U.S. patent application number 11/395868 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-25 for device for protection against unintended needle point punctures.
Invention is credited to George R. Royer.
Application Number | 20070245442 11/395868 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38617983 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070245442 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Royer; George R. |
October 25, 2007 |
Device for protection against unintended needle point punctures
Abstract
The subject invention is an improved device for protection an
individual from inadvertently puncturing the skin by a hypodermic
or other type of needle adapted to be injected into a skin of an
individual, such device comprising, in general, a member to be worn
on or near the hand, where a hand is generally placed near the
intended needle injection site or where a wound is located, such
device being a shield member flexibly affixed over a portion of the
hand, to protect the hand member from being inadvertently punctured
injected by the needle point before or after the needle is injected
under the skin of a patient or other individual.
Inventors: |
Royer; George R.; (Toledo,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
George R. Royer
2137 Ragan Woods Dr.
Toledo
OH
43614
US
|
Family ID: |
38617983 |
Appl. No.: |
11/395868 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 19/01505 20130101;
A61B 42/00 20160201; A61B 2090/0801 20160201 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/016 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/08 20060101
A41D013/08 |
Claims
1. A hand protective device for protecting the hand of an
individual from penetration by a needle point. (b) a shield having
an upper surface and a lower surface, said shield device being
comprised of a hardened material to protect injection of a needle
into the skin; (c) fastening means affixed to said shield member to
attach said shield member to the upper portion of said hand of said
individual;
2. A hand protective device for protecting the arm of an individual
from penetration by a needle point comprising: (a) a shield member
having an upper surface and a lower surface material; (b) fastening
means affixed to said shield member to attach said shield member to
a portion of said arm of said individual;
3. A hand protective device for protecting the hand and arm of an
individual from penetration an unintended needle point puncture
comprising of (a) a glove member, said glove member having portions
of said glove comprising of substances formed to block needle point
penetration.
Description
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART AND RELEVANT BACKGROUND
[0001] Whenever one uses a hypodermic needle for injecting medicine
or fluids into an individual or where a hypodermic needle is used
to draw blood for medical purposes, there are risks that the needle
tip may be accidentally pierce the skin of the individual
administering the process of injecting the hypodermic needle. Such
hypodermic needles are well known in the art and the usage of such
needles is widespread.
[0002] The use of hypodermic needles for injection under the skin
poses potential problems for the person injecting the needle under
the skin. As is well known, when the end of the needle is injected
under the skin of an individual, the process can lead to problems
with contaminating the needle point with germs from the patient or
other contaminated substances that can advertently penetrate the
individual deploying the hypodermic needle if the point of the
needle inadvertently punctures the skin of such individual,
particularly after injection and withdrawal from the patients.
[0003] Among other risks in this regard, it is important to
understand that most medical personnel in handling such hypodermic
needles, encounters the problem of contamination of the needle once
so injected being covered or with a multitude of dangerous germs.
Infections such as H.I.V or other viral or bacterial infections,
require extreme precautions in order to prevent an inadvertent
injection of the used needle into the skin of such medical workers.
Such inadvertent needle injections occur frequently when the
medical worker places the opposing hand not holding the needle, at
or near the injected area of the skin be injected. The purpose of
placing the hand in such position is to clear an area of the skin
and steady the arm of the patient from movement during the
injection process, among other functions.
[0004] More specifically, when a hand of the medical professional
is so placed on the patient's arm, when the hypodermic needle is
withdrawn, the proximity of this opposing hand near the injection
sites presents the significant risk of a needle puncture of the
skin of this hand as placed. While medical personnel generally use
hypodermic needles in this process, they usually wear latex gloves
on both hands. This usage of latex gloves provides little or no
protection against potential needle punctures, since the latex
glove is comprised of a thin and easily punctured membrane.
[0005] Thus, there is a need to provide further protection for the
hand that is used to steady the arm of a patient, in this process
to prevent the needle to be injected into such hand or arm area. In
short, when the needle is applied to a localized skin area, of the
patient, there is now no effective means to prevent the needle
point from penetrating hand area of the medical professional.
[0006] The problem discussed above is not simply a problem of
preventing injection. There is the additional problem that such
needles can drip blood over a hand or on non-infected skin areas,
and the problem of having the blood spreading to other less
protective areas of the skin damage. Under such latter
circumstances, it is important and vital to protect the hands or
other body areas.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the subject invention to provide an
improved device to alleviate the potential of the skin in hand or
arm area from being inadvertently punctured;
[0008] A further object of the subject invention is to provide an
improved device for protecting skin from the injection of a
needle;
[0009] Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an
improved health protection device;
[0010] A further object of the subject invention is to provide an
improved hand protection device to help prevent the spread of skin
infections by inadvertent punctures of a contaminated hypodermic
needle;
[0011] Still another object of the subject invention is to provide
an improved skin protective device;
[0012] A further object of the subject inventions to provide a
structure to aid in the protection against an inadvertent needle
injection;
[0013] Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an
improved device to aid in the application and use of a hypodermic
injection;
[0014] Other and further objects of the subject invention will
become apparent from a reading of the following description taken
in conjunction with the claims.
IN THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of the device incorporating
one specific embodiment of the subject;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a top elevation view of a glove member
incorporating features to accommodate a shield used as part of the
subject invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing placement of a
hypodermic needle into the arm of an individual and how the person
who administers the injection of the needle places his or her hands
o the arm of the patient, such figure showing by a positioning of a
shield used in conjunction with the invention herein;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an upper elevational view on alternate speaker
embodiment of the subject invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of yet another specific
embodiment of the subject invention
DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL EMBODIMENT
[0020] The subject invention is an improved device for protection
an individual from inadvertently puncturing the skin by a
hypodermic or other type of needle adapted to be injected into a
skin of an individual, such device comprising, in general, a member
to be worn on or positional near the hand where a hand is generally
placed near the intended needle injection site or when a wound is
located, such device being a shield member flexibly placed over, or
an adjacent portion of the hand, to protect the hand member from
being inadvertently punctured injected by the needle point before
or after the needle is injected under the skin of a patient or
other individual.
[0021] In general and in summary, the subject invention is a
protective device for an individual handling a hypodermic needle
for injection into the flesh of an individual for medicinal
injection and/or extraction of body substances for medical testing.
Such device comprises a shield to be positioned over or near the
hand, arm or other body parts to protect the skin of a medical
professional from inadvertent injection of the hypodermic needle
into his or her skin--particularly after the injection and
withdrawal from the patient. Such device generally comprises a
relatively hardened shield like structure positioned over part of
the area of the skin of the medical professional or like personnel,
particularly over the hand or arm of such latter individuals.
[0022] Such device optionally comprises a plastic shield that can
be attached over the hand or even over a portion of a protective
glove--such shield functioning as a protective shield against any
thrust of the needle end towards the hand. This shield would be
sufficient to prevent such inadvertent penetration, and optionally
could be formed of a transparent or semi-transparent material.
[0023] In the general embodiment therein the shield is alternately
append to the upper surface of a glove in some fixed but flexibly
mounted arrangement to still permit the needle handler to move
fingers when necessary to locate and prepare a vein for injection.
Thus, once the shield member is affixed in place over the glove,
the hand will not be limited in movement and the shield will be a
flexibly mounted protective member only over the area upper hand to
prevent the needle from accidentally moving downwardly into the
skin.
Description of Specific Embodiments
[0024] In describing the specific embodiments of the subject
invention, it is to be stressed that the following description is
of only one or more specific embodiments within the overall scope
of the subject invention and that the subject invention may
encompass other embodiments, as seen in the claims annexed hereto.
Therefore, the following description shall not be considered as
limiting the scope of the invention herein, as more fully set forth
in the claims annexed hereto.
[0025] The subject invention is an improved device for protection
an individual from inadvertently puncturing the skin by a
hypodermic or other type of needle adapted to be injected into a
skin of an individual, such device comprising, in general, a member
to be worn on or positional near the hand when a hand is generally
placed near the intended needle injection site or where a wound is
located, such device being a shield member flexibly placed over a
or adjacent portion of the hand, to protect the hand member from
being inadvertently punctured injected by the needle point before
or after the needle is injected under the skin of a patient or
other individual.
[0026] In general and in summary, the subject invention is a
protective device for an individual handling a hypodermic needle
for injection into the flesh of an individual for medicinal
injection and/or extraction of body substances for medical testing.
Such device comprises a shield to be positioned over or near the
hand, arm or other body parts to protect the skin of a medical
professional from inadvertent injection of the hypodermic needle
into his or her skin--particularly after the injection and
withdrawal from the patient. Such device generally comprises a
relatively hardened shield like structure positioned over part of
the area of the skin of the medical professional or like personnel,
particularly over the hand or arm of such latter individuals.
[0027] Such device optionally comprises a plastic shield that can
be attached over the hand or even over a portion of a protective
glove--such shield functioning as a protective shield against any
thrust of the needle end towards the hand. This shield would be
sufficient to prevent such inadvertent penetration, and optionally
could be formed of a transparent or semitransparent material.
[0028] In the general embodiment therein the shield is alternately
append to the upper surface of a glove in some fixed but flexibly
mounted arrangement to still permit the needle handler to move
fingers when necessary to locate and prepare a vein for injection.
Thus, once the shield member is affixed in place over the glove,
the hand will not be limited in movement and the shield will be a
flexibly mounted protective member only over the area upper hand to
prevent the needle from accidentally moving downwardly into the
skin.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in which specific
embodiments of the subject invention is shown, a hand protective
device as one specific embodiment incorporating the features of the
subject invention, such as shield device 100 as shown. Protective
device in the specific embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is
incorporated with a glove member having an upper surface 30 and a
lower surface 35, and a first lateral side edge 45 and a second
lateral side edge 50, with finger insert projections 60A, 60B, 60D,
60E, and 60F and an internal insert opening 65 affixed on the upper
surface 30 of glove member 20 generally, but not critically. In the
center of the upper knuckle portion 53 of such upper surface is a
shield connective device 100 shown as a fixed pivot snap-like
attaching member 105 affixed to such glove 20. It is stressed that
the fixation member, just described may be structured in other ways
to and need not be a snap on fixture, so long as some means are
available to affix the glove or even to the hand itself. Such pivot
attaching member is shown as a male member 108 adapted to be fitted
into a female opening in the lower surface of the shield member as
more fully described below, or can be structured in a manner that
positions the male and female fixtures. As seen in the drawings,
shield member 100 is generally comprised of a hardened material 100
and is adapted to be attached to the upper surface 30 of glove 20.
Shield member 100 is a planar member with an upper surface 120 and
lower surface 130 with such lower surface having means to be
attached to the upper surface 30 of glove 20 as stated. For this
purpose as stated, the lower surface of 130 of the shield has a
female opening 140 to receive the male knob to affix the shield 100
on the glove member 20. By this latter attachment arrangement, the
shield member 100 moves with the knuckle movement and hand
movements. The shield 100 can be shaped in a circular disc manner
or as a square, or using other shapes, as seen from an upper
elevational view.
[0030] It is noted that in this particular embodiment of the
invention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the shield 100 is shaped
as a circular disc like member of sufficient diameter to extend
somewhat beyond the finger tips, as seen in the drawings thereby
sufficiently surrounding circumferentially the hand to keep any
area of the hand protected from a downward thrust of a hypodermic
needle to the hand.
[0031] Male insert member 108, as stated, is adapted to be inserted
into the female shield connective opening 140 on the lower surface
portion of shield 100. The shield connective member 105 on the
upper surface of glove 20 can be formed alternatively as a female
insert member, while the connecting member on the lower surface of
the shield can be formed as a male member. In the first described
arrangement, once the male prong portion 108 of the male insert
member is inserted into the female opening 140 on shield 100 the
shield member becomes connected to the glove 20 so that the shield
member is held in place above the upper hand portion of the glove
so positioned, as the hand and glove moves with the hand, the upper
surface of the shield stays in place as the hypodermic needle is
injected and thence when withdrawn.
[0032] As thus far described above, the glove member 20 is
structured so that the hand in the glove can move about with
relative freedom without interference from the shield. The goal is
to provide a shield fastening mechanism that does not interfere
with hand movements, yet which allows the shield to move about with
the glove movement. In this specific embodiment described, shield
100 thus stays flexibly mounted with the hand movements. In the
specific embodiment of the subject invention, shown in FIGS. 1, 2,
and 3, shield 100 is formed of a clear plastic material, preferably
but not essentially, which allows the user to see through the
shield as to be able to observe his or her finger movement.
[0033] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a shield 200 can
simply be attached to the hand by a band 210 that surrounds the
hand as seen in FIG. 5. In particular shield 200 can be shaped in
similar fashion to shield 100 with an upper outer perimeter 215 and
having an upper surface 220 and a lower surface 230. The band 210
would optimally be connected to the opposing sides of the perimeter
edge so that when the hand is inserted in the shield 200, it will
be above the upper part of the hand.
[0034] In yet another alternate embodiment of the subject
invention, as seen in FIG. 4, a glove can function as the hand
protective device. In this embodiment an otherwise conventionally
formed glove 300 is provided with 310A, 310B, 310C, 310D, and 310E
as standard for a glove with the upper surfaces of such finer
portions having hardened portions so as to withstand needle pricks.
Other embodiments are contemplated to all within the scope of the
invention as set forth in the claims hereto.
[0035] In summary, the subject invention is a hand protective
device for protecting the hand of an individual from penetration by
a needle point. [0036] (a) a shield having an upper surface and a
lower surface, such shield device being comprised of a hardened
material to protect injection of a needle into the skin; [0037] (b)
fastening means affixed to such shield member to attach such shield
member to the upper portion of such hand of such individual.
[0038] In further summary, the subject invention is a hand
protective device for protecting the arm of an individual from
penetration by a needle point comprising: [0039] (a) a shield
member having an upper surface and a lower surface material; [0040]
(b) fastening means affixed to such shield member to attach such
shield member to a portion of such arm of such individual.
[0041] In still further summary, the subject invention is a hand
protective device for protecting the hand and arm of an individual
from penetration an unintended needle point puncture comprising of:
[0042] (a) a glove member, such glove member having portions of
such glove comprising of substances formed to block needle point
penetration.
* * * * *