Enclosed needle cannula device with proximal end cap

Needle cannula device enclosed with proximal end cap

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to needle-locked devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE

Needle catheters are well known in the art. In such devices, a needle cannula protrudes through a catheter tube protruding its sharp point from the distal end of the tube. The sharp tip of the needle cannula is used to pierce the skin and blood vessel in order to bring the distal end of the catheter tube into the vessel. Once the catheter tube is in place, the needle cannula is removed leaving the catheter hub exposed for use, such as for connection with a medical fluid conduit or similar to administer or withdraw fluids.

In order to reduce the risk of accidentally pricking with the needle once the needle cannula is removed from the catheter, several proposals have been made to protect the needle tip. A class of devices designed to protect the needle tip includes an elongated needle protection housing in which the needle cannula is received when it is pulled proximally to remove it from the catheter. The needle protection housing may include as part of its distal end a nose intended to be applied with the catheter hub and to release it by traction. The nose could be similar to a sliding male Luer connector that is frictionally applied to the narrow inner female Luer surface of the catheter hub and / or could include a structure by which to achieve selective release of the catheter hub, an example of which may be the duckbill release mechanism represented in US patent application US 2007/0151776 A1. An important aspect of the needle-locked devices is that the needle protection housing is of sufficient length, between its rear or proximal end and its front or distal end nose, to enclose the entire length of the needle cannula therein. when the needle cannula is pulled out of the catheter, thus protecting the tip of the needle. Advantageously, the sharp tip can penetrate the nose or be inside it so as to maintain the alignment of the needle cannula, although the sharp tip could be completely inside the needle protection housing. However, in any case, it is considered that the needle cannula must be enclosed and the tip protected. To this end, the needle cannula is supported on a needle holder that has a movable inner component inside the needle protection housing from a first prepared position or position, in which the distal end of the needle holder the needle is located towards the distal end of the needle protection housing, extending the needle cannula out of the nose of the needle protection housing (and through the catheter with the needle tip exposed when the needle protection housing is mounted on the catheter hub), to a second position or protected position, with the distal end of the needle holder positioned away from the distal end of the needle protection housing in order to remove the needle cannula to be enclosed with the needle protection housing. Advantageously, the movement of the needle holder in the second position is limited and may be restricted by a locking mechanism. After being moved to the second, protected position, the needle protection housing can be removed from the catheter hub and discarded with the needle cannula protected therein, leaving the catheter hub accessible if necessary.

Advantageously, the needle holder can be manually moved to the second position, such as by manipulation of an exposed grip component of the needle holder. The exposed grip component is positioned outside the needle protection housing and is attached to the needle support component within the needle protection housing, such as by one or more ribs extending through one or more more grooves of the needle protection housing. The exposed grip component may consist of shaped surfaces that define wings arranged on opposite sides of the needle protection housing and designed to cooperate with the fingers of a user, and may include one or more additional surfaces extending between the surfaces of the wings and that couple them. The or the other surfaces may be arranged above and / or below the needle protection housing. When two such additional surfaces are provided, the exposed grip component effectively surrounds the protective housing of the needle located therein. Each wing can be attached to the inner component of the needle holder by a respective rib extending through grooves on opposite sides of the needle protection housing, or another surface of the grip component may be attached to the inner component of the needle holder. the needle through a nerve that extends through a single groove that extends along the bottom or top of the needle protection housing. An example of an enclosed needle device is the very successful ProtectIV Safety IV catheter marketed by Smiths Medical ASD, Inc., assignee of the present application.

The features listed in the preamble of independent claims 1 and 19 are known from EP 1 417 983 A2. Another catheter with a needle with a cannula mounted on a movable needle holder within a tubular member is described in US 4,834,718 A. A tubular handle member coupled to the proximal end of the needle holder can be taken to pull the needle holder proximally in order to pull the exposed needle into the tubular member. No part of the tubular member is in a proximal position with respect to the handle member. US 2004/267204 A1 describes a catheter with a needle with a cannula mounted on a needle holder that has a movable part inside a tubular protective housing and an outer part thereof that can be grasped to pull the needle holder in the proximal direction in order to pull the exposed needle to take it inside the protective housing. The protective housing is exposed when the support member is adjacent to the distal end of the protective housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While needle-locked devices that use an elongated needle protection housing to protect the needle tip by enclosing the needle cannula with a manually movable needle holder have enjoyed good acceptance and are widely used, they are desired. More improvements In that regard, the exposed grip component of the needle holder is, generally and desirably, much shorter than the length of the needle guard housing. As the insertion and implantation of the catheter in the patient are generally performed, while the needle holder is in its first position or near it, during the introduction and implantation of the catheter a large extension of the protective housing of the catheter is exposed. the needle, proximal to the needle support wings. Some users may find that the palm or the inner part of the hand can rest against the exposed proximal part of the needle protection housing and cause an unwanted or uncontrolled movement of the needle protection housing. It has been considered simply to use an elongate gripping component that is long enough to cover the proximal part of the needle protection housing, even in the first position of the support housing. However, this provision presents manufacturing and assembly difficulties and is not considered a practical solution.

The present invention provides a solution for covering the needle protection housing in the first position of the needle holder, but without the drawback noted above. For this, and in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the otherwise exposed proximal part of the needle protection housing is enclosed by a separate end cap, which can be tubular, positioned on the proximal part of the housing. of protection of the needle and fixed to the support of the needle, such as to the internal component thereof and / or the exposed grip component. To mount the device, the needle protection housing and the needle holder can be mounted and then the end cap placed on the proximal end of the needle protection housing and facing and supported in relation to the proximal aspect of the needle holder and secure to it. The proximal aspect of the grip component may include an extension that is mounted inside the end cap and includes a rib to marry a throat of the end cap. The extension can be semi-tubular, with a free space inside the end cap. The end cap may be provided with an orientation structure intended to adjust in the clearance to rotationally align the end cap and / or provide deformation resistance to the proximal part of the grip component. The end cap and the grip component are fixed together, such as by elastic jump mounting of the nerve and throat and / or by adhesive bonding or ultrasonic bonding, by way of example. Alternatively or additionally, the inner component of the needle holder and the end cap can be secured together, such as by adhesive. A rod that extends between the end cap and the inner component of the needle holder inside the needle guard housing, can couple the end cap with the inner component. The rod may be part of the end cap and extend distally from the proximal end thereof and / or the rod could be a proximal extension of the inner component of the needle holder. By attaching an end cap proximal to the needle holder and on the proximal aspect of the needle protection housing, the effect of a longer exposed grip component is achieved, but with a practical arrangement that overcomes manufacturing and manufacturing difficulties. mounting.

By virtue of the foregoing, an enclosed needle device is thus provided which has the advantages of the manually movable needle holder and which has the effect of a longer exposed grip component, but without its drawbacks. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part thereof, show an illustrative embodiment of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention offered above and the detailed description that follows, serve to explain the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a needle catheter insertion device locked in a first prepared position or position, which includes a catheter assembly and a needle insertion assembly of the type of needle enclosed, with a version of the end cap according to the principles of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view of the needle insertion assembly of the needle-inserted catheter insertion device of fig. 1 intended to explain the principles of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of fig. 1 with the needle protection housing removed for reasons of clarity;

fig. 3A is a view similar to fig. 3 but showing an alternative version of the end cap;

fig. 4 is a bottom view, partially cut away, of part of the needle-inserted catheter insertion device of fig. 1;

fig. 5 is a perspective view of part of the insert needle assembly of fig. 1 in a second position

or protected position, with the catheter assembly removed in order to explain the principles of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a bottom view, partially cut away, of part of the insertion needle assembly of fig. 4 in the second position or protected position;

fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a needle catheter insertion device locked in a first prepared position or position, including a catheter assembly and a needle insertion assembly of the needle type enclosed with another version of end cap according to the principles of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view of the needle insertion assembly of the catheter insertion device with an enclosed needle of FIG. 7, intended to explain the principles of the present invention;

fig. 9 is a partially cut-away top view of part of the needle-inserted catheter insertion device of fig. 7;

fig. 10 is a perspective view of part of the insert needle assembly of fig. 7 in a second position

or protected position, with the catheter assembly removed, intended to explain the principles of the present invention;

fig. 11 is a partially cut-away top view of part of the insert needle assembly of fig. 7 in the second position or protected position;

fig. 12 is a perspective view of another version of an end cap according to the principles of the present invention; and

fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the end cap of fig. 12 fixed to the needle holder of fig. 7, intended to explain the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to figs. 1 to 6 (which are not necessarily to scale in order to more easily show the various components), there is shown a first illustrative embodiment 10 of a safety catheter device, also called a catheter insertion device, which It has a catheter assembly 12 and a needle insertion assembly 14 of the enclosed needle type, with features of the present invention.

The catheter assembly 12 includes a catheter hub 16 and catheter tube 18 extending distally therefrom to its distal end 19, advantageously bevelled. The needle insertion assembly 14 includes a needle protection housing 20, elongated, advantageously cylindrical, a needle holder 22 which includes an elongate internal component 23, advantageously cylindrical (figs. 4 and 6) received telescopically in the protective housing 20 and a needle cannula 24 fixed to the needle holder 22 and extending distally therefrom, to a bevelled, sharp point, 25 (fig. 1). The needle protection housing 20 has a side wall 26 that extends between a proximal end 28 and a distal end 30 and which defines a space 32 therein (figs. 4 and 6) through which the internal component 23 of the needle holder 22 moves and in which the needle cannula 24 is finally received, as will be described below. Mounted at the distal end 30 of the protective housing 20 and therefore considered part of the protective housing 20, there is a cap 33 that includes a nose 34 protruding distally, intended to engage with the hub 16 of the catheter. The nose 34 may include a gasket formed in situ (not shown), as described in US Patent No. 5,092,845 and / or may include one or more joint molded joints (also not shown), as described in US patent application, also pending, US 2007/0131775 A1. The internal component 23 of the needle holder 22 is advantageously hollow in order to receive therein blood from the needle cannula 24 to provide a return. The proximal end 25 of the internal component 23 of the needle holder 22 is advantageously closed by means of a quick-apply plug 36 of material that allows ventilation and that allows air to pass but not blood or other fluids.

The needle holder 22 also includes an exposed grip component 40 disposed outside the needle protection housing 20 and which, advantageously, can generally be semi-tubular. The gripping component 40 is coupled to the internal component 23 of the needle by a rib 42 extending through the longitudinal groove 44 of the side wall 26 of the needle protection housing 20. The gripping component 40 advantageously includes at least one side surface or wall 46 or 47 formed as a wing arranged on one side of the needle protection housing 20 and shaped to facilitate manipulation with the fingers of a user (not shown) ). Advantageously, the grip component 40 includes surfaces or side walls 46 and 47 arranged on opposite sides of the needle protection housing 20. In the embodiment shown in figs. 1 6, the gripping component 40 also includes another lower surface 48 extending between the wings 46 and 47 and connecting them, below the needle protection housing 20 and facing the groove 44 to thus define a semi-tubular shape of the grip component 40 around the side wall 26 of the needle protection housing 20 in the area of ​​the wings 46, 47. The surface 48 may be flat or curved, as desired. The distal end 30 of the needle protection housing 20 may include a pusher or finger tab 50 and the needle protection housing 20 may include arcuate ribs 52 spaced along the side wall 26. Advantageously, the bevel of the sharp tip 25 of the needle cannula 24 may be aligned with the tongue 50, as shown herein.

The needle insertion assembly 14 has a first position or ready position, as seen in figs. 1, 2 and 4, in which the needle holder 22 is positioned next to the distal end 30, such that the needle cannula 24 extends substantially beyond the end 30 and the cap 33, thereby leaving exposed the sharp point 25. When the catheter assembly 12 is mounted in the needle insertion assembly 14, in the ready position, the tip 25 is exposed beyond the end 19 of the catheter tube 18. It will be appreciated that in the first prepared position or position, a substantial part 55 (such as approximately half or more of the axial length) of the needle protection housing 20 located proximally with respect to the grip component 40, it would be exposed behind the gripping component 40, such that the palm or the inner part of a user's hand (not shown) could collide with it during the use of the device 10. For this reason, and in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the needle insertion assembly 14 is provided with a proximal end cap 60 which is a separate component of at least the grip component 40 if not of the whole of the needle holder 22, but positioned on the proximal part 55 of the needle protection housing 20 and fixed to the needle holder 22 as explained below.

The proximal end cap 60 has a side wall 62 that defines an internal space 64 intended to receive in it the part 55 of the needle protection housing 20 that would otherwise be exposed in the first position or ready position. in the proximal position of the grip component 40. The side wall 62 can advantageously define a tubular shape for the proximal end cap 60. As seen particularly in fig. 2, the proximal end cap 60 may have a distal cylindrical or first aspect 66, which supports an open mouth 68 at the most distal end 70 of the cap 60 to receive the needle protection housing 20 therethrough and to engage with the grip component 40 as will be described. Cap 60 may have a second aspect or proximal aspect 72 that narrows slightly toward a proximal end wall 74 that extends radially inward enough to be inside the cylinder of the needle protection housing 20 to effectively close the appearance proximal 72. Wall 74 may include an opening 76 therein for ventilation of space 64 (and, therefore, of needle insertion assembly 14).

With the needle holder 22 and the grip component 40 mounted in the needle protection housing 20, the proximal end cap 60 is mounted on the proximal end 28 of the needle protection housing through the mouth 68 in the direction of arrow A in fig. 2 until the end 70 of the cap 60 faces the proximal end 78 of the grip component 40 and rests against it. Cap 60 and component 40 are fixed thereon. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the proximal end 78 of the grip component 40 includes a proximal extension 80 such as a semi-tubular segment sized to fit tightly inside the mouth 68 of the cap 60. The segment 80 has edges 82, 83 to define a space 84 between them. The end cap 60 includes an orientation structure 85 having surfaces 86, 87 for confronting and, in general, resting against the edges 82, 83 within the clearance 84 in order to rotate the end cap 60 with the rotation grip component 40 and / or provide deformation resistance to its proximal extension 80. As seen in figs. two and 3, the orientation structure 85 could be defined by rails 88, 89 extending proximally from the adjacent mouth 68 on the side wall 62 to define respective surfaces 86, 87. Alternatively, as seen in fig. 3A, the orientation structure 85 could be an arcuate, thickened solid part 62a of the side wall 62 extending proximally from the adjacent mouth 68 to define respective surfaces 86, 87. In addition, the segment 80 may include a circumferential or arcuate rib 90 about it, and the cap 60 may include a recess or throat 92 sized to receive the rib 90 therein into an elastic jump mounting arrangement by which to fix the cap 60 to the grip component 40. The throat 92 could extend circumferentially or along an arc between the rails 88 and 89 or it could be annular and extend completely in a circle. Alternatively or additionally, the cap 60 and the grip component 40 can be joined together by adhesive and / or ultrasonic bonding.

The needle insertion assembly 14 has a second position, which is seen in figs. 5 and 6, in which the needle cannula 24 is protected inside the needle protection housing 20. The second position is achieved by manipulating the grip component 40 to pull it by hand in the proximal direction of the arrow B in figs. 5 and 6 in order to pull the needle holder 22 away from the distal end 30 of the needle protection housing 20 until it is adjacent to its proximal end 28. Such manipulation leads the tip 25 of the needle into the interior of at least the nose 34 if not inside the space 32 in order to enclose or protect the needle cannula 24. The needle insertion assembly 14 may optionally include a locking mechanism to hold the needle holder 22 in the second position. For this, and with reference to figs. 4 to 6, the proximal end 102 of the slot 44 is provided in a U-shape in order to include a pair of fingers 194, the fingers defining, between them, a slot 106. The fingers 104 are intended to be pushed or moved by cam action, each, to separate them from each other in order to widen the groove 106 so that the proximally narrowed aspect 108 of the rib 42 passes between them. An aspect 108 of the rib 42 passes completely beyond the fingers 104, the groove 106 is closed down again until an area 110 of free space is defined in the distal rib 42 of the spectum 108 to prevent the fingers 104 from being displaced out of that position. Although defined as part of nerve 42, aspect 108 could also be a nerve separated from nerve 42 by area 110 of free space.

The needle insertion assembly 14 is easily assembled by attaching the needle cannula 24 to the needle holder 22 and then inserting the needle holder 22 (and the quick-mount cap 36) into the protective housing 20 of the needle. needle by passing the rib 42 (and aspect 108) into the groove 44 at the distal end 30 so that the grip component 40 is outside the needle protection housing 20. In this regard, the slot 44 can be opened or unlocked at the end 30 for mounting purposes and then the cap 33 can be fixed to the end 30 to also close or lock the slot 44 in such a way that the support 22 of the needle is retained preventing its movement inside the needle protection housing when handling the grip component 40 outside the needle protection housing 20. The proximal end cap 60 is then placed on the proximal end 28 of the needle protection housing 20 according to arrow A of fig. 2, and is fixed to the needle holder 22 which, in the embodiments of figs. 1 to 6, is achieved by fixing the end cap 60 to the segment 80 of the grip component 40.

In use, the needle holder 22 will be in the first prepared position or position with the proximal part 55 of the needle protection housing 20 enclosed by the proximal end cap 60, such as to be generally protected from a unwanted or unwanted interaction with the palm or with the inside of the user's hand (not shown). Any protective sheath (not shown) is removed and then the needle cannula 24 can be used to guide the tube 18 of the catheter into a patient (not shown) and place it in the desired position without the palm or the inside of the The user's hand causes, adversely, an unnecessary or unwanted movement of the needle protection housing 20. Then, the needle cannula 24 can be moved to the second position as shown in figs. 5 and 6 manipulating it to move the grip component 40 with the hand in the proximal direction (according to arrow B in figs. 5 and 6), in which the needle cannula 24 is enclosed or protected by the needle protection housing 20 (in the embodiment shown herein, the tip 25 penetrates, and is, within the nose 34 of the protection housing 20, which is still defined as the needle cannula 24 is enclosed or protected by the needle protection housing 20). The needle insertion assembly 14 of the catheter 16 of the catheter is removed. The needle assembly 14 can then be discarded leaving the catheter assembly 12 implanted in the patient for vascular access purposes.

Referring further to figs. 7 to 11 (which are not necessarily to scale in order to more easily show the various components), there is shown a second embodiment 10 'of a safety catheter or catheter insertion device, similar to embodiment 10 represented in the figs. 1 to 6, using the same reference numbers for the same components. Therefore, the device 10 'also has a catheter assembly 12 and has a needle insertion assembly 14' of the needle type enclosed with the features of the present invention. The needle insertion assembly 14 'is very similar to the needle insertion assembly 14 described above, except for the following. (A) Needle protection housing 20 'lacks nerves

(52) on the side wall 26 and of the finger tab (50) at its distal end 30. Instead, the cap 33 'closes the distal end 30 and includes there a finger pusher or tongue 50'. (B) The grip component 40 'has side walls 46, 47 and another lower surface 48, but also includes another upper surface 48' (which may be flat or curved, as desired) that extends between the wings 46, 47 and that connects them above the needle protection housing 20 ', such that the grip component 40' is generally tubular in order to be closed, in general , throughout its periphery so as to surround the side wall 26 of the needle protection housing 20 'in the area of ​​the wings 46, 47. (C) The groove 44' is located at the top rather than at the bottom (in the case of slot 44) of the needle protection housing 20 ', and the rib 42' extends between the upper surface 48 'and the inner component 23 of the needle holder 22'. (D) Slot 44 'and rib 42' do not include a locking mechanism (although, optionally, they could include it). The proximal end 102 'of the groove 44' may simply be formed to match the narrowed aspect 108 of the rib 42 'and does not have to include the fingers (104) or the groove (106) of the groove (44), neither does the 42 'nerve require the area

(110) of the free space of the rib 42. The movement of the support 22 'of the needle, once in the second position in the embodiment of figs. 7-11, may be limited by a clip, a tongue or other reorientation structure (not shown) associated with the nose 34 that blocks the tip 25 of the needle cannula 24 once the tip 25 has entered the nose 34, some examples of which are shown in US Pat. Nos. 5,419,766; 5,683,365 and 6,322,537. (E) The gripping component (40 'defines a notch 120 in which the tongue 50' of the cap 33 'is adjusted in the first position or preparation position. (F) The segment or proximal extension 80 'of the grip component 40' is, in general, tubular and does not have a free space (84), such that the cap 60 'of the proximal end which, otherwise, can being identical to the proximal end cap 60, it does not advantageously include an orientation structure (85) for rotationally aligning the end cap 60 'with the grip component 40'. And (G) the rib 92 'of the segment 80' is annular and extends completely around the segment 80 'and / or provides resistance to deformation to the proximal extension 80'. The assembly and use of the device 10 'are substantially the same as those described above in relation to the device

10.

In the previous embodiments, the end cap (60 or 60 ') has been fixed to the proximal extension (80 or 80') of the grip component (40 or 40 ') in order to fix it to the support 22 or 22' of the needle. In addition or alternatively, the end cap could be fixed to the needle holder by attaching it to its proximal end 35. To do this, and with reference to figs. 12 and 13, a rod 200 can be coupled between the inner component 23 of the needle holder 22 'and the end cap 260 (which, otherwise, could be substantially the same as the end cap 60 or 60'). The rod 200 can be securely fixed to the proximal end 35 of the needle holder 22 'and to the proximal aspect 72, such as the proximal end wall 74' of the end cap 260. The stem 200, in the embodiment shown in figs. 12 and 13, is hollow and is formed in one piece with the end cap 260 to extend distally from the end wall 74 'to a distal end, free, 202. The end 202 of the stem joins the proximal end 35 in order to define an effective extension of the internal component 23 towards or from the proximal end 28 of the needle protection housing 20 ', even in the first position. In this regard, the internal component 23 should not be provided with a quick-mount plug 36. On the other hand, the distal end 202 of the rod 200 is shaped to fit tightly at the proximal end 35 of the internal component 23 in an hermetic application with it in order to effectively prolong the recoil chamber and achieve the effect shown in the application for US Patent 2007/0131777 A1, also processing. The ends 202 and 35 could also be joined by adhesive or secured together in another way. A quick-mount plug 204 is removably received in the opening 206 extending proximally from the end wall 74 ', with the opening 206 coupled in fluid flow relation with the opening 76' of the end cap 260. The quick-mount plug 204 includes material 208 as the material 36 of the quick-mount plug described in relation to the aforementioned devices 10 and 10 '. The quick-mount plug 204 is normally held in place preventing the passage of fluids through the internal component 23, but the cap 204 can be removed by offering the physician (not shown) access for fluid communication to component 23 and the cannula 24 of the needle, and through it, as desired.

Although the rod 200 is shown as an integral part of the end cap 260, part of the rod 200 or all of it could be provided by a proximal extension of the internal component 23 of the needle holder 22 ', as will be readily appreciated. Furthermore, although the end cap 260 is shown, also, with the cylindrical aspect 66 fixed to the proximal extension 80 'as described above in connection with the end cap 60' (or could be fixed to the extension 80 of the support 22 of the needle and, also, may include the orientation structure 35), the end cap 260 does not have to include the entire cylindrical aspect 66 (nor the orientation structure 85 if used with the needle holder 22) such that there could be a free space (not shown) between the cap 260 of end and exposed grip component 40 '. The assembly is carried out substantially as described above in relation to the devices 10 and 10 'except that the fixation would involve or include the coupling of the rod 200 between the end cap 260 and the needle support component 23, as has been described above. The use of such devices with end cap 260 would be substantially as described above for devices 10 and 10 '.

Although the present invention has been illustrated by the description of its embodiments, and although the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or limit in any way the scope of the appended claims to said detail. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to have additional advantages and modifications. For example, the grip component 40 or 40 'can be attached to the support 22 or 22' of the needle by more ribs than the 42 or 42 '(and / or its narrowed appearance 108). In this regard, surfaces 48 or 48 'and / or each of the wings 46, 47 may not be provided to be coupled to the support 22 or 22' of the needle by a separate rib extending through a respective groove 44 or 44 'of the 20 or 20' needle protection housing. Likewise, although it is advantageous to have the proximal end wall 74 for the end cap 60 or 60 'so that they have an appearance within the cylinder of the needle protection housing 20', the proximal end cap does not have to have the ventilation opening 76 and the proximal end wall 74. Furthermore, the end caps 60, 60 'or 260 do not necessarily enclose the entire part 55 of the housing 20

or 20 'needle protection. The invention, in its broadest aspects, is therefore not limited to the specific details or to the representative apparatus and method or to the examples illustrated, shown and described. Consequently, deviations from such details can be accepted without departing from the scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is: