Patents Assigned to Visual Connections
  • Patent number: 7198617
    Abstract: A passively guarded, fillable injection syringe includes an adapter for holding the proximal end of a hollow needle. An inverted plunger is slidingly mounted on the adapter to establish a medicament chamber that is in fluid communication with the needle. Also, a substantially cylindrical needle guard is positioned on the needle for reciprocal axial movement under the influence of a spring which biases the guard and adapter in opposite axial directions. A mechanism is provided such that plunger movements that are required in a typical fill and inject procedure also function to control the position of the guard relative to the needle. Initially, the guard is locked covering the needle tip. A plunger movement unlocks the guard and retracts the guard for syringe filling and injection. Depressing the plunger to complete the injection releases the guard for distal movement under the spring force into a needle protecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Visual Connection, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Millerd
  • Patent number: 7144387
    Abstract: A butterfly needle device having a passive needle protection system includes a needle that has a proximal end, a distal tip and defines a needle axis. A cylindrical base member having an axially aligned groove is disposed over the needle with a first wing extending radially from the base member. A second wing is provided for rotation about the needle axis relative to the first wing between a closed configuration in which the wings are juxtaposed and an open configuration in which the wings are displaced from each other. A cylindrical needle guard having a plug is disposed over the needle. A spring biases the needle guard distally relative to the base member. A wing-activated mechanism is provided to align the plug with the groove after a closed-open-closed wing cycle allowing the needle guard to distally advance to cover the needle tip at the end of the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Visual Connections
    Inventor: Don Millerd
  • Patent number: 6840920
    Abstract: A butterfly needle device having a passive needle protection system includes a needle that has a proximal end, a distal tip and defines a needle axis. A cylindrical base member having an axially aligned groove is disposed over the needle with a first wing extending radially from the base member. A second wing is provided for rotation about the needle axis relative to the first wing between a closed configuration in which the wings are juxtaposed and an open configuration in which the wings are displaced from each other. A cylindrical needle guard having a plug is disposed over the needle. A spring biases the needle guard distally relative to the base member. A wing-activated mechanism is provided to align the plug with the groove after a closed-open-closed wing cycle allowing the needle guard to distally advance to cover the needle tip at the end of the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Visual Connections
    Inventor: Don Millerd
  • Patent number: 6648858
    Abstract: A safety device for a sheathed injection syringe includes a needle guard having a dilatable opening at its distal tip. A plurality of slits are formed in the guard extending proximally from the distal tip of the guard to create the dilatable opening. When the guard is in the relaxed state, the opening is relatively large to allow the sheath to pass through the guard during attachment of the safety device to the syringe. A ring having a lug is positioned over the guard and is moveable to contract the opening. The contracted opening allows the syringe to be used at non-normal injection angles. A cover is provided having an aperture for engagement with the needle sheath and a slot for engagement with the lug. During withdrawal of the cover, the sheath is removed from the needle and the ring is moved, contracting the guard opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Visual Connections, Inc.
    Inventor: Hooman A. Asbaghi