Abstract: A vehicle 12 having an accident prevention system 10 that is useful for preventing an accident where a vehicle that is reversing at low speed collides with a person, is disclosed. The system 10 includes a sensor arrangement 14 for sending an object within range behind a rear end 38 of the vehicle 12 and generating an object recognition signal. The sensor arrangement 14 includes passive IR sensors 15 or reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors 50 on the rear end 38. A controller 20 generates an accident prevention response signal when the sensor arrangement 14 generates an object recognition signal. A brake applicator 26 is operatively coupled to a foot brake 42 to cause the vehicle 12 to stop when the controller 20 generates a response signal. The system also includes an alarm when the controller 20 generates a response signal.

Abstract: A vehicle with an accident prevention system is disclosed. The vehicle also has a foot brake for stopping the vehicle. The system includes a sensor arrangement for sensing an object behind a rear end of the vehicle that generates an object recognition signal when it senses an object within range behind the vehicle. The sensor arrangement includes passive IR sensors or reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors on the rear end. A controller generates an accident prevention response signal on receiving an object recognition signal from the sensor arrangement. A brake applicator is operatively coupled to the brake to stop the vehicle when the controller generates a response signal. Conveniently the system includes an alarm for sounding an alarm signal. A method for preventing an accident where a vehicle which is reversing at low speed collides with a person is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle with an accident prevention system is disclosed. The vehicle also has a foot brake for stopping the vehicle. The system includes a sensor arrangement for sensing an object behind a rear end of the vehicle that generates an object recognition signal when it senses an object within range behind the vehicle. The sensor arrangement includes passive IR sensors or reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors on the rear end. A controller generates an accident prevention response signal on receiving an object recognition signal from the sensor arrangement. A brake applicator is operatively coupled to the brake to stop the vehicle when the controller generates a response signal. Conveniently the system includes an alarm for sounding an alarm signal. A method for preventing an accident where a vehicle which is reversing at low speed collides with a person is also disclosed.

Abstract: An insertion device for the introduction of a medical implement, the insertion device including a hollow body, a needle holder mounting portion, a needle holder, a needle adapted for a medical implement to be mounted therewith relative to the needle, biasing means to bias the needle and the needle holder into the hollow body, and a retaining mechanism adapted to at least temporarily retain the needle and the needle holder in a forward condition in which the needle extends forward of the hollow body against the biasing force of the biasing means. The retaining mechanism of the insertion device retains the needle and the needle holder in the forward condition until the medical implement is disassociated from the retaining mechanism and unless the retaining mechanism is operated independently to retain the needle holder and the needle in the forward condition.

Abstract: An insertion device for the introduction of a medical implement, the insertion device including a hollow body, a needle holder mounting portion, a needle holder, a needle adapted for a medical implement to be mounted therewith relative to the needle, biasing means to bias the needle and the needle holder into the hollow body, and a retaining mechanism adapted to at least temporarily retain the needle and the needle holder in a forward condition in which the needle extends forward of the hollow body against the biasing force of the biasing means. The retaining mechanism of the insertion device retains the needle and the needle holder in the forward condition until the medical implement is disassociated from the retaining mechanism and unless the retaining mechanism is operated independently to retain the needle holder and the needle in the forward condition.

Abstract: A syringe (100) comprising: a barrel (1), a needle holder (12) that holds a hypodermic needle (14) through a needle opening (102), and a hollow plunger (6), wherein the needle holder (12) is biased away from the needle opening (102) such that when the hollow plunger (6) moves through the injection stroke the needle holder (12) is propelled by the biasing member (13) to retract into the hollow plunger (6).

Abstract: A positive pressure one way medical valve contains an inlet (10), outlet (11), an internal flow path between the inlet and the outlet and a plunger (12) movable between a retraced sealing position, where backflow is reduced or prevented and an extended open position, where fluid can flow from the inlet to the outlet. The plunger is moved from the retraced to the extended position by insertion of a tip onto the inlet (10). A variable volume chamber (23) is defined partially by an elastomeric member (14) that is stretched, when plunger is in the extended position and reduced, when the plunger is in the retraced position so to increase or decrease the volume of the chamber respectively. A valve (50), which is movable between open and closed positions by the presence or absence of fluid passing through the inlet, immediately seals the flow pathway before the plunger is retraced.

Abstract: A no leak single use syringe has a needle (26) which retracts into the plunger (15) after use, and when the needle (26) is retracted, the syringe is sealed to prevent any liquid still on or in the needle from leaking from the syringe. A pierceable seal (17) across the front of the plunger (15) is self-sealing to prevent any liquid leaking from the front of the syringe, and the distal end (67) of the plunger seals against the rear of the barrel (71) of the syringe to prevent leakage from the rear.

Abstract: A safety scalpel blade assembly adapted for attachment to a handle (12), the assembly comprising a scalpel blade (10) and guard (11) which extends at least about the cutting edge of the blade (10), the guard (11) having attachment means to lock the blade to the guard as the assembly is being attached to the handle and which releases the blade from the guard when the blade is attached to the blade carrier on the handle. Improvements include a removable safety tab (60) on the guard (11), means (68,71) to prevent the blade guard (11) lifting relative to the handle (12), a safely catch (75) to prevent excessive retraction of the guard (11) and location means (80,82) to locate the guard (11) in the extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: A medical syringe has a needle shoot back mechanism which can be triggered to shoot the used needle back into the safety of the syringe body and is of a special design to allow the needle to be replaced without affecting the efficiency of the shoot back mechanism. A rotatable cover member is also available which is relatively large and which can be more easily gripped and turned to remove the needle from the syringe.

Abstract: A single use syringe including shoot back, or retraction, mechanism for biasing a needle, retained in needle holder, back into the interior of the syringe body after use. The needle holder is urged, by a spring in the front of the syringe body, to pass through a piercable seal formed in the front fact of the piston. The needle holder comprises an inner part containing the needle, an outer part engaging the interior wall of the syringe, and a frangible portion joining the inner and outer parts. A raised portion, or bump, is formed partially about the outer part of the needle holder, facing the seal in the piston. The raised portion provides an initial contact area with the plunger, to reduce the force required to break the frangible portion and trigger the shoot-back mechanism. The raised portion may consist of an uppermost portion for contact with the plunger, and a shoulder portion adjacent the uppermost portion to reduce dead space.

Abstract: A medical syringe has a needle shoot back mechanism which can be triggered to shoot the used needle back into the safety of the syringe body and is of a special design to allow the needle to be replaced without affecting the efficiency of the shoot back mechanism. A rotatable cover member is also available which is relatively large and which can be more easily gripped and turned to remove the needle from the syringe.

Abstract: A no leak syringe has: a syringe body having a front portion and an open rear end portion, a plunger having a front and a rear and which is slideable along the barrel from a retracted position where the front of the plunger is in the rear portion of the barrel to a extended position where the plunger has been slid along the barrel towards the front of the barrel, a pierceable self healing seal extending over the front of the plunger and through which the needle can pierce when the needle is retracted, the seal being substantially closed after the needle has passed through the seal, a needle holder which is positioned in the front of the barrel, a needle attached to the needle holder, a triggering mechanism to enable the needle to be retracted into the syringe body and/or the plunger body, a plunger lock mechanism to lock the plunger against retraction when the needle has been retracted, a thumb pad on the rear of the plunger, and a seal on the thumb pad that seals against the open rear end portion of the s

Abstract: A syringe having a syringe body, a plunger, means to prevent the rear of the plunger from being gripped to retract the plunger when the plunger is at least at the fully forward position where all or most of the liquid has been ejected, and a catch on the plunger which prevents retraction of the plunger when the plunger is in at least the fully forward position.

Abstract: A single use syringe uses a “pinching” action between a specially designed plunger and a specially designed needle holder to shoot the needle back into the syringe body upon completion of the piston stroke. The needle is not biased by a helical spring and the syringe remains in an unbiased condition until the plunger is pushed against the needle holder that creates the pinching action to shoot the needle back into the syringe body.

Abstract: A medical syringe container comprising a housing, an outlet through which a new syringe can be removed from the housing, an inlet through which a syringe can be replaced into the housing, and holding means to prevent a second syringe from being removed from the housing until a used syringe has been replaced into the housing. The container is particularly useful with needle exchange programs.

Abstract: A single use syringe has a needle which is biased back into the barrel but which is prevented from doing so by a holding means which has an outer part and an inner part which are connected together by a frangible portion. The needle is held by the inner part. When the plunger is pushed towards the front of the barrel, it contacts the outer part and pushes it forwardly which stretches the frangible portion until it bursts. When the frangible portion breaks, the inner portion containing the needle is released and can shoot back into a hollow portion in the plunger through the frangible portion of the plunger head.

Abstract: A one-way valve assembly can be fitted to the end of a syringe to allow fluid to flow from the syringe and into a body cavity but to prevent backflow. The valve assembly is opened by insertion of the luer tip of the syringe into the assembly inlet. The valve has an internal elastic member that forms a variable volume internal chamber. This chamber expands upon insertion of the luer tip into the inlet and shrinks when the luer tip is removed from the assembly. The shrinking action creates a positive pressure in the valve assembly to prevent backflow.

Abstract: A medical syringe container comprising a housing, an outlet through which a new syringe can be removed from the housing, an inlet through which a syringe can be replaced into the housing, and holding means to prevent a second syringe from being removed from the housing until a used syringe has been replaced into the housing. The container is particularly useful with needle exchange programs.

Abstract: A retractable needle assembly can be used with a catheter and has a needle holder which is automatically shot back into the assembly body in a sharps safe manner when the canulla needle is moved forward into a vein. The needle is biased to withdraw by an elastic member that is stretch upon use of the needle assembly. Prior to use the elastic member is not stressed. Also disclosed is a valve assembly of a rigid hollow inner member and a compressible outer member. The outer has a self closing opening in register with an open end of the inner member to close the valve. The valve is opened by the outer member being moved away from said open end.