Needle type safety connector

Abstract

A safety needle connector according to the invention comprises a hollow needle through which fluid may pass fastened to a needle support sleeve itself connected to a fluid tube. The needle support sleeve may be connected by clipping it axially into a receiving structure of a protective cylinder that surrounds a projecting needle portion. The receiving structure comprises receiving cylinders in which the needle support sleeve is engaged and comprising locking tongues that cooperate with a bearing flange to allow penetration of the needle support sleeve and prevent its withdrawal. A closure sleeve is engaged around the projecting needle portion to form a sealed connection in the needle passage.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to safety connectors for connecting a sampling container to a fluid tube. The invention relates in particular to connectors of the above kind for taking blood samples in applications in the health field. [0002] When taking blood samples, in particular for blood donations, the blood must be systematically analyzed by taking a small sample of blood in a sampling container. To this end, a fluid tube must be removably connected and sealed to a sampling container under conditions of absolute hygiene, necessitating minimum movement of the operator to connect the sampling container to the tube and to disconnect it therefrom. [0003] At the same time, the operator must be protected against all risks of injury and contamination by the blood sample. [0004] To this end, there has already been designed a safety needle connector as described in the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,650, comprising a hollow needle through which fluid...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a new safety needle connector structure that is easy to assemble, sealed, and can be closed for safety after use. It retains the needle sufficiently to prevent any movement caused by the axial force of pushing in the sampling phial. The connector comprises a needle support sleeve carrying the needle and connecting it and sealing it to a fluid tube to which it is fixed, a protective cylinder containing the needle, and a connection means for connecting it to the needle support sleeve. The connection means comprises a cylinder with a large diameter and a smaller diameter, and retaining means for axially retaining the needle support sleeve engaged in the cylinders. The needle support sleeve comprises a bearing flange and elastically flexible locking tongue means for preventing withdrawal of the needle support sleeve from the protective cylinder. The connector also includes a closure sleeve for sealing the needle after removing the sampling phial."

Problems solved by technology

The prior art needle type safety connectors have drawbacks that affect their safety in use.

In particular, the resistance to tearing out of the needle is poor; sometimes drops of blood may flow out of the sampling phial during the movement of withdrawing the phial, and these drops of blood may flow through the clipping holes in the proximal cylinder; there is also a non-negligible risk of permanent deformation of the distal cylinder when the needle support sleeve is pushed into the distal cylinder and the proximal cylinder; this kind of permanent deformation further increases the risks of a defective seal and of blood flowing out of the protective cylinder; because of the small axial clipping travel, it is also difficult to control the clipping of the protective cylinder onto the needle support sleeve.

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