Grippa

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gripper including a gripper body. The gripper body extends around an opening through which a first axis extends, defining the opening. The opening is located within the opening plane. The gripper further includes a plurality of teeth, each tooth extending toward the first axis along its tooth axis. Each tooth includes a root and a body portion. The body portion includes a planar tip, the root connecting the tooth to the gripper body and defining a region around which the tooth can be elastically bent relative to the body. The planar tip of each tooth is elastically biased to an initial position in a plane offset from the opening plane along the first axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 501,281, filed May 10, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to a gripper, specifically a gripper for removing a needle shield from needles connected around it, an injection device including such a gripper, and a method of using such a gripper for removing a needle shield.

[0003] Drug delivery devices have been developed to enable a user to self-administer drugs via injection. Many of these injection needles are provided with a type of removable needle cover assembly that includes a needle shield, also known as a rigid needle cover or rigid needle shield (RNS).

[0004] These needle shields cover the needle to prevent needle stick accidents and maintain the sterility of the needle before use. Many examples of needle shields are pressed onto the needle and frictionally engage with a delivery device that holds the needle hub or needle shield in place to cover the needle. The interior of the needle shield may be made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). This can serve to provide and maintain a good seal between the needle shield and the delivery device. However, providing a reliable seal can pose problems when the user removes the needle shield before use, especially for users with less dexterous hands.

[0005] Devices have been developed that can receive or store syringes or cartridges equipped with attached needles, protected by a robust needle shield. These devices may include a removable cap containing a gripping device or mechanism such that, when the cap is removed, it engages with and pulls the needle shield away from the needle, allowing the device to be ready for immediate use. Many different needle shield designs exist, and gripping devices may be specialized for specific designs. [Overview of the Initiative] [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a gripper including a gripper body, the gripper body extending around an opening through which a first axis extends and defining the opening, the opening being located within the opening plane, the gripper further including a plurality of teeth, each tooth extending toward the first axis along a tooth axis, each tooth including a root and a body portion, the body portion including a planar tip, the root connecting the tooth to the gripper body and defining a region around it in which the tooth can be elastically bent relative to the body, and the planar tip being elastically biased to an initial position in a plane in which the planar tip of each tooth is offset from the opening plane along the first axis.

[0007] While grippers are specifically intended for use in injection devices to remove needle shields from needles connected around them, grippers can be used to grasp other objects. For example, when using a gripper to grasp a needle shield, the needle shield can be inserted through the opening along a first axis. To insert the needle shield through the opening, the needle shield is moved relative to the gripper along the first axis. This movement causes the outer surface of the needle shield to contact the teeth. With the teeth in their initial position, the needle shield may not be able to pass between the teeth. The teeth terminate away from the first axis, defining an internal opening. Note that the movement along the first axis may be parallel to the first axis. The planar tip of each tooth may be in a plane substantially parallel to the opening surface.

[0008] This arrangement can provide greater flexibility when positioning the gripper within the device, for example, within the device cap, so the gripper may be positioned to pass through the opening before the needle shield contacts the tooth during use. While the gripper could be positioned so that it contacts the tooth before the needle shield passes through the opening, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this arrangement may provide less flexibility in positioning.

[0009] The offset of the offset surface and the opening surface may be at least 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, or at least 2 mm. The maximum dimensions of the body, for example, the radius of a circular body, may be at least 10 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, or at least 17 mm, and may be less than 20 mm.

[0010] The insertion force further causes relative motion of the gripper and needle shield in a first direction along the first axis, which causes the teeth to bend away from their initial positions at the root. By bending the teeth at the root, the planar tips move away from the root so that the needle shield can pass between them. If the needle shield has passed through the opening before contacting the tooth, the planar tips also move away from the opening. The size of the internal opening increases as the teeth move away from the root so that the needle shield can pass between them. By elastically biasing the teeth toward their initial positions, the teeth remain in contact with the outer surface of the needle shield, which prevents the needle shield from being pulled out of the gripper in the opposite direction to the first direction.

[0011] By offsetting the planar tip from the opening, the distance between the contact point between the needle shield and the planar tip, and the root intended to elastically bend around that point, is increased, reducing the force required to insert the needle shield through the gripper. The angle at which the force acts is also modified to facilitate the insertion of the needle shield.

[0012] The portion of each tooth that contacts the needle shield may be the contact end of the tooth. Resistance to or inhibition of pulling out the needle shield may be due to friction between the contact end and the needle shield alone. In some examples, the contact end of each tooth may be shaped, for example, sharpened or include a projection, so that it penetrates into the outer surface of the needle shield to provide or generate a mechanical feature that inhibits pulling the needle shield out of the gripper in the direction opposite to the first direction.

[0013] By offsetting the planar tip of the tooth from the opening, the force required to insert the needle shield into the gripper and the force with which the tooth can resist the withdrawal of the needle shield are altered. The planar tip may be offset in a first direction from the opening so that it passes the opening before contacting the tooth, as this can reduce the insertion force and increase the force resisting withdrawal during insertion.

[0014] Reducing the insertion force can expedite the assembly of the device, including the gripper, while increasing the pull-out resistance reduces the risk of the needle shield being accidentally pulled out of the gripper during use.

[0015] A gripper may be included in the delivery device. The gripper may be fixed inside a cap which is to be removed from the delivery device body before use. The cap may be fixed inside the cap so as to be movable, for example, so as to be slidable and / or rotatable relative to the cap. The device may be freely rotatable relative to the cap or rotatable only within a certain range of angles. The device may slide relative to the cap within a predetermined linear range. The device may be an injection device, such as an autoinjector, which includes a syringe or cartridge to which a needle protected by a needle shield may be connected. The needle may be integrally formed with the syringe or cartridge or may be releasably connected to the syringe or cartridge.

[0016] The syringe or cartridge may be positioned within the delivery device body such that, during the assembly of the delivery device, the needle shield is inserted into the gripper and retained within the gripper. If the gripper is fixed within the cap of the delivery device, retaining the needle shield within the gripper means that when the cap is removed before use of the delivery device, the needle shield is also removed, thereby enclosing the needle to be used.

[0017] The gripper body may have any suitable shape. The gripper body may have a regular external shape, such as circular or polygonal, or it may have an irregular shape. A regular shape, especially a circular body or a polygon with seven or more sides, may facilitate the rotation of the gripper relative to the cap, which may help reduce the risk of coring the safety shield by the needle.

[0018] The gripper body defines the opening within the opening surface. The gripper body may extend around the entire periphery of the opening, or the body may include cracks or fissures that enclose most of the opening but not all of it. The shape of the outer periphery of the body may substantially match the shape of the outer periphery of the opening, for example, both may be circular.

[0019] The opening is located within the opening plane, and at least a portion of the gripper body may also be located within the opening plane. The gripper body may be substantially planar, such as a substantially flat portion that may simplify the body's manufacture. The gripper body may include an outer peripheral wall extending therefrom at an angle, which may increase the body's flexibility. The outer peripheral wall may extend substantially perpendicular to the gripper body. The outer peripheral wall may extend along a first axis and may be formed on only one side of the body, which may be the same side of the body to which the planar tip of the teeth is offset. The outer peripheral wall may extend substantially parallel to the first axis. The outer peripheral wall may extend around the entire circumference of the gripper body.

[0020] The first axis extends through the opening and may be substantially perpendicular to the opening surface. The first axis may be substantially at the center of the opening.

[0021] The teeth may extend from the root toward the first axis. The root connects the teeth to the body. At least a portion of the root may be within the opening. The root may be placed on the inner circumference of the body defining the opening, as this may simplify the manufacture of the gripper.

[0022] The body of a tooth extends away from the root and includes a planar apex. The body of each tooth may have any suitable shape and may include ridges, steps, or other features that may alter the rigidity of the body. The bodies of multiple teeth may each have the same shape.

[0023] During use, the body of the tooth may be in contact with a needle shield inserted through an opening in the gripper body. The insertion force forces the teeth apart by bending their roots from their initial positions, thereby moving their planar tips apart so that the needle shield can pass between them. The roots are elastically deformable so that the teeth are elastically biased to their initial positions.

[0024] The root of each tooth may be constricted or narrowed to facilitate the bending of the tooth around the root. Constricting a tooth involves narrowing the tooth material to create a narrowed constricted area. The narrowing may be the thickness of the material along the first axis, or it may be perpendicular to the first axis and tooth axis so that the width of the tooth is narrowed at the root. Narrowing perpendicular to the first axis and tooth axis so that the width of the tooth is narrowed at the root may simplify the manufacture of the gripper. Each tooth may be widest between the root and the tooth end perpendicular to the first axis and tooth axis.

[0025] The width of the tooth perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis may be reduced toward the first axis along at least a portion of the tooth body. For example, the width may taper from the root toward the contact end along the tooth axis.

[0026] The gripper body may be a polygon with an annular shape or a hole passing therethrough, for example, a polygon with seven or more sides. The shape of the hole passing therethrough may match the outer shape of the body.

[0027] The gripper body may further include a peripheral wall extending from the outer periphery of the body around the outer periphery of the body. The peripheral wall may be separated from the body along the first axis, or may extend at any non-zero angle from the gripper body since this may enhance the flexural resistance of the gripper body. The peripheral wall may extend substantially parallel to the first axis. The peripheral wall may extend substantially around the entire gripper body.

[0028] The body portion of each tooth may include an intermediate portion between the root and the tip. The intermediate portion may be substantially planar and may be offset along the first axis from the opening surface. This may result in an intermediate portion arranged such that when the planar tip is in the initial position, the intermediate portion is positioned between the opening surface and the tip.

[0029] Each tooth may include at least one step where the tip is offset along the first axis from the root. The step is a shape of the tooth that is discontinuous rather than a smooth curve. For example, a part of the step may extend at an angle of at least 45°, at least 55°, at least 65°, at least 75° to the opening surface, or may extend substantially parallel to the first axis.

[0030] Each tooth may include a first step where the intermediate portion is offset along the first axis from the root, and may include a second step where the tip is offset along the first axis from the intermediate portion. Each step may include a part substantially parallel to the first axis when the planar tip is in the initial position.

[0031] Any suitable number of teeth may be present, such as three teeth, four teeth, five teeth, or six teeth. Since this may reduce the unbalanced force applied to the needle shield, the plurality of teeth may be substantially equally distributed around the opening.

[0032] The flat tip may include a contact end that contacts the outer surface of the needle shield during use. The contact end may be curved or polyhedral around the first axis, such that it is substantially a constant distance from there.

[0033] The gripper may be manufactured by any suitable method, such as casting or molding, and may be manufactured from any suitable material, such as metal, plastic, or a combination of materials. The gripper may be made from metal, or it may be manufactured by stamping a metal sheet. The gripper may be manufactured as a single, standalone component.

[0034] The body of each tooth may include a rigid ridge to enhance the flexibility of the body. Since the rigid ridge is intended for the tooth to bend within the root, it does not need to extend into the root, or at least not into the constricted part of the root.

[0035] The present invention further includes a method for removing a needle shield from around a needle using a gripper, the gripper being as described in any one of claims 1 to 19, the method comprising: inserting a portion of the needle and needle shield through an opening of a gripper such that the needle shield contacts a plurality of teeth and forces them away from their initial positions; continuing to insert the needle and needle shield through the opening of the gripper such that the contact ends of the tips of the teeth engage with the side walls of the needle shield; and pulling the needle out of the opening, the teeth exerting a retaining force on the needle shield to separate it from the needle as it is pulled out.

[0036] The gripper may be installed as part of the injection device, for example, inside the cap of an auto-injector.

[0037] Next, the present invention will be described only as an example with reference to the following drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view is shown through the gripper. [Figure 2] A plan view of the gripper is shown. [Figure 3] A series of side views of a gripper in use are shown. [Figure 4] A series of side views of a gripper in use are shown. [Figure 5] A series of side views of a gripper in use are shown. [Figure 6] A schematic cross-sectional view is shown, including the side walls and intermediate section, passing through the gripper. [Figure 7] A schematic cross-sectional view is shown, passing through the gripper, including the side walls, intermediate section, and shaped contact section. [Figure 8] A plan view of the gripper, including the side walls, is shown. [Figure 9] A perspective view of the gripper, including the side walls, is shown. [Figure 10] A plan view of a gripper with an intermediate section and side walls is shown. [Figure 11] A perspective view of a gripper with an intermediate section and side walls is shown. [Figure 12] A plan view of a gripper with a rigid ridge is shown. [Figure 13] A perspective view of a gripper with a rigid ridge is shown. [Figure 14] This diagram shows a gripper in use within an injection device. [Figure 15] This diagram shows a gripper in use within an injection device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0039] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the gripper 1, and Figure 2 shows a plan view of the gripper 1 in Figure 1. The gripper 1 includes a gripper body 2 that extends around an opening 4 through which a first axis 6 extends, defining the opening 4. The opening 4 is located within the opening surface 8.

[0040] The gripper 1 further includes a plurality of teeth 10. Each tooth 10 extends along the tooth axis 12 toward the first axis 6. Each tooth includes a root portion 14 and a body portion 16, the body portion including a planar tip portion 18.

[0041] The root portion 14 connects the teeth to the gripper body 2 and includes a waiting area around which the teeth 10 can be elastically bent relative to the gripper body 2. In this example, the root portion 14 may be located within the opening surface 8. The planar tip portions 18 are elastically biased to an initial position where the planar tip portion 18 of each tooth is located within an offset surface 20 offset from the opening surface 8 along the first axis 6.

[0042] The gripper body 2 completely encloses the opening 4. The opening 4 is defined by the inner circumference 22 of the gripper body 2. The teeth 10 extend from the inner circumference 22 of the gripper body 2 toward the first axis 6. The root portion 14 connects each tooth body 16 to the inner circumference 22 of the gripper body 2.

[0043] The root portion 14 includes a constricted or narrowed region adjacent to the inner circumference 22 of the gripper body 2. The root portion 14 also includes a root step 24 extending along the first axis 6 to offset the planar tip portion 18 from the opening surface 8.

[0044] Each tooth 10 extends along the tooth axis 12 toward the first axis 6. The contact surfaces 26 are located at the distal end of each planar tip 18, but are set to recede from the first axis 6 in order to define an internal opening 28 around the first axis 6. The contact surfaces 25 of each tooth 10 are curved or include multiple lines so that the contact surfaces 26 remain at a substantially constant distance from the first axis 6.

[0045] Figures 3, 4, and 5 show a series of side views of the gripper 101 in use. The gripper 101 is similar to gripper 1 in Figure 1, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with 100 added. The gripper 101 includes a body 102 defining an opening 104 and teeth 110 defining an internal opening 128. The teeth 110 include a root 114 that connects to the body 102. The insertion direction is indicated by arrow 30, which passes through the opening surface 108 and then through the offset surface 120.

[0046] In Figure 4, the gripper 101 is shown with a needle shield 32 inserted through an opening 104. The needle shield 32 protects the needle 34 which is placed on the syringe 36. The needle 34 includes a needle body 38 and a needle tip 40 extending therefrom.

[0047] As the needle shield 32 is inserted through the gripper 101, the front end 42 of the needle shield 32 comes into contact with the tooth 110, and as it moves further in the insertion direction, the tooth 110 is deflected through the elastic deformation of the root 114. This elastic deflection enlarges the internal opening 128 so that it is large enough for the needle shield 32 to pass through. As the needle shield 32 passes through the internal opening 128, the contact end 126 of the tooth 110 moves away from the opening surface 108 and slides along the outer surface of the needle shield 32.

[0048] By inserting the needle shield 32 through the gripper, the flat tip portion 118 is deflected by an angle of 42 away from the offset surface 120.

[0049] By removing the needle shield 32 from the gripper 101, resistance is provided by the interaction between the contact end 126 and the needle shield 32. Through the interaction between the contact end 126 and the needle shield 32, applying a removal force to the needle shield 32, for example by applying a removal force to the syringe 36, should tend to pull the teeth 110 back to their original positions. By pulling the teeth 110 back to their original positions, the size of the internal opening is reduced, thus increasing the interaction force between the contact end 126 and the needle shield 32.

[0050] Since the teeth 110 are inclined with respect to the offset surface 120, the teeth act to resist the removal of the needle shield 32 from the gripper 110.

[0051] Figure 5 shows the gripper 101 and needle shield 32 after the syringe 36 and needle 38 have been removed.

[0052] Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the gripper 201, including the side wall 44 and the intermediate section 46. The gripper 201 is similar to gripper 1 in Figure 1, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with the addition of 200.

[0053] The gripper 201 includes a side wall 44 extending from the gripper body 202 in a direction along the first axis 206. The side wall 44 extends substantially parallel to the first axis 206 and thus may increase the rigidity of the gripper body 202 against bending.

[0054] Each tooth 210 includes an intermediate portion 46 positioned between the root portion 214 and the planar tip portion 218. The intermediate portion 46 may include an intermediate planar portion 48 and an intermediate step 50. The root step 224 provides a first step that offsets the intermediate portion 46 from the opening surface 220 along the first axis 26. The intermediate portion 46 includes an intermediate planar portion 48 and an intermediate step 50. The intermediate step 50 provides a second step that offsets the planar tip portion 218 from the intermediate portion 46 along the first axis.

[0055] The intermediate portion 46 is positioned between the root portion 214 and the planar tip portion 218. Since the intermediate portion 46 includes a substantially planar intermediate portion 48 that is offset from the opening surface 220 along the first axis 206, when the planar tip portion 218 is in its initial position, the intermediate planar portion 48 is positioned between the opening surface 220 and the planar tip portion 218.

[0056] Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through gripper 301. Gripper 301 is similar to gripper 201 in Figure 6, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with 100 added.

[0057] Gripper 301 differs from gripper 201 in that it includes a contact end 326 shaped with a flat tip 318. In this example, the contact end 326 is sharpened so that it can more easily bite into the surface of the needle shield 32, increasing the engagement between the contact end 326 and the shield 32. The contact end 326 may be shaped to include sharp parts, protrusions or other features to increase the engagement between the contact end 326 and the shield 32.

[0058] Figures 8 and 9 show a plan view and a perspective view of gripper 401. Gripper 401 is similar to gripper 1 in Figure 1, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with the addition of 400.

[0059] The gripper 401 includes an annular body 402 that encloses an opening 404 through which a first shaft 406 passes. The teeth 410 extend into the opening from the body 402 toward the first shaft 406. The root 414 includes a constriction, one example of which is shown as 54 on one tooth 410. The constriction 54 is narrower than a portion 56 of the body 416 of the tooth 410 that is positioned between the root 414 and the contact end 426. The portion 56 of the tooth that is wider than the constriction 54 is at the end of the root step 424.

[0060] Gripper 401 differs from gripper 1 in that it includes a surrounding side wall 52.

[0061] Figures 10 and 11 show a plan view and a perspective view of the gripper 501. The gripper 501 is similar to the gripper 201 in Figure 6, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with the addition of 300.

[0062] The gripper 501 differs from the gripper 401 in that it includes an annular body 502 surrounding the opening 504, and each tooth 510 includes an intermediate portion 346 positioned between the root portion 514 and the planar tip portion 518.

[0063] Figures 12 and 13 show a plan view and a perspective view of the gripper 601. The gripper 601 is similar to the gripper 401 in Figure 8, and similar features are referred to by the same numbering with the addition of 200.

[0064] Each tooth 610 includes a rigid ridge 58 extending along the tooth 610. The rigid ridge 58 begins at the root step 624, extends along the planar tip 618, and terminates before reaching the contact end 626. In this example, the ridge 58 is formed by deformation extending away from the opening surface, but it can also be formed by increasing the thickness of the material to produce a ridge directed toward the opening surface.

[0065] Figures 14 and 15 show the gripper 701 in use within the injection device 60. The syringe 60 includes a cap 62 and a body 64, the body containing a syringe 66. The cap 62 includes a connecting block 68 to which the gripper 701 is connected.

[0066] The gripper 701 has a needle shield 70 inserted through the opening 704 so that the syringe 60 is assembled before use. The needle shield 70 protects the needle 72 which is placed on the syringe 66. The needle 72 includes a needle body 72 and a needle tip 76 extending therefrom.

[0067] In this example, the gripper 701 connected to the connecting block 68 can rotate relative to the cap 62, thereby reducing the risk of the needle tip penetrating the needle shield.

[0068] As the cap 62 is removed from the body of the syringe 60, the syringe 66 moves away from the cap 62, and as a result, a removing force is applied to the needle shield 70 in an attempt to remove it from the gripper 701. The gripper 701 is connected to the cap 62, and the gripper 701 resists removing the needle shield 70 from the gripper 701. Thus, by removing the cap 62 from the body, the needle shield 70 is separated from the needle 72 while the needle shield 70 remains inside the cap 62.

[0069] [Implementation Method] (1) A gripper comprising a gripper body, the gripper body extending around an opening through which a first axis extends and defining the opening, the opening being located within the opening plane, the gripper further comprising a plurality of teeth, each tooth extending toward the first axis along a tooth axis, each tooth comprising a root and a body portion, the body portion comprising a planar tip, the root connecting the tooth to the gripper body and defining a region around it in which the tooth can be elastically bent relative to the body, and the planar tip being elastically biased to an initial position in a plane offset from the opening plane along the first axis for the planar tip of each tooth. (2) The gripper according to Embodiment 1, wherein the opening surface is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. (3) The gripper according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the root portion of each tooth is constricted around the root to promote the bending of the tooth. (4) The gripper according to Embodiment 3, wherein the root portion is constricted in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis. (5) The gripper according to Embodiment 4, wherein each tooth is widest between the root and the end of the tooth in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis.

[0070] (6) The gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the width of the tooth perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis is reduced toward the first axis along at least a portion of the tooth body. (7) The gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the gripper body is annular. (8) The gripper according to Embodiment 7, wherein the gripper body further includes a peripheral wall extending from the outer circumference of the body, the peripheral wall extending away from the body along the first axis. (9) The gripper according to Embodiment 8, wherein the peripheral wall extends parallel to the first axis. (10) A gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the body portion of each tooth includes an intermediate portion between the root and the tip, the intermediate portion being substantially planar and offset along the first axis from the opening surface such that the intermediate portion is positioned between the opening surface and the tip when the planar tip is in the initial position.

[0071] (11) A gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein each tooth includes at least one step that offsets the tip from the root along the first axis. (12) The gripper according to Embodiment 10, wherein each tooth includes a first step that offsets the intermediate portion from the root along the first axis, and a second step that offsets the tip portion from the intermediate portion along the first axis. (13) The gripper according to embodiment 11 or 12, wherein the above or each of the steps is substantially parallel to the first axis when the planar tip is in the initial position. (14) A gripper according to any of embodiments 1 to 13, having four teeth. (15) A gripper according to any of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the plurality of teeth are distributed substantially equally around the opening.

[0072] (16) The gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the tip portion includes a contact end, the contact end being curved around the first axis. (17) The gripper is a gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 16, which is formed of metal. (18) The gripper is formed as a single structure, as described in any of embodiments 1 to 17. (19) The gripper according to any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the main body portion of each tooth includes a rigid ridge. (20) A method for removing a needle shield from around a needle using a gripper, wherein the gripper is described in any of embodiments 1 to 19, the method comprising: inserting a portion of the needle and needle shield through the opening of the gripper such that the needle shield contacts the plurality of teeth and forces them away from the initial position; continuing to insert the needle and needle shield through the opening of the gripper such that the contact ends of the tips of the teeth engage with the side walls of the needle shield; and pulling the needle out of the opening, wherein the teeth exert a retaining force on the needle shield to separate it from the needle as it is pulled out.

Claims

1. A gripper comprising a gripper body, the gripper body extending around an opening through which a first axis extends and defining the opening, the opening being located within the opening plane, the gripper further comprising a plurality of teeth, each tooth extending toward the first axis along a tooth axis, each tooth comprising a root portion and a body portion, the body portion comprising a planar tip portion, the root portion connecting the tooth to the gripper body and defining a region around it in which the tooth can be elastically bent relative to the body, and the planar tip portion being elastically biased to an initial position in a plane offset from the opening plane along the first axis for the planar tip portion of each tooth.

2. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the opening surface is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

3. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the root portion of each tooth is constricted around the root to promote the bending of the tooth.

4. The gripper according to claim 3, wherein the root portion is constricted in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis.

5. The gripper according to claim 4, wherein each tooth is widest between the root and the end of the tooth in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis.

6. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the width of the tooth perpendicular to the first axis and the tooth axis is reduced toward the first axis along at least a portion of the tooth body.

7. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the gripper body is annular.

8. The gripper according to claim 7, wherein the gripper body further includes a peripheral wall extending from the outer circumference of the body, the peripheral wall extending away from the body along the first axis.

9. The gripper according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral wall extends parallel to the first axis.

10. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the body portion of each tooth includes an intermediate portion between the root and the tip, the intermediate portion being substantially planar and offset along the first axis from the opening surface such that the intermediate portion is positioned between the opening surface and the tip when the planar tip is in the initial position.

11. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein each tooth includes at least one step that offsets the tip from the root along the first axis.

12. The gripper according to claim 10, wherein each tooth includes a first step that offsets the intermediate portion from the root along the first axis, and a second step that offsets the tip portion from the intermediate portion along the first axis.

13. The gripper according to claim 11, wherein the aforementioned or each of the steps is substantially parallel to the first axis when the planar tip is in the initial position.

14. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein four teeth are present.

15. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of teeth are distributed substantially equally around the opening.

16. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the tip portion includes a contact end, and the contact end is curved around the first axis.

17. The gripper is formed from metal, as described in claim 1.

18. The gripper is formed as a single structure, according to claim 1.

19. The gripper according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion of each tooth includes a rigid ridge.

20. A method for removing a needle shield from around a needle using a gripper, wherein the gripper is as described in any one of claims 1 to 19, the method comprising: inserting a portion of the needle and needle shield through the opening of the gripper such that the needle shield contacts a plurality of teeth and forces them apart from their initial positions; continuing to insert the needle and needle shield through the opening of the gripper such that the contact ends of the tips of the teeth engage with the side walls of the needle shield; and pulling the needle out of the opening, wherein the teeth exert a retaining force on the needle shield to separate it from the needle as it is pulled out.

Images