Needle type safety connector

Abstract

A safety needle connector according to the invention comprises a hollow needle through which fluid may pass fastened to a needle support sleeve itself connected to a fluid tube. The needle support sleeve may be connected by clipping it axially into a receiving structure of a protective cylinder that surrounds a projecting needle portion. The receiving structure comprises receiving cylinders in which the needle support sleeve is engaged and comprising locking tongues that cooperate with a bearing flange to allow penetration of the needle support sleeve and prevent its withdrawal. A closure sleeve is engaged around the projecting needle portion to form a sealed connection in the needle passage.

1 . A safety needle connector comprising a hollow needle through which fluid can pass, a needle support sleeve, and a protective cylinder, the needle support sleeve carrying the needle and connecting it and sealing it to a fluid tube to which it is fixed, a projecting needle portion axially extending the needle support sleeve at the end opposite the fluid tube, the protective cylinder having an interior space containing the projecting needle portion, with an open distal end for inserting a sampling container to be connected by the needle and with a closed proximal end with connection means for connecting it to the needle support sleeve, the connection means comprising a proximal cylinder with a large diameter and a proximal opening followed by a distal cylinder with a smaller diameter whose bottom communicates with the interior space of the protective cylinder via a needle passage and comprising retaining means for axially retaining the needle support sleeve engaged in the proximal cylinder and in the distal cylinder, 
 wherein    the lateral walls of the proximal cylinder and the distal cylinder are fluid-tight,    the needle support sleeve comprises a bearing flange conformed to penetrate with appropriate peripheral clearance into the proximal cylinder and to abut against an intermediate shoulder connecting the proximal cylinder and the distal cylinder,    the proximal cylinder comprises elastically flexible locking tongue means which when at rest, and starting from an intermediate region of the protective cylinder, are oriented in an oblique direction toward the proximal end to bear against the distal face of the bearing flange, and then, following flexing in the downstream direction of the locking tongue means upon penetration of the needle support sleeve, to bear against the proximal face of the bearing flange, thereby opposing withdrawal of the needle support sleeve from the protective cylinder.    
   
   
       2 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking tongue means comprise two diametrically opposite tongues.  
   
   
       3 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein a closure sleeve is engaged around the projecting needle portion and passes through the needle passage in the bottom of the distal cylinder to provide a seal between the needle and the bottom of the distal cylinder.  
   
   
       4 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle support sleeve comprises a sealing flange, offset in the upstream direction from the bearing flange, and bearing against the locking tongue means when the needle support sleeve is engaged in the protective cylinder.  
   
   
       5 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cylinder is molded from a first plastic material such as polypropylene.  
   
   
       6 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle support sleeve is molded from a second plastic material such as polycarbonate.  
   
   
       7 . A safety connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure sleeve is made from a closed cell resilient foam or an elastically flexible elastomer such as latex.