Injection Apparatus

Abstract

Injection apparatus including a needle formed on one extremity with a point and connected on its opposite end with coupling means for coupling to a syringe or the like. A protective sleeve is telescoped over the one extremity of the needle and has one end of a pusher connected therewith, such pusher projecting rearwardly along the needle shank and being connected on its rear extremity with a finger-grasp handle whereby the sleeve may be telescoped rearwardly on such extremity of the needle, the point inserted through the wall of a patient's vein and the needle projected down such vein. Thereafter, the handle may be pushed to telescope the sleeve outwardly over the needle point to thereby protect the wall of the vein from puncture by said point.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to medical injection devices for injecting medicine into the veins or muscles of a patient.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Cathetor injection devices have been proposed which include plastic cathetors telescoped within metal needles for projection out the end of the needle once such needle has been inserted in a patient's vein. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,380. However, applicant is unaware of any injection devices which incorporate a sheath or sleeve telescoped over the needle and connected with a pusher projecting rearwardly along the needle to a point adjacent the coupling means whereby the needle may be coupled with a container of medicine, the point inserted through the wall of a patient's vein and extended axially down such vein and the pusher extended to telescope the sleeve into protective position over the point of the needle to protect the vein wall from puncture.

An object of the present invention is to provide an injection device of the type described that may be inserted by nurses and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an injection apparatus of the type described that may be simultaneously connected with a plurality of different medicine containers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an injection apparatus of the type described that includes a stop to prevent the sleeve from coming loose from the pusher and sliding off the needle to migrate up the vein.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an injection apparatus of the type described that includes a transversely projecting portion defining a lever arm for being bound to the patient's body to prevent rotation of the needle which may cause the point to puncture the vein wall.

These and other objects and the advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an injection apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the injection apparatus of present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, in reduced scale, of the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 2 inserted in a patient;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view, in enlarged scale, of the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through a vein and showing insertion of the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, similar to FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a modification of the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the lines 12--12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a side view of a modified needle point for the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a side view of a second modification of the needle point included in the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a side view of a third modification of the needle point included in the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a third embodiment of an injection apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a fourth embodiment of the injection apparatus of present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the injection apparatus of present invention includes, generally, a pointed needle 31 having a coupling 35 on its rear extremity for connection with a syringe 37. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a protective sleeve, generally designated 41, is telescoped over the pointed end of the needle 31 and has the front end of a pusher wire 43 connected therewith, the rear extremity of the pusher wire 43 being connected with a finger-grasp annular plunger 45. Thus, the sleeve 41 may be drawn back on the needle as shown in FIG. 5 and the needle pierced through the wall of a patient's vein 47 (FIG. 8) and extended axially down such vein. The pusher 45 may then be grasped and pushed axially down the needle 31 to telescope the sleeve 41 outwardly over the end of such needle to protect the wall of the vein 47 from being pierced thereby.

The needle 31 can be made of any medically accepted material, but is preferably of a nickel alloy metal which enjoys a reputation for low infection rate. Referring to FIG. 5, the needle is beveled on its free extremity to form a bevel point 51 and is carried on its rear extremity from a rearwardly opening coupling cap 35 which is removably received on a forwardly projecting nipple formed at the front extremity of the syringe 37.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the needle 31 is formed in its wall with a longitudinally projecting bore 57 which is open on one side. The bore 57 extends from the rear of the needle and forwardly to terminate at an abuttment stop 59 adjacent the point 51 whereby such abuttment stop will be abutted by the forward extremity of the push rod 43 to thereby limit forward movement of the sleeve 41 on the needle 31. The push rod 43 may be made of metal, plastic or any medically accepted material which will provide sufficient rigidly when housed in the bore 57 to enable the sleeve 41 to be pushed forwardly.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the push rod 43 includes a plurality of spaced apart cross bars 61 at its forward extremity, the opposite extremities of such cross bars 61 being imbedded in the plastic sleeve 41 to provide secure coupling therewith.

In operation, the injector apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may be connected with a syringe 37 and the sleeve 41 retracted on the needle 31 to expose the metallic point 51 as shown in FIG. 5. The point 51 may then be pierced through the wall of the vein 47 (FIG. 8) and extended axially down such vein. The pusher piston 45 may then be pushed downwardly to slide the sleeve 41 outwardly over the tip 51 to protect the wall of the vein from puncture by such tip. Fluid may then be injected from the syringe 37 and if additional medicinal fluids are required, such syringe may be disconnected from the coupling 35 and a conduit from a container of other fluid medicine connected therewith to commence infusion of such fluid intraveneously. With the protective sleeve 41 projected over the point 51 to protect the wall of the constricting vein from the sharp point 51, such needle may be left in the vein for long periods of time without danger of puncturing the vein and requiring additional venipunctures. Further, the sleeve 41 projects over the bevel of the point 51 to prevent the wall of such vein from constricting thereagainst to block blood flow therethrough when the apparatus is used for withdrawal of blood. It is of particular importance that the needle 31 is made of metal and the sleeve 41 is of relatively flexible plastic because in many hospitals nurses, other than surgical nurses, are not permitted under hospital rules to make intraveneous injections with anything but a metal needle. With the injection apparatus of present invention many qualified personnel that could not otherwise give injections under the rules of many hospitals may do so. Since veins are generally oval in cross section the needle 31 may be oval in cross section to readily accomodate the vein shape.

Obviously, the injection apparatus of present invention can be utilized for injecting fluid medicine in muscles and the sleeve 41 may be projected to cover the point 51 from piercing an artery or nerve while the medicine is being injected.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 11, a manifold type cathetor injection device, generally designated 65, is provided with a needle 31 which is connected on its rear extremity with a manifold assembly, generally designated 67, by means of elongated flexible conduits 71 and 71', respectively. The flexible conduit 71 is flexible plastic while the conduit 71' is convoluted flexible metal conduit.

The manefold assembly 67 is formed with three rearwardly projecting bosses 73, 75 and 79. Referring to FIG. 12, each of such bosses is formed with an internally tapered connecting bore 83 for receipt of a connecting nipple of a syringe or connector from a container of other medicinal fluid. Plugs 85 are provided for the respective tapered bores 83 whereby bosses 73, 75 or 79 not in use may be closed.

The manifold cathetor is utilized in a manner similar to the injection apparatus shown in FIG. 1 except that the entire tube 71 and 71' may be inserted axially in the vein for disposing the needle tip a substantial distance from the point of puncture. Further, the manifold 65 may be strapped securely in position by a strip of Velco 89 to positively prevent rotation of the manifold cathetor 67 with respect to the vein 47 to thereby prevent the beveled tip 51 from rotating within such vein and cutting the wall thereof. Obviously, the Velco strip 89 overcomes the normal objections to repetitive use of tape on persons sensitive thereto and may, itself, be reused. One or more tubes 91, 93 and 95 may be connected with the respective bosses 73, 75 and 79 for selective introduction of medicinal fluid to be infused intraveneously. This is of particular importance where a patient may require a number of intraveneous injections and personnel is unavailable for making the venipunctures. Once the venipuncture is made, any hospital personnel may connect the tubes 91, 93 and 95 and control fluid flow thereto.

The needle point 97 shown in FIG. 13 is formed with a closed point 99 that is conically shaped to form a centrally located tip. A plurality of longitudinally extending slots 101 are spaced around the periphery of the needle 97 rearwardly of the point for passage of medicinal fluid. Thus, the needle 97 will pierce the vein wall and feed easily down the interior thereof. The tip of the needle point 99 will be disposed centrally in the vein to avoid direct contact with the constricting vein fall thereby reducing the incidence of accidental puncture of the vein wall which results in blood clotting and requirements for new venipunctures to be made.

The sleeve 105 shown in FIG. 14 has its extremity cut away on the top half to form an L-shaped cut-out 107 and is telescoped over the pointed end of a needle 109. Thus, the wall of the vein will be protected from the point of the retracted needle 109.

The pointed needle, generally designated 111, shown in FIG. 15 is similar to that shown in FIG. 13 and is formed with a closed point and has a plurality of peripherally spaced outlet passages 113 and 115 disposed therearound.

The injection apparatus shown in FIG. 16 includes an injector, generally designated 117, having a closed rounded end 119 and formed with a plurality of peripherally located elongated outlet slots 121. The injector 120 is telescoped in the pointed end of the sleeve 125 which is beveled to form a point 127. The injector 120 is coupled with a pusher plunger (not shown) by means of a pusher rod 129 whereby the injector 120 may be retracted in the pointed sleeve 125 and the sleeve utilized to pierce the wall of a vein and be extended axially down such vein. Thereafter, the pusher (not shown) may be pushed to project the injector 120 to the position shown in FIG. 16 for injection of medicinal fluid or withdrawing blood from the vein. The wall of the vein will tend to contract around the sleeve 125 and injector 120 but will be protected from the point 127 by means of the injector 120, it being realized that the majority of the inward sloping of the contracting vein wall will take place over the rounded end 119.

The injector apparatus shown in FIG. 17 includes a metallic needle, generally designated 131, which is formed on its extremity with a reduced-in-diameter cross section 133 that defines a shoulder 135 on its rearward end. Telescoped over the reduced-in-diameter section 133 is a tapered protective sleeve 139 which is coupled with a pusher (not shown) by means of a pusher rod 141. The sleeve 139 includes an inwardly projecting tab 143 which travels axially in an axial slot 145 formed in the wall of the needle 131 and terminating at its forward extremity in a shoulder 147 whereby telescoping of the sleeve 139 off the end of the needle 131 is prevented in case the pusher rod 141 breaks. The injection apparatus shown in FIG. 17 operates substantially the same as that for the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 except that the tapered protective sleeve 139 is substantially the same diameter at its rear extremity as the needle 131.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that the injection apparatus of present invention provides convenient means for making intraveneous injections or injecting medicinal fluids or withdrawing blood. The protective sleeve protects the wall of the contracting vein from the point of a beveled needle and serves to maintain the contracting wall spaced from the bevel of such needle thereby preventing blocking thereof and preventing withdrawal of blood. Additionally, the use of a metallic needle enables nurses and other hospital personnel, less highly qualified than surgeons and surgical nurses, to perform the venipunctures thereby enabling the venipuncture to be performed as soon as the necessity of such is diagnosed to eliminate the necessity of waiting for arrival of more highly trained persons who may not be present when the requirement for a venipuncture is first diagnosed. Further, the manifold arrangement enables injection of a plurality of different medicinal fluids simultaneously or consecutively without the necessity of making additional venipunctures.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. Injection apparatus comprising:

a hollow needle formed on one extremity with a point and including a longitudinal passage formed in the wall thereof;

coupling means connected with the end of said needle opposite said one extremity;

a protective sleeve telescoped over said one extremity of said needle; and

a pusher connected on one end with said sleeve and projecting rearwardly through said passage to form a finger-grasp portion spaced rearwardly of said one extremity whereby said sleeve may be retracted on said needle to expose said point, a patient's vein pierced with said point and said needle inserted down said vein and said finger-grasp portion grasped and pushed to push said sleeve outwardly over said point to cover said point and protect the wall of said vein therefrom while said needle remains in said vein.

2. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said needle is composed of metal; and

said sleeve is composed of plastic.

3. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said needle includes abuttment means for engagement said sleeve to limit telescoping thereof off said one extremity.

4. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a projection extending transversely of said needle to form a lever arm to be secured to the patient's body to prevent rotation of said needle.

5. Injection means as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said coupling means includes a manifold formed with a plurality of ports for selective connection with various medicinal containers.

6. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said one extremity is formed with a double taper to define an axial centrally located point.

7. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a flexible conduit interconnecting said needle and coupling means.

8. Injection apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said needle is formed on its front extremity with a reduced-in-cross section portion; and

said sleeve is formed to complement the cross section of said reduced-in-cross section portion for telescopical receipt thereover.