Smiths Medical Asd, Inc.

The Ensign-bickford Company

Ethicon, Gmbh

Thomas F Lilley, Jr

Sean J Albert

Dennis M Bialecki

David J Goral

Ernest L Gladden

James M Muskatello

Daniel P Sutula, Jr

Thomas C Tseka

Daniel A Toro

Steven L Renfro

Ronald M Dufrane

Thomas K Sutton

Jeffrey H Burton

A needle guard includes a clip with a canting wall to grip the needle shaft and a distal wall to block the tip thereof, wherein the canting and distal walls may be interconnected by an angled strut so as to allow the canting wall to be tilted over center in a ready state, a spring member, such as a leaf spring, may have a portion extending past an edge of the strut to bias the clip to grip the needle shaft.

Needle guard mechanism with angled strut wall

A needle tip spring protector for a needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a shaft extending therebetween. The needle tip spring protector includes a spring that circumferentially surrounds a portion of the needle shaft and is restrained in a state wherein its inner diameter is large enough to allow the shaft to move freely within the spring. When the needle is moved to a position in which its distal end is at least partly within the spring, at least one of the ends of the spring releases from restraint such that the spring automatically returns to a state in which its inner diameter is sized so as to grippingly engage the shaft of the needle. Thus, after activation, the spring securely surrounds the distal end of the needle to protect healthcare workers and others from accidental contact with the needle's distal end. When used in conjunction with a catheter assembly, the needle tip spring protector may passively release from the catheter hub after the spring is automatically activated.

Needle tip spring protector

A needle guard includes a clip with a canting wall to grip the needle shaft and a distal wall to block the tip thereof, wherein the canting and distal walls may be interconnected by an angled strut, a spring member, such as a leaf spring, may have a portion extending past an edge of the strut to bias the clip to grip the needle shaft, and the distal wall may be or include a stylus and have an L-shape to define a lip to help block the needle tip. The clip may have a depending heel to help pivot the clip about a ledge to grip the needle shaft. A needle support may be provided to limit flexure of the needle which might otherwise allow the needle to come loose from the clip. Arrangements for limiting rotation of the needle hub and needle guard housing are provided, as is a protective shroud to reduce the risk of inadvertent activation of the needle guard. Further, the needle guard may be used with a catheter assembly. Also provided is an improved duckbill release mechanism.

Needle guard strut wall clip

A catheter unit having a needle, an actuator body, and an elongated blunting member coupled to a flash chamber and to carriage. The blunting member is disposed coaxially within the bore of the needle. The blunting member is capable of moving from a proximal to distal position when the distal ends of at least one of the longitudinal members is pressed on the outer surface of the distal end causing the longitudinal member to advance which in turn causes the longitudinal member to press against a member causing the blunting member to advance from a proximal position to a distal position.

Apparatus and method for a self-blunting safety catheter

A method and apparatus for transferring non-electric blasting initiation signals from detonating cord signal donor lines to signal transmission tube acceptor lines involves disposing the acceptor line in enhanced signal transfer configuration with the donor line. The acceptor line (30) may constitute the input lead (29a) of a detonator (10a). Enhanced signal transfer configuration between the input lead (29a) and the detonating cord (60) can be established by disposing input line (30) in at least partial wrap-around contact with the detonating cord (60) or in multiple abutting contact with the detonating cord (60). Enhanced signal transfer configuration can also be achieved for a detonator having at least two input lines in abutting contact with the detonating cord. A slider (44) is designed to extend contact between a detonator input lead and a detonating cord. The slider (44) provides a detonator retainer (48) for holding a detonator (10a) and a base fixture (74') that includes a pass-through aperture (58a) for a detonating cord (62). Input lead-retaining means (52) on the base fixture (74') disposes the input lead (29a) in position for enhanced signal transfer configuration with a detonating cord that may extend through the pass-through aperture (58a).

Method and apparatus for transfer of initiation signals

The present invention combines the advantages of a prior art figure of 8 winding pattern with the traditional circular or oval pattern for packaging flexible cord to form what can be called a 'figure of 80 pattern' which includes a generally S-shaped partial cord layer with the end of the S joining with a J-shaped portion arranged so that the straight portion of the J forms a continuation of the S and the curved portion of the J overlies the beginning of the S-shaped portion. This basic combination of S and J shapes designates only partial layers, the pattern can be repeated, that basic pattern can be connected to a plurality of oval turn layers or even a plurality of figure 8 turn layers as the user may elect. It is also possible to continue to merely alternate the basic layer form to provide a package having a high packaging density while permitting easy accommodation of fittings which are secured to the end of the cord.

Growing community of inventors

Simsbury, CT, United States of America

Thomas F Lilley, Jr