Injection port protector

Abstract

A shielded injection port for use in an intravenous (IV) medication delivery system includes a single piece spherical shaped body having a hollow interior. The spherical shaped body is truncated, at a location above a plane that passes through a center of the spherical shaped body and defines a diameter of the spherical shaped body, so as to define a first opening formed at a first end of the spherical shaped body for receiving a fluid delivery member into the hollow interior. The shielded injection port also includes an injection port body that is integrally formed with the spherical shaped body. The injection port body has a first end that is contained within a bottom half of the hollow interior of the spherical shaped body such that the spherical shaped body is configured to surround and extend above the first end of the injection port body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shielded injection port for use in an intravenous (IV) medication delivery system, the shielded injection port comprising:
 a single piece spherical shaped body having a hollow interior, the spherical shaped body being truncated, at a location above a plane that passes through a center of the spherical shaped body and defines a diameter of the spherical shaped body, so as to define a first opening formed at a first end of the spherical shaped body for receiving a fluid delivery member into the hollow interior, the first opening having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the spherical shaped body; and   an injection port body that is integrally formed with the spherical shaped body, the injection port body having a first end that is contained within a bottom half of the hollow interior of the spherical shaped body such that the spherical shaped body is configured to surround and extend above the first end of the injection port body, the injection port body extending outward from a second end of the spherical shaped body in a direction that is opposite the first end.   
     
     
         2 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical shaped body and the injection port body are formed of a molded plastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the injection port body comprises a septum that is configured to allow a fluid from a fluid delivery device to be injected into the injection port body. 
     
     
         4 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the injection port body comprises an elongated main body section with a flange at the first end that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the main body section. 
     
     
         5 . The shielded injection port of  claim 4 , wherein the flange seats against the second end of the spherical shaped body. 
     
     
         6 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the injection port body is configured to attach to a first tubing along a side of the injection port body and attach to a second tubing at a second end of the injection port body that is opposite the first end of the injection port body. 
     
     
         7 . The shielded injection port of  claim 6 , wherein the injection port body and the second tubing are coaxial. 
     
     
         8 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the injection port body that is contained within the hollow interior is less than a length of the injection port body that lies outside the spherical shaped body. 
     
     
         9 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening of the spherical shaped body is located at a top edge of the spherical shaped body and is opposite and coaxial with the injection port body. 
     
     
         10 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein a side wall of the spherical shaped body is curved inwardly for positioning above the first end of the injection port body and the first opening is positioned for placement directly above the first end of the injection port body. 
     
     
         11 . The shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the plane that passes through the center of the spherical shaped body is a parallel to a plane that contains the entire first end of the spherical shaped body. 
     
     
         12 . An intravenous (IV) medication delivery system comprising:
 a main line that is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a source of fluid for delivery to a patient and terminates in a distal end that is configured for insertion into the patient; and   the shielded injection port of  claim 1 , wherein the injection port body is in fluid communication with the main line and the first end of the injection port body has an interface that is configured to allow a fluid from a fluid delivery device to be injected into the main line through the injection port body.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid delivery device comprises a syringe. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a side wall of the spherical shaped boy is curved inwardly above the first end of the injection port body and the first opening is positioned directly above the first end of the injection port body. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the spherical shaped body and the injection port body are formed of a molded plastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first end of the injection port body comprises a septum that is configured to allow the fluid from the fluid delivery device to be injected into the main line. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the injection port body comprises an elongated main body section with a flange at the first end that has a diameter greater than a diameter of the main body section. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a length of the injection port body that is contained within the hollow interior is less than a length of the injection port body that lies outside the spherical shaped body. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first opening of the spherical shaped body is located at a top edge of the spherical shaped body and is opposite and coaxial with the injection port body. 
     
     
         20 . A method for shielding an injection port that is located along tubing that is part of an intravenous (IV) medication delivery system and is configured to permit injection of a fluid into the tubing, the method comprising the step of:
 at least partially encapsulating the injection port within a hollow interior of a truncated spherical shaped protective shell such that at least a first end of the injection port is surrounded by the truncated spherical shaped protective shell and a top edge of the truncated spherical shaped protective shell lies above the first end of the injection port which lies within a bottom half of the protective shell with the top edge of the truncated spherical shaped protective shell defining a first opening that has a diameter less than a maximum diameter of the truncated spherical shaped protective shell, wherein the injection port and the truncated spherical shaped protective shell are integrally formed with one another to define a single part.