Other

Jack W Shields

Richard P Jobe

W Mark Shields

Jack M Walker

A needle assembly operable for the transfer of blood from a blood vessel to a vacuum tube contained within a vacuum tube holder. The assembly includes: (a) a first needle holder having a leading end and a trailing end and a hollow conical body portion therebetween; (b) a first hollow bore needle having a sharp beveled tip at a leading end thereof, a hub at a trailing end thereof, and a shank therebetween, the hub being disposed within the conical cavity and releasably attached to the leading end of the first needle holder; (c) a rigid tube having a leading end affixed to the hub of the first needle, a trailing end and a length therebetween, the rigid tube having an axial bore coextensive with the length of the rigid tube; and (d) a second hollow bore needle having a leading end disposed within the axial bore of the rigid tube and affixed to the trailing end of the rigid tube. The second needle has a trailing portion that includes a sharp trailing end projecting from the trailing end of the rigid tube. The trailing portion further includes attachment means operable for releasably attaching the second needle to the vacuum tube holder.

Shielded assembly for blood collection in vacuum tubes

I disclose a sharps shield for needles commonly used by dentists and plastic surgeons. The sharps shield has comprises a puncture-resistant graduated hollow cone having an open apex which reversibly wedge impacts and is hermetically sealed by the trailing end of a conical needle scabbard reversibly holding a hub-contained hollow bore steel needle sharp on each end; a mid-portion which reversibly wedge impacts the leading end of an inserted standard carpule aspirating syringe such that the trailing end of the needle can be reversibly affixed to drain a medication-containing carpule, when the conical needle scabbard is reversibly displaced; and an open trailing frustum which flares to substantially increase the internal diameter and reversibly hold a hermetically sealing cap. A similar graduated hollow cone is disclosed for shielding a Luer-Lok syringe-attachable standard hub-contained hollow-bore steel needle sharp on the leading end. Each sharps shield enables the user to conveniently affix the needle to the syringe under sterile conditions inside the mid-portion of the graduated hollow cone; to safely shield the syringe-attached needle inside the mid-portion of the graduated hollow cone before and between uses on a patient; and to safely dispose of the sharp needle after hub reinsertion into the needle scabbard reversibly wedge impacted in the open apex of the graduated hollow cone.

Sharps shield for dental and medical needs

We describe connectors for safely and conveniently injecting measured doses of sterile liquid medications into a patient via one or more infusion ports in intravenous access assemblies. Each connector comprises a tubular injector divided by a rigid septum which holds a hollow needle sharp on each end safely recessed in a leading and in a trailing chamber. The leading chamber snugly holds the trailing limb and penetrable cap of an inserted standard infusion port. The trailing recess snugly holds the leading end of a cartridge with a leading penetrable diaphragm, a bore containing liquid medication, a cartridge piston and trailing bore suitable for insertion of a separate cartridge plunger having markers for measuring doses delivered; or, alternatively, the pentrable cap and trailing limb of second similar infusion port attached by trailing tubing to a large measured volume infusion source. When assembled such that the trailing cap of infusion port is penetrated by the needle in the leading chamber and the leading diaphragm of the cartridge or, alternatively, the leading penetrable cap on a second infusion port is penetrated by the needle in the trailing chamber, such that flow can proceed through the needle, precisely measured doses of sterile liquid medication can be injected into the venous access assembly without possibilities for the user to touch, get stuck or finger-contaminate the needle or its contents. Unique features added to increase the efficiency of the system are a biased leading end on the tubular injector to conveniently and securely accommodate a Y-infusion port; an eccentric needle in the connector, such that rotation prevents the leading sharp end of the needle from passing through the infusion port cap via the same track; and an easily removed biased cap for keeping the cartridge diaphragm sterile.

Safe intravenous infusion port injectors

I describe shielded intravenous (IV) catheter insertion assemblies wherein the catheter insertion needle hub, shank and leading bevel are safely shielded by wedge impaction inside conical holders resembling syringes after use for safely controlled insertion of an IV catheter having a leading taper, a tubular body and a trailing hub attachable to a Luer-Lok. An unfilled form of the assembly consists of a hollow cone whose leading frustal end resembles that of a standard 3.0 ml. syringe with a leading Luer-Lok for reversible attachment of a flanged needle hub on a soft catheter; and encloses a modified piston which enhances delicate control of the beveled needle tip in relation to the leading taper in the catheter. The open trailing apical end snugly admits passage through of a smaller bore syringe which reversibly slip connects to the catheter insertion needle hub and successively serves as a guide for the catheter insertion needle; a reliable means for assessing accuracy of insertion and flow at successive stages of insertion without shearing the catheter or producing venous injury after initial flash-back of venous blood; and as a means for optionally obtaining an undiluted fresh blood sample. Upon retraction of the smaller bore syringe, the trailing apical end of the hollow cone provides a secure means for shielding the entire catheter insertion needle having a circular hub flange diameter greater than the external diameter of the snugly inserted small bore syringe, and greater than the internal diameter of the trailing apical end of the hollow cone at a point best suited for wedge impacting the catheter insertion needle hub when it slip disconnects from the hub of the catheter insertion needle with retraction. Alternative embodiments for prefilled IV catheters and catheters with winged hubs are specified.

Shielded IV catheter insertion assemblies

I describe a dorsal head-like projection for stabilizing the leading end of a shielded winged intravenous (IV) infusion assembly such that venous bleeding and anchoring of the assembly are simultaneously controlled with a finger tip on the projection, while the free hand retracts the infusion needle via trailing tubing into the body or into a sliding shield without exposure of the needle during or after use for giving an infusion or withdrawing blood.

Head projections on shielded butterfly needle assemblies

Containers for sterile gloves having long cuffs folding over the palms, leaving the fingers exposed beyond, are disclosed such that, upon opening, only the crease of each long cuff/palm overfold can be manually grasped. In one preferred embodiment, sterile containers initially covered with removable film are designed with single openings covered by slit film to dispense multiple surgical or examination gloves. Inside the containers, the overfolded cuffs of successive gloves are folded under the flexed fingers of the first and every succeeding glove, such that the user can serially extract externally sterile gloves by grasping the crease of each long cuff/palm overfold. One bare hand grasps the crease to glove the other. Then, the ungloved hand grasps the crease of the next glove, such that the fingers of the gloved hand can be inserted under the cuff/palm overfold to glove the bare hand. As results, the external surfaces of each extracted glove are never touched by a bare finger or any other contaminated object before use on a patient. Such containers can dispense specified numbers of examination or surgical gloves. In another embodiment, multiple pairs of surgical or examination gloves, each pair with thumbs apposed toward the palms, can be dispensed with the palms touching in separate sterile envelopes, each of which unseals to expose only the creases of the cuff overfolds. Such sterile envelopes can be boxed separately or in rolls from which each package is easily separated.

Overfolded sterile glove dispensers

We disclose dispensers for sterile finger cots without rolled bases, but having biased bases; and for sterile conventional examination gloves having short cuffs with beaded rolled bases. The invention enables users to extract each cot and each glove from a sterile sealed envelope without contaminating the leading external portions of any finger cot or any glove; and enables easy removal of each finger cot or glove without the user touching any likely-to-be contaminated external surface by any finger after appropriate use. Such dispensers for finger cots and gloves can supply multiples, each enclosed in a a sealed envelope which manually opens to expose only the biased base of each contained cot or opens on a bias which exposes only the beaded rolled base and proximal part of each short glove cuff. The object is to sustain the highest level of sterility conveniently possible during the use of gloves or finger cots for protecting patients and users from cross-infections.

Sterile biased cot and examination glove dispensers

I describe a an elastomeric tube whose leading end holds a tubular puncture-resistant needle shield by means of elastic recoil and whose trailing end attaches by elastic recoil to the conical hub of a hollow needle. A removable cylindric hub-cap initially covers the elastomeric tube surrounding the needle. The purpose of the assembly is to sustain needle sterility after filling from a vial and before use in a patient, as well as to prevent accidental needle sticks after use in a patient. The user attaches the tubular assembly to a Luer-Lok on a syringe or onto the leading end of tubing used for transferring fluids. He/she removes the cylindric hub-cap and inserts the needle tip into a penetrable vial cap for filling and later discharge into a patient, another vial or a capped IV infusion port. The tubular needle shield slides back over the shaft of the needle with penetration of skin or a capped vial surface, while the elastomeric tube shortens like an accordion. When the user retracts the needle from the capped vial or from a patient, elastic recoil in the tube causes the conical needle shield to slide back and automatically re-shield the exposed shaft and beveled tip.

Universal sharps shield

I describe a device comprising a hollow conical shield which wedge impacts the barrel of an inserted syringe having an affixed hollow needle initially covered by a needle scabbard, such that the hollow needle can be kept sterile after the needle scabbard is removed to fill the syringe; and such that accidental sticks are prevented after the syringe/needle is used to aspirate fluid from or inject a fluid into a subject.

Conical syringe/needle shield

A disposable hollow cylindroid in the form of a cone which wedge impacts an inserted piston-activated medicinal cartridge such that, employing one or two hands, the user can safely aspirate tissue fluid from a patient and inject contained fluid medications via a hollow needle. The leading end of this disposable hollow cylindroid comprises means for stabilizing the hollow needle serving the inserted cartridge. The trailing end is fitted with a separate reusable plunger whose leading end reversibly attaches to the trailing end of the cartridge piston. In operation, the user inserts the cartridge, uses a leading cylindrical cap on the plunger to wedge-impact the cartridge into the cone, attaches the plunger, screws the leading end of the plunger onto the trailing end of the cartridge piston, removes a sheathing cover from the hollow needle, aspirates into or injects fluid from the inserted cartridge, unscrews and extracts the plunger and, finally, discards the hollow cylindroid containing the cartridge and hollow needle into a safe container. An auxiliary shielding system is described to sterile-protect the cartridge before insertion and exposed sharp parts of the hollow needle after use in a patient.

Disposable conical hold for a medicinal cartridge with reusable plunger

I describe a an elastomeric tube whose leading end holds a conical puncture-resistant needle shield and whose trailing end is attached to the conical hub of a hollow needle. A removable cylindric hub-cap initially covers the elastomeric tube surrounding the needle. The purpose of the assembly is to sustain needle sterility before use and to prevent accidental needle sticks after use for transfering fluids. The user attaches the assembly to a Luer-Lok on a syringe, on the leading end of tubing or in a pre-assembled form on a Vacutainer.TM. needle. He/she removes the cylindric hub-cap and inserts the needle tip into a cap on a fluid container or into a patient. The conical needle shield slides back over the shaft of the needle, while the elastomeric tube shortens like an accordion. When the user retracts the needle from the container or from a patient, elastic recoil in the tube causes the conical needle shield to slide back and automatically re-shield the tip of the needle.

Elastomeric needle shield and hub-cap

A syringe/needle combination comprising a leading tightly capped needle with a flanged conical hub; a hollow cylindroid with a leading interior cone slip-connecting to outside cone of the needle hub and containing an inside left hand-threaded Luer-Lok attachable to needle hub flanges, a cylindric body containing an elastomeric piston and a trailing end having inside and outside annular flanges; and a plunger with leading right-handed threads reversibly mating with right-handed threads inside the needle hub, a leading body passing through and securing the elastomeric piston, a trailing body separable from the leading body by breakage or right-hand threaded attachment, and a trailing end with a thumb-piece. If pre-filled with liquid medication, the user screws the trailing part of the plunger to the leading part, removes the needle cap, sticks the patient, empties the hollow cylindroid via the plunger-activated piston, advances and rotates the plunger thumb-piece clockwise to engage the needle hub, retracts the needle-linked plunger until the trailing end of the elastomeric piston is stopped by the trailing inside flange within the hollow cylindroid, breaks or screws off the trailing part of the plunger, and plugs the empty leading cone of the hollow cylindroid with the needle cap reversed.

Safely disposable, non-reusable injection device

I describe a puncture-resistant hollow cone with a leading tether, a slanted leading aperture and a trailing bore of decreasing diameter for shielding and preventing accidental injuries from a hollow-bore steel needle after use for giving an intravenous (IV) infusion or withdrawing blood through trailing tubing. When the puncture-resistant hollow cone is slid over trailing tubing to overlie the needle hub, and the tether is held down with one finger over a venipuncture site, the other hand retracts trailing tubing attached to the needle hub until the trailing end of the needle hub becomes wedge impacted in the trailing bore of the puncture-resistant hollow cone, leaving the needle shaft and tip safely shielded within the leading bore of the puncture-resistant hollow cone in a space inaccessible to a user's finger.

Tethered conical shield for phlebotomy needles

A a device for preventing inadvertent needle stick injuries from hollow-bore steel needles on the leading ends of winged or 'butterfly' infusion assemblies. The device comprises a puncture-resistant semi-flexible conical tube which slides over tubing trailing from the butterfly needle hub to safely entrap the needle by means of the wings when the user holds a leading tether firmly over a vein with one hand, and pulls back on the tailing tubing with the other, such that the wings slide backward through paired slits until trapped within slots in said cone whose leading end forms a tether on the superior surface and a horizontal V-shaped aperture on the inferior surface leading to the paired slits and slots. The trailing end of said cone is adjusted to releasably grasp the trailing tubing, or the trailing paraphernalia to which the tubing is attached, such that the device remains out of the way during insertion and intended usage of the leading hollow-bore steel needle.

Tethered butterfly needle trap

Condoms with leading medication-dispensing sponges surrounding a well for semen at the distal end are described. The purpose is to combine the advantages of condoms and medication-dispensing sponges for reducing the chances of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, as well as unwanted pregnancy, resulting from sexual intercourse. The sponge, to which medication can be added, will tend to force the medication to the area at which it is most effective.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Jack W Shields