U.S. patent application number 12/300525 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-11 for needle tip storage and removal device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Owen Mumford Limited. Invention is credited to David Danvers CROSSMAN.
Application Number | 20100063457 12/300525 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36637273 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100063457 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CROSSMAN; David Danvers |
March 11, 2010 |
NEEDLE TIP STORAGE AND REMOVAL DEVICE
Abstract
A needle tip storage and removal device comprises a storage
compartment having a splined socket which engages the complementary
splines on a needle tip collar, a compartment being sealed by a
peelable foil. Alongside the storage compartment is a removal
compartment having a drive socket of similar configuration. The
device assists safe removal and disposal of a used needle prior to
fitting a new needle.
Inventors: |
CROSSMAN; David Danvers;
(Oxford, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Owen Mumford Limited
Oxford
GB
|
Family ID: |
36637273 |
Appl. No.: |
12/300525 |
Filed: |
May 10, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
May 10, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2007/001712 |
371 Date: |
November 12, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/263 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 50/3001 20160201;
A61M 2005/3208 20130101; A61M 5/3205 20130101; A61B 50/362
20160201; A61M 5/3293 20130101; A61B 2050/3008 20160201; A61M
5/3202 20130101; A61M 5/321 20130101; A61M 5/347 20130101; A61M
5/3213 20130101; A61M 5/002 20130101; A61M 5/5086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/263 |
International
Class: |
A61M 5/32 20060101
A61M005/32 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 11, 2006 |
GB |
0609308.2 |
Claims
1. A needle tip storage and removal device comprising a storage
compartment for receiving in use a needle tip of a given drive
configuration, said storage compartment having a drive socket for
non-rotatably engaging a drive surface on a needle tip received in
use in said compartment, said device further including a further
drive socket adapted to be fitted onto a needle tip of said given
drive configuration.
2. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 1,
wherein said further drive socket forms part of a removal
compartment provided alongside said first mentioned storage
compartment.
3. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 2,
wherein said compartments are open at one end to receive the needle
tip and closed at the other end.
4. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 3,
wherein said compartments are arranged with their open ends facing
in opposite directions.
5. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 1,
with a needle tip located in said storage compartment, the storage
compartment being sealed by a removable sealing foil element.
6. A needle tip fitting storage and removal device comprising a
sealed first housing defining a compartment releasably containing a
needle tip fitting of a given drive configuration in non-rotational
relationship, and a second housing defining a compartment for
receiving in use a needle tip of said given drive configuration in
non-rotational relationship, to shroud a needle of said needle tip
fitting after use.
7. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 2,
with a needle tip located in said storage compartment, the storage
compartment being sealed by a removable sealing foil element.
8. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 3,
with a needle tip located in said storage compartment, the storage
compartment being sealed by a removable sealing foil element.
9. A needle tip storage and removal device according to claim 3,
with a needle tip located in said storage compartment, the storage
compartment being sealed by a removable sealing foil element.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a needle tip storage and removal
device and in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for use
with an injection device intended to inject a number of metered
doses from a cartridge of therapeutic material.
[0002] In a conventional pen injector such as the Owen Mumford
Autopen.RTM., a cartridge of therapeutic substance is loaded into
the cartridge holder and a single use needle tip is screwed onto
the forward end of the device. The needle tip has a double-ended
needle, the rear end of which penetrates a rubber membrane in the
forward end of the cartridge as the needle tip is screwed on. A
metered dose can then be dialled into the pen injector, the needle
pushed into the injection site, and the trigger on the device
actuated to inject the metered dose. After the injection, the
needle tip should be removed from the device and discarded.
[0003] In many conventional arrangements, the exterior of the
needle tip hub is provided with splines and the needle tip is
supplied in a foil-sealed container, having a complementary splined
socket in which the needle hub is supplied. To use such a needle
tip, the foil is removed and the needle, whilst still shrouded by
the container is screwed onto the injection device using the
container as a spanner. Once fully home, the container may be
withdrawn axially leaving the needle exposed, although in some
instances a removable secondary needle shield is provided.
Following injection, the user may slide the container back onto the
needle hub and use it as a spanner to remove the needle tip. The
needle tip can then be safely discarded because the used needle is
now re-enclosed by the container. This system works extremely well
provided the user retains the container and uses it to remove the
needle tip immediately after the injection. However, in many
instances, users may not follow the recommendation to change the
needle tip after each injection and may instead use the same needle
tip for several injections over an extended period. In this case
they may have discarded the original container and so may be left
to remove the needle tip by unscrewing it whilst the needle is
still exposed. This provides a risk of needle stick injury both
whilst removing the needle tip and when it is discarded.
Alternatively, they may inject themselves and then leave the needle
in place, covering it with the device cap, and then remove the
needle only when they wish to replace with a new needle. Again,
this poses a risk of needle stick injury.
[0004] We have designed an arrangement to reduce these risks.
[0005] Accordingly, this invention provides a needle tip storage
and removal device comprising a storage compartment for receiving
in use a needle tip of a given drive configuration, said storage
compartment having a drive socket for non-rotatably engaging a
drive surface on a needle tip received in use in said compartment,
said device including a further drive socket adapted to be fittable
onto a needle tip of said given drive configuration.
[0006] In this manner, if a user finds that they have lost the
original container when they wish to replace a needle tip, they can
use the drive socket on the new container.
[0007] Although the further drive socket could simply comprise for
example a drive or spanner ring to assist removal of the old needle
tip and thereby reducing the risk of injury, it is preferred for it
to form part of a removal compartment provided alongside said first
mentioned removal compartment. In this way, the old needle can be
fitted into the removal compartment to shield the exposed needle
portion to allow safer disposal. Likewise, both compartments are
preferably open at one end to receive the needle tip and closed at
the other end to shroud the exposed needle.
[0008] Preferably the compartments are arranged side by side and
advantageously with their open ends facing in opposite
directions.
[0009] Preferably said device comprises a single storage
compartment and a single removal compartment.
[0010] The invention also extends to a needle tip storage and
removal device as described above, in combination with a needle tip
located in said storage compartment, the storage compartment being
sealed by a removable sealing element, and the removal compartment
being initially empty.
[0011] Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to
any inventive combination of the features set out above, or in the
following description or claims.
[0012] The invention may be performed in various ways, and an
embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only,
reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a needle tip storage
and removal device in accordance with this invention, and
[0014] FIG. 2 is a general perspective view of the device of FIG. 1
with a used needle tip in the removal compartment.
[0015] The device illustrated in the Figures is intended to store a
needle tip 10 for being screwed onto the end of a pen injector type
device, and to remove the needle tip after use and to shield the
forward part of the needle after use.
[0016] The needle tip may be a Unifine.RTM. pen tip. The pen tip
comprises a threaded collar 12 having external splines 14 with a
double ended needle 16 having a forward part 16' projecting
forwardly of the collar 18 and a rearward part 16'' extending
rearwardly but not projecting beyond the rearward surface of the
collar. The device in this embodiment includes a storage
compartment 20 having a complementarily splined sockets 22 into
which the drive collar can be slid with the needle guarded by the
distal end of the compartment 20. The storage compartment 20 is
sealed by a peelable sealing foil element 24. Alongside the storage
compartment 20 is a removal compartment 26 which also has a
complementarily splined socket 22' and a needle shrouding portion
and is generally similar to the configuration of the storage
compartment, although the removal compartment may be designed to
have snap lock means or the like to permanently capture the used
needle tip.
[0017] In use, assuming that the pen injector already has a used
needle attached, the removal compartment 26 is slid over the used
needle and turned to unscrew the needle tip and to leave it in the
removal compartment, with the used exposed needle shrouded by the
compartment. Having done this, the foil 24 may be peeled off the
storage compartment 20 and the new needle tip 10 screwed onto the
device. The needle tip storage and removal device can then be
discarded.
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