Patent EA-003971-B1 (EA)
Title: Storage container for at least one hypodermic needle
Inventor: BERGERON LUC
IPC: A61G12/00
Filed: 2001-05-14
Abstract: 1. A storage container for at least one hypodermic needle (2), the hypodermic needle having a connecting end (2a) which has connectors (2b) complementary with connectors (3a) on the tip of an injection instrument (4), one of the connectors (2a, 2b, 3a) having radial elasticity and devices for converting an axial force exerted between the needle (2) and the injection instrument (4) into at least one radial component capable of deforming the elastic connectors, having a housing (1, 1e; 21, 21e; 36) for the needle (2), designed so as to hold this needle in a determined position, and an opening (7; 27; 38) giving access to the housing (1, 1e; 21, 21e; 36), characterized in that the exterior wall (1a-1f; 8-1f; 12-1f; 19) bounding the housing (1, 1e; 8, 8e; 12; 12e; 20) has guides (1e; 12e; 19) coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the needle (2) positioned in the housing (1, 1e; 8; 8e; 12; 12e; 20) and designed to engage with a complementary surface (5) of the instrument (4) so that, once these guides are engaged with each other the complementary connectors (2b, 3a) are in the assembling position, following the exertion of the axial pressure on the instrument (4). 2. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the shape and dimensions of the exterior wall (1a-1f; 8f; 12-1f; 19) bounding the housing (1, 1e; 8, 8e; 12; 12e; 20) are selected to create, with the needle (2), an ergonomic positioning and/or handling interface, in order to facilitate the connection of the complementary connectors (2b, 3a) on the needle (2) and on the tip (3), respectively. 3. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the exterior wall (1a-1f) has a flat surface (1d) extending perpendicularly to the axis of the hypodermic needle (2) held in the determined position, the area of this surface being capable of imparting to the needle (2) a stable vertical position when the flat surface (1d) is placed on a horizontal supporting surface. 4. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the exterior wall (1a-1f; 8-1f; 12-1f; 19) bounding the housing (1, 1e; 8; 8e; 12; 12e; 20) has, in addition, devices for separating the connecting end (2a) of the hypodermic needle (2) from the tip (3) of the injection instrument, having an opening (11; 17; 25) delimited by locking elements with radial elasticity allowing its diameter to vary between a minimum diameter and a maximum diameter at least equal to that of the connecting end (2a) and at least one device associated with the locking elements for converting an axial force exerted on the device into at least one radial component which can be applied to the locking elements to deform them radially so that the diameter of the opening (11; 17; 25) is increased when the connecting end (2a) is displaced along its axis with its needle (2) pointing forwards through the opening (11; 17; 25) and the initial diameter is resumed after the connecting end (2a) has passed through and the locking elements are allowed to engage with the rear face of the connecting end (2a), thereby allowing the connecting end (2a) to be separated from the tip (3) by the application of tractional force along the axis of the instrument (4). 5. A container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a number of the housings (1, 1e; 8, 8e; 12; 12e; 20) are arranged side by side on a shared stand (1f, 19). 6. A container according to Claim 4, wherein the opening (11; 17; 25) delimited by the radially elastic locking elements (9, 13c; 23; 10; 14; 24) serves as the access opening of a closed housing. 7. A container according to Claim 1, wherein the access opening (7; 17) is closed by a cap which can be pierced (15; 16). 8. A container according to one of the foregoing claims, wherein the housing (12; 12e) holding the hypodermic needle (2) in a determined position has two coaxial openings (17, 18) at a distance from each other, the first (17) of these openings having a fixed diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the connecting end (2a), while the second opening (28) is delimited by elastically radial devices (22c; 23) so as to allow its diameter to vary between the minimum diameter and the maximum diameter, and in that a ring (24) having an internal diameter approximately equal to that of the first opening (17) grips the connecting end (2a) while projecting from its rear face, thus keeping back the locking elements (23), this ring (24) having, at a distance from its projecting end equal to the distance between the two said openings (17, 18), passages (15a) whose dimensions allow the locking elements (14) to pass through them and to project within the ring (15), so that, once the complementary connectors (2a, 3) are connected together displacing the injection instrument (4) outwards along its axis causes the hypodermic needle (2) and the ring (15) to shift until the ring rests against the rim of the first opening (17), in which position the locking elements (14) pass through the passages (15a) and the ring (15) separates from the connecting end (2a), while the reinsertion of the connecting end (2a) into the housing causes this connecting end to be held in position by the locking elements (14). 9. A container according to Claim 2, wherein the wall of the housing (20) is of tubular form and that in it a number of hypodermic needles (2) are placed successively in equivalent positions so as to be accessible to the injection instrument (4) from one end of the wall, while the other end has the radially elastic locking elements to allow its diameter to vary between a minimum diameter and a maximum diameter at least equal to the diameter of the connecting end (2a) and at least one piece associated with the locking elements for the purpose of converting an axial force exerted on the piece into at least one radial component which can be applied to the locking elements in order to deform them radially so as to increase the diameter of the opening.