Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/096,663 filed Apr. 28, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/331,752 filed May 5, 2010, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The embodiments provided herein relate generally to syringe systems for administering therapeutic agents to patients. More specifically, the embodiments relate to an extended finger flange that can be coupled to a syringe system to facilitate use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Because of the risk of communicable diseases, a number of syringes and adapters have been developed that are intended to prevent accidental needle sticks and/or inadvertent reuse of a syringe. The syringe safety systems come in a variety of forms. One form of a syringe safety system uses a needle guard comprising a body and an extendable shield. The shield can be manually or passively transitioned from a first, retracted position to a second, extended position following administration of the medicine within the syringe. In the extended position, the shield covers the needle, thereby protecting the user from accidental needle sticks. 
     In use, the syringe system is typically held by a user with two or more fingers engaging a finger grip of the syringe system and the user&#39;s thumb disposed on a thumb pad or top surface of the syringe&#39;s plunger. In many present systems, the finger grip area is quite small resulting in a device that may be difficult to manipulate and control, especially for end users with joint pain or limited dexterity. 
     Accordingly, an improved finger grip area for use with safety syringe systems would be useful. 
     SUMMARY 
     The embodiments presented herein are directed to an extended finger flange that can be coupled with a safety syringe system to facilitate the use of the syringe. The finger flange comprises lateral surfaces which increase the surface area available for the end user&#39;s fingers. The extended area makes it easier for the end user to grip the device and administer an injection. 
     The extended finger flange is a component that can be removably coupled with the syringe or syringe safety system. The extended finger flange can be press fit into place and/or it may include snap features which mate with one or more features on the syringe or syringe system to secure the extended finger flange into the desired location. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The details of the example embodiments, including structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, all illustrations are intended to convey concepts, where relative sizes, shapes and other detailed attributes may be illustrated schematically rather than literally or precisely. 
         FIG. 1  shows an unassembled version of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure having a syringe system and a extended finger flange. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of the extended finger flange of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows an exemplary embodiment wherein the extended finger flange is attached to the syringe system. 
         FIG. 4  shows another exemplary embodiment of the extended finger flange of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  shows another exemplary embodiment of the extended finger flange of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  shows another exemplary embodiment of the extended finger flange of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7A  shows the embodiment of the extended finger flange of  FIG. 6  viewed from an orientation in which the underside of the extended finger flange is visible, wherein the extended finger flange is attached to an exemplary needle guard.  FIG. 7B  shows the embodiment of the extended finger flange of  FIG. 6  viewed from an orientation in which the top of the extended finger flange is visible, wherein the extended finger flange is attached to an exemplary needle guard. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a syringe system  5  that can be used with the extended finger flange  10  of the present disclosure. As depicted, the syringe systems  5  includes a needle guard  40  configured to receive a syringe  20  having a plunger  30 . The syringe  20  has a substantially smooth-walled cylindrical barrel  22 , a hub or distal end  24  that is the administration end, and a proximal end  26 . The proximal end  26  of the barrel  22  is configured to receive the plunger  30 . The plunger  30  comprises a stem  32  and a radial portion or thumb pad  36 . The distal end  24  of the cylindrical barrel  22  preferably comprises a needle port or luer fitting. Preferably, the needle of the syringe  20  is covered with a cap  25  prior to the attachment of the extended finger flange and/or administration of the medication. 
     The syringe  20  is preferably housed inside the needle guard  40 . Although the extended finger flange  10  of the present disclosure may be used with a variety of needle guards or directly with a syringe, in an exemplary embodiment the needle guard  40  comprises a body  50  for receiving and holding the syringe  20  and a shield  60  slidably attached to the body  50 . 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the shield  60  is a tubular member adapted to slidably fit on the body  50  and has a proximal end  62  and a distal end  64 . The shield  60  comprises a pair of finger flanges  66 . The distal surfaces  67  of the finger flanges  66  typically provide only a small surface area for the end user&#39;s fingers to grip and secure the syringe system. 
     The shield  60  can include one or more trigger fingers  68  that extend proximally from the proximal end  62  of the shield  60 . During administration of the medication, the radial portion  36  of the plunger  30  contacts the trigger fingers  68 . This action allows the shield  60  to transition from a first, retracted position to a second, extended position to cover the needle. The needle guard  40  can also include a spring mechanism coupled to the body  50  and the shield  60  for biasing the shield  60  towards an extended position when the trigger fingers  68  are deflected radially. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the extended finger flange device  10  fits onto the needle guard  40  of the syringe system  5 . The lateral flaps  12  of the extended finger flange  10  increase the surface area and make it easier for the end user to grip the device and administer an injection. The addition of the extended finger flange  10  makes it easier for end users that have joint pain or limited dexterity to handle and grip the device when they self-administer an injection by extending the area that they have to grip. 
     The exact dimensions, orientation, and configuration of the lateral flaps  12  of the extended finger flange  10  can be varied to fit the requirements of the patient population served by the drug medication. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the lateral flaps  12  can comprise a wide, rounded area or the lateral flaps  12  can comprise a more rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 4 . As another example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the finger flaps  12  can have a downward orientation to further assist the end user in holding the device. The extended finger flange  10  is generally molded from plastic, such as, polypropylene, k-resin, or polycarbonate, or the like. Alternatively, the extended finger flange  10  can be manufactured using an over molded process ( FIG. 4 ). In this embodiment, a soft durometer elastomare could be molded over a ridged core to provide support to the device and a soft spongy feel to the user that would give a better grip and reduce the pressure on the user&#39;s fingers. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the extended finger flange  10  is placed onto the outside of the needle guard  40  of the syringe system  5 . The extended finger flange  10  can be coupled with the syringe system  5  in a variety of ways. As one example, the extended finger flange  10  can be coupled to the syringe system  5  using a slight press fit over the needle guard  40 . In another embodiment, the extended finger flange  10  can be coupled to the syringe system  5  through a positive snap feature  14  ( FIG. 2 ) that couples the extended finger flange  10  and the syringe system  5  together. In this embodiment, the extended finger flange  10  comprises one or more snap features  14  that are configured to engage complimentary portions of the shield  60  of the needle guard  40 . For example, the snap features  14  on the extended finger flange  10  can be configured to engage the lateral ends  63  ( FIG. 1 ) of the finger flange  66  on the shield  60 . 
     In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the extended finger flange  10  can be configured to slide on to the safety system  5  from the side. In this embodiment, the central portion of the extended finger flange  10  comprises a “C” shape. Attaching the extended finger flange  10  from the side reduces the chance of damaging the needle when attaching the extended finger flange  10  to the syringe system  5 . In this embodiment, the extended finger flange  10  can be held in place by, for example, two upper snap features  18  and two side snap features  19 . The snap features  18 ,  19  can engage complimentary portions of the shield  60 . For example, the side snap features  19  can interact with recesses  65  on the shield  60 , and the upper snap features  18  can interact with the lateral ends  63  of the finger flange  66  of the shield  60 . 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the extended finger flange  10  comprises one or more internal snaps  17  that press fit against the finger flange  66  of the shield  60  when the extended finger flange  10  is fully inserted onto the needle guard  40 . Once fully inserted (see  FIGS. 7A and 7B ), the snap features  17  press against the lateral edges of the finger flange  66  but not against the lateral ends  63  and, thus, does not apply pressure against the sidewall of the device. This configuration prevents the extended finger flange  10  from deforming the needle guard  40 . Such deformation could cause an increase in friction between the shield  60  and body  50  of the needle guard  40  and possibly prevent the shield  60  from extending relative to the body when activated. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the particular forms or methods disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

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