Disposable self-shielding unit dose syringe guard

Abstract

An improved guard for a medical cartridge, such as a unit dose pre-filled glass syringe, comprising a body for receiving the cartridge, and a shield slidably attached to the body which are pre-assembled and ready to receive a cartridge therein. The body has a mechanism on a proximal end thereof which holds the cartridge therein. The body and shield have cooperating detents and detent pockets which allow the shield to be directed distally, from an unguarded position in which the needle on the cartridge is uncovered for delivery of medication, to a guarded position in which the needle is permanently covered for disposal. The body may also include a substantially rectangular-shaped finger grip on its proximal end for receiving a similarly shaped proximal flange on the cartridge, whereby the cartridge is received in a predetermined orientation. The body may also include one or more ribs within the cavity for accommodating a cartridge with a large needle cap, such as a 0.5 mL capacity pre-filled syringe. In addition, the guard may include a finger grip plug lockably attachable to the proximal end of the body, and a plunger insertable through the finger grip plug to engage a piston in a cartridge not having its own plunger. The plunger may include a one-way locking member to prevent removal of the plunger from the finger grip plug after assembly.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10 / 023,587, filed Dec. 17, 2001, which is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 09 / 634,689, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,032, filed Aug. 8, 2000, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 942,938 filed on Oct. 2, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,184, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08 / 814,199, filed Mar. 10, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,283, all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to syringes, and more particularly to an improved syringe guard for a unit dose cartridge or pre-filled syringe and including a shield for covering the needle thereof after medication is dispensed from the syringe. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Medication is often dispensed using a unit dose medical cartridge, such as an ampule, vial or syringe, and a syringe holder, injector...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] Generally, after the cartridge or pre-filled syringe in the guard has been used to deliver its medication, the shield is moved distally until it reaches the guarded position. In the guarded position, the stop tabs on the body abut the proximal edges of the windows, preventing further distal movement. As the shield is moved, the detents on the shield leave the proximal detent pockets, preferably because of sloping edges on the proximal detent pockets, and slide along the body until they enter a set of distal detent pockets when the shield reaches the guarded position. The distal detent pockets may have blunt or oblique proximal edges, which prevent the shield from being returned proximally, and thereby substantially lock the shield in the guarded position for disposal. Preferably, the proximal edges of the detent pockets are inclined at an angle corresponding substantially to the proximal edges of the detents to maximize bearing surface engagement therebetween.

[0031] It is also an object to provide an improved syringe guard that affords improved protection for a cartridge or pre-filled syringe encapsulated therein but still allows effective monitoring of the medication being dispensed.

Problems solved by technology

One or more windows, preferably the same windows used for viewing the cartridge, also cooperate with a stop tab or tabs molded on the body, thereby limiting the relative sliding relationship of the shield and the body.

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