Puncture needle with protector

Abstract

To provide a puncture needle with a protector of a new structure capable of solving any one of the problems inherent in a puncture needle with a protector of a conventional structure.SOLUTION: There is provided a puncture needle 10 with a protector. The protector 14 is tiltably supported by a needle hub 18 of a puncture needle 12, and the protector 14 is provided with a storage groove 40 that is opened toward the puncture needle 12 in a tilting direction and stores the puncture needle 12. Each internal surface of two side walls 44 and 44 of the storage groove 40 in the protector 14 is formed with a reinforcement rib 52 / 52 extending toward a groove opening side from a groove bottom part, and each of the reinforcement ribs 52 and 52 is provided with a concave part 54 / 54 opened to the internal surface of each side wall 44 / 44. Two sides in a radial direction of an outer peripheral part of a cap 30 enter each concave part 54 / 54 of each reinforcement rib 52 / 52, and are locked so as to keep a tilting position of the protector 14 in an unused state before the cap 30 is removed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a puncture needle with a protector, which includes a protector for protecting the puncture needle after the puncture needle is punctured into a blood vessel.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, puncture needles provided with a protector for protecting the puncture needle after use have been known for the purpose of preventing accidental puncture, reuse, or facilitating disposal. Such a puncture needle with a protector is proposed, for example, in International Publication No. 2016 / 002389 (Patent Document 1).

[0003] By the way, the puncture needle with a protector described in Patent Document 1 includes a protector (sheath 20 in Patent Document 1) for protecting the puncture needle after use, and also includes a cap (protector 18 in Patent Document 1) for protecting the puncture needle before use.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the puncture needle with a protector described in Patent Document 1, a positioning mechanism for the protector before use was not provided. Therefore, there was a risk that the protector would be displaced so as to protrude greatly outward during transportation, packaging, etc., which would interfere with operations such as transportation and packaging.

[0006] In addition, when using the puncture needle with a protector described in Patent Document 1, a complicated operation of tilting the protector away from the cap in the tilting direction and then removing the cap is required, and an improvement in operability has been demanded.

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve any one of the problems inherent in a puncture needle with a protector having a conventional structure, such as being able to avoid the protector protruding largely outward before use or being able to improve the operability, and to provide a puncture needle with a protector having a novel structure.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for understanding the present invention will be described. However, each of the embodiments described below is described exemplarily, and not only can they be adopted in appropriate combinations with each other, but also with respect to the plurality of components described in each embodiment, they can be recognized and adopted independently as much as possible, and can also be adopted in combination with any of the components described in other embodiments as appropriate. As a result, in the present invention, various other embodiments can be realized without being limited to the embodiments described below.

[0009] The first embodiment is a puncture needle with a protector in which a cap for covering the puncture needle before use is removably attached, and a protector for covering the puncture needle after use is provided. The protector is tiltably supported by the needle hub of the puncture needle, and the protector is provided with a receiving groove that opens toward the puncture needle in the tilting direction and accommodates the puncture needle. On each inner surface of both side walls of the receiving groove in the protector, reinforcing ribs extending from the groove bottom toward the groove opening side are formed. On each of the reinforcing ribs, recesses opening to the inner surface of each side wall are provided. By inserting and locking both radial sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap into each of the recesses of each of the reinforcing ribs, the tilting position of the protector in the unused state before the cap is removed is maintained.

[0010] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this embodiment, before use when the cap has not been removed, the tilting position of the protector can be maintained and the protector can be prevented from being displaced unintentionally. As a result, it is possible to avoid the protector protruding largely outward in the state before use, and it is possible to facilitate operations such as transportation and packaging.

[0011] In addition, simply providing a reinforcing rib on the inner surface of the side wall of the protector to suppress the collapse deformation or the like of the side wall may cause the reinforcing rib to contact the outer peripheral portion of the cap, causing the side wall of the protector to expand outward. When the side wall of the protector is deformed outward and is deformed, there may be a problem in protecting the puncture needle by the protector after use. Here, in this aspect, a concave portion is provided on the inner surface of the side wall, and the outer peripheral portion of the cap enters the concave portion, thereby reducing the pressing force acting on the outer side in the facing direction of the side wall by the outer peripheral portion of the cap, while effectively using the reinforcing rib to realize the function of holding the tilting position of the cap before use. Therefore, for example, even when stored for a long period of time, the deformation or the like of the side wall can be avoided.

[0012] The second aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to the first aspect, wherein the concave portion is constituted by a through hole penetrating the side wall of the accommodation groove in the thickness direction.

[0013] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, since the cap can be visually recognized from the outside through the through hole, it is easy to determine that the cap and the protector are in a locked state.

[0014] The third aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to the first or second aspect, wherein, in the protector, second reinforcing ribs are formed on the inner surfaces of both side walls of the accommodation groove, extending from the groove bottom toward the groove opening side, on the tip side of the reinforcing rib. By the end portion on the groove opening side of the second reinforcing rib contacting the outer peripheral portion of the cap, the tilting of the protector in the direction approaching the puncture needle in the unused state before the cap is removed is restricted.

[0015] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, the reinforcing effect of the protector is improved by the second reinforcing rib. In addition to the effect of holding the tilting position of the protector by the concave portion provided on the reinforcing rib, the displacement of the protector in the unused state can be more reliably prevented by the tilting restriction effect of the second reinforcing rib.

[0016] The fourth aspect is a puncture needle with a protector, in which a cap that covers the puncture needle before use is removably attached, and a protector that covers the puncture needle after use is provided. The protector is tiltably supported by the needle hub of the puncture needle, and the protector is provided with a receiving groove that opens toward the puncture needle in the tilting direction and accommodates the puncture needle. On the other hand, through holes that open to the inner and outer surfaces are formed on both side walls of the receiving groove in the protector. Both radial sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap inserted into the receiving groove enter and are locked to the openings of the through holes into the receiving groove, so that the tilting position of the protector in the unused state before the cap is removed is maintained.

[0017] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, the tilting position of the protector can be maintained and the protector can be prevented from being displaced unintentionally before use when the cap is not removed. As a result, it is possible to avoid the protector protruding largely outward in the state before use, and it is possible to facilitate operations such as transportation and packaging.

[0018] In particular, by skillfully utilizing the relationship between the through hole provided in the side wall of the protector and the outer peripheral shape of the cap that protrudes outward, it is possible to realize the holding of the protector at a specific tilting position before use with a simple structure. That is, the through hole for holding the cap can be easily formed by molding, and it is also easy to form a corner at the opening edge of the through hole, so that the locking between the cap and the protector can be realized more stably. In addition, it can be easily determined whether or not the cap and the protector are in a locked state through the through hole.

[0019] A fifth aspect is a puncture needle with a protector, in which a cap covering the puncture needle before use is removably attached, and a protector for covering the puncture needle after use is provided. The protector is tiltably supported by a needle hub of the puncture needle, and a receiving groove is provided in the protector that opens toward the puncture needle in the tilting direction and receives the puncture needle. On the inner surfaces of both side walls of the receiving groove in the protector, first and second positioning protrusions are provided that are spaced apart in the tilting direction of the protector. By positioning both radial sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap inserted into the receiving groove between the first positioning protrusion and the second positioning protrusion, the tilting position of the protector in the unused state before the cap is removed is maintained without the expanding force on the receiving groove being exerted by the contact reaction force of both side walls of the receiving groove of the protector on both radial sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap inserted into the receiving groove.

[0020] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, the tilting position of the protector can be maintained and the protector can be prevented from being displaced unintentionally before use when the cap is not removed. As a result, it is possible to avoid the protector protruding significantly outward in the state before use, making it easier to perform operations such as transportation and packaging.

[0021] In particular, when the tilting position of the protector is maintained before use, the action of the expanding force on the side wall of the receiving groove is avoided. Thus, for example, even when stored for a long period, an abnormal shape is prevented from being formed on the side wall, and it can be maintained in a predetermined shape. Therefore, for example, even when the cap is removed and the puncture needle is protected by the protector, it is possible to more stably obtain the protective effect of the protector on the puncture needle. In particular, in a configuration where both side walls are involved in the protective action of the protector on the puncture needle, it is possible to more stably obtain the protective effect of the protector on the puncture needle.

[0022] The sixth aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein in the cap, an outer peripheral portion that is inserted into the accommodation groove of the protector has a cylindrical shape.

[0023] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, it is not necessary to align the cap and the protector in the circumferential direction, and the tilting position of the protector can be maintained regardless of the circumferential position of the cap.

[0024] The seventh aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein in the protector, a contact portion that contacts the outer peripheral portion of the cap extends parallel to the central axis of the cap at the tilting position of the protector in the unused state before the cap is removed, and a pair of them are spaced apart from each other in the tilting direction, and the outer peripheral portion of the cap enters between the pair of contact portions, whereby the tilting position of the protector is maintained.

[0025] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, the cap and the protector can be made to contact substantially line by line. For example, compared with the case where the cap and the protector are made to contact point by point, the length dimension of the contact portion between the cap and the protector can be ensured to be large, so that the holding force for the tilting position of the protector can be improved.

[0026] The eighth aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein a tilting position positioning mechanism for positioning the tilting position of the protector at a puncturing position away from the puncture needle and a protecting position covering the puncture needle is provided.

[0027] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, the puncturing position and the protecting position of the protector can be set more stably at specific positions in consideration of functions such as the compact performance in the storage state and the performance of avoiding obstacles to the operation during puncturing.

[0028] The ninth aspect is a puncture needle with a protector, in which a cap that covers the puncture needle before use is detachably attached, and a protector that covers the puncture needle from the side after use is tiltably provided. A contact protrusion that contacts the protector when the cap is pulled out is provided on the cap. When the cap is pulled out, the contact protrusion contacts the cap to exert a pulling force, so that the protector is tilted to a tilted position away from the cap.

[0029] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, during use, the protector held at the approaching position to the cap before use can be automatically tilted to the puncturing position away from the cap simply by pulling out the cap. Therefore, for example, during use, the operator does not need to perform the cumbersome two-step operation of tilting the protector and then removing the cap, which improves the operability and enables rapid treatment.

[0030] The tenth aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to the ninth aspect, in which the protector is connected to the needle hub of the puncture needle by an elastic hinge in which the puncturing position away from the puncture needle is a stable position.

[0031] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, before use, the elastic hinge is elastically deformed to hold the protector at the tilted position approaching the cap. During use, when the cap is removed, the protector can be automatically displaced to the stable position (puncturing position) separated from the puncture needle according to the elastic restoring deformation of the elastic hinge. Note that in this aspect, the elastic hinge may have only the puncturing position as the stable position, or may have another stable position at a position other than the puncturing position.

[0032] The eleventh aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to the ninth or tenth aspect, in which the contact protrusion of the cap is constituted by a flange-like portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface on the proximal end side of the cap.

[0033] According to the puncture needle with a protector of the present aspect, it is possible to eliminate the need for circumferential alignment of the cap, and it is also possible to improve the strength on the proximal end side of the cap by utilizing the abutting projection.

[0034] A twelfth aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to any one of the ninth to eleventh aspects, wherein the protector is provided with a receiving groove for receiving and covering the puncture needle from the side after use, and an engaging projection that protrudes from the inner surface of at least one side wall of the receiving groove and against which the abutting projection abuts as the cap is pulled out is provided.

[0035] According to the puncture needle with a protector of the present aspect, by forming the engaging projection against which the abutting projection abuts on the inner surface of the receiving groove of the protector, compared with the case where the abutting projection is abutted against, for example, the end surface on the proximal end side of the receiving groove of the protector, it is possible to appropriately set the abutting position of the abutting projection regardless of the outer shape of the protector.

[0036] A thirteenth aspect is the puncture needle with a protector according to the twelfth aspect, wherein at the holding position of the protector approaching the cap before use, the engaging projection of the protector extends toward the opening side of the receiving groove beyond the abutting position against the abutting projection by pulling out the cap, and even after the cap starts to move by a pulling operation and the protector starts to tilt, the abutting projection is abutted against the engaging projection in a movement region of a predetermined length in the pulling direction of the cap.

[0037] According to the puncture needle with a protector of this aspect, even when the contact position of the contact protrusion with respect to the protector changes as the tilting of the protector progresses due to the pulling out of the cap, the contact state of the contact protrusion with the protector is maintained, so that the tilting force exerted on the protector based on the contact can be maintained. In short, it becomes possible to continuously exert the tilting force exerted on the protector when pulling out the cap not only at a single position but also over a predetermined moving position. As a result, the protector can be tilted more reliably. In addition, the engaging protrusion of the protector in this aspect only needs to be provided so as to extend toward the opening side of the accommodating groove beyond the contact position with the contact protrusion due to the pulling out of the cap, and does not necessarily need to extend continuously. It may be provided to extend intermittently and be intermittently contacted with the contact protrusion as the pulling out of the cap progresses.

Advantages of the Invention

[0038] According to the puncture needle with a protector according to the present invention, the tilting position of the protector in the unused state can be stably held, and it can be avoided from protruding greatly outward. Also, along with the operation of pulling out the cap, it becomes possible to guide the protector to a tilting position separated from the puncture needle, and at least one of the novel effects not achieved in the conventional puncture needle with a protector, such as improvement in workability, can be achieved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0040] Hereinafter, in order to more specifically clarify the present invention, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0041] First, in Figs. 1 and 2, a puncture needle 10 with a protector as one embodiment of the present invention is shown in an unused state before use. This puncture needle 10 with a protector includes a puncture needle 12 to be punctured into a blood vessel and a protector 14 to protect the puncture needle 12 after puncture. In the following description, the axial direction refers to the left-right direction in Fig. 1 which is the central axis direction of the puncture needle 12. Also, the tip side refers to the left side in Fig. 1 which is the side of the needle tip 16 (see Fig. 4) of the puncture needle 12, and the base end side refers to the right side in Fig. 1.

[0042] More specifically, the base end of the puncture needle 12 is fixed to the needle hub 18. The puncture needle 12 is a hollow needle formed of stainless steel, titanium, or the like, and has a sharp needle tip 16.

[0043] As also shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to be described later, the needle hub 18 has a generally axially extending substantially stepped cylindrical shape as a whole, and is formed of a hard synthetic resin or the like. This needle hub 18 includes a small-diameter cylindrical portion 20 on the tip side and a large-diameter cylindrical portion 22 on the base end side.

[0044] Then, the proximal end portion of the puncture needle 12 is inserted into the small-diameter cylindrical portion 20 and adhered or welded as necessary, so that the puncture needle 12 is fixed to the needle hub 18. Alternatively, the puncture needle 12 and the needle hub 18 can be integrally formed by molding the needle hub 18 with the puncture needle 12 set inside the cavity.

[0045] Also, a syringe 24 or the like filled with a chemical solution can be connected to the proximal end side of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 22, and the chemical solution in the syringe 24 can be injected into the patient's blood vessel through the puncture needle 12.

[0046] In the present embodiment, at the tip portion of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 22, a substantially plate-shaped locking projection 26 protruding to the outer peripheral side is integrally formed. In particular, in the present embodiment, a pair of locking projections 26, 26 protrude in mutually opposite directions in the radial direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 5 described later).

[0047] Note that a fixing plate portion 28 protruding to the outer peripheral side is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 20. In the present embodiment, four fixing plate portions 28 are provided at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In particular, in the present embodiment, a stepped portion is provided at the tip portion of the fixing plate portion 28. As shown in an enlarged view of the stepped portion in FIG. 4 described later, in the fixing plate portion 28, the protruding dimension to the outer peripheral side from the proximal end side toward the stepped portion is slightly increased, and the protruding dimension to the outer peripheral side is smaller on the tip side than the stepped portion. Thereby, the fixing plate portion 28 is provided with a maximum protruding portion 29 having the largest protruding dimension to the outer peripheral side at the stepped portion.

[0048] In the unused state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the puncture needle 12 is protected by a cap 30. The cap 30 has a generally bottomed cylindrical shape that opens at the proximal end side as a whole and is formed of a hard synthetic resin or the like. By inserting the small-diameter cylindrical portion 20 including the fixing plate portion 28 into the opening of the cap 30 by press-fitting or the like, the cap 30 is detachably attached to the needle hub 18 in a state of covering the puncture needle 12.

[0049] In the present embodiment, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the enlarged view of FIG. 2, a substantially annular overhanging projection 31 protruding inward is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the proximal end opening portion of the cap 30. By press-fitting the cap 30 onto the needle hub 18 so that the maximum protruding portion 29 of the fixed plate portion 28 gets over the overhanging projection 31 and engages therewith, the cap 30 is removably attached to the needle hub 18. Further, a plurality of ridges 32 extending in the axial direction are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the proximal end opening portion of the cap 30. By coming into contact with the fixed plate portion 28 in the circumferential direction, relative rotation between the needle hub 18 and the cap 30 is prevented. Furthermore, a contact projection protruding outward is provided at the proximal end opening portion of the cap 30. In the present embodiment, the contact projection is a flange-shaped portion 33 continuously extending over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction.

[0050] Here, a protector 14 is provided on the needle hub 18. In the present embodiment, the protector 14 is integrally formed with the needle hub 18. In particular, in the present embodiment, a substantially plate-shaped connecting portion 34 protruding outward from the tip portion of the needle hub 18 and the protector 14 are connected to each other by a hinge portion 38. As a result, the protector 14 is tiltably supported with respect to the needle hub 18 by the hinge portion 38. In the unused state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protector 14 extends obliquely with respect to the axial direction as will be described later.

[0051] The protector 14 has a receiving groove 40 in which the groove length dimension is larger than the groove width dimension. When the protector 14 tilts with respect to the needle hub 18 and the puncture needle 12 is received in the receiving groove 40, the puncture needle 12 is protected by the protector 14.

[0052] That is, the accommodation groove 40 includes a bottom wall 42 extending in the groove length direction and a pair of side walls 44, 44 protruding toward the puncture needle 12 from both ends in the width direction (left - right direction in FIG. 2) of the bottom wall 42, and is open toward the puncture needle 12 in the tilting direction. Note that the tip side of the accommodation groove 40 is blocked by the tip side wall portion 46. In the present embodiment, both side walls 44, 44 are curved at the middle portion in the length direction, and the distance between the opposing surfaces of both side walls 44, 44 varies in the length direction of the side wall 44. Thereby, the distance between the opposing surfaces of both side walls 44, 44 (groove width dimension of the accommodation groove 40) is made smaller at the tip side and larger at the base end side.

[0053] Note that the structure of the hinge portion 38 is not limited, but in the present embodiment, it is constituted by a spring hinge. That is, the hinge portion 38 includes a pair of connecting arms 48, 48 that can be bent as the protector 14 tilts, and a biasing arm 50 as an elastic hinge that is located between the connecting arms 48, 48 and applies a biasing force for the protector 14 to tilt. One end in the length direction of these connecting arms 48, 48 and the biasing arm 50 is connected to the base end (the end closer to the hinge portion 38) of the bottom wall 42 in the protector 14, and the other end in the length direction of the connecting arms 48, 48 and the biasing arm 50 is connected to the protruding end on the outer peripheral side of the connecting portion 34.

[0054] The connecting arm 48 has a structure in which a thin - walled portion is formed in the middle portion in the length direction of a plate - shaped member, and it can be bent around the thin - walled portion. Further, the biasing arm 50 is constituted by an elastic piece obtained by curving or bending the middle portion in the length direction of a plate - shaped member to impart elasticity. By tilting and displacing the protector 14 to elastically deform the biasing arm 50, the protector 14 is selectively positioned by being selected from a plurality of stable positions.

[0055] Here, on the inner surface of the side wall 44 of the protector 14, a reinforcing rib 52 is formed as an engaging protrusion extending from the groove bottom (bottom wall 42) toward the groove opening side. In the present embodiment, reinforcing ribs (engaging ribs) 52, 52 are provided on the inner surfaces of both side walls 44, 44. In particular, in the present embodiment, the reinforcing ribs 52, 52 are provided at the proximal end portions of the respective side walls 44, 44 and extend obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the protector 14, and are formed over the entire length from the groove bottom to the groove opening. These reinforcing ribs 52, 52 have a certain width dimension and a protruding dimension from the side walls 44, 44, and these width dimension and protruding dimension are substantially constant over the entire length.

[0056] And, in the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of each reinforcing rib 52, a recess opening to the inner surface of the side wall 44 is provided. In the present embodiment, the recess is constituted by a through hole 54 penetrating the side wall 44 in the thickness direction. That is, the through hole 54 opens to the inner and outer surfaces of the side wall 44, and the inner opening portion is provided in the accommodation groove 40. Such a through hole 54 can be formed by die molding (for example, injection molding), and thereby, in the present embodiment, the opening edge of the through hole 54 is formed by a substantially 90-degree corner portion.

[0057] The through hole 54 is formed over the entire width direction length of the reinforcing rib 52, and divides the reinforcing rib 52 into an upper rib 56 above in FIG. 1 and a lower rib 58 below in FIG. 1. In the present embodiment, in the unused state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper edge (lower edge of the upper rib 56) 60a of the through hole 54 extends with a certain length dimension substantially parallel to the axial direction (the central axis direction of the cap 30). Also, among the lower edges (upper edges of the lower rib 58) of the through hole 54, the tip side portion is a parallel portion 60b extending with a certain length dimension substantially parallel to the axial direction (the central axis direction of the cap 30), that is, substantially parallel to the upper edge 60a of the through hole 54. Note that, among the lower edges of the through hole 54, the proximal end side portion is an inclined portion 60c inclined upward toward the proximal end side, and by securing a certain dimension between the through hole 54 and a locking hole 66 described later, the strength of this portion is ensured.

[0058] In this embodiment, on the inner surfaces of the side walls 44, 44 of the protector 14, second reinforcing ribs 62, 62 extending from the groove bottom toward the groove opening are formed on the tip side of the reinforcing ribs 52, 52. Each second reinforcing rib 62 extends obliquely with respect to the length direction of the protector 14 and is formed over the entire length from the groove bottom to the groove opening. In this embodiment, each second reinforcing rib 62 extends substantially parallel to the reinforcing rib 52. Also, although the width dimension and the protruding dimension of each second reinforcing rib 62 are not limited, for example, the width dimension and the protruding dimension may gradually increase from the groove bottom toward the groove opening side.

[0059] Furthermore, a locking portion 64 protruding so as to fold back toward the groove bottom side is provided at the end portion on the groove opening side of one (the lower side in FIG. 7 to be described later) of the second reinforcing ribs 62. Still further, locking holes 66, 66 penetrating in the thickness direction are formed in the base end portions of the side walls 44, 44.

[0060] In the unused state as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protector 14 of the puncture needle 10 with a protector according to this embodiment is held by the cap 30 in a tilting position approaching the cap 30. The tilting position of the protector 14 in the unused state is shown as (N) in the figure. In FIG. 1, for example, a state where the protector 14 is positioned at a first stable position (S1) approaching the puncture needle 12 due to the elastic deformation of the biasing arm 50 is shown by a phantom line. The first stable position (S1) of the protector 14 shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example and is not limited. For example, the length direction of the protector 14 at the first stable position (S1) is inclined with respect to the axial direction, and the inclination angle is set within the range of 30 degrees to 50 degrees. However, the first stable position (S1) is not limited to the mode set by the biasing arm 50. For example, a state where the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40 (the end portion of the side wall 44 opposite to the bottom wall 42) and the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30 are in contact with each other may be the first stable position (S1).

[0061] In the first stable position (S1), by pressing the protector 14 toward the puncture needle 12 from a state where the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30 are separated from each other, the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30 come into contact with each other. In the case where the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40 and the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30 are already in contact with each other in the first stable position (S1), this operation is not necessary.

[0062] Furthermore, by pressing the protector 14 toward the puncture needle 12, the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40 is elastically deformed so as to expand outward in the groove width direction (both sides in the left - right direction in FIG. 2), and the cap 30 is inserted into the accommodation groove 40 (a pair of side walls 44, 44). When both radial - direction sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 cross over the lower ribs 58, 58 and come into contact with the upper ribs 56, 56, the lower ribs 58, 58 (the opening edge of the accommodation groove 40) elastically recover and deform.

[0063] Here, the diameter of the cap 30 is slightly larger than the distance between the opposing surfaces of the reinforcing ribs 52, 52 (the left - right direction distance in FIG. 2), and both radial - direction sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 (the portions where the radial dimension of the cap 30 is the largest) enter and are locked in the openings to the accommodation groove 40 in the through - holes 54, 54. In other words, both radial - direction sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 are sandwiched and positioned between the upper ribs 56, 56 and the lower ribs 58, 58 that are separated from each other in the tilting direction of the protector 14. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first positioning protrusions and the second positioning protrusions for positioning both radial - direction sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 are constituted by the upper ribs 56, 56 and the lower ribs 58, 58, respectively.

[0064] As a result, the protector 14 that was in the first stable position (S1) can be held at the tilting position (N) in the unused state, and the protector 14 can be positioned with a holding force greater than that in the state where it is simply positioned by the biasing arm 50 (hinge portion 38). As a result, the tilt angle of the protector 14 with respect to the axial direction in the longitudinal direction is smaller at the tilting position (N) in the unused state than at the first stable position (S1), and is set, for example, within the range of 20 degrees to 40 degrees.

[0065] In this positioning state, the lower ribs 58, 58 are restored and deformed to substantially the initial position (the position in the single-piece state of the protector 14 where the cap 30 is not locked), and the contact reaction force caused by contacting the cap 30 is substantially avoided from acting on the side walls 44, 44. That is, it is possible to avoid the expanding force from acting on the accommodation groove 40 due to the contact reaction force caused by contacting the cap 30.

[0066] And the opening edge portions of the through holes 54, 54 in the accommodation groove 40, particularly the parallel portions 60b at the upper edge 60a and the lower edge of the through holes 54, 54, extend substantially parallel to the axial direction and contact the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30, thereby holding the tilting position of the protector 14. That is, in the present embodiment, the contact portion that contacts the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 on the protector 14 is constituted by the upper edge (the lower edge of the upper rib 56) 60a of the through hole 54 and the parallel portion 60b at the lower edge (the upper edge of the lower rib 58) of the through hole 54. In other words, the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 enters between the pair of contact portions (the upper edge 60a and the parallel portion 60b), thereby holding the tilting position of the protector 14. As a result, the protector 14 is prevented from being unintentionally displaced in the direction approaching and separating from the puncture needle 12 with respect to the cap 30.

[0067] In the present embodiment, in the state where the tilting position (N) of the protector 14 is held when not in use as described above, the end portion on the groove opening side of the second reinforcing rib 62 comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30. Thereby, the tilting displacement of the protector 14 in the direction approaching the puncture needle 12 can be more reliably prevented.

[0068] When using such a puncture needle 10 with a protector in the unused state, after connecting a syringe 24 or the like to the needle hub 18 of the puncture needle 10 with a protector housed in the packaging material in the unused state, the puncture needle 10 with a protector is taken out of the packaging material. Then, the cap 30 is pulled out axially outward (leftward in FIG. 3) from the puncture needle 10 with a protector and removed. Note that FIG. 3 shows the puncture needle 10 with a protector in a state where the cap 30 is being removed, and the protector 14 and the cap 30 in the tilting position (N) in the unused state are shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0069] In the unused state, the reinforcing rib 52 is inclined with respect to the pulling-out direction (axial direction) of the cap 30. By pulling out the cap 30 axially outward (moving it toward the tip side with respect to the protector 14), the flange-like portion 33 provided at the base-end side opening portion of the cap 30 abuts against and engages with the base-end side end face 58a of the lower rib 58 in the reinforcing rib 52. Then, with the flange-like portion 33 and the lower rib 58 engaged, by further pulling out the cap 30, an external force in the tilting direction is exerted on the protector 14 so as to rotate about the contact portion by the base-end side end face 58a inclined in the pulling-out direction. As a result, the lower rib 58 gets over the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30, and the protector 14 becomes tiltable with respect to the needle hub 18. Note that, for example, the first contact position of the base-end side end face 58a of the lower rib 58 with the flange-like portion 33 may be a position somewhat separated from the groove opening of the accommodation groove 40 toward the groove bottom, that is, the lower rib 58 may extend toward the opening side of the accommodation groove 40 beyond the contact position with the flange-like portion 33 due to the pulling out of the cap 30.

[0070] With the cap 30 further pulled out in such a state, the protector 14 tilts along the inclination of the reinforcing rib 52, that is, while gradually increasing the contact area between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the proximal-end side end surface 58a of the lower rib 58, the protector 14 tilts in the direction of separating from the puncture needle 12 (cap 30) (the direction of the white arrow in FIG. 3). That is, the cap 30 moves toward the distal end side, and even after the protector 14 tilts, the contact state between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the lower rib 58 is maintained in a movement region of a predetermined length in the pulling-out direction of the cap 30. As a result, the operating force in the pulling-out direction applied to the cap 30 is converted into an external force in the tilting direction of the protector 14, and the protector 14 is caused to rise up. At the time of FIG. 3, the reinforcing rib 52 extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the axial direction, and the contact area between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the proximal-end side end surface 58a of the lower rib 58 becomes maximum. In the present embodiment, since the inclined portion 60c is provided on the proximal-end side of the upper edge of the lower rib 58 (the lower edge of the through hole 54), the area of the proximal-end side end surface 58a of the lower rib 58 is increased by the amount of this inclined portion 60c, and the flange-shaped portion 33 comes into contact with a wider area. Thereby, the operating force in the pulling-out direction applied to the cap 30 is easily transmitted to the protector 14.

[0071] However, as will be described later, the displacement of the protector 14 is performed as a series of operations, and the contact between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the proximal-end side end surface 58a of the lower rib 58, the gradual increase in the contact area, etc. are instantaneous. Also, in the unused state, even if the reinforcing rib 52 (proximal-end side end surface 58a) is not inclined with respect to the pulling-out direction of the cap 30 (even if the gradual increase in the contact area, etc. does not occur), by vigorously pulling out the protector 14, the operating force in the pulling-out direction of the cap 30 is exerted on the protector 14 by the instantaneous contact between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the lower rib 58, and the tilting displacement of the protector 14 can be achieved.

[0072] Thereafter, when the cap 30 is further pulled axially outward, and the pulling force in the pulling direction exerted by the flange-shaped portion 33 on the lower rib 58 exceeds the force required to elastically deform the biasing arm 50, the biasing arm 50 elastically deforms as the cap 30 is pulled out. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protector 14 automatically displaces and is positioned to the second stable position (S2) as the puncturing position separated from the puncturing needle 12. That is, in the present embodiment, the positioning mechanism for positioning the protector 14 at the puncturing position (S2) is particularly constituted by the biasing arm 50 at the hinge portion 38. In other words, one of the plurality of stable positions of the protector 14 selectively positioned by elastically deforming the biasing arm 50 is the puncturing position (the second stable position S2). The inclination angle of the protector 14 in the axial direction of the length direction in the second stable position (S2) is not limited, but is set, for example, within the range of 100 degrees to 150 degrees.

[0073] Note that the displacement of the protector 14 from the tilting position (N) in the unused state to the puncturing position (S2) as described above is performed as a series of operations. The state shown in FIG. 3 is momentary, but is illustrated for the sake of easily explaining the engagement state between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the lower rib 58. Further, in the present embodiment, the maximum protruding portion 29 of the needle hub 18 and the overhanging protrusion 31 of the cap 30 are engaged with each other. In order to pull out the cap 30 from the needle hub 18, an operating force is required such that the overhanging protrusion 31 can overcome the maximum protruding portion 29. That is, an operating force for easily pulling out the cap 30 from the needle hub 18 and displacing the protector 14 from the tilting position (N) in the unused state to the puncturing position (S2) is easily obtained, and the displacement from the tilting position (N) in the unused state to the puncturing position (S2) is more likely to be stably performed as a series of operations.

[0074] When the engagement between the flange-like portion 33 and the lower rib 58 of the cap 30 is released, the cap 30 can be pulled out axially outward and removed. By pulling out the cap 30 from the needle hub 18 toward the tip side to expose the needle tip 16 of the puncture needle 12, the puncture needle 12 can be punctured into the patient. After the puncture needle 12 is punctured, by operating the syringe 24, the chemical solution in the syringe 24 can be injected into the patient.

[0075] After the puncture needle 12 is used, that is, after the puncture needle 12 is removed from the patient, the punctured puncture needle 12 can be covered and protected by the protector 14. That is, from the second stable position (S2) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example, by hooking a finger on the tip portion of the protector 14 and operating it to push it out, the biasing arm 50 is elastically deformed, and the protector 14 is displaced to the first stable position (S1) shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1. Then, by pressing the protector 14 toward the puncture needle 12 side, the protector 14 tilts and displaces to the protection position (P) shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and the puncture needle 12 is laterally accommodated and protected in the accommodation groove 40.

[0076] In the present embodiment, a locking portion 64 protruding from the end portion on the groove opening side to the groove bottom portion of the second reinforcing rib 62 is provided. By the puncture needle 12 getting over the locking portion 64 and being locked to the locking portion 64, the protector 14 is displaced in the direction away from the puncture needle 12, and the re-exposure of the puncture needle 12 is prevented.

[0077] In particular, in the present embodiment, locking protrusions 26, 26 protrude radially outward from both sides of the needle hub 18, and locking holes 66, 66 are provided at the base end portions of the pair of side walls 44, 44. In the protected state of the puncture needle 12 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the locking protrusions 26, 26 can be locked to the locking holes 66, 66. That is, in the present embodiment, the positioning mechanism for positioning the protector 14 at the protection position (P) is constituted by at least one of the locking of the puncture needle 12 to the locking portion 64 and the locking of the locking protrusions 26, 26 to the locking holes 66, 66.

[0078] In the puncture needle 10 with a protector having the structure as described above, since the reinforcing ribs 52, 52 and the second reinforcing ribs 62, 62 are provided on the inner surfaces of the side walls 44, 44 of the protector 14, the strength and rigidity are improved, and for example, deformation such as the inward collapse of the side walls 44, 44 in the approaching direction can be effectively prevented. In particular, by providing the reinforcing ribs 52, 62 on the inner surface of the side wall 44 of the protector 14 in a form that continuously extends from the inner surface of the bottom wall 42 to the side wall 44, the connecting corner portion between the bottom wall 42 and the side wall 44 where the maximum moment occurs when an external force acts to cause the side wall 44 to collapse is also efficiently reinforced by the reinforcing rib 52. As a result, even when adopting the relatively thin side wall 44, it is possible to efficiently ensure the deformation strength by the reinforcing rib 52 and prevent the problem of deformation of the protector 14 during storage and the like.

[0079] Furthermore, since both sides in the radial direction of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 enter into the through holes 54, 54, it is avoided that an outward expanding force in the opposite direction to the side walls 44, 44 is exerted by the contact reaction force with the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30, and the outward deformation of the side walls 44, 44 is suppressed. As a result, even when the puncture needle 10 with a protector is stored for a long time in the unused state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side walls 44, 44 will not have a habit of spreading outward, and it is more reliably prevented that the locking of the puncture needle 12 by the locking portion 64 or the locking of the locking projection 26 to the locking hole 66 is released in the protected state of the puncture needle 12, and the protection of the puncture needle 12 can be stably realized.

[0080] Also, by forming the through holes 54, 54 in the side walls 44, 44, it becomes easy to form recesses on the inner surfaces of the side walls 44, 44 by die forming or the like. Furthermore, compared with the case of forming a recess in an undercut shape on the inner surface of the side wall, for example, corners can be formed more reliably at the opening edges of the through holes 54, 54, and the locking of the outer peripheral surface of the cap 30 by the opening edges of the through holes 54, 54 can be stably realized.

[0081] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the protector 14 is displaced from the tilting position (N) in the unused state to the puncturing position (the second stable position S2) substantially simultaneously with the pulling out of the cap 30, a complicated operation of removing the cap 30 after displacing the protector 14 to the puncturing position (S2) can be avoided. In particular, in the present embodiment, when pulling out the cap 30 from the needle hub 18, it is necessary to overcome the maximum protruding portion 29, and by skillfully utilizing the operating force required for such overcoming, the tilting of the protector 14 can be performed as a series of operations. Also, by adopting a spring hinge (particularly the biasing arm 50 of the hinge portion 38) as the positioning mechanism, the setting of the first stable position (S1) and the second stable position (S2) can be facilitated.

[0082] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, with the tilting position (N) of the protector 14 being held in the unused state, the end portion on the groove opening side of the second reinforcing rib 62 is in contact with the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30. Thereby, even if an external force in the approaching direction to the puncture needle 12 is exerted on the protector 14, the displacement of the protector 14 is restricted, and damage to the puncture needle 12 and the like associated with excessive displacement of the protector 14 can be avoided.

[0083] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the cap 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape and the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 enters into the through holes 54, 54, there is no need to position the cap 30 and the protector 14 in the circumferential direction, and the holding of the tilting position (N) of the protector 14 in the unused state can be easily achieved. Also, since the outer peripheral protrusion at the proximal end side opening portion of the cap 30 is also a flange-shaped portion 33 extending over the entire circumference, the engagement with the engaging rib (lower rib 58) can also be achieved without performing circumferential positioning. Further, since the engaging rib (reinforcing rib 52) is provided on both sides of the accommodating groove 40, the operating force in the pulling-out direction is stably transmitted from the flange-shaped portion 33 to the lower rib 58, and the displacement of the protector 14 to the puncturing position (S2) can be more reliably realized.

[0084] In particular, in the present embodiment, since the upper edge 60a and the parallel portion 60b at the lower edge of the through holes 54, 54 which are the contact portions between the cap 30 and the protector 14 extend substantially parallel to the central axis of the cap 30, the cap 30 and the protector 14 substantially come into line contact. Thus, compared with the case of point contact, for example, the length dimension of the contact portions 60a, 60b can be ensured to be larger, and the holding effect of the protector 14 can be more stably exerted. Note that, by providing the inclined portion 60c on the proximal end side of the lower edge of the through hole 54, the area of the proximal end side end face 58a of the lower rib 58 can be increased. Along with the increase in the contact area between the flange-shaped portion 33 and the proximal end side end face 58a, the protector 14 can be more stably displaced to the puncturing position (S2).

[0085] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, in the protected state of the puncture needle 12, the locking protrusions 26, 26 are locked in the locking holes 66, 66, and the protector 14 can be prevented from being unintentionally displaced in the direction away from the puncture needle 12. Therefore, the re-exposure of the puncture needle 12 after use can be more reliably avoided.

[0086] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not to be construed as being limited by the specific descriptions in such embodiments, and can be implemented in various modified, corrected, and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0087] For example, in the above embodiment, the recess that opens on the inner surface of the side wall 44 of the accommodation groove 40 is constituted by the through hole 54 that penetrates the side wall 44 in the thickness direction, but it may be a recess with a bottom. Alternatively, a relative recess may be formed by providing a plurality of convex portions on the inner surface of the side wall, and the first and second positioning protrusions may be constituted by these convex portions.

[0088] Furthermore, in the present invention, the reinforcing ribs are not essential. For example, a recess (or through-hole) may be formed on the inner surface of the side wall without the reinforcing ribs, and the outer peripheral portion of the cap may be inserted into the recess. However, in the present invention, the means for holding the tilting position of the protector in the unused state is not limited to the mode described in the above embodiment, and the recess (or through-hole) provided on the inner surface of the side wall of the accommodation groove and the first and second positioning protrusions are not essential.

[0089] Also, in the above embodiment, both radial sides of the outer peripheral portion of the cap 30 are inserted into the through-hole 54 and locked by being sandwiched between the upper rib 56 (first positioning protrusion) and the lower rib 58 (second positioning protrusion) from above and below. However, locking the outer peripheral portion of the cap is not limited to the upper rib and the lower rib. That is, with respect to the outer peripheral portion of the cap, the lower rib abuts from below, and the groove opening side end portion of the second reinforcing rib abuts from above, so that the tilting position of the protector may be held. Therefore, the upper rib is not essential in the present invention. When the upper rib is not provided, the first positioning protrusion may be constituted by the second reinforcing rib. Thus, the first positioning protrusion and the second positioning protrusion may be relatively widely separated in the axial direction.

[0090] Also, the specific shape of the reinforcing rib is not limited. For example, the protruding dimension and the rib width dimension may change in the length direction, and a reinforcing rib extending in a bent or curved shape instead of a straight shape may also be adopted.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cap 30 is substantially cylindrical over the whole. However, the shape of the cap is not limited. The cap may be, for example, a polygonal cylindrical shape, and the top portion (corner portion) may be inserted into the recess (through-hole) and locked.

[0092] In the present invention, in a state where the outer peripheral portion of the cap enters and is locked in the concave portion (including the through hole), it is preferable that no contact reaction force with the cap acts on the side wall. However, in a state where the cap is entering the accommodation groove, a contact reaction force may act on the side wall, and for example, the side wall may be deformed outward in the opposing direction. However, in a state where the outer peripheral portion of the cap enters and is locked in the concave portion, a contact reaction force with the cap may act on the side wall.

[0093] Further, in the above embodiment, the protector 14 was integrally formed with the needle hub 18. However, the protector may be a separate body from the needle hub and fixedly attached later. Note that the protector and the needle hub do not need to be connected by a spring hinge (hinge portion 38) as in the above embodiment. That is, the connection between the protector and the needle hub may be made by, for example, a plate-like member (elastic hinge) that can be elastically deformed, and the protector may be tiltable with respect to the needle hub by bending and deforming the plate-like member (elastic hinge). In this case, the stable position of the protector set by the elastic hinge may be only the puncturing position (S2) separated from the puncture needle. In the unused state, the protector is held at a tilting position (N) where the elastic hinge is elastically deformed to approach the cap, and when using, by removing the cap, the protector may be automatically displaced to the puncturing position (S2) according to the elastic restoring action of the elastic hinge. In particular, in such a case, in the unused state, it is only necessary to prevent the displacement of the protector to the puncturing position (S2) and hold it at the approaching position (N) to the cap. Such a mode can be realized, for example, by providing the lower rib 58 (second positioning protrusion) in the above embodiment and locking it to the outer peripheral surface of the cap. That is, in this mode, the upper rib 56 (first positioning protrusion) is not essential.

[0094] Alternatively, the protector and the needle hub may be connected by a pin or the like, and the protector may be tiltable with respect to the needle hub with the pin or the like as a rotation axis. It is also possible to apply a leaf spring, a coil spring, or the like as a spring action as necessary. Therefore, the biasing arm is not essential in the hinge portion, and the first stable position and the second stable position set by the biasing arm are not essential either. Or even when a plurality of stable positions are set by the biasing arm, two or more stable positions may be set. That is, in the present invention, the mode in which the protector automatically displaces from the tilting position in the unused state to the puncturing position substantially simultaneously with the removal of the cap is not essential. The pulling out of the cap may be performed after separating the protector in the tilting direction.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the overhanging projection 31 of the cap 30 engages by overcoming the maximum projecting portion 29 of the needle hub 18, making it easier to obtain the operating force in the pulling-out direction of the cap 30 from the needle hub 18. However, the engagement mode between the needle hub and the cap is not limited to this mode. That is, unevenness that fits with each other may be provided between the needle hub and the cap, and the tilting position of the protector may be automatically displaced from the unused state (N) to the puncturing position (S2) by using the operating force for pulling out the cap from the needle hub to release the uneven engagement.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0096] 10 Puncture needle with protector 12 Puncture needle 14 Protector 16 Needle tip 18 Needle hub 20 Small-diameter cylindrical portion 22 Large-diameter cylindrical portion 24 Syringe 26 Locking projection (positioning mechanism) 28 Fixed plate portion 29 Maximum projecting portion 30 Cap 31 Overhanging projection 32 Ridge 33 Flange-shaped portion (contact projection) 34 Connecting portion 38 Hinge portion (positioning mechanism) 40 Receiving groove 42 Bottom wall 44 Side wall 46 Tip side wall portion 48 Connecting arm 50 Biasing arm (positioning mechanism, elastic hinge) 52 Reinforcing rib (engaging rib) 54 Through hole (recess) 56 Upper rib (first positioning protrusion) 58 Lower rib (second positioning protrusion) 58a Base end side end face 60a Upper edge of through hole (lower edge of upper rib, abutting portion) 60b Parallel portion (abutting portion) 60c Inclined portion 62 Second reinforcing rib 64 Locking portion (positioning mechanism) 66 Locking hole (positioning mechanism)

Claims

1. A puncture needle with a protector, in which a cap for covering the puncture needle before use is removably attached, and a protector for covering the puncture needle laterally after use is tiltably provided, wherein the cap is provided with an abutting protrusion that abuts against the protector when the cap is pulled out with respect to the protector held in a tilted position close to the cap before use, as the abutting protrusion abuts against the protector and exerts a pulling force as the cap is pulled out, the protector is tilted to a tilted position away from the puncture needle, the protector is provided with a receiving groove for laterally receiving and covering the puncture needle after use, and an engaging protrusion is provided on the inner surface of at least one side wall of the receiving groove, and the abutting protrusion abuts against the engaging protrusion as the cap is pulled out, A puncture needle with a protector, in which the cap is positioned to fit between the two side walls of the receiving groove of the protector held in a tilted position close to the cap before use.

2. The puncture needle with a protector according to claim 1, wherein the protector is connected to the needle hub of the puncture needle by an elastic hinge in which the tilted position where the protector is away from the puncture needle is a stable position.

3. The puncture needle with a protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engaging protrusion of the protector is located on the opening side of the receiving groove.

4. The puncture needle with a protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the engaging protrusion of the protector is provided at a distance from the bottom of the receiving groove.

5. In the protector held in a tilted position close to the cap before use, the puncture needle with a protector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base end side end face of the engaging protrusion is inclined in the pulling direction of the cap from the opening side to the bottom side of the receiving groove.

Images