syringe generally represented at  101  and syringe tube at  102 . Unlike a typical tubular syringe, the syringe has a flattened surface along the syringe tube length represented at  103 . The plunger rod is generally indicated at  104 , the plunger rod shall have a normal plunger arm at  105  and a flattened plunger arm at  106 , to align with the flattened surface of the syringe tube at  103 . The plunger rod  104  has a thumb rest at  107 . 
     The plunger arms extend into a plunger head support at  108 . There is a cavity  109  between the plunger arms and the plunger head  110 . The plunger head  110  has a flattened surface  111  to align with the flattened surface of the syringe tube  103 . From the plunger head  110  emerges plunger head extension  112  into the syringe cavity  113 . The plunger head extension  112  fastens or is attached to the moving member  131 , pulls it with the pulling action of the plunger rod  104 , and detaches after pushing the blunting member  132  further in to the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 . Inside the syringe tube  102  there is a raised surface, syringe depression at  114  with fulcrum point  115 . Syringe depression at  114  is represented in detail in  FIG. 12 . 
     Continuing with  FIG. 1  syringe tube  102  extends into syringe head  116  and has a syringe head flattened surface  117  for alignment with needle mouth flattened surface  120  on needle mouth indicated at  119 . Needle member is generally represented at  118 . 
       FIG. 2  is a length wise cross section view of the needle consisting of the needle mouth  119 , needle tube  121  and blunting member  132 . The blunting member  132  is placed inside the needle tube  121 . The blunting member  132  can comprise of a single part or be divided into multiple parts. Blunting member  132  may extend out side the needle mouth  119  into the syringe tube  102  or one of the parts of the blunting member  132  can extend outside the needle mouth  119  into the syringe tube  102  to be pushed by the moving member  131  or the moving member can have an extension  152  going into the needle tube  121  to push the blunting member  132  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The blunting member  132  can be of any shape as long as it aligns within the needle, to allow for the flow of fluids and locks. For the flow of fluids the needle tube  121  has a needle cavity  122  and the blunting member  132  has blunting member cavity  133 . Instead of the typical tubular needle, the needle mouth  119 , the needle tube  121  and the blunting member  132  have a flattened surface along the length at  120 ,  123 , and  134  respectively, to allow for alignment. Needle tube  121  has a needle opening at  124  and needle curvature at  125 . 
     The needle mouth  119  when affixed to the syringe head  116 , brings the blunting member  132  in alignment with the plunger head extension  112 . The needle puncture tip  126  has a small inward or outward curvature at  125 . The needle puncture tip  126  extends upward at an acute angle at needle tip angle  127 . The blunting member  132  has two indents. The first indent  136  allows for the blunting member to smoothly glide over the needle curvature  125 . 
     The sheathing indent  137  is curved to correspond with the curvature in the needle  125 .  FIG. 3  shows the blunting member  132  is completely extended the sheathing indent  137  will sheath the needle puncture tip  126  of the needle generally represented at  118 . The needle puncture tip  126  of the needle is covered by the puncture tip protector  138 . The blunting member has a curvature  135  that stops the blunting member  132  or its multiple parts from falling out of the needle mouth  119 , when it is stopped by the blunting member stopper  129  or the alternate blunting member stopper  130  on the needle member. Blunting member stopper  129  is placed where the needle mouth and needle tube touch  128 . 
     The blunting member  132  can be of any shape or there may be transition of shape which allows for the free flow of fluids as shown in  FIG. 4 . The aim of the aforementioned shapes is alignment, flow of fluids and locking with the needle tube  121 . Alternately to the blunting member curvature  135  the blunting member  132  has a variation in thickness  154 , where the thicker part gets stopped at either the blunting member stopper  129  or alternate blunting member stopper  130  on the needle member  118 . It also shows the blunting member with transition of shape  156 . 
       FIG. 5  is the cross section view of the syringe &amp; needle in shipping position.  FIG. 6  shows that with the intake of fluids the plunger rod  104  is pulled outward of the syringe tube  102 . This action of pulling further pulls the moving member  131 . Plunger head  110  may be connected to the moving member  131  directly or with a plunger head extension  111 . With the pulling action of the plunger rod  104 , the plunger head  110  or the plunger head extension  112  pulls the moving member  131 , movement of the moving member  131  is a means of reversal of motion. The pulling action of the moving member  131  pushes the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121 . The blunting member  132  extends to sheath the needle puncture tip  126  within the periphery of the blunting member  132 . 
       FIG. 7  represents the syringe and needle after use, where the moving member  131  is released from the plunger head extension  112  and the needle puncture tip  126  remains sheathed by the blunting member  132 . 
     There is at least one moving member  131  placed inside the syringe tube  102 . Moving member  131  is fastened or attached to the fulcrum point  115  on the syringe depression  114 .  FIG. 8  shows an alternative where the moving member  131  is placed between the syringe depression  114  and syringe head  116 . The figure also shows multiple blunting members at  157 .  FIG. 9  shows the moving member  131  placed between the syringe depression  114  and syringe head  116  during the withdrawal of fluids. The action of pulling of the plunger head extension  112  with the plunger rod  104  moves the moving member  131 . The syringe depression  114  guides movement of the moving member  131 . The figure also shows multiple blunting members at  157 .  FIG. 10  shows that after pushing the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 , the moving member  131  is released from the plunger head extension  112  as the syringe depression  114  stops the movement of the moving member  131  in one direction. The needle puncture tip  126  remains sheathed with the blunting member  132 . The figure also shows multiple blunting members at  157 . 
       FIG. 11  shows an alternate option of the moving member extension  152  which pushes the blunting member  132  placed inside the needle tube  121 . This figure also shows multiple moving members  131 . 
       FIG. 12  represents the cross section of the syringe depression  114 . A raised member inside the syringe tube  102  is independently or in combination is means of providing a fulcrum point, guide movement and stop movement of moving member  131  in a direction. 
       FIG. 13  shows fulcrum point  115  on the syringe depression  114 . Fulcrum point provides a pivot for moving member  131 . Pivot point is a point about which things turn. Fulcrum point  115  also stops movement of the moving member  131  in one direction. Fulcrum point  115  has a means of attachment and fastening to provide ease of assembly with the moving member  131 . Moving member  131  stays attached to the fulcrum point  115  or alternately the fulcrum point  115  allows the release of the moving member  131  after pushing the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 . Fulcrum point  115  has a fulcrum point stopper  148  to stop movement in a direction. Fulcrum point  115  has a fulcrum point incline  149  for ease of assembly and release. Fulcrum point  115  has a released part  150  that gets released from the moving member fulcrum joint  151 . 
       FIG. 14  shows the moving member  131  that is a means of reversal of motion when pulled at the plunger head extension guide  141  by the plunger head extension  112  or the plunger head  110 . This figure shows the moving member  131  with the releasing plunger head extension guide  141 . 
     The moving member  131  comprises of moving member plunger head edge  140  and moving member blunting member edge  139  that are either straight, curved or a combination thereof. Moving member&#39;s blunting member edge  139  pushes the blunting member  132  further into the needle tube  121  to sheath the needle puncture tip  126 . 
     Moving member  131  has a blunting member guide  143  to guide the movement of blunting member  132 . Blunting member guide  143  is either flat, raised, depressed, textured, have gear teeth or a combination thereof, as a means of guiding the blunting member  132 . 
     Moving member  131  has a plunger head extension guide  141  that is either flat, raised, cut-out, depressed or a combination thereof to guide the movement of moving member  131  when pulled by the plunger head  110  or plunger head extension  112 . 
     Moving member  131  has an incline to facilitate assembly and movement in one direction. The moving member incline has a lower part  144  and higher part  145 . Moving member has a stopper  142  to stop movement in one direction. Moving member has a moving member fulcrum joint  151  which attaches or fastens to the fulcrum point  115 . 
       FIG. 15  shows the moving member  131  with the non-releasing plunger head extension guide  153  by having an enclosed guide. 
     Releasing joint has two parts one being the releasing joint releasing part and the other part being the releasing joint released part. Either one of them can be on the moving member  131  or the other on the plunger head extension  112 . Releasing joint is also used when there are multiple moving members as shown in  FIG. 11 . Releasing joint releasing part  146  is an arc and the releasing joint released part  147  is a segment of a circle.  FIG. 16  shows the segment releasing joint released part  147  is placed inside the arc releasing joint releasing part  146  in a position so that the longer width of the segment releasing joint released part  147  is aligned with the arc releasing joint releasing part  146  opening.  FIG. 17  shows the releasing joint during movement.  FIG. 18  shows the segment releasing joint released part  147  has rotated in the arc releasing joint releasing part  146  until the point where the shorter width of the segment releasing joint released part  147  is aligned to the arc releasing joint releasing part  146  opening.  FIG. 19  shows when the arc releasing joint releasing part  146  and the segment releasing joint released part  147  are released. 
       FIG. 20  is a cross section view of the needle and the blunting instrument with two inward curvatures at  136  and  137  in shipping position. The puncture tip of the needle is at an angle  127 . After withdrawal of the fluid, the sheathing indent  137  sheaths the needle puncture tip  126 , the puncture tip protector  138  covers the tip and gets locked in place. 
       FIG. 21  is a length wise cross section view of the needle with curvature  125  that is outward and the blunting member  132  with an outward indent  155  at shipping position. The blunting member has an outward indent at  155  and an inward sheathing indent at  137  which juts out to form puncture tip protector at  138 . The puncture tip of the needle is at an angle  127 . After withdrawal of the fluid, the outward indent  155  gets locked at the needle curvature  125  and the needle puncture tip  126  is covered by the puncture tip protector  138 . 
       FIG. 22  shows cross section of blunting member  132  and needle  118  wherein the needle tip is at an angle  127 . The blunting member one sheathing indent  137  and a needle tip protector  138 . Blunting member has a curvature  135 . 
       FIG. 23  is a cross section view of the blunting instrument with two inward curvatures at  136  and  137 . The puncture tip protector is represented at  138 . Blunting member has a curvature  135 . 
       FIG. 24  is a length wise cross section view of the blunting member  132  with an outward indent  155 . The Blunting member  132  has an outward indent at  155  and an inward sheathing indent at  137  which juts out to form puncture tip protector at  138 . Blunting member has a curvature  135 . 
       FIG. 25  shows cross section of blunting member  132  wherein the blunting member has one sheathing indent  137 , a needle tip protector  138  and a curvature  135 . 
     While the above description contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the example. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not only by the examples given. 
     Sequence Listing 
     Not applicable 
     The present invention has been made to protect the health of medical and non-medical persons who face the risk of needle stick injury . . . Devices of this invention may be employed to extract or expel fluids or gasses for both medical and non-medical purposes.