A SAFETY INTRAVENOUS CATHETER PLACEMENT ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the catheter assembly and more particularly to a safety intravenous catheter placement assembly to place the catheter into the human body retracting the needle safely within a protective needle guard reducing the likelihood of the accidental needle stickiness injuries & infections.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Intravenous catheter placement assemblies are medical devices which are used to obtain continuous vascular access in patients. Such a device generally consists of a hollow-bore needle stylet and an over-the-needle, plastic type material catheter is used to access the lumen of a blood vessel in a patient. The IV catheter is advanced into the vessel and is used for administering intravenous fluids, medications or blood products. Since the Intravenous (IV) catheter is placed percutaneously, the hollow-bore needle stylet becomes blood contaminated and, when the blood vessel lumen is accessed, the needle-stylet becomes blood-filled. In this process, the blood vein is first punctured with the needle passing through the catheter and the catheter is placed into the punctured vein. On the successful placement of the catheter the needle is retracted. When a catheter is inserted into a patient body for the intravenous delivery of a fluid, the disposable needle passing through the catheter cannula is utilized to make a puncture to permit the entry of the tip of the cannula into the patient. After the needle is retracted its tip which has the blood particles should be cover up which may serve more than one objectives. A danger to clean up and medical waste disposal personnel continue if the used needles are not rendered harmless in some way.
On study it has been observed that there are several IV placement devices, which speak about such inventions in which needle should be safely covered up after its successful use of placing the catheter. Several such assemblies are available which have configuration of components to place the catheter and retract the needle and further to place the needle safely in housing. On the other hand, several such IV catheter assemblies are known which have different systems to place the catheter and dispose of the needle
assembly providing a typical structure which covers big space as may not be required. Therefore the retractable catheter assembly has been the issue of innovation with different objectives, wherein the mechanism of the retraction of the cannula part, keeping the catheter safe into the vein, has been the matter of prior art.
The catheter assemblies have been disclosed in various prior arts. Garvin revealed his invention U.S. Pat. No. 637933S which introduces a retracting tip for a catheter set which has telescoping barrels and a spring loaded cannula. Telescoping of the barrels into each other releases the spring compression on the cannula and results in the cannula being withdrawn into said barrels leaving the catheter in the patient. Luther et al brought out with their invention US Pat No. 5531701 which discuss about a catheter with an abutment member formed proximate the distal end thereof. The abutment member abuts a complementary abutment surface formed upon an introducer so as to prevent collapsing of the catheter body during the insertion process. The abutment member preferably comprises an annular abutment shoulder, which reduces the diameter of the lumen of the catheter. An opening formed in the catheter body proximate the tip of the catheter facilitates fluid flow through the lumen of the catheter in the event that the reduced diameter portion of the lumen becomes obstructed. Erskine et al came out with their US Pat No. 5501675 which revealed a safety catheter assembly having safety stop push button, wherein a safety stop push button mechanism is disclosed that prevents unwanted activation of the push button. The safety stop push button has particular applicability to a catheter and spring activated safety introducer needle assembly. A projection extending from the activation latch engages the catheter hub to prevent inadvertent activation of the safety mechanism until the catheter has been at least partially advanced distally over the needle.
Shaw et al revealed another invention through U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,058 wherein there is a retractable catheter introducer structure includes a stepped housing and a retractable needle holder. The head of the needle holder is held in a first embodiment by means of a plunger tube having a landed front opening and in a second embodiment wherein the head of the needle holder is possessed of a surrounding ring member which can be pressed upon and released by the open mouth of an elongated tube. A catheter needle extends from the front of the housing to which a catheter assembly is removably attached. Both
embodiments provide one handed operation. Retraction is triggered by pulling on the housing with the plunger tube backed against the palm of the hand to release the needle holder. Until the introducer structure is separated, the catheter assembly remains attached to the housing after retraction is triggered giving the operator greater control by reducing uncontrolled fluid egress. Botich et al have US Pat No. 6436070 with the title "Catheter insertion device with retractable needle" wherein the device is operable for inserting an intravenous catheter into a patient. The device includes a needle for piercing the patient's skin and guiding the catheter into the vein of the patient. The needle is operable in two positions, an extended position, in which the needle projects forwardly from housing, and a retracted position, in which the needle is retracted into the barrel so that the needle is enclosed by the barrel to prevent inadvertent contact with the needle after use. A needle retainer releasably retains the needle in the projecting position against the bias of a spring that biases the needle rearwardly towards the retracted position. After use, the operator displaces an actuator to release the needle. The spring then propels the needle rearwardly into the retracted position. In this way, the device is non-reusable and the needle is shielded to prevent contact with the sharpened tip of the contaminated needle.
For serving the subject purpose, other inventions also were brought out for catheter assembly with various structures and features. Rodd et al, have the patent No. NZ544485, discuss about their invention relating to "cannula/catheter introducer with retractable needle'. Shaw et al, have their patents No. HK1078035, and US Pat No. 6,872,193 disclose the "IV catheter introducer with retractable needle". Pressly, Sr. et al revealed their invention U.S. Pat. No. 6942652, wherein Retractable I-V catheter placement device is given comprising an intravenous catheter placement device having a hollow body and a nose on one end of the hollow body. Chang et al have US Pat No. 6322537 with the title Safety intravenous catheter, wherein a medical IV catheter is described. Bogert et al, discusses an invention through their U.S. Pat. No. 5, 99, 310 wherein I.V. catheter assembly with an automatic cannula tip guard is given. U. S. Pat. No. 5573510 of ISAACSON et al talks about Safety Intravenous Catheter Assembly with automatically retractable needle. Lather, et at introduced U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,516, which discusses about the assembly of Needle Catheter Protector.
Observations show that the purpose of placing the catheter into the patient body being solved since decades with the different kinds of structures which presented different specialties of those structures. Some of them are too expensive due to their large numbers of components; some despite solving the purpose do cover the large space. There are several other drawbacks which may be observed on studying the prior arts. Therefore, there has been an attempt to invent a safety intravenous catheter placement assembly which solves the above purpose by countering the above drawbacks. Therefore in this invention a catheter assembly has been given which is economical due to its simple structure and successfully covers and disposes of the needle after placing the catheter into human body as per adequate requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a safety intravenous catheter placement assembly for the simple, successful and safe cannulation. Therefore, it is thus an object of this invention to provide an intravenous catheter placement assembly and system which minimizes the likelihood of accidental needle stickiness injuries. It is further object of this invention to provide such an intravenous catheter placement device which, after utilization with a patient, captures, encapsulates, and isolates the used needle so as to render such needle harmless. In the present invention, the said catheter assembly is provided consisting a catheter unit and housing. Catheter unit, as usual has a catheter fitted into the catheter hub which is studded into the catheter head. The catheter head at the front end has the elongated catheter shaft extending therewith. To protect the catheter shaft, a lid is fitted at the front end of the catheter head. About at the midst of the length of catheter head a small tube is designed at the top perpendicularly, whose passage can communicate with the passage of catheter head through a silicon tube or silicon valve or rubber valve. The said tube has a cap thereon to keep it closed while in use or non use state. The catheter head at about the midst of length and bottom has a pair of feathers which are used to affix the catheter unit at the skin of the patient. The catheter head at its tubular rear portion has a round tubular opening and at the circumference of the opening a pair of extension tabs is designed. The catheter head through its round tubular opening includes a cavity through which liquid enters after being injected. The housing of the catheter assembly has a hollow body which
is connected through its front end to the rear end of catheter head in its non use state. At about midst of its holiow body at the top, a plate shaped extension is designed which divide hollow body into two portions, one is rear portion and another is front portion. The half rear portion of the hollow body further divided into two segments in which half rear segment is tubular however in half front segment of rear portion a needle hub is designed which extends the needle or cannula towards the front portion of the hollow body or needle holder. The front half portion of the hollow body or needle holder is half cylinder and at the bottom of the hollow body it is open, elongatedly. There is a cylindrical needle guard which is closed at its both ends and has a pair of holes at its centers of diameters at both ends and the needle guard is inserted through these both holes over needle slidably and movably fitted into the half cylindrical space which is made of its size. The needle guard at its extreme rear end stops at the needle hub into the half cylindrical space. The nose or front end designed at the needle guard may be fitted into the rear opening of the catheter head. The needle holder or hollow body along with the needle guard is joined at the nose of needle guard to the rear opening of catheter end by inserting the needle into the catheter from the opening of the catheter head. In this process, catheter unit and hollow body along with needle guard make a unit of catheter assembly. Needle guard is a cylindrical in structure with a cap or nose at its front end. The nose or cap has a rod shaped spring holder at its inner circumference and a spring is fitted into this spring holder. A metallic strip is designed in "L" shaped structure and its vertical part which is perpendicularly joined at its base is bent at its top towards its base to make it a structure as "t.". The base oft." shaped strip is fixed at distal tip of spring holder in the mode so that the base part of strip makes an angle of 90 degree with rod shaped spring holder and its perpendicular part remains parallel to the same spring holder. At the rear part or bottom of the cylindrical needle guard, a hole is designed at the centre of its diameter and other hole is designed at the front end of needle guard at the centre of diameter of its nose or cap. Further, the cap or nose along with assembled spring holder, spring & "Γ." shaped structure is inserted into the cylindrical part or box of the needle guard and the cap or nose fitted therein like a cork. A small round hole designed at the midst of base of "Γ." shaped strip, the extreme end point of the "Γ." shaped strip & both holes of cylindrical structure are arranged in a straight line. All these holes are designed so that the needle can pass through them slidably. The needle guard is inserted
through its bottom hole and at the full insertion of needle guard the distal tip of needle protrudes from the front hole of nose which futher inserts into the catheter body through catheter hub & head. At a small distance from the distal point of needle a small round bulge is designed. This said distance should be approximately less than the length of needle guard. When the catheter is placed with the help of needle, the needle is withdrawn and leaves the catheter into the patient's body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of intravenous catheter placement assembly, thus illustrating the preferred embodiment of our invention.
FIG. 1A shows the cross sectional view of intravenous catheter assembly.
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 3 shows the cross sectional view of intravenous catheter assembly on the line of A-A of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 shows the plan view of needle holder with needle of intravenous catheter assembly.
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of needle holder on the line of B-B of Fig 6.
FIG. 6 shows the plan view of needle holder with needle of intravenous catheter assembly.
FIG. 7 shows the longitudinal cross sectional view of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 7A shows cross sectional view of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly on the line P-P of Fig 7.
FIG. 7B shows cross sectional view of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly on the line J-J of Fig 7.
FIG. 7C shows the plan view of closure of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 7D shows the plan view of closure lid of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of needle holder of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 9 shows a plan view of needle guard of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 9a shows a cross sectional view of needle guard of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 10 shows the longitudinal cross sectional view of needle guard, of intravenous catheter placement assembly, with cylindrical structure/box.
FIG. 10a shows the cross sectional view of needle guard, of intravenous catheter placement assembly, of Fig 10.
FIG. 11 shows the longitudinal cross sectional view of needle guard, of intravenous catheter placement assembly, without cylindrical structure/box.
FIG. 11a shows the cross sectional view of needle guard, of intravenous catheter placement assembly, of Fig 11.
FIG.11A shows the longitudinal cross sectional view of spring holder, spring and "Γ." shaped strip of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 11 Aa shows the cross sectional view of spring holder, spring and "b." shaped strip of intravenous catheter placement assembly, of Fig 11 A.
FIG. 11B shows the "L" shaped strip of needle guard.
FIG. 11Ba shows the cross sectional view of "Γ" shaped strip of needle guard, of Fig 11B.
FIG. 12 shows the plan view of spring of needle guard of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 12a shows the cross sectional view of spring of needle guard of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 13 shows the longitudinal cross sectional view of catheter unit X1 of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 13A & 13B show the cross sectional view of catheter unit X1 of intravenous catheter assembly of FIG. 13.
FIG. 14 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of catheter unit X1 of intravenous catheter assembly on the portion CH of Fig 13.
FIG. 15 shows the plan view of catheter of intravenous catheter assembly.
FIG. 15A shows the cross sectional view of catheter shaft along with lid thereof of intravenous catheter assembly.
FiG. 16 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of first stage opening of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 17 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the portion K of FIG. 16.
FIG. 18 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of second stage opening of intravenous catheter placement assembly.
FIG. 19 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional view of second stage opening of intravenous catheter placement assembly on the portion M of FJG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of safety intravenous catheter placement assembly & Fig 1A is a cross-sectional view of safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as per the present invention. Catheter assembly is assembled with a catheter unit X1 & housing X2. The catheter unit X1 is attached through its rear end to the front end of the housing X2. The catheter unit X1 is designed with catheter shaft 3, catheter hub 5 & catheter head 4. Catheter 3 fitted into the catheter hub 5 which is associatedly fitted into catheter head 4. The Housing X2 is assembled with a hollow body that is named as needle holder or barrel 12 which has its associated components needle 2 which engaged over it a needle guard 10. Fig 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of intravenous catheter placement assembly as per the present invention, however Fig 3 shows the cross sectional view on the line of A-A of FIG. 2. Fig. 4-15 illustrates in details the structure of intravenous catheter placement assembly with view of its different components. Fig. 16-17 & Fig 18-19 show the views of first & second stage openings of intravenous catheter placement assembly, respectively.
Fig. 2 is the longitudinal cross sectional view as per the present invention showing all the components of the intravenous catheter placement assembly. Fig 3 depicts the cross sectional view on the line of A-A of FIG. 2. Housing Unit X2 is assembled with barrel or needle holder 12, needle 2, a needle guard 10 as shown in Fig 4-6 also. The barrel or needle holder 12 has been divided into two portions at its length as shown in Fig 7. The front portion 12a of the needle holder 12 is semi cylindrical and rear portion 12b of the same
needle holder 12 is designed as cylindrical or tubular. The semi cylindrical portion 12a appears as letter '"C as shown in Fig 7B on the point J-J of Fig 7. The rear portion 12b of needle holder 12 is divided into two segments. At the front segment 12e of portion 12b a needle hub is designed and in this needle hub a needle 2 is installed. The needle hub can be seen as a round structure 12e in Fig 7A & 8. At the rear, the passage of needle 2 communicates with the tubular segment 12c of needle holder 12. However, towards the distal point, the needle 2 extends beyond the length of semi cylindrical portion 12a of needie holder 12 crossingly its cavity at its centre. The rear segment 12c of portion 12b has a tubular cavity through which the medicine / fluid pass through the entry or opening 12f and a filter sheet or membrane 14 is fitted adjacent to the entry 12f. There is provided a cap 13 as shown in Fig 7C which is fitted at the entry or opening 12f as to protect it in its none use state. A closure lid 14' also fitted at the rear end of cap 13 for the additional support and required shape. While in use, the needle holder 12 is held within the fingers as to use the catheter assembly for medicinal purpose. The needle holder 12 is designed with a round or rectangular extension plate that is extended at the outer surface and approximately at the middle of the length of needle holder 12 as shown in Fig 8 on section C-C of Fig 7. At the time of use, this plate shaped extension play an important role in the retraction of Housing X2. Referring now to Fig 9-12a, an important component needle guard 10 of housing X2 is designed with different views and parts. Fig 9 & 9a show the plan view, of needle guard at two different views. Needle guard 10 is cylindrical in structure and move over the length of needle 2 through the holes designed at the centers of its diameters of both sides and rests in the cavity of front portion 12a of needle holder 12 in its none-use state. Fig 10 is longitudinal cross sectional view of the needle guard 10 and 10a is its cross sectional view. The needle guard 10 is designed with a cylindrical structure/box 10b and its cap or nose 10a which has other components associated with it. The nose or cap 10a of needle guard 10 has a spring holder 8, spring 11 & "Γ" shaped metal strip assembled at the inner surface of cap 10a and after assembling all these components, the cap or nose 10a insertably fitted onto cylindrical structure 10b as shown in Fig10. Fig 11 refers to the needle guard 10 without cylindrical box or cylindrical structure 11b. As shown in cross sectional view of the Fig 10a, nose or cap 10a has a spring holder 8 in rod shaped structure as shown in Fig 10 also, at the inner surface of part 10a" at its diameter. The spring 11 is insertably fitted
into this spring holder 8 through its end 8'. After this a '"Γ." shaped metal strip 9 is fitted at the spring holder 8. The *"Γ" shaped strip 9 is fitted with the spring bearing spring holder 8 in the manner so that the end 9a of strip 9 will be attachably fitted with the end point 8' of spring holder 8. The spring holder 8 will appear as parallel with the elongated portion 9d of strip 9 on fitting. After this assembly the cylindrical structure 10b insertably fitted at the part 10a" of 10a to make the structure of needle guard 10 as appeared in Fig 10. In the needle guard unit, three round equal holes 10b'. 9b & 10a' are designed in a straight line in the cylindrical structure 10b, "Γ" shaped metal strip 9 & nose or cap 10a respectively. The needle guard is inserted at the shaft of needle 2 through its distal point from the hole 10b' so that needle guard can move slidably at the shaft of needle 2 and finally rests in the portion 12a of needle holder 12. At a small distance from the distal point of needle 2 a small round bulge 2' is designed. This said distance should be approximately less than the length of needle guard.
Fig 13 portraits the Catheter unit X1 consists catheter 3, catheter head 4 with other associated members. The catheter head 4 as given in Fig 14 also has a cavity 17' has its three openings as front opening, rear opening and one more opening whose passage is perpendicular to the straight line appear by the combination of front & rear openings. The catheter 3 is a non metallic tubular structure which has its distal point 3c, shaft 3a & proximal end 3b. The catheter 3 at its rear end 3b is fitted into the catheter hub 4 which is further studded into the catheter head 4 at the front part of catheter head 4 or its cavity 17'. The cavity 17' now communicates with the elongated path of catheter shaft 3a. Perpendicularly, with the catheter 3 and cavity 17', a tubular structure 15 is designed which communicates with the cavity 17' through its opening 15'. A tubular silicon valve or tube 7 is fitted in the cavity 17' right in front of tubular structure 15 which acts as stopping means for the passage of tubular structure 15. In normal course the cavity 17' makes a straight passage from rear end of catheter head 4 to distal point 3c of catheter 3. And the medicine is pass through this passage way. In case extra medicine is required it can be injected through tubular member 15 by making a pressure passage at valve/tube 7. A cap 6 is designed which protects and close the entry point 15' of tubular member 15. Additionally, a base or feather 17 is designed at the base/bottom of catheter head 4 which is useful to place the catheter at the body of patient. The housing unit X2 joins the catheter unit X1 by
inserting the needle 2 into the cavity 17 which further inserted into the catheter shaft 3a and protrudes at the distal point 3c of catheter 3. A pair of slots 18 designed at the extreme front end of needle holder 12 fittedly receive a pair of extension tabs 16 designed at the rear end 18' of catheter head 4 at its diameter and form the catheter assembly as shown in Fig 2.
Fig 2 shows the catheter assembly in its normal state of non use. Fig 16-17 shows the first opening of the catheter placement assembly. In this state, the catheter is placed into the human body puncturing it through the needle which rests into catheter shaft. On the successful placement of catheter, the housing unit X2 is withdrawn. In the retraction step, the needle is taken back slidably moving into the body of needle guard. While withdrawing, the distal point of needle 2 hocked into the point of 9c of t." shaped metal strip and can not move further as shown in Fig 17. On the other hand, due to the bulge 2' designed at the shaft of needle, the needle can not move in backward direction in the needle guard. In the second stage of opening, as shown if Fig 18-19, the housing is removed from catheter unit X1 leaving it into the skin for medicinal purpose. The blood stained point of needle 2 is safely covered into the needle guard which can be safely disposed of.

Claims
1. A safety intravenous catheter placement assembly to place the catheter into the human
body comprising:
a hollow body 12. the said hollow body is divided into front semi cylindrical portion 12a and rear cylindrical portion 12b. and
a needle guard 10 insertably fitted into the semi cylindrical front portion of said hollow body crossing the needle, the said needle guard 10 includes a cylindrical structure which further includes the spring holder 8, spring 11, and an "Γ" shaped strip 9.
2. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the needle guard 10 is designed with a cylindrical box 12b which has nose or round cap 10a to close the said cylindrical box.
3. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said cap or nose 10a has rod shaped spring holder 8 designed at the inside of the said nose or cap.
4. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rod shaped spring holder 8 bears a spring 11 at its body.
5. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spring bearing rod shaped spring holder 8 includes "Γ" shaped strip 9 fitted at the distal tip of rod shaped spring holder 8.
6. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in' claim 5, wherein the part 9d of the "Γ" shaped strip 9 is parallel with the spring and spring bearing rod shaped spring holder.
7. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the needle guard unit has three round holes 10a', 9b & 10b' which are in a single line and move over shaft of needle 2.
8. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein end point 9c of "Γ" shaped strip 9 remains constantly in touch with needle shaft in used or non use state.
9. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a pair of slots 18 designed at the extreme front end of semi cylindrical 12a of
barrel or hollow body 12. which is fittedly in touch with a pair of extension tab 16 of catheter head.
10. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
the semi cylindrical portion 12a appears as "C" at the cross sectional view and receives
the needle guard 10 in its body.
11. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
filter sheet or membrane 14 is fitted adjacent to the rear entry 12f of hollow body 12.
12. The safety intravenous catheter placement assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
needle 2 of needle holder 12 includes a bulge 2',