Abstract: A handling system for use in the manufacture of syringe barrels includes a tray having an array of apertures with a tubular upstand around each aperture, each upstand at the upper end thereof defining a support surface for a syringe barrel. Each syringe barrel comprises a cylindrical part and an enlargement at or adjacent the rear end of the barrel and carries at its forward end a safe needle device or a needle shield of a greater diameter than the syringe barrel. At least one of the enlargement of the syringe barrel or the support surface has a profile tapering or rounded inwardly in the downward direction so that when the tray is supported generally horizontally and a syringe barrel is lowered into an upstand, the syringe barrel is centred by co-operation between the enlargement and the support surface. The enlargement may be a flange at the rear end of the syringe barrel or could be a further component fitted to the barrel.

Abstract: A safety device having a tubular support for a needle mount end and a protective shield slidably mounted on the support from a set position, a retracted position and then to a locked position to covers the needle. A locking member mounted on the support, within the shield and a cam follower is engaged with a cam profile on the locking member. Forward axial movement of the support relative to the locking member causes the locking member to rotate relative to the support. The shield has a guide defining a shoulder towards its rearward end and an abutment on the locking member is receivable behind the shoulder when the shield is in its locked position. A spring acts such that when the locking member is turned to engage its abutment with the shoulder of the shield when the latter is in its locked position, so preventing subsequent rearward movement thereof.

Abstract: A safety device 20 for shielding a medical needle 25 comprises a needle mount 28 supporting a medical needle and a needle shielding sleeve 34 arranged coaxially with the mount for sliding movement from an initial needle shielding position to a non-shielding position whereat at least the tip of the needle is exposed beyond the sleeve. Either the sleeve 34 or the mount 28 has both an abutment surface 31 and a sliding surface 29. A flexible connection mounts a radially deformable resilient finger 37 on the other of the sleeve and mount so that a first finger part 46 is configured for radial alignment with the abutment surface 31 where the finger blocks movement of the sleeve or for radial alignment with the sliding surface. A control member 40 is slidable coaxially with the sleeve and is co-operable with a second finger part 47 to the other side of said flexible connection.

Abstract: A safety device 20 for shielding a medical needle 25 having a sharp tip includes a needle mount 28 which is adapted directly or indirectly to support the needle 25. A needle shielding sleeve 33 is arranged coaxially with the mount 28 for sliding movement between an initial shielding position surrounding the needle 25 and a non-shielding position at which at least the tip of the needle is exposed beyond the sleeve 33. Resilient fingers 35 urge the sleeve 33 to its needle shielding position. There is a control member 39 for the fingers 35 and which is slidably housed within the coaxial arrangement of the sleeve 33 and the mount 28. The resilient fingers 35 are essentially undeformed when the control member 39 is in its storage position (FIG. 3A) but are partially deformed when the control member is moved to a set position (FIG. 5A).

Abstract: A safety device for shielding the sharp tip of a medical needle has a needle mount which either directly supports a medical needle, or indirectly supports the needle for instance where the needle is provided as a part of a syringe. A sleeve is carried directly or indirectly on the needle mount and is slidably movable to a needle shielding position where the sleeve surrounds the needle sharp tip. A spring including forwardly projecting spring blades when sufficiently loaded acts on an internal conical surface of the sleeve to drive the sleeve to its shielding position and a locking mechanism then locks the sleeve in that position. A camming mechanism serves to load the spring blades in the course of the use of the safety device such that thereafter the interaction of the blades with the conical surface urges the sleeve to its shielding position, the camming mechanism being activated by movement of the sleeve to expose the needle for use.

Abstract: A safety device for a medical injector supporting a needle projecting forwardly from the front of an injector body has a tubular sleeve which is slidable rearwardly with respect to a supported needle to expose at least the needle tip. The sleeve has a forward end for contacting an injection site and a removable cover for a needle is attached to the forward end of the sleeve. The sleeve may have an external end face lying in a radial plane with an orifice in the end face and through which a needle may project when the device is in use and the sleeve slides rearwardly. The removable cover may be attached to or otherwise be connected to the external end face, to effect a seal therewith. Alternatively, the cover may frictionally engage the forward end of the sleeve or the cover may have a bore into which an enlargement member may be pressed so as to expand the cover within the sleeve and effect a connection thereto.

Abstract: A safety needle device for a medical injector supporting a needle projecting forwardly from the front of the injector body has a tubular sleeve for a supported needle, the sleeve being slidable rearwardly with respect to the needle to expose at least the tip thereof. The sleeve has a forward end for contacting an injection site and a removable cover is engaged in sealing contact with the forward end of the sleeve. The sleeve may have an in-turned flange at its forward end defining an orifice through which the needle projects when the sleeve slides rearwardly. The removable cover may effect a seal to that flange.

Abstract: A handling system for use in the manufacture of syringe barrels includes a tray having an array of apertures with a tubular upstand around each aperture, each upstand at the upper end thereof defining a support surface for a syringe barrel. Each syringe barrel comprises a cylindrical part and an enlargement at or adjacent the rear end of the barrel and carries at its forward end a safe needle device or a needle shield of a greater diameter than the syringe barrel. At least one of the enlargement of the syringe barrel or the support surface has a profile tapering or rounded inwardly in the downward direction so that when the tray is supported generally horizontally and a syringe barrel is lowered into an upstand, the syringe barrel is centred by co-operation between the enlargement and the support surface. The enlargement may be a flange at the rear end of the syringe barrel or could be a further component fitted to the barrel.

Abstract: A passive safety device for a medical needle has a mount for supporting the needle and a needle shielding sleeve co-axial with and arranged for sliding movement relative to the mount, from a shielding position to a non-shielding position. An abutment surface is provided on one of the sleeve and mount and is engageable by a radially deformable finger, when undeformed. A control member is also slidably arranged with respect to the mount and sleeve and has an initial set position. The control member co operates with the finger so that on sliding movement of the sleeve from its initial shielding position, the finger is moved radially outwardly, clear of the abutment surface and on to a sliding surface.

Abstract: A medical needle cover arrangement for a single-use syringe having a medical needle with a sharp tip, the needle being mounted on the syringe to project forwardly from a needle hub. A sleeve forming a part of a safety device is mounted on the syringe. The sleeve is arranged for axial movement with respect to the needle from an initial shielding position to a non-shielding position, the sleeve being blocked against forward movement with respect to the syringe from its initial shielding position. A soft needle cover overlies the needle with the sharp tip of the needle sealed by the cover. The rear end of the soft needle cover and the forward end of the syringe hub are profiled with complementary engaging surfaces. The cover has a step part-way between its ends, the step being engaged by an internal abutment at the forward end of the sleeve, to resist movement of the cover forwardly away from the syringe hub and so maintain a seal between the cover and hub.

Abstract: A safety device for shielding the sharp tip of a medical needle has a needle mount which either directly supports a medical needle, or indirectly supports the needle for instance where the needle is provided as a part of a syringe. A sleeve is carried directly or indirectly on the needle mount and is slidably movable to a needle shielding position where the sleeve surrounds the needle sharp tip. A spring including forwardly projecting spring blades when sufficiently loaded acts on an internal conical surface of the sleeve to drive the sleeve to its shielding position and a locking mechanism then locks the sleeve in that position. A camming mechanism serves to load the spring blades in the course of the use of the safety device such that thereafter the interaction of the blades with the conical surface urges the sleeve to its shielding position, the camming mechanism being activated by movement of the sleeve to expose the needle for use.

Abstract: A mount for a safety device for use in association with a medical needle projecting from a generally cylindrical carrier having three or four circumferentially-spaced ribs upstanding from and extending substantially parallel to the axis of the carrier. The mount has a tubular support including a wall having a central aperture through which the carrier extends when in use with the wall lying in a substantially radial plane with respect to the carrier. The aperture is profiled to surround the carrier and has recesses for receiving the carrier ribs. Portions of the wall defining the aperture and recesses engage the ribs of the carrier, with an interference fit between the ribs of the carrier and adjacent wall parts.

Abstract: A medical needle safety device has a mount for directly or indirectly supporting a medical needle, and a sleeve for shielding a mounted needle, the shield being movable from an initial shielding position to a non-shielding position. At least one finger is provided on the sleeve and a control member for the finger is displaceable from an initial set position, by movement of the sleeve. The finger is resiliently deformable outwardly on movement of the sleeve towards its non-shielding position, by interaction with the control member, to allow the sleeve to move to its non-shielding position.

Abstract: A safety device (10) for a medical needle (11) has a sleeve (28) defining an internally tapering forward portion (30) and a needle carrier (14) located within the sleeve (28) for axial movement relative to the forward portion (30). A locking member (23) is mounted on the needle carrier (14) and has a plurality of resiliently deformable fingers (25) bearing on the internal surface of the sleeve and slidable along the tapering forward portion (30) as the carrier moves relative thereto, so as to impart a force between the carrier (14) and forward portion (30) to restore those components to their initial position. A cam arrangement (33) turns the locking member (23) following initial axial movement between the carrier (14) and forward portion (30) so that the forward ends of the fingers drop behind abutments (35) provided at the rearward end of the forward portion, upon the carrier and forward portion returning to their initial positions. This then blocks further axial movement between those components (14, 30).

Abstract: A needle assembly for an injection pen (22) has a sleeve (21) supporting internally a double-ended needle having an injection end and a non-injection end (25). The end of the sleeve surrounding the non-injection end (25) of the needle is divided into deformable segments (28) and is internally threaded for interengagement with a threaded boss (23) of the injection pen (22). A collar (29) is mounted on the sleeve (21) for sliding movement between a first position where the collar (29) overlies the segmented end and maintains interengagement of the threads at that end with those of the injection pen boss (23) and a second position where the segments may expand radially to come free of the injection pen boss (23). The needle may be mounted on a carrier (68) slidable with respect to the sleeve (21), the carrier (68) being coupled to the sleeve (21) for movement thereby.

Abstract: A safety device for a medical needle (10) has a tubular support (14) for the needle mount end and a tubular protective shield (25) slidably mounted on the support (14) from a set position to a retracted position and then to a locked position where the shield covers the needle. The shield (25) and support (14) are restrained against relative rotational movement. A locking member (18) is rotationally mounted on the support, within the shield, there being a cam follower (22) on the support engaged with a cam profile (21) on the locking member (18) whereby forward axial movement of the support relative to the locking member causes the locking member to rotate relative to the support. The shield (25) has a guide (27) defining a shoulder (32) towards its rearward end and an abutment (23) on the locking member (18) is receivable behind the shoulder when the shield is in its locked position.

Abstract: A handling device for use with a medical injector (11) including a protective sheath (17) for a needle (14) has a carrier (20) with an outer cylindrical wall (21) and a coaxial inner tube (33) which is a close sliding fit over the protective sheath (17). A cylindrical sleeve (24) is slidably mounted within the outer cylindrical wall (21) and is adapted to receive the cylindrical body (12) of the injector (11). A bushing (25) is slidably retained within the cylindrical sleeve (24) and is configured to receive a boss (13, 15) supporting the needle (14) at the forward end of the injector body, a spring (29) urging the bushing (25) towards the rear of the sleeve. A plug (35) is mounted on the carrier (20) and is engaged by the forward end of the protective sheath (17) when the injector is received within the cylindrical sleeve, so that the plug is projected forwardly from the carrier when the injector is fully engaged.

Abstract: Injection apparatus having a pre-filled syringe provided with a safety needle assembly, and a sleeve open at one end for containing the syringe with the safety needle assembly projecting from the open end of the sleeve. A cap is fitted to the open end and is configured to receive the projecting part of the safety needle assembly. A seal secures the cap to the sleeve. Following breaking of the seal, the syringe is removed from the sleeve and the cap is removed from the safety needle assembly so permitting the syringe to perform an injection. Thereafter, the syringe is reinserted into the sleeve with the safety needle assembly nearer the closed end of the sleeve, an internal rib in the sleeve co-operating with the safety needle assembly to retain that assembly in the sleeve.

Abstract: A safety arrangement for a medical needle 15 has a support 14 for carrying the mount end of the needle, and a sleeve 16 slidably mounted on the support 14 for movement from an initial position to a retracted position and then back to a protecting position where the sleeve 16 covers the tip 21 of the needle 15. A spring 32 urges the sleeve towards its protecting position and a blocking member 23 projects forwardly from the support 14 and is movable between non-blocking and blocking positions. In the non-blocking position the sleeve 16 is free to slide from its initial position to its retracted position. On movement of the sleeve to its protecting position, the blocking member 23 moves to lie between the support 14 and sleeve 16 to prevent subsequent movement of the sleeve away from its protecting position. A control member 27 for the blocking member 23 is slidable within the sleeve from a first position at the rearward end of the sleeve to a second position forwardly therefrom.

Abstract: A safety arrangement for a medical needle (15) has a support (14) for carrying the mount end of the needle, and a sleeve (16) slidably mounted on the support (14) for movement from an initial position to a retracted position and then back to a protecting position where the sleeve (16) covers the tip (21) of the needle (15). A spring (32) urges the sleeve toward its protecting position and a blocking member (23) projects forwardly from the support (14) and is movable between non-blocking and blocking positions. In the non-blocking position the sleeve (16) is free to slide from its initial position to its retracted position. On movement of the sleeve to its protecting position, the blocking member (23) moves to lie between the support (14) and sleeve (16) to prevent subsequent movement of the sleeve away from its protecting position.