WO1992007597A1

WO1992007597A1 - An intravenous cannula with a closable medicament well

Info

Publication number: WO1992007597A1
Application number: PCT/NO1991/000106
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bent Heimreid
Original assignee: Preiss, Otto, T.
Priority date: 1990-11-06
Filing date: 1991-07-26
Publication date: 1992-05-14
Also published as: AU8325791A

Abstract

An injection cannula (1) with a closable medicament well (3) comprises a sleeve (2) which projects from the cannula. The cannula is characterized by a well closure (4), consisting of a slide with a covered portion which is intended to cover the well in a closed position of the well, and to be displaced away from the opening of well (3) in an open position of the well.

Description

An intravenous cannula with a closable medicament well.

The present invention relates to an intravenous cannula with a closable medicamnt well, comprising a sleeve projecting from the cannula and a well closure in the shape of a slide.

On to-days market there is, enerally speaking, only one kind of intravenous cannulae with a closable medicament well, viz. a kind where the circular medicament well projecting normally to the liquid channel in the intravenous cannula is closed from above by the aid of a conventional cap which is fastened to the sleeve, if desired by the aid of a more or less sturdy fastening strap.

This kind, however, does not satisfy all requirements placed to-day on simple operation and hygiene in connection with intravenous treatment of patients.

In the first place it is commonly necessary to use both hands to remove the cap from the sleeve in present medicament wells, since it seems quite impossible to do so with one hand.

What is still worse, however, is that the upper rim of the medicament well and the cap proper are both exposed to be touched by fingers, gloves, or any other contaminated material , and that such deposited impurities may be pushed further down into the medicament well sleeve, either when a cannula luer in case of injection of medicaments, or the cap is put in place again, and this may, in turn, cause the contaminated material to reach the blood stream.

This is probably one of the reasons why intravenous cannulae with this kind of medicament wells are not permitted by FDA in the USA for use on the American market. There is, thus, a great demand for an intravenous cannula with a medicament well, which is simple and easily manufact¬ ured, and which not at least will tend to prevent the above indicated possibility of contamination to a higher degree, in order to comply with the requirements made by the FDA.

Known wells of a kind as discussed above generally correspond to what is shown in Figure 1.

It is an object of the present invention to improve known technology and the invention consequently relates to an intravenous cannula with a closable medicament well consist¬ ing of a sleeve which projects from the cannula, and the cannula is characterized by a well closure consisting of a slide with a covered portion, which is intended to cover the well in its closed position and to be displaced from the well opening in an open position of the well.

In a preferred embodiment the slide consists of a covered portion and a portion which is open upwards in which the slide is covered by the closed portion in a closed position of the well and in which the slide is displaced in the open position of the well with the closed portion removed from the well opening.

In another preferred embodiment the well closure is in the shape of a displaceable cap with a top wall, side walls and rear walls, the front wall being removed.

The closure is preferably arrestable in both end positions.

Furthermore, the well sleeve and the inside wall of the closure are preferably, provided with mutually engaging tongue-and-groove connections, or the like for firm and stable guidance of the closure between both end positions. The invention is disclosed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a conventional medicament well with a closure, in an open position;

Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 in a closed position;

Figure 3 shows a medicament well with a closure according to the invention, in an open position;

Figure 4 shows the device of Figure 3 in a closed position;

Figure 5 shows the same as does Figure 3 in a top view and a sectional view;

Figure 6 shows the same as does Figure 4, but in an elevational view and a sectional view;

Figure 7 shows the device according to the invention, in an end view, a sectional view, and with a medicament syringe inserted into the medicament well;

Figure 8 shows a medicament well with another embodiment of a closure according to the invention, in an open position and with an injection luer inserted into the well;

Figure 9 shows the device according to Figure 8 in a closed position;

Figure 10 shows the same as does Figure 9, as seen along the longitudinal direction of the cannula; and Figure 11 shows the same as does Figure 10, as seen from above.

The conventional device which is on the market to-day is, as indicated above, generally shown in Figures 1 and 2.

On a cannula, generally indicated by numeral 1, a sleeve 2 in the shape of a well 3 opening upwards is provided.

This well is conventionally closed by the aid of a cover 4, which is fastened to sleeve 2, preferably in a rotatable manner by the aid of a strap 5.

As mentioned above this causes a hazard of contamination of the upper end face of sleeve 2, i.e. the rim of opening 3, but also of the cover 4 proper with its sealing cone 6.

The sealing cone inside the cover may, thus, push contamin¬ ated material down into the well 3 each time the cover is placed on sleeve 2.

This is the problem which the present invention should solve.

In the following Figures corresponding parts having basically the same function are given the same numerals as in Figures 1 and 2.

The figures show a cannula 1 with a sleeve 2 which is mounted on the cannula and forms a medicament well 3.

This well is provided with a closure 4.

The closure is formed like a cap which, as disclosed below, may be displaced in a suitable manner forwards and backwards across the sleeve 4 to open, and close well 3, respectively. As indicated above, closure 4 may be displaced between two end positions, i.e. between one end position as indicated in Figure 3 or Figure 8, in which well 3 is open, and an end position as indicated in Figures 4 and 9, in which well 3 is closed.

Such displacement preferably occurs along means, which are provided externally on sleeve 2 and internally in closure 4, and which may have the shape of mutually engaging tongue-and- groove members, as indicated by 7, 8 in Figures 5 to 7, and at 18, 19 in Figure 10, respectively.

Closing, and opening, respectively, of well 3 occurs in Figures 3 - 7 in that one half of the top portion of closure 4, generally indicated by arrows 9 in Figures 3 and 4, is cut off to form a portion which is open upwards.

Only part of the top wall of closure 4 is cut off and the walls of the closure project slightly above sleeve 2.

In order to facilitate displacement of closure 4 across sleeve 2 to close well 3 the remaining portion of the top wall of the cap on the underside and on the side facing the removed portion is provided with an inclined face 10, along which the edge of sleeve 5 is intended to slide before it slides along the lower face 11 of closure 4 into a closed position.

It is important to have medicament well 3 tightly closed when it is not used.

According to known technology this is achieved as shown in Figure 1, by the aid of a closing cone 6 inside closure 4, which cone is intended to be lowered into well 3.

According to the invention this is achieved by the fact that the closure is so tightly fitted that a sufficient closing effect is achieved due to inherent flexibility of the material of sleeve 2 and closure 4. It is, however, possible, as indicated in Figure 6, to provide the underside of the top wall of closure 4 with a firm but resilient material which seals off the well without preventing closure.

In connection with this embodiment Figure 7, for illustration only, shows practical use of an intravenous cannula with a medicament well, where the luer 12 of an intravenous cannula 13 is inserted into well 3 in sleeve 2, and where a tight connection is ensured in an ordinary manner by a connical luer 12.

Figures 8 and 9 show the function of the indicated second embodiment of the well closure according to the invention.

In Figure 8 the well closure is completely retracted, virtually into contact with a stop 14 on cannula 1 and a guide plate 15 on closure 14.

It will appear that the closure is pulled so far off sleeve 2 of the well 3 that syringes of a conventional kind, as shown in Figure 8, may be used, as well as syringes of the "luer- closed" kind with a skirt 16 extending outside luer 12, as indicated in dashed lines.

Figure 9 shows the situation when medicament well 3 is closed by closure 4 being slid across well 3.

Here, as well, it may be advantageous that the lower front edge 10 is slightly adapted to facilitate displacement of closure 4 across sleeve 2.

As indicated in Figure 6, it is also essential that closure 4 is in tight contact with upper end surface of sleeve 2. Figure 10 shows a well with a closure as seen in the longitudinal direction of cannula 1.

Well 3 with sleeve 2 is entirely surrounded by side walls 17¹, 17², rear wall 17³ (see Figure 11), and the top wall of the closure. Movement of closure 4 along the longitudinal direction of cannula 1 is in this case achieved by the aid of grooves 18 in guide plate 15, intended for engagement with rails 19 on cannula body proper.

Locking in an open position is here achieved by the aid of stops between guide plate and a stop 14, and locking in a closed position of this embodiment is achieved due to contact between sleeve 2 and rear wall 17³ and locking, e.g. by the aid of stops 21.

With the closure according to the invention a possibility of simple and secure operation by one hand is achieved, since the closure is only to be slid forwards and backwards from an open to a closed position, or vive versa.

As opposed to known technology, it is possible with the device according to the invention in a simple and secure manner to close, or open, respectively, a medicament well of an injection cannula by one hand, without any essential hazard of touching the well opening in a contaminating manner, which would result in a hazard of introducing unhygienic matter into the well and, thus, to the body.

The device according to the invention is simple in production and is preferably manufactured from conventional materials used in this field.

Additionally, the device according to the invention is inexpensive in production. Generally, the object of the present invention, thus, represents an essential improvement in this medical/technical field, both as regards economy, technology, and not the least, safety and hygiene.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1.

An injection cannula (1) with a closable medicament well (3), consisting of a sleeve (2) projecting from the cannula (1), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n a well closure (4), consisting of a slide with a covered portion, which is intended to cover the well in its closed position, and to be displaced from the well (3) opening in an open position of the well.

2.

A cannula according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the well closure (4) consists of a slide with a covered portion and a portion (9) opening upwards, which is intended to cover the well with its closed portion in the closed position of the well and, to be displaced with its closed portion away from the well (3) opening in the open position of the well.

3.

A cannula according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the closed portion (4) has the shape of an elongated cap with a height approximately equal to the height of the well sleeve (3), from which cap the upper portion (9) is removed across half the length of said cap.

4. A cannula according to claims 2 and 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the top wall of closure (4) is removed in the open portion (9).

5. A cannula according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r ! z e d i n that the well closure (4) has a shape like a displaceable cap with a top wall, side walls (17¹, 17²), and a rear wall (17^s), the front wall being removed and, if desired, replaced by fastening stops (21), or the like.

6.

A cannula according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the closure (4) is arrested in both end positions.

7.

A cannula according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that inside the cap, between two end positions, cams (13) or the like facing each another are provided to define the end positions.

8.

A cannula according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the closure (4) may be arrested between both end positions by the aid of fastening stops (21) and a stop (14).

9. A cannula according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the closure may be displaced in a guided manner in the longitudinal direction of the cannula (1).

10.

A cannula according to claims 2 and 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sleeve (2) of well (3) and the inner wall of closure (4) are provided with mutually engaging tongue-and-groove connections (7, 8).

11.

A cannula according to claims 6 and 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the lower portion of rear wall (17³) is provided with a guide plate (15) extending in parallel with cannula (1).

12.

A cannula according to claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that guide plate (15), an cannula (1), respectively, have mutually engaging guide an fastening means (18), and (19), respectively.

13.

A cannula according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the ceiling of the ca seals against the well opening (3) of sleeve (2) in a close position.