Patent Publication Number: US-8535257-B1

Title: Syringe and swab system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Priority is claimed from provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 61/399,116 filed on Jul. 7, 2010 and incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to syringes and swabs associated with hypodermic injections. More particularly, the present invention is a new and improved syringe and swab system that provides an absorbent swab generally fixed to a syringe needle safety cover such as but not limited to a BD ECLIPSE NEEDLE. 
     2. DESCRIPTION OF THE KNOWN PRIOR ART 
     Although hypodermic injections and associated syringe therewith are well known and have been utilized for over 100 years, the medical profession is constantly trying to improve the device and process to make it easier for the medical professional, safer for the patient, and safer for the medical professional. The process has not really changed over the years where it is still necessary to provide a swab for removing blood and excess fluid from the injection site after removal of the needle as well as to apply pressure to the site of the injection to stop bleeding and leaking of fluid in general. 
     It is frequently the bane of the medical professional giving the injection to find a gauze pad or swab while fumbling with the used needle after the injection. It is common that the injection is performed before the professional realizes that a swab is not handy, out of supply, or found and applied too slow when fluid such as blood may sometimes squirt after the needle is removed from the injection site. The prior art is lacking an adequate means for a readily available and handy swab for post injection with a needle that can always be available as part of the injection process. 
     Furthermore, it is also obviously desirable to provide a safe and reliable means for discarding a used needle which may be contaminated with undesirable fluid and biomaterials in general. Numerous devices have been utilized for re-covering or re-capping a needle from a syringe before discarding to lessen and hopefully prevent “sticks” to the medical professional handling the used needle either trying to recap the needle or dispose of in general. 
     A known prior art device is the is a syringe needle safety cover such as the BD ECLIPSE NEEDLE depicted in the illustrations. The device generally allows for a guard to be snapped in over the needle after use with a finger or thumb from below the point of the needle thereby decreasing the chances of an errant “stick” and removing the need to re-cap the needle. This is essentially accomplished by a hinged protective cover that can be pushed or rotated up at the base of the needle or needle hub. When the cover is snapped over the needle, as in the illustration, the cover is generally locked into place forming a cohesive body with the syringe barrel, needle hub, and needle. 
     Although numerous advancements have occurred with needles and safety, the prior art still has failed to bridge the gap between syringes and medical professional demand and needs for post injection swaps. Therefore, an extensive opportunity for design advancements and innovation remains where the prior art fails or is deficient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the present invention is a new and improved syringe and swab system which provides a protective cover or shield to a used needle and provides a swab for excess fluid and applying pressure to the injection site where the prior art fails. The present invention generally provides a sterile swab attached to syringe wherein a readily available system is provided for the injection and post injection needs. 
     Without the intention of limitation, the invention may generally comprise an attachment to a needle cover generally used to dispose of the needle in a safe manner. The attachment may generally be located on the needle system and sterilized along with the needle, pre-use needle cover, and post use needle cover. The attachment may be removably or permanently attached and have a swab, gauze, foam or other absorbent material whereby the syringe may be utilized after use to hold pressure and absorb after the needle is removed from the patient and the safety cover is placed over the needle. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Accordingly, titles, headings, chapter names, classifications and overall segmentation of the application in general should not be construed as limiting. Such are provided for overall readability and not necessarily as literally defining text or material associated therewith. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system that provides greater ease, safety, and function to a wide range of uses associated with the utilization of syringes and post injection swab applications. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system which is of a relatively simple design and thus may be easily and efficiently manufactured. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system which is of a more durable and reliable construction than that of the existing known art. 
     Still another object to the present invention is to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such economically available to those utilizing syringes. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system which provides some of the advantages of the prior art, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system that covers a used needle while also providing an absorbent material that may be utilized post injection. 
     Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system that will allow the medical professional to always have a readily available swab after an injection without the need for a separate swab. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved syringe and swab system which is of a relatively simple design and thus may be easily and efficiently manufactured with a needle such as but not limited to the to a syringe needle safety cover such as the BD ECLIPSE NEEDLE. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference would be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed pictorial illustrations, graphs, drawings, drawings, and appendices. 
         FIG. 1  is a general depiction of a prior art device with a hinged needle guard. 
         FIG. 2  is a general depiction of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating a syringe and swab system with a protective cap detached from the needle and hinged needle guard with swab. 
         FIG. 3  is a general depiction of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the needle with a protective cap on and the hinged needle guard with a cap for a swab. 
         FIG. 4  is a general depiction of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the needle guard with a swab in the cap detached from the guard. 
         FIG. 5  is a general depiction of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating the needle guard with a swab and cap wherein the cap is attached to the guard and the syringe is only partially depicted. 
         FIG. 6  is a general depiction of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating a syringe and swab system wherein a guard has been swung over a needle after the injection and a swab is being placed against the injection site by a user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views, and referring in particular to  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  10  generally refers to a new and improved syringe and swab, syringe and swab system, method of use, and method of making hereinafter referred to as “invention  10 ”, in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
     A syringe  20  generally comprising a plunger  30 , a barrel  40 , a needle hub  50 , and a needle  60 . It is also common that syringe  20  needle hub  50  allows for attaching and detaching needle  60  although the current invention also contemplates syringe  20  with a fixed or non-removable needle  60 . It is still further contemplated that invention  10  may be utilized on non-standard syringe  20  of multiple configurations or other applications where a needle, is used hypodermically. 
     Now referring to the illustrations and more in particular to  FIG. 1 , a prior art device is generally depicted. It is not unusual for needle  60  to have a protective cover or cap  70  for pre use safety and a protective guard  80  for post use safety and disposal of needle  60 . It has been found that attempting to replace cap  70  after use of needle  60  lends to unnecessary punctures to medical professional and needle users in general. Therefore, numerous safety devices have been utilized to cover or guard used needle  60  such as the BD ECLIPSE NEEDLE system wherein protective guard  80  may be hingedly rotated or moved to cover needle  60  after use for disposal. 
     It is common for needle  60  to be sold and or packaged separately with cap  70  on needle  60  and then screwed on needle hub  50  when preparing for use. It is also common for protective guard  80  to be generally attached to needle  60  and rotated out of the way during the injection and then rotated to cover needle  60  after the injection. It is understood that the term “cover” may not literally mean needle  60  is totally encapsulated, but may mean that needle  60  is shielded to protect persons from an accidental puncture or “stick”. 
     Guard  80  generally comprises a first end  90  attached toward syringe hub portion  50  of needle  60  such as but not limited to the BD ECLIPSE NEEDLE system wherein hinge  100  is utilized. Guard  80  also generally comprises a second or distal end  110  that generally covers needle  60  distal end  120 . 
     Needle  60  distal end  120  is the point of insertion for syringe  20  whereas needle  60  connector  122  is typically made of plastic and screws or otherwise attaches to syringe hub portion  50 . Typically, needle  60  connector  122  may have a receiver  124  that allows guard  80  to snap onto needle  60  connector  122  in a hinged fashion. Guard  80  may be positioned out of the way during insertion, but then swung generally along arc  126  such that needle  60  distal end  120  is covered after use for disposal. It is understood that the guard  80  may swing farther away from needle  60  than depicted in the illustrations when it is desired to have needle  60  clear of any obstruction while inserting needle  60 . It is also known in the prior art to provide guard  80  such that it snaps over needle  60  wherein needle  60  is trapped in guard  80  such that needle is secured in guard  80 . 
     Now referring to the illustration and more in particular to  FIGS. 2 through 5 , in a preferred embodiment, guard  80  distal end  110  may further comprise a pad  130  that may or may not be absorbent. Pad  130  may utilize gauze, swab, foam, and so forth found in the art for absorbing fluids and or generally to stop or reduce bleeding after an injection. It is also contemplated to provide a generally solid base  140  for pad  130  such that pad  130  may have pressure applied by the user by generally holding syringe  20 . It is contemplated that pad  130  may be removably attached to distal end  110  of guard  80 , base  140  may be removably attached to distal end  110  of guard  80 , and or combinations thereof. 
     It is still further contemplated that invention  10  may include packaging of pad  130  with needle  60  with or without guard  80  attached to needle  60 . It is contemplated that pad  130  and or base  140  may be sterile or sterilized with needle  60 , guard  80 , cap  70 , and or combinations thereof. It is also contemplated that pad  130  may be treated with alcohol and or medication as desired. It is understood that pad  130  may have numerous other pretreatments applied. 
     Pad  130  may also utilize cover  150  wherein pad  130  is generally protected until use of pad  130  is desired. Cover  150  may be removably attached to base  140 , pad  130 , and combinations thereof. Cover  150  may include attachment  160  to guard  80 . It is understood that numerous configuration may be utilized such as but not limited to more than one pad  130 , with more than one cover  150  wherein first pad  130  may be utilized to apply an alcohol preparation before the injection and a second pad  130  utilized to apply pressure and absorb unwanted fluids after the injection. 
     Again referring to the illustration and more in particular to  FIG. 6 , invention  10  is generally depicted wherein guard  80  has been snapped over needle  60  and pad  130  is being applied to the site of the injection. Guard  80  is generally aligned with syringe  20  such that pressure may be applied by holding syringe  20  against the injection point  170 . 
     Furthermore, invention  10  is generally shown in a configuration for typical medical use for syringe having use with medicine or general fluid delivery hypodermically. It is understood that the invention  10  may be used in other applications such as but not limited to laboratory procedures, medical research, veterinary medicine and so forth where it is desired to apply post injection pressure and swab. It is further understood that invention  10  may be used on non medical applications. The term syringe should not be considered limited to applications normally associated with medical use. Still furthermore, the term syringe generally refers to a device which may hold fluid and then deliver fluid in measured amounts. 
     Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. Changes may be made in the combinations, operations, and arrangements of the various parts and elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.