Piercing device with retractable needle

Abstract

A piercing device comprising a main body, a piercing needle and a stud member, in which said piercing needle protrudes in a first direction from a first slider, in which said first slider is mounted on a first track provided on said main body, and is reciprocally moveable along a piercing axis between a stand-by position and a piercing position, in which said stud member is removably mounted to second slider and protrudes therefrom in a second direction opposite to said first direction, in which said second slider is mounted on a second track and is moveable along said piercing axis in said second direction, in which said first slider comprises a first connector part and said second slider comprises a second connector part, in which in a first device configuration said first slider is in said stand-by position and is located relative to said second slider such that said first connector part is spaced from said second connector part, and in which in a second device configuration said first slider is in said piercing position and is located relative to said second slider such that said first connector part is engaged with said second connector part, and subsequent movement of said first slider in said second direction is transmitted to said second slider.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A piercing device comprising a main body, a piercing needle and a stud member,
 in which said piercing needle protrudes in a first direction from a first slider, in which said first slider is mounted on a first track provided on said main body, and is reciprocally moveable along a piercing axis between a stand-by position and a piercing position,   in which said stud member is removably mounted to second slider and protrudes therefrom in a second direction opposite to said first direction, in which said second slider is mounted on a second track and is moveable along said piercing axis in said second direction,   in which said first slider comprises a first connector part and said second slider comprises a second connector part,   in which in a first device configuration said first slider is in said stand-by position and is located relative to said second slider such that said first connector part is spaced from said second connector part,   and in which in a second device configuration said first slider is in said piercing position and is located relative to said second slider such that said first connector part is engaged with said second connector part, and subsequent movement of said first slider in said second direction is transmitted to said second slider.   
     
     
         2 . A piercing device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a clamp,
 in which said clamp comprises a static jaw and a sliding jaw with a containment area therebetween, in which said sliding jaw is mounted on a third track for movement along said piercing axis, in which said static jaw and said sliding jaw each comprise a needle aperture on said piercing axis, 
 in which said piercing device comprises a handle for moving said sliding jaw between an open position and a clamping position, 
 in which said static jaw and said sliding jaw are located on said piercing axis between said first slider and said second slider, 
 and in which said first slider is located relative to said static jaw such that said piercing needle extends through said needle apertures in said second device configuration. 
 
     
     
         3 . A piercing device as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a needle sleeve, in which said needle sleeve is provided on a third slider and comprises a first section extending through said third slider and a second section protruding in said first direction from said third slider,
 in which said third slider is mounted on said first track and is reciprocally moveable along said piercing axis between a retracted position and an advanced position, 
 in which said third slider is located on said piercing axis between said first slider and said sliding jaw, 
 in which said first slider comprises a first engagement surface facing in said first direction, in which said third slider comprises a second engagement surface facing in said second direction, 
 in which in said first device configuration said third slider is in said retracted position and is located relative to said first slider such that said first engagement surface is spaced from said second engagement surface, but at least a tip of said needle is enclosed in said needle sleeve, 
 in which in a third device configuration said first slider is located in an intermediate position between said stand-by position and said piercing position and relative to said third slider such that said first engagement surface contacts said second engagement surface, and subsequent movement of said first slider in said first direction moves said third slider from said retracted position towards said advanced position, 
 in which said needle sleeve is dimensioned such that in said third device configuration said tip of said needle protrudes from said needle sleeve, 
 and in which said third slider is positioned relative to said static jaw such that said needle sleeve extends through said needle apertures in said second device configuration. 
 
     
     
         4 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 3  in which said third slider comprises a tail portion extending in said second direction therefrom, in which a third connector part is provided at an outer end of said tail portion,
 in which said first slider comprises a fourth connector part, 
 in which in a fourth device configuration said third slider is in said advanced position, said first connector part is engaged with said second connector part, and said first slider is located relative to said third slider such that said third connector part is engaged with said fourth connector part, and subsequent movement of said first slider in said second direction moves said third slider from said advanced position towards said retracted position, 
 and in which in said fourth device configuration an end portion of said stud member is enclosed in said needle sleeve. 
 
     
     
         5 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 4  in which said first slider comprises an opening through which said tail portion extends and a third engagement surface facing in said second direction,
 in which said third connector part comprises a flange at an outer end thereof with a greater diameter than said opening, 
 and in which in said fourth device configuration said flange contacts said third engagement surface. 
 
     
     
         6 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a trigger, in which said trigger is connected to said first slider by a first linkage so movement of said trigger is transmitted thereto, in which said trigger is mounted for movement on a first displacement mechanism provided on said main body, and in which said trigger is movable between a primed position in which said first slider is in said stand-by position, and a depressed position in which said first slider is in said piercing position. 
     
     
         7 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 6  in which said first displacement mechanism comprises an enclosure formed by said main body in which said trigger is reciprocally moveable along a linear trigger axis. 
     
     
         8 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 6  in which said first linkage comprises a compound gear comprising a driver gear on a first rack provided on said trigger and a driven gear on a second rack associated with said first slider. 
     
     
         9 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 6  in which a first non-return ratchet is disposed between said trigger and said main body which prevents movement of said trigger towards said primed position until said trigger is in said depressed position. 
     
     
         10 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 9  in which said first non-return ratchet comprises a sheath provided on said main body and a rod associated with said trigger for relative reciprocal movement in said sheath in unison with movement of said trigger on said first displacement mechanism,
 in which said rod comprises a plurality of radially outwardly extending teeth and said sheath comprises a plurality of radially inwardly extending ratchet slots for engaging said plurality of teeth in a non-return manner, 
 in which said plurality of teeth extend only partially around said rod circumferentially and said ratchet slots extend only partially around said sheath circumferentially, 
 in which said rod comprises a radially outwardly extending boss and said sheath comprises a radially inwardly extending guide slot in which said boss is disposed, 
 in which said guide slot extends in an axial direction of said sheath and comprises a first portion, second portion, third portion and fourth portion, 
 in which said first portion is axially linear and determines a first axial rotational position of said boss when said trigger is in said primed position and when said trigger is travelling from said primed position to said depressed position, in which in said first axial rotational position of said boss said teeth are axially aligned with said ratchet slots, 
 in which said second portion extends in a helical direction of said sheath and transmits linear movement of said rod in said sheath into a first axial rotation of said boss from said first axial rotational position to a second axial rotational position in which said teeth are axially displaced from said ratchet slots, 
 in which said third portion is axially linear and determines said second axial rotational position of said boss when said trigger is in said depressed position and when said trigger is travelling from said depressed position to said primed position, 
 and in which said fourth portion extends in a helical direction of said sheath and transmits linear movement of said rod in said sheath into a second axial rotation of said boss from said second axial rotational position back to said first axial rotational position. 
 
     
     
         11 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 9  in which at least one first spring member is disposed between said trigger and said main body which biases said trigger towards said primed position. 
     
     
         12 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 6  in which said main body comprises a trigger housing and a needle cartridge removably mounted thereon,
 in which said needle cartridge comprises said first slider, first track, piercing needle, second slider, second track and stud member, 
 in which said first linkage comprises a first drive body disposed in said trigger housing, in which movement of said trigger from said primed position to said depressed position moves said first drive body from a start position to an end position, 
 in which said first slider comprises a first interface portion, in which said first drive body comprises a second interface portion, and in which said first interface portion interfaces with said second interface portion when said needle cartridge is mounted to said trigger housing, such that movement of said first drive body is transmitted to said first slider. 
 
     
     
         13 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 2  in which said handle is connected to said sliding jaw by a second linkage so movement of said handle is transmitted thereto,
 in which said handle is mounted on a second displacement mechanism provided on said main body and is movable between a rearward position in which said sliding jaw is in said open position and a forward position in which said sliding jaw is in said clamping position. 
 
     
     
         14 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 13  in which a second non-return ratchet is disposed between said handle and said main body, in which said second non-return ratchet comprises a rack, a pawl member and a release mechanism, and in which said second non-return ratchet prevents movement of said handle towards said rearward position unless said release mechanism is activated. 
     
     
         15 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 14  in which a second spring member is disposed between said handle and said main body which biases said handle towards said rearward position. 
     
     
         16 . An ear piercing device as claimed in  claim 13  in which said main body comprises a trigger housing and a needle cartridge removably mounted thereon,
 in which said needle cartridge comprises said first slider, first track, piercing needle, second slider, second track, stud member and clamp, 
 in which said second linkage comprises a second drive body disposed in said trigger housing, in which movement of said handle from said rearward position to said forward position moves said second drive body from a primary position to a secondary position, 
 and in which said sliding jaw comprises a third interface portion, in which said second drive body comprises a fourth interface portion, in which said third interface portion interfaces with said fourth interface portion when said needle cartridge is mounted to said trigger housing, such that movement of said second drive body is transmitted to said sliding jaw.