U.S. patent application number 15/878697 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-31 for safety syringe and needle and needle seat retracting device of safety syringe.
The applicant listed for this patent is Pei-Hsin Hsu, Pei-Yang Hsu, Wei-Ni Hsu. Invention is credited to Pei-Hsin Hsu, Pei-Yang Hsu, Wei-Ni Hsu.
Application Number | 20180147367 15/878697 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54929391 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180147367 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsu; Pei-Hsin ; et
al. |
May 31, 2018 |
Safety Syringe and Needle and Needle Seat Retracting Device of
Safety Syringe
Abstract
A safety syringe has a barrel, a pushing element, a retracting
element, and a needle group. The barrel is hollow and has a
needle-group mounting end, an operating grip end, and a barrel
lumen. The pushing element is retractably mounted in the barrel
lumen and has a pushrod chamber. The retracting element is
airtightly and slidably mounted in the pushrod chamber. The needle
group is connected to the needle-group mounting end of the barrel.
The present invention can pull the retracting element to move
relative to the pushing element to form a low pressure condition in
the pushrod chamber as a vacuum status. After the injection, a
vacuum attraction force in the pushrod chamber can retract the used
needle group into the pushrod chamber for safe use of the safety
syringe.
Inventors: |
Hsu; Pei-Hsin; (Taichung
City, TW) ; Hsu; Pei-Yang; (Taichung City, TW)
; Hsu; Wei-Ni; (Taichung City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hsu; Pei-Hsin
Hsu; Pei-Yang
Hsu; Wei-Ni |
Taichung City
Taichung City
Taichung City |
|
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
54929391 |
Appl. No.: |
15/878697 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14747771 |
Jun 23, 2015 |
|
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15878697 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 5/3234 20130101;
A61M 2005/3239 20130101; A61M 5/3137 20130101; A61M 2005/3231
20130101; A61M 5/3232 20130101; A61M 2005/3242 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61M 5/32 20060101
A61M005/32; A61M 5/31 20060101 A61M005/31 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 25, 2014 |
TW |
103121993 |
Claims
1. A needle and needle seat retracting device of a safety syringe
having a barrel and a barrel lumen formed in the barrel, and
comprising: a pushing element airtightly and slidably mounted in
the barrel lumen of the barrel, and having a pushing rod having a
diameter; a pushrod chamber formed in the pushing rod; a front drug
pushing end slidably mounted in the barrel lumen and having a
diameter smaller than the diameter of the pushing rod; a rear
operating end being opposite to the front drug pushing end and
extending out of the barrel lumen; a first interior ring annularly
formed on and protruding from an inner wall of the pushing rod
adjacent to the front drug pushing end; and a second interior ring
annularly formed on and protruding from an inner wall of the
pushrod chamber of the pushing rod adjacent to the rear operating
end; an inner airtight stopper airtightly and securely mounted in
the front drug pushing end of the pushing rod, and airtightly
mounted in the pushrod chamber; an outer airtight stopper securely
connected to the front drug pushing end and the inner airtight
stopper, and airtightly and slidably mounted in the barrel lumen;
and an end cover securely mounted on the rear operating end of the
pushing rod and having a holding tube formed on and through a
center of the end cover; and a retracting element airtightly and
slidably mounted in the pushrod chamber of the pushing rod and
having a pulling rod having a gripping end extending out of the
pushrod chamber through the holding tube of the end cover; and an
engaging end being opposite to the gripping end and extending in
the pushrod chamber; and an airtight spigot securely connected to
the engaging end of the pulling rod and selectively adjacent to the
inner airtight stopper.
2. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
1, wherein the inner airtight stopper has a connecting segment
being centrically grooved and formed in a front end of the inner
airtight stopper.
3. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
1, wherein the inner airtight stopper has a connecting segment
being cylindrical, centrically formed on and protruding from a
front end of the inner airtight stopper.
4. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
1, wherein the inner airtight stopper is a step block and has a
protruding segment formed on the front end of the inner airtight
stopper, airtightly and securely connected to the front drug
pushing end, and having a diameter; an engaging segment formed on a
rear end of the inner airtight stopper and extending into the
pushrod chamber, formed with the protruding segment, and having a
diameter larger than the diameter of the protruding segment; and an
outer wall; and an annular recess annularly formed on the outer
wall of the engaging segment, and airtightly engaging the first
interior ring of the pushing rod; and an unplug recess formed in a
rear side of the engaging segment; and the inner airtight stopper
has a connecting segment formed in a front side of the protruding
segment.
5. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
4, wherein the pushing rod has a mounting segment formed around the
front drug pushing end; and the outer airtight stopper is mounted
around the mounting segment of the pushing rod, is airtightly
connected to the protruding segment of the inner airtight stopper,
and is airtightly and slidably mounted in the barrel lumen of the
barrel.
6. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
4, wherein the outer airtight stopper of the pushing element is
airtightly connected to the front drug pushing end, is airtightly
connected to the protruding segment of the inner airtight stopper,
and is airtightly and slidably mounted in the barrel lumen of the
barrel.
7. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
4, wherein the pushing rod has an inner ring annularly formed in
the front drug pushing end; and the protruding segment of the inner
airtight stopper has an outer wall; and a concave groove annularly
formed on the outer wall of the protruding segment, and airtightly
engaging the inner ring of the front drug pushing end of the
pushing rod.
8. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
4, wherein the front drug pushing end of the pushing rod has a
screwed segment; and the outer airtight stopper is airtightly
screwed with the screwed segment of the front drug pushing end, is
airtightly connected to the protruding segment of the inner
airtight stopper, and is airtightly and slidably mounted in the
barrel lumen of the barrel.
9. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in claim
8, wherein the inner airtight stopper is composed of a protruding
section and an engaging section; the protruding section has an
outer wall airtightly engaging the outer airtight stopper a rear
side; and a threaded portion formed in the rear side of the
protruding section; the engaging section is threaded with the
protruding section to form the inner airtight stopper, and has a
front side; an outer wall; a screwed portion formed on and
protruding from the front side of the engaging section and securely
threaded with the threaded portion of the protruding section; and
an annular trough formed in the outer wall of the engaging section
and airtightly engaging the first interior ring of the pushing rod
in the pushrod chamber; and the connecting segment is formed on a
front side of the protruding section.
10. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in
claim 1, wherein the pulling rod is an elongated rod with multiple
protruding ribs formed on an outer surface of the pulling rod, and
has a front end and a rear end; the engaging end of the pulling rod
is formed on the front end of the pulling rod and has an outer
surface; and multiple engaging panels formed around the outer
surface of the engaging end and spaced apart at intervals; and the
gripping end is formed on the rear end of the pulling rod, is
opposite to the engaging end, and extends out of the pushrod
chamber through the end cover; and the pulling rod has a depressed
gap annularly formed in the outer surface of the pulling rod to
serve as a forcing point for breaking the pulling rod.
11. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in
claim 10, wherein the holding tube of the end cover has an inner
end; and a retaining flange formed on and protruding from the inner
end of the holding tube; and the engaging end of the pulling rod
has an engaged flange formed on the outer surface of the engaging
end between the engaging panels and the depressed gap, and
selectively engaging the retaining flange of the holding tube of
the end cover.
12. The needle and needle seat retracting device as claimed in
claim 11, wherein a low pressure condition in the pushrod chamber
is formed by the movement of engaging end of the pulling rod
engaging the airtight spigot, the retracting element moving
backward by pulling the gripping end, and the engaging end of the
pulling rod engaging the retaining flange of the holding tube of
the end cover.
Description
[0001] The present invention is a divisional application of
application Ser. No. 14/747,771 filed on Jun. 23, 2015.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to medical supplies, and more
particularly to a safety syringe that can be operated to remove a
used needle safely, can prevent a user from being injured by the
used needle, and can be manufactured in a comparatively easier
process.
2. Description of Related Art
[0003] Medical personnel are often stabbed by a contaminated needle
of a used syringe when mounting a needle cap around the
contaminated needle, and this may lead to needle stick injury and
subsequent blood born pathogen infection accidents. After a
conventional syringe is used, the needle cap must be mounted around
the used needle, and the used syringe was thrown into a collection
container or was collected for proper disposal according to the
provisions to avoid a similar situation from happening again.
[0004] In order to improve the safety of using the conventional
syringes, the inventors in accordance with the present invention
have painstakingly researched and applied various types with
innovative designs of safety syringe. By the configuration of an
interior of a barrel of the inventors' safety syringe, a used
needle can be retracted into the interior of the barrel for storage
after injection, and this can reduce the chance of contacting the
contaminated needle for users and also can reduce the fear of the
medical personnel when using the syringes.
[0005] However, the inventors are not satisfied with the
application of the above-mentioned safety syringe, are still
continuously committed to the technical enhancement of the safety
syringe, and are painstakingly doing researches to simplify the
internal structure and manufacturing process of the safety syringe
and to provide a novel technology that can increase the security,
stability, and smoothness of using the safety syringe, and this can
raise the medical technology to a higher level.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide a safety syringe to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The main objective of the invention is to provide a safety
syringe that can be operated to remove a used needle safely, can
prevent a user from being injured by the used needle, and can be
manufactured easily.
[0008] The safety syringe in accordance with the present invention
has a barrel, a pushing element, a retracting element, and a needle
group. The barrel is hollow and has a needle-group mounting end, an
operating grip end, and a barrel lumen. The pushing element is
retractably mounted in the barrel lumen and has a pushrod chamber.
The retracting element is airtightly and slidably mounted in the
pushrod chamber. The needle group is connected to the needle-group
mounting end of the barrel. The present invention can pull the
retracting element to move relative to the pushing element to form
a low pressure condition in the pushrod chamber as a vacuum driving
force. After the injection, a vacuum attraction force in the
pushrod chamber can retract the used needle group into the pushrod
chamber for using the safety syringe safely.
[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of a first embodiment
of a safety syringe in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 1B is another enlarged cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 1, showing a pulling rod is pulled;
[0015] FIGS. 3A to 3 C are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 3;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 3, showing the pulling rod is
broken;
[0017] FIGS. 4A to 4 C are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 4;
[0018] FIG. 5 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 4, showing drug is drawn by a pushing
element of the safety syringe;
[0019] FIGS. 5A to 5 C are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 6 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 5, showing drug is injected into a
patient by the pushing element;
[0021] FIGS. 6A and 6B are operational and cross sectional side
views of the safety syringe in FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 7 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 6, showing a needle seat fixing ring is
pushed by the pushing element;
[0023] FIGS. 7A and 7B are operational and cross sectional side
views of the safety syringe in FIG. 7;
[0024] FIG. 8 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 7, showing the needle seat fixing ring
is disengaged from a needle seat;
[0025] FIGS. 8A and 8B are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 8;
[0026] FIG. 9 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 8, showing a used needle is retracted
into a pushrod chamber by outside air pressure;
[0027] FIGS. 9A to 9 C are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 9;
[0028] FIG. 10 is an exploded cross sectional side view of a second
embodiment of a safety syringe in accordance with the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional side view of a third embodiment
of a safety syringe in accordance with the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 11A is an enlarged and cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 11;
[0031] FIG. 12 a cross sectional side view of a fourth embodiment
of a safety syringe in accordance with the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 12A is an enlarged and cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 12;
[0033] FIG. 13 a cross sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of
a safety syringe in accordance with the present invention;
[0034] FIGS. 13A to 13C are enlarged and cross sectional side views
of the safety syringe in FIG. 13;
[0035] FIG. 14 a cross sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of
a safety syringe in accordance with the present invention;
[0036] FIGS. 14A and 14B are enlarged and cross sectional side
views of the safety syringe in FIG. 14;
[0037] FIG. 15 is an operational and cross sectional side view of
the safety syringe in FIG. 14; and
[0038] FIG. 15A is an enlarged and cross sectional side view of the
safety syringe in FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0039] With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B, and 2, a first embodiment
of a safety syringe A in accordance with the present invention
comprises an injection volume, a barrel 10, a needle and needle
seat retracting device, a needle group 40, and a needle cap 50. The
injection volume of the safety syringe A is about 3 cubic
centimeters (C.C.). In addition, the needle and needle seat
retracting device comprises a pushing element 20 and a retracting
element 30
[0040] With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B, and 2, firstly, the left
and right directions in FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively defined as
the front and rear directions in the following description. The
barrel 10 is a hollow cylinder, extends along an axis from front to
rear direction, and has a large-diameter section 101 and a
small-diameter section 102. The large-diameter section 101 has a
front end and a rear end. The small-diameter section 102 is in a
tapered-shape and is formed on and protrudes from the front end of
the large-diameter section 101. In addition, the front end of the
large-diameter section 101 that is formed with the small-diameter
section 102 can be defined as a needle-group mounting end 11, and
the rear end of the large-diameter section 101 that is opposite to
the needle-group mounting end 11 can be defined as an operating
grip end 12. The barrel 10 has a barrel lumen 13 formed in the
large-diameter section 101 for suction, storage, and injection of
drug.
[0041] Wherein, the small-diameter section 102 has a
needle-extending hole 110, a needle-seat holding hole 114, an
abutting step flange 112, multiple ribs 113, and a triggering
facilitating gap 111. The needle-extending hole 110 is formed
through the small-diameter section 102, communicates with the
barrel lumen 13, and has an inner diameter. The needle-seat holding
hole 114 is formed in an annular wall of the small-diameter section
102 behind the needle-extending hole 110, and has an inner diameter
larger than the inner diameter of the needle-extending hole 110.
The abutting step flange 112 is formed in the annular wall of the
small-diameter section 102 between the needle-extending hole 110
and the needle-seat holding hole 114.
[0042] The ribs 113 are formed on and protrude from the annular
wall of the small-diameter section 102 at a rear end of the
needle-seat holding hole 114 to provide an assisting holding effect
to the needle group 40. The triggering facilitating gap 111 is
formed in the small-diameter section 102 between the abutting step
flange 112 and a front end of the needle-seat holding hole 114 to
provide a facilitating effect of triggering an initial movement of
the needle group 40 after use of the safety syringe A. The needle
group 40 is securely held and positioned in the barrel 10 by the
needle-seat holding hole 114, the ribs 13, and the needle-group
mounting end 11.
[0043] The barrel 10 has a hand-grip segment 120 formed on and
protruding from an external wall of the operating grip end 12. The
hand-grip segment 120 has multiple label holes 1201 formed through
the hand-grip segment 120 and spaced apart at intervals for
connecting a label or a name tag. The operating grip end 12 has a
rear end and an entry end 121 formed through the rear end of the
operating grip end 12. The barrel 10 has a protruding ring 122
annularly formed on and protruding from an inner wall of the barrel
10 adjacent to the operating grip end 12. The barrel lumen 13 has
an engaging flange 130, a needle-seat positioning segment 131, and
a moving segment 132. The engaging flange 130 is formed on and
protrudes from the inner wall of the barrel 10 adjacent to the
needle-group mounting end 11 to divide the barrel lumen 13 into two
sections. The needle-seat positioning segment 131 is formed in one
of the two sections of the barrel lumen 13 that is adjacent to the
needle-group mounting end 11. The moving segment 132 is formed in
the other section of the barrel lumen 13 opposite to the
needle-group positioning segment 131.
[0044] The pushing element 20 is airtightly and slidably mounted in
the barrel lumen 13 of the barrel 10, and has a pushing rod 21, an
outer airtight stopper 22, an inner airtight stopper 23, and an end
cover 24. The pushing rod 21 is a hollow straight tube, and is
formed cylindrically along an axis through a front end and a rear
end of the pushing rod 21. The pushing rod 21 has a front drug
pushing end 216, a rear operating end 217, a pushrod chamber 210, a
first interior ring 211, a second interior ring 218, an outer ring
212, a mounting segment 213, an engaging edge 214, and an inner
ring 215.
[0045] The front drug pushing end 216 is formed on the front end of
the pushing rod 21. The mounting segment 213 is formed in the front
drug pushing end 216 and has an inner diameter smaller than a
diameter of the pushrod chamber 210. The rear operating end 217 is
formed on the rear end of the pushing rod 21, is opposite to the
front drug pushing end 216, and extends out of the barrel lumen 13.
The front drug pushing end 216 of the pushing rod 21 is airtightly
and slidably mounted in the moving segment 132 of the barrel lumen
13. Preferably, the front drug pushing end 216 has a screwed
segment. The pushrod chamber 210 is formed in the pushing rod 21
between the front end and the rear end of the pushing rod 21. The
first interior ring 211 is annularly formed on and protrudes from
an inner wall of the pushing rod 21 adjacent to the front drug
pushing end 216. The second interior ring 218 is annularly formed
on and protrudes from the inner wall of the pushrod chamber 210 of
the pushing rod 21 adjacent to the rear operating end 217. The
outer ring 212 is annularly formed on and protrudes from an outer
wall of the pushing rod 21 adjacent to the rear operating end 217,
and selectively engages the protruding ring 122 of the barrel 10 to
prevent the pushing rod 21 separating from the barrel lumen 13
after injection. The mounting segment 213 is step-shaped and is
formed around the front drug pushing end 216. The engaging edge 214
is annularly formed on the outer wall of the pushing rod 21 at the
rear end of the pushing rod 21. The inner ring 215 is annularly
formed in an inner wall of the mounting segment 213.
[0046] The outer airtight stopper 22 is airtightly connected to the
front drug pushing end 216, is mounted around the mounting segment
213 of the pushing rod 21, and has a center, a front side, a rear
side, an engaging hole 221 and an annular slot 222. The engaging
hole 221 is formed through the front side and the rear side of the
outer airtight stopper 22 at the center of the outer airtight
stopper 22, and is disposed around the mounting segment 213 of the
pushing rod 21. The annular slot 222 is annularly formed in an
inner wall of the engaging hole 221 and engages the mounting
segment 213. Preferably, the outer airtight stopper 22 is
airtightly screwed with the screwed segment of the front drug
pushing end 216.
[0047] The inner airtight stopper 23 is a step block, is airtightly
and securely mounted in the front drug pushing end 216 and extends
into the pushrod chamber 210 of the pushing rod 21, and is
airtightly connected to the outer airtight stopper 22. The inner
airtight stopper 23 has a front end, a rear end, a protruding
segment 231, an engaging segment 232, a connecting segment 233, and
an unplug recess 234. The protruding segment 231 is formed on the
front end of the inner airtight stopper 23 and has a diameter, an
outer wall, and a concave groove 2311. The concave groove 2311 is
annularly formed on the outer wall of the protruding segment 231.
The inner airtight stopper 23 is airtightly and securely connected
to the front drug pushing end 216 and is airtightly mounted through
the engaging hole 221 of the outer airtight stopper 22, and the
concave groove 2311 airtightly engages the inner ring 215 of the
mounting segment 213. The engaging segment 232 extends into the
pushrod chamber 210, is formed on the rear end of the inner
airtight stopper 23, is formed with the protruding segment 231, and
has a diameter, an outer wall and an annular recess 2321. The
diameter of the engaging segment 232 is larger than the diameter of
the protruding segment 231. The annular recess 2321 is annularly
formed on the outer wall of the engaging segment 232 and airtightly
engages the first interior ring 211 of the pushing rod 21. Then,
the inner airtight stopper 23 can be securely mounted in the
pushing rod 21 and can be airtightly connected to the outer
airtight stopper 22. The connecting segment 233 is centrically
grooved and is formed in a front side of the protruding segment
231. The unplug recess 234 is centrically formed in the engaging
segment 232.
[0048] The end cover 24 is securely mounted on the rear operating
end 217 of the pushing rod 21 and has a body 241, a mounting recess
242, a cover bottom 243, and a holding tube 244. The body 241 is
cylindrical and has an inner wall, a front side, and a rear side.
The mounting recess 242 is formed in the inner wall of the end
cover 24 between the front side and the rear side of the end cover
24. The cover bottom 243 is formed on and protrudes from the rear
side of the end cover 24 to close the mounting recess 242, and has
an inner side. The holding tube 244 is centrically formed on and
axially protrudes from the inner side of the cover bottom 243, is
formed through the cover bottom 243, and has an inner end and a
retaining flange 2440. The retaining flange 2440 is formed on and
protrudes from the inner end of the holding tube 244.
[0049] With reference to FIGS. 1, 1B, and 2, the retracting element
30 is airtightly and slidably mounted in the pushrod chamber 210 of
the pushing rod 21 and has a pulling rod 31 and an airtight spigot
32.
[0050] The pulling rod 31 is an elongated rod with multiple
protruding ribs formed on an outer surface of the pulling rod 31,
and has a front end, a rear end, an engaging end 311, a depressed
gap 313, and a gripping end 312. The engaging end 311 of the
pulling rod 31 is formed on the front end of the pulling rod 31,
engages the airtight spigot 32, and extends rearward in and beyond
the pushrod chamber 210 to enable the airtight spigot 32 being
adjacent to the inner airtight stopper 23. The engaging end 311 has
an outer surface, multiple engaging panels 3110, and an engaged
flange 3111. The engaging panels 3110 are formed around the outer
surface of the engaging end 311 and are spaced apart from each
other at intervals. The engaged flange 3111 is barbed, is formed on
the outer surface of the engaging end 311 behind the engaging
panels 3110, and selectively engages the retaining flange 2440. The
depressed gap 313 is annularly formed in the outer surface of the
pulling rod 31 adjacent to the engaged flange 3111 to serve as a
forcing point for breaking the pulling rod 31. Then, the pulling
rod 31 can be broken at the position of the depressed gap 313. The
gripping end 312 is formed on the rear end of the pulling rod 31,
is opposite to the engaging end 311, and extends out of the pushrod
chamber 210 through the holding tube 244 of the end cover 24. The
gripping end 312 has an outer surface and multiple annular notches
3120. The annular notches 3120 are formed in the outer surface of
the gripping end 312 and spaced apart at intervals to increase the
friction when pulling the pulling rod 31.
[0051] With reference to FIGS. 1, 1B, and 2, the airtight spigot 32
is connected to the engaging end 311 of the pulling rod 31 and has
a front end, a rear end, an outer surface, a connecting segment
321, a connecting recess 322, and an annular groove 323. The
connecting segment 321 is formed on the front end of the airtight
spigot 32 and is selectively mounted in the unplug recess 234 of
the inner airtight stopper 23. The connecting recess 322 is
centrically formed in the rear end of the airtight spigot 32, and
has an inner wall, a diameter, and a holding flange 3220. The
holding flange 3220 is formed in the inner wall of the connecting
recess 322, has a diameter larger than the diameter of the
connecting recess 322, and engages one of the engaging panels 3110
to provide a preferred fixing effect to the airtight spigot 32. The
annular groove 323 is annularly formed in the outer surface of the
airtight spigot 32, and selectively engages the second interior
ring 218 to hold the airtight spigot 32 at a position of the second
interior ring 218 by the annular groove 323.
[0052] With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2, the needle group 40 is
connected to the needle-group mounting end 11 of the barrel 10, and
has a needle 41, a needle seat 42, and a needle-seat fixing ring
43. The needle 41 has an inner end and an outer end. The inner end
of the needle 41 is centrically mounted in the barrel lumen 13 of
the barrel 10. The outer end of the needle 41 extends out of the
barrel 10 via the needle-extending hole 110. The needle seat 42 is
cylindrical, is mounted around the needle 41 at the inner end of
the needle 41, and is centrically mounted in the barrel lumen 13
adjacent to the needle-seat holding hole 114 and the ribs 113. The
needle seat 42 has a front end, a rear end, a center, an outer
surface, a fixing hole 421, an engaging portion 422, and a
protruding portion 423. The front end of the needle seat 42 is held
in the small-diameter section 102, is mounted in the needle-seat
holding hole 114 between the ribs 113 and faces the abutting step
flange 112 by the triggering facilitating gap 111. The rear end of
the needle seat 42 extends into the barrel lumen 13 of the
large-diameter section 101. The fixing hole 421 is formed through
the front end and the rear end of the needle seat 42, and
airtightly secures the inner end of the needle 41. The engaging
portion 422 is a step-shaped cylinder, is formed on and protrudes
from the rear end of the needle seat 42, and is selectively mounted
in the connecting segment 233 of the inner airtight stopper 23. The
engaging portion 422 has an outer surface and a cutting slot 4220.
The cutting slot 4220 is formed through the outer surface of the
engaging portion 422 and communicates with the fixing hole 421 of
the needle seat 42. The cutting slot 4220 can be used to discharge
drug via the needle 41 from the barrel 10. The protruding portion
423 is formed on the outer surface of the needle seat 42 adjacent
to the engaging portion 422.
[0053] The needle-seat fixing ring 43 is a hollow cylindrical
elastomer, is airtightly mounted around the needle seat 42, and has
a rear side, an outer surface, an abutting face 431, a holding
recess 432, and an airtight fixing hole 433. The abutting face 431
is formed on the rear side of the needle-seat fixing ring 43. The
holding recess 432 is formed in the outer surface of the
needle-seat fixing ring 43 and airtightly engages the engaging
flange 130 of the barrel lumen 13. The airtight fixing hole 433 is
formed through the needle-seat fixing ring 43, and airtightly
engages the protruding portion 423 to securely hold the needle seat
42 by the needle-seat fixing ring 43.
[0054] The needle cap 50 is detachably mounted around the
needle-group mounting end 11 of the barrel 10 to cover the needle
41 of the needle group 40 to prevent the medical personnel from
inadvertently contacting the needle 41.
[0055] In use, with reference to FIGS. 3, 3A, and 3B, the pulling
rod 31 of the retracting element 30 is moved backwardly relative to
the pushing element 20 by a user pulling the pulling rod 31. Then,
the airtight spigot 32 is moved concomitantly with the pulling rod
31 from an initial position adjacent to the inner airtight stopper
23 along the pushrod chamber 210 of the pushing rod 21 to a
destined rearward position by an external force. When the airtight
spigot 32 is airtightly moved apart from the inner airtight stopper
23 in the pushrod chamber 210, the airtight spigot 32 can remove
air in the pushrod chamber 210 until the airtight spigot 32 moves
to a selected position in the pushing rod 21. With reference to
FIG. 3C, as the airtight spigot 32 moves at the rear end of the
pushing rod 21, the engaged flange 3111 of the pulling rod 31
securely engages the retaining flange 2440 of the end cover 24 to
hold the pulling rod 31 with the end cover 24.
[0056] With reference to FIGS. 4, 4A, and 4B, when the pulling rod
31 is held on the end cover 24, the depressed gap 313 of the
pulling rod 31 moves out of the end cover 24 adjacent to the cover
bottom 243. With reference to FIG. 4C, the user can apply a lateral
force on the pulling rod 31 to break the pulling rod 31 from the
depressed gap 313, and the engaging end 311 carrying the airtight
spigot 32 is securely positioned at the rear end of the pushing rod
21 in the pushrod chamber 210. Then, a selected low pressure
condition is formed in the pushrod chamber 210 of the pushing rod
21, and the feature of the safety syringe A becomes the ones of
functionally alike a conventional syringe additionally featured
with a potential vacuum driving force that virtually hidden in the
pushrod chamber 210.
[0057] With reference to FIGS. 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 6A, and 6B, the
user can separate the needle cap 50 from the barrel 10 and insert
the needle 41 into a medicine vial to extract the drug 60. Then,
the user can push the pushing element 20 to move relative to the
barrel 10 to inject the drug 60 into a human body via the needle
41.
[0058] With reference to FIGS. 7, 7A, and 7B, on finishing the
injection, the needle-seat fixing ring 43 is airtightly abutted
against the outer airtight stopper 22, and the needle seat 42 is
airtightly fitted with the inner airtight stopper 23, the drug
solution 60 can be injected into the human body in complete and few
of the residual drug solution 60 remains in the safety syringe
A.
[0059] When the drug 60 is completely injected into the human body
and further advancing the pushing element 20, a front side of the
pushing element 20 is pushed forward to abut against the rear side
of the needle-seat fixing ring 43 of the needle group 40, and the
engaging portion 422 of the needle seat 42 tightly engages the
connecting segment 233 of the inner airtight stopper 23. With
reference to FIGS. 7, 7A, and 7B, the front end of the needle seat
42 is moved into the triggering facilitating gap 111 and abuts
against the abutting step flange 112. Simultaneously, the holding
recess 432 of the needle-seat fixing ring 43 disengages from the
engaging flange 130 of the barrel lumen 13. When the pushing
element 20 continuously moves forward, the needle-seat fixing ring
43 is pushed to move into the needle-seat positioning segment 131
and to release the airtight engagement with the needle seat 42. In
addition, the inner airtight stopper 23 of the pushing element 20
disengage from the front drug pushing end 216 of the pushing rod 21
to release the airtight engagement between the inner airtight
stopper 23 and the front drug pushing end 216. The pushing element
20 is moved forward until the end cover 24 abuts against the entry
end 121 as shown in FIGS. 8, 8A, and 8B. The needle seat 42 that
engages the inner airtight stopper 23 is moved in connection with
the secured needle 41 into the pushrod chamber 210 under the low
pressure condition that provides a vacuum suction force. With
reference to FIGS. 9, 9A, 9B, and 9C, the low pressure condition of
the pushrod chamber 210 enable an external atmospheric pressure to
push the needle seat 42 and the inner airtight stopper 23 with the
needle 41 simultaneously moving into the pushrod chamber 210, and
this can provide an automatically retracting effect to the needle
41 and the needle seat 42.
[0060] Thus, in the present invention, the operation of the
retracting element 30 can instantly form a low pressure condition
in the pushing element 20. When finishing the injection, the user
only needs to push the pushing element 20 forward, and this action
enables the needle seat 42 securing the needle 41 to move rearward
into the pushrod chamber 210 by the pressure difference between the
low pressure of the pushrod chamber 210 and the ambient atmospheric
pressure. Then, the user can retract the needle 41 into the pushrod
chamber 210 directly in use, and this also can simplify the
manufacturing process of the safety syringe A to reduce the cost of
production when comparing with a conventional automated safety
syringe using a stainless steel spring as the retraction force. In
addition, the user does not need to run the risk of contacting the
needle 41 when recycling or discarding the used needle 41 and this
has a practical value.
[0061] With reference to FIG. 10, a second embodiment of a safety
syringe B in accordance with the present invention is substantially
the same as the first embodiment except for the following features
of the inner airtight stopper 23A of the pushing element 20A and
the needle seat 42A of the needle group 40A. The connecting segment
233A of the inner airtight stopper 23A is cylindrical and is
centrically formed on and protrudes from the front end of the inner
airtight stopper 23A. The engaging portion 422A of the needle seat
42A is shaped as a round recess, is formed in the rear end of the
needle seat 42A, and is corresponding to and mounted around the
connecting segment 233A of the inner airtight stopper 23A. In
addition, the other features and operation of the second embodiment
of the safety syringe B are the same as those of the first
embodiment of the safety syringe A.
[0062] With reference to FIGS. 11 and 11A, a third embodiment of a
safety syringe B in accordance with the present invention is
substantially the same as the second embodiment except for the
injection volume of the third embodiment of the safety syringe B is
about 5 cubic centimeters (C.C.). In addition, the other features
and operation of the third embodiment of the safety syringe B are
the same as those of the first embodiment of the safety syringe
A.
[0063] With reference to FIGS. 12 and 12A, a fourth embodiment of a
safety syringe C in accordance with the present invention is
substantially the same as the first embodiment except for the
following features. The injection volume of the safety syringe C is
about 1 cubic centimeters (C.C.). The outer airtight stopper 22 is
airtightly connected to the front drug pushing end 216 and is
airtightly mounted around the protruding segment 231 of the inner
airtight stopper 23. Furthermore, the other features and operation
of the fourth embodiment of the safety syringe C are the same as
those of the first embodiment of the safety syringe A.
[0064] With reference to FIGS. 13, 13A, 13B, and 13C, a fifth
embodiment of a safety syringe D in accordance with the present
invention is substantially the same as the first embodiment except
for the injection volume of the safety syringe D is about 0.5 cubic
centimeters (C.C.). Since a diameter of the barrel 10 is smaller,
the inner airtight stopper 23D has multiple airtight rings 235
mounted around the engaging segment 232 to be airtightly mounted in
the pushing rod 21. Then, the inner airtight stopper 23D can be
airtightly moved in the pushrod chamber 210 of the pushing rod 21.
Furthermore, the airtight spigot 32D that is mounted around the
front end of the pulling rod 31D is annular and is airtightly and
slidably mounted in the pushrod chamber 210 of the pushing rod 21.
Additionally, the other features and operation of the fifth
embodiment of the safety syringe D are the same as those of the
first embodiment of the safety syringe A.
[0065] With reference to FIGS. 14, 14A, 14B, 15, 15A, and 15B, a
sixth embodiment of a safety syringe E in accordance with the
present invention is substantially the same as the first embodiment
except for the following features. The inner airtight stopper 23E
is composed of a protruding section 231E and an engaging section
232E. The protruding section 231E is threaded with the engaging
section 232E. The outer airtight stopper 22E of the pushing element
20 is airtightly threaded with the front drug pushing end 216, and
airtightly engages the protruding section 231E of the inner
airtight stopper 23E, and is airtightly moved in the barrel lumen
13. The protruding section 231E has an outer wall airtightly
engaging the outer airtight stopper 22E, and the connecting segment
233 is formed on a front side of the protruding section 231E.
Furthermore, the protruding section 231E has a rear side and a
threaded portion 2311E formed in the rear side of the protruding
section 231E. The engaging section 232E has a front side, an outer
wall, a screwed portion 2321E, and an annular trough 2322E. The
screwed portion 2321E is formed on and protrudes from the front
side of the engaging section 232E and is securely threaded with the
threaded portion 2311E of the protruding section 231E. The annular
trough 2322E is formed in the outer wall of the engaging section
232E and airtightly engages the first interior ring 211 of the
pushing rod 21. Additionally, the other features and operation of
the sixth embodiment of the safety syringe E are the same as those
of the first embodiment of the safety syringe A.
[0066] According to the above-mentioned features and structural
relationships of the safety syringe A, B, C, D, E in accordance
with the present invention, the retracting element 30 is mounted in
the pushing element 20, and can be manually pulled to move rearward
relative to the pushing element 20 to instantly form a low pressure
condition of selective intensity in the pushing element 20 to
provide a vacuum attraction force. The pushing element 20 is pushed
at a proper position during the injecting process, the needle 41
and the needle seat 42 are connected to the inner airtight stopper
23, 23A, 23D, 23E and are synchronously moved into the pushrod
chamber 210 by the ambient atmospheric pressure, and this can
retract the needle 41 automatically and safely. Furthermore, the
components of the safety syringe A, B, C, D, E can engage or
disengage each other by structures of projections and the relative
depressions structure, and this can simplify the internal
structures of the safety syringe A, B, C, D, E. The manufacturing
process of the safety syringe A, B, C, D, E can be simplified by
averting the conventionally use of a stainless spring as the
driving force to move the used needle so as to reduce the cost of
production and enhance the eco-friendly advantage of the syringe
usage, and this has a practical value.
[0067] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and function of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be
made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and
arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in
which the appended claims are expressed.
* * * * *