Needle Protection Device With Gauge Specific Color Coding and Method for Manufacturing Thereof

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.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A needle device comprising: a base having a hub and a luer end, a needle extending from said hub, the needle having a particular gauge, said base having hingedly connected thereto a needle protection housing pivotable relative to said base, said base and said housing integrally formed as a unitary unit from a molding material having added thereto a specific color pigmentation preassigned to correspond to the particular gauge of said needle so that said base and said housing each have said specific color, said needle adapted to be covered by said housing when said housing is pivoted to a position whereby the needle passes through a longitudinal slot along said housing, wherein the particular gauge of said needle can be readily ascertained by a user looking at the color of said base and/or said housing. 
     
     
         33 . Needle device of  claim 32 , further comprising a needle sheath covering said needle to prevent contamination of said needle before use. 
     
     
         34 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein said needle sheath has a different color than said base and said housing. 
     
     
         35 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein said needle sheath is made of a clear plastic material so that the user can visually ascertain the gauge of said needle. 
     
     
         36 . Needle device of  claim 32 , further comprising a needle retaining mechanism in said housing for grasping said needle when said needle is covered by said housing so that said needle and said housing are retained relative to each other to prevent said needle from being further exposed. 
     
     
         37 . Needle device of  claim 32 , further comprising a retaining mechanism, said housing comprising an elongate portion having two sidewalls that form the longitudinal slot which extends from a closed end of said housing to an open end, said retaining mechanism formed in said housing at the open end of the longitudinal slot adapted to grasp said needle when said needle passes through the longitudinal slot. 
     
     
         38 . Needle device of  claim 37 , wherein said housing includes an other portion extending from said elongate portion having two sidewalls each taper toward a living hinge that integrally connects said housing and said base. 
     
     
         39 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein said hub comprises a plurality of fins extending along its length adapted to frictionally contact with said needle sheath when said needle sheath is mated to said hub to cover said needle. 
     
     
         40 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein the color pigmentation added to the molding material is orange so that said base and said housing each have an orange color coded to correspond to said needle being a  25  gauge needle. 
     
     
         41 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein the color pigmentation added to the molding material is black so that said base and said housing each have a black color coded to correspond to said needle being a  22  gauge needle. 
     
     
         42 . Needle device of  claim 33 , wherein the color pigmentation added to the molding material is blue so that said base and said housing each have a blue color coded to correspond to said needle being a  23  gauge needle. 
     
     
         43 . A one piece needle device, comprising:
 a base having a hub and a luer end;   a needle protection housing integrally connected and pivotable relative to said base;   a needle having a given gauge for use in drawing or injecting fluid to a patient extending from said hub, said needle adapted to be covered by said housing when said housing is pivoted to a position to cover said needle;   wherein said base and said housing are formed as a unitary piece from a molding material that has a specific color that corresponds to the given gauge so that the given gauge of said needle is readily ascertainable by a user looking at the color of said base and/or said housing.   
     
     
         44 . Needle device of  claim 43 , further comprising a needle sheath that covers said needle before use. 
     
     
         45 . Needle device of  claim 44 , wherein said needle sheath is made of a clear plastic material. 
     
     
         46 . Needle device of  claim 43 , wherein the luer end of said base is adapted to mate to a syringe. 
     
     
         47 . Needle device of  claim 43 , further comprising a catch mechanism at said housing that grasps said needle when said needle is covered by said housing to prevent said needle from being further exposed. 
     
     
         48 . Needle device of  claim 43 , wherein the gauge of said needle is color coded in accordance to an International Standard Organization (ISO) standard that assigns specific corresponding colors to needles of different gauges. 
     
     
         49 . Needle device of  claim 43 , further comprising a catch mechanism, said housing comprising an elongate portion having two sidewalls that form the longitudinal slot which extends from a closed end of said housing to an open end, said retaining mechanism formed in said housing at the open end of the longitudinal slot for grasping said needle when said needle passes through the longitudinal slot. 
     
     
         50 . Needle device of  claim 49 , wherein said housing includes an other portion extending from said elongate portion having two sidewalls each taper toward a living hinge that integrally connects said housing and said base. 
     
     
         51 . Needle device of  claim 43 , wherein said hub comprises a plurality of fins extending along its length adapted to make frictional contact with said needle sheath when said needle sheath is mated to said hub to cover said needle.