Patents by Inventor Frank Blinkhorn

Frank Blinkhorn has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170182261
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have—the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Patent number: 9572941
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn, Roddi James Simpson, Steven H. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9199042
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have—the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Patent number: 8608695
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a collar or ring that is rotatably mounted to a needle hub. The needle assembly may be connected to a syringe by the user grasping the needle hub in first and second embodiments, or turning of the needle sheath in other embodiments. The collar of the needle assembly may be rotated by turning the needle sheath. The needle hub may also interact with the collar by rotating the needle sheath. Mechanisms are provided at both the collar and the housing so that once the contaminated needle is covered, the needle assembly may be removed from the syringe for disposal by rotating the needle housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David MacLean, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, Jr., Troy M. Derby
  • Patent number: 8251961
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a needle hub and a collar. Integrally formed from the proximal portion of the needle hub is a ring that surrounds its luer base. At the distal portion of the needle hub there are coaxially formed circumferential flanges which act to allow the collar to be rotatable about the needle hub. A needle protection housing is connected to the collar and is pivotable to cover the needle that extends from the distal end of the needle hub. Before use, the needle extending from the needle hub is covered by a needle sheath that has a groove formed circumferentially at its proximal end that snap-fits to a circumferential rib formed at the distal end of the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David Maclean, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, Jr., Troy M. Derby
  • Publication number: 20120172810
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a collar or ring that is rotatably mounted to a needle hub. The needle assembly may be connected to a syringe by the user grasping the needle hub in first and second embodiments, or turning of the needle sheath in other embodiments. The collar of the needle assembly may be rotated by turning the needle sheath. The needle hub may also interact with the collar by rotating the needle sheath. Mechanisms are provided at both the collar and the housing so that once the contaminated needle is covered, the needle assembly may be removed from the syringe for disposal by rotating the needle housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David MacLean, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, JR., Troy M. Derby
  • Patent number: 8152761
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a collar or ring that is rotatably mounted to a needle hub, which may be connected to a medical device such as a syringe. The needle assembly may be connected to the syringe by the user grasping the needle hub in first and second embodiments, or turning of the needle sheath in other embodiments. In all of the embodiments, the collar of the needle assembly may be rotated by turning the needle sheath, which is designed to interact with the collar. In some of the embodiments, the needle hub likewise interacts with the collar in such a way that by rotating the needle sheath, the needle hub is likewise rotated for connection to a syringe. When an exposed needle is to be covered, after the needle sheath has been removed, a housing connected to the collar is pivotally moved to cover the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David MacLean, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, Jr., Troy M. Derby
  • Publication number: 20110225790
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have—the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Publication number: 20090206514
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly are the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: David MacLean, Frank Blinkhorn, Troy M. Derby, Quinton Farrar, Marius Hauri, Lawrence P. Hudon, Robert Simas, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090199388
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Publication number: 20070219504
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly are the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: David MacLean, Frank Blinkhorn, Troy Derby, Quinton Farrar, Marius Hauri, Lawrence Hudon, Robert Simas
  • Publication number: 20070208311
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Publication number: 20050146081
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly are the same specific color, and reflect or provide an indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: David MacLean, Frank Blinkhorn, Troy Derby, Quinton Farrar, Marius Hauri, Lawrence Hudon, Robert Simas
  • Publication number: 20050148941
    Abstract: To enable a user to readily determine the gauge of the needle of a needle assembly that has a base and a needle protective housing pivotably attached thereto, the needle assembly is injection molded from a color coded molding material which color was preassigned to correspond to the gauge of the needle. As a result, both the base and the protective housing of the needle assembly have the same specific color, and reflect or provide and indication of the given gauge of the needle. The needle sheath that covers the needle prior to use may be made of a plastics material that may be clear, or have the same or a different color than that of the needle assembly. The gauge of the needle of a fixed needle syringe could also be ascertained by its color coded needle protective housing. Color coded markings that correspond to the gauge of the needle may also be printed onto the syringe barrel of the fixed needle syringe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Quinton Farrar, Frank Blinkhorn
  • Publication number: 20050065482
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a collar or ring that is rotatably mounted to a needle hub, which may be connected to a medical device such as a syringe. The needle assembly may be connected to the syringe by the user grasping the needle hub in first and second embodiments, or turning of the needle sheath in other embodiments. In all of the embodiments, the collar of the needle assembly may be rotated by turning the needle sheath, which is designed to interact with the collar. In some of the embodiments, the needle hub likewise interacts with the collar in such a way that by rotating the needle sheath, the needle hub is likewise rotated for connection to a syringe. When an exposed needle is to be covered, after the needle sheath has been removed, a housing connected to the collar is pivotally moved to cover the needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David MacLean, Lawrence Hudon, Robert Simas, Troy Derby
  • Publication number: 20050065481
    Abstract: A safety needle assembly has a needle hub having a proximal portion and a distal portion. Integrally formed from the proximal portion is a ring that surrounds the luer base portion of the needle hub. Windows are provided at the sidewall of the ring to enable a user to see the base portion of the needle hub. At the distal portion of the needle hub there are coaxially formed circumferential flanges. The space between the flanges and the end wall of the ring surrounding the luer end of the needle hub is dimensioned to accept protrusions at the inner surface of the proximal portion of a collar. Once mated to the space at the needle hub, the collar is rotatable, although not freely, about the needle hub. A needle protection housing is connected to the collar and is pivotable to cover the needle that extends from the distal end of the needle hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Marius Hauri, Frank Blinkhorn, David MacLean, Lawrence Hudon, Robert Simas, Troy Derby