Abstract:
Apparatus for supporting implements such as hypodermic syringes. The structure is made so as to protect operators against inadvertent sticking and the possible consequences thereof.

Description:
[0001]    This is a United States national patent application filed pursuant to 35 USC §111(a) claiming priority under 35 USC §120 of U.S. Pat. Appl. Ser. No. 62/145,274 having a filing date of Apr. 9, 2015 and entitled PROTECTIVE SUPPORT FOR HYPODERMIC SYRINGES, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention is relevant to the practice of medicine. A specific embodiment of the invention deals with a tool usable in the practice of medicine. The specific focus of the invention is a guard for hypodermic needles to minimize hazards to personnel who utilize such needles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to structures for rendering needles safe for presentation and use, and, more particularly, to a device designed to facilitate encapsulation of a needle attached to a syringe, and, alternatively, to enable removal of a cap to expose the needle allowing use of the syringe. 
         [0004]    Hypodermic syringes are widely used in response to their necessity in many medical and surgical procedures. One unfortunate aspect of such needles is that they can expose the operator to the risk of injury from the needles. Beyond an immediate and painful injury, this risk can entail infection due to fluid-borne pathogen exposure. 
         [0005]    The risk of injury can be reduced by encapsulating the needle attached to the syringe with a removable cap. Typically, removal of the cap for use of the syringe is accomplished with relative ease and only slight risk. In contrast, replacement of the cap is more difficult and exposes the user to greater risk of injury. Further, should there be the need or desire to recap a needle during a medical procedure, the attention demanded may distract the physician or other user from the procedure at hand. 
         [0006]    To counteract these difficulties, standards for medical procedures do require that surgical needles be discarded after a single use, thus avoiding some of the risk associated with recapping the needle. Such standards can be impractical, however, in procedures that require multiple injections. These procedures can require refilling syringes and passing them uncapped through the operating field. 
         [0007]    One device intended to facilitate the recapping of a hypodermic needle is disclosed in a patent application published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (International Publication No. WO 2013/016109). The device of that document takes the form of a substantially planar substrate having an opening with a plurality of flexible flaps formed about its periphery. The flaps cooperate to releasably support a needle cap inserted through the opening. To remove a cap from a capped needle and syringe, the user inserts the cap through the opening and grips it by hand on one side of the planar substrate, while withdrawing the syringe and needle with the other hand on the other side of the substrate. 
         [0008]    To recap the syringe after use, the substrate (with the cap retained in the opening) is held in one hand while the other hand is used to align the needle with the open end of the cap. The needle is then inserted into the cap by moving the syringe toward the substrate. 
         [0009]    The substrate device reduces the risk of inadvertent, injurious contact with the tip of a hypodermic needle. At the same time, however, needle alignment and insertion require careful attention, especially close visual tracking, as the physician or other user attempts to recap the needle by guiding the exposed needle to the opening in the substrate and the cap held thereby. Insertion of a capped needle and syringe into the substrate opening likewise requires the physician&#39;s full and direct attention. Each of these tasks optimally requires the use of both hands. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    To address these concerns, the present invention provides a device for safely supporting a hypodermic needle and syringe. The preferred device includes a unitary body, somewhat large in comparison to the syringe. Accordingly, it provides stable support for the syringe on a table or other generally flat surface or in the hand of the operator. The device preferably is formed of plastic, but aluminum, stainless steel or medical grade plastic can both increase the stability it provides and withstand multiple sterilizations. 
         [0011]    With regard to its shape, the device is extended along an axis, with a bell portion generally narrowing in the direction from its proximal end to its distal end. The proximal end of the bell is provided with one or more cuts each along a corresponding chord in the bell. Such cuts prevent the device from rolling when it is placed on a flat surface. A longitudinally extending needle cap receiver is formed along a distal portion of the device. The receiver is open at its distal end to a proximal interior guide region of the device. The receiver has a transverse profile that conforms to the profile of a standard needle cap used as protective covering for a hypodermic needle. As a result, insertion of the standard needle cap into the receiver forms a secure frictional engagement of the cap within the device. 
         [0012]    The proximal interior guide region is defined by a bell inner guide surface that diverges from the receiver to a guide opening at the proximal end of the device. The guide surface preferably is formed as a truncated cone disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device. As a result, when the distal end of a needle and/or syringe (whether or not capped) is inserted into the device via the guide opening, it is moved toward the receiver by the guide surface as the syringe is moved longitudinally into the device. Thus, distal insertion of the syringe tends to center the tip of the needle or cap relative to the receiver as the syringe is inserted. 
         [0013]    In preferred versions, the receiver can be formed as a passage extending substantially completely through the device. The length of the passage is typically shorter than the standard needle cap. In addition, the receiver can be shaped to accept cap insertion to the point that a proximal end of the cap is aligned with or disposed slightly distally of the guide surface adjacent the receiver. 
         [0014]    This arrangement affords several advantages. One arises from the fact that a fully inserted needle cap protrudes distally of the distal end of the device. As a result, the fully inserted cap can be removed from the device by moving the device toward a stationary surface (e.g., a table surface) with the distal end of the cap pressed against the surface. Moving the device with sufficient force overcomes the frictional engagement with the cap thus releasing the capped needle from the device. 
         [0015]    Another advantage arises from the location of the cap proximal end when the cap is fully inserted. To recap a syringe, the user inserts the exposed needle tip into the bell. As the syringe is moved distally into the bell, the bell inner surface encounters the needle tip and moves it toward alignment with the receiver and the cap. The proximal edge of the cap, either aligned with or disposed slightly distally of the guide surface, cooperates with the guide surface to guide the needle tip into the cap opening to facilitate insertion of the needle into the cap. 
         [0016]    The device is particularly useful in procedures that require multiple injections, because it enables and facilitates repeated episodes of cap removal and cap replacement without requiring the full or focused attention of the user. Between successive uses, the device provides a stable and reliable support for the capped syringe. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    For a further understanding of the above and other features and advantages, reference is made to the following detailed description and to the drawings, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a device for supporting, capping and uncapping hypodermic needles attached to syringes constructed according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the device; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a forward elevation of the device; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is an oblique perspective view of the device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals denote like elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1-4  show a device  10  for safely supporting a needle attached to a syringe  12 , for example. Although the support functions best in an environment in which the surface  14  on which the device  10  is placed is substantially planar, as illustrated in the figures, the device  10  will function to some degree even if the surface  14  is, for example, somewhat arcuate (not shown). It will be understood, therefore, that the support surface  14  should be sought to be substantially planar and oriented generally horizontally. Such a configuration of the support surface  14  would provide the highest degree of stability as will be seen hereinafter. 
         [0023]    The device  10  is formed relative to an axis  16  with a bell portion  18  of the device  10  generally narrowing in a direction from its proximal end  20  to its distal end  22 . The proximal end  20  of the bell  18  can be provided with one or more cuts each along a different chord  24  in the perimeter of the bell  18 . Such cuts, it is intended, are substantially straight so as to extend along its own chord cut. Such cuts serve to prevent the device from rolling when it is placed on the planar surface  14 . 
         [0024]    A longitudinally extending needle receiver  26  is formed along the device  10 . The receiver  26  is open at its distal end  22  to the interior of the bell  18 . The receiver  26  has an interior profile along its distal end  22  which conforms generally to the profile of a standard cap  27  used as a protective covering for a hypodermic syringe needle  12 . As a result, when a standard-sized cap is inserted fully into the receiver  26 , a secure friction fit will exist between the cap  27  and the interior of the receiver  26  within the device  10 . The receiver  26  can comprise a plurality of cantilevered fingers  28  mounted biased generally radially inward so as to exert an inward force upon the cap  27 . 
         [0025]    The proximal guide region is characterized as a bell  18 , and the bell has an inner surface  32  that diverges from the receiver  26  to a guide opening at the distal end  20  of the device  10 . The guide surface  32  can preferably be formed in the shape of a truncated cone. The cone-shape bell  18  is formed, it is intended, with respect to the longitudinal axis  16  of the device  10 . As a result, the distal end of the capped needle and carried syringe can be inserted into the device  10  with engagement with the interior surface  32  of the bell  18 . Thus, when the distal end of a capped needle and syringe is inserted into the device  10  via the guide surface  32 , the distal end of the capped needle and syringe  12  is guided radially inward toward the receiver by the guide surface  32 . As will be able to be seen in view of this disclosure, insertion of the syringe tends to center the tip of the needle or cap relative to the receiver  26  as the needle and syringe or capped needle and syringe is inserted through the bell  18 . 
         [0026]    In one preferred embodiment, the receiver  26  can be formed as a passage extending substantially completely axially through the device. It will be understood, in view of this disclosure, that the length of the passage through the bell  18  is typically shorter than the standard needle cap  27 . In the embodiment discussed hereinbefore, the receiver  27  can have a shape so as to accept cap insertion to the point that a proximal end of the cap is aligned with, or disposed slightly distally of, the guide surface of the receiver formed by the bell. Such a construction affords several advantages. One will see that a fully inserted needle cap protrudes distally from the distal end of the device  10 . Consequently, the fully inserted cap  27  can be removed from the device  10  by moving the device toward a stationary surface (not shown) with the distal end of the cap pressed against the surface. Such engagement renders sufficient force being brought to bear upon the cap  27  to dislodge the cap from the receiver. 
         [0027]    Such a construction results in another advantage. To again cap the needle, the user merely need insert the exposed needle tip into the bell  18 . As the syringe  12  is moved distally in the bell  18 , the bell  18  inner surface  32  is encountered by the needle tip, and the surface  32  moves the needle tip toward alignment with the receiver  26  and the cap  27 . The distal edge of the cap cooperates with the guide surface to guide the needle tip into the cap opening. Insertion of the needle into the cap is thereby facilitated. 
         [0028]    The device defined hereinbefore is preferably made of plastic. Aluminum, stainless steel and medical grade plastic all can function to increase the stability provided and withstand multiple sterilizations. 
         [0029]    It will be understood that this disclosure, in many respects, is only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, dimensions, material, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is as defined in the language of the appended claims.