Dear Lars,

I think you should contact Barry Liversidge of Tip-Top on: [email protected]. Their web address is: www.tip-top.com. Barry can help you with the most simple yet efficient sharps injury protection means.

Another contact may be SHL Group, www.shl-group.com, for developing your own and have it efficiently developed, protected and manufactured.

Best!

Lennart

Lennart,

Thank you for providing me with that information, it has been & will be extremely useful as I move forward. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, hope hear from you again soon. If there is anything I may help you with, please do not hesitate to ask. Hope you have a fantastic day!

Sincerely,

Lars Lafferty

Try the USPTO.gov web site.  In "patent search" use Boolean search terms to find a patent in the general area.  Look at the first page for "Current U.S. Class:"  To the right you will see numbers in bold, e.g., 604/110.  Then search with these class numbers for all patents in that category.  Keep checking for different U.S. Class numbers in other patents.    

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=4&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=syringe.ABTX.&s2=lock.ABTX.&OS=ABST/syringe+AND+ABST/lock&RS=ABST/syringe+AND+ABST/lock

Yes, Single-use, spring loaded injections are used for several drugs. These include, for example, blood thinners like Inoxiperin to prevent DVT's following joint surgery. I'm not sure who manufacturers them but suppliers with pre-loaded drugs more and more commonly use these as delivery vehicles.

Could you tell me if you are wanting to prevent needle sticks or faster medication delivery?

Thomas,

         Thank you for providing me with that information, it has been extremely helpful during my research of patents which are relevant to my on-going research.

Tom,

     Are you aware of any suppliers who currently are selling the spring loaded syringes you are referring to? Thanks

Janet,

      I am interested in identifying syringes which due to the nature of their design will significantly decrease or eliminate needle sticks from occurring. Additionally syringes which contain a disable device which prevent it from being used more than once. Any information in which you have that would be relevant, I would sincerely appreciate it. Thanks

Regards,

Lars Lafferty

Veronica Lacambra,

       I sincerely appreciate your input in regards to this particular subject, as a nurse who frequently provides medical treatment to your patients via injection, your knowledge and experience pertaining to the risk of needle-stick injuries is extremely valuable to me and my fellow researchers. I am glad to hear that you feel safe administering medication via Lovenox. However I believe that it is of paramount significance that the healthcare industry is vigilant in monitoring, analyzing, and re-evaluating procedures, biologic's, diagnostic equipment, medical devices, etc. in order to perpetually improve the design, use, and access to the "best" services ensuring the highest quality of care for all patients, and significantly reducing or eliminating the threat to health-care providers who are providing treatment. In addition to needle-stick injuries, the re-use of sharps among key populations continuous to pose a signicant threat to the reduction and prevention of the spread of communicable disease such as HIV,TB,HCV,etc. I am curious if you are familiar with any type of syringe which contains an auto-disable function, which once the sharp has been used, It can't be used again, thus preventing & eliminating the opportunity for certain key populations  to spread communicable disease. I am extremely interested to hear your feedback on this particular are, I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again for your input, and providing me with that document from Sanofi. Keep in touch.

Regards,

Lars Lafferty

There have been several patent infringement litigations concerning patents on retractable needle devices designed to prevent "sharps" injuries and reuse of needles. Becton Dickinson (BD) and Retractable Technologies Inc. were in one such suit that went to the US court of appeals (Federal Circuit). Another case involved BD and MBO Labs (474 F.3d 1325).

The way these syringes work is this: The needle is mounted inside a guard sleeve. The needle's sharp end protrudes through a hole in the front of the guard, permitting it to be inserted into the patient. When the needle is removed from the patient, the health care worker slides the needle backwards relative to the guard. A "blocking flange" is mounted on the guard and held in spring tension against the needle. When the needle's point slides behind this flange, the flange moves vertically in relation to the guard, covering the tip of the needle and preventing it from being inadvertently re-exposed. The needle's tip is covered by the flange and the rest of the contaminated needle is sheathed inside the guard. Once the flange is activated, the needle is encapsulated by the guard sleeve and rendered safe.

There is a whole cottage industry of personal injury lawyers doing needle stick cases.

For an article on these devices (old but thorough), see Needlestick and Sharps Injury Prevention - www.nursingworld.org, No 3: Sept'04.

You will find more than you want to know about needle stick by using Google.

Veronica,

      I am thrilled to hear that you agree with me.  I believe it is paramount that all sectors of healthcare are both vigilant and meticulous in the review process in order to ensure that all patients are receiving the safest and most effective quality of care in addition to minimizing/eliminating the hazardous threats healthcare providers face while administering care. I am exploring the possibility of developing a revolutionary hypodermic syringe with an auto-disable function, which is cost-effective, in order to optimize the accessibility of this particular syringe to all socioeconomic classes globally. Thus it is difficult for me articulate the level of my gratitude for your feedback, and thoughts on this particular modification of this invention, as it will be used in my application as I continue to move forward in this project.  Thank you soo much!! I look forward to speaking with you in the future, it is my pleasure to wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. Feel free to message me privately on RG so that we may exchange contact information. I hope that you have a fantastic day.

Richard,

       Thank you for providing me the information pertaining to the several patent infringement litigation's concerning patents on retractable needle devices designed to prevent "sharps" injuries and reuse of needles.  My research has indicated as you mentioned the multitude of past and current infringement litigation's concerning sharps. Have you been, or are you currently involved in the aforementioned litigation's? I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in regards to this matter, I look forward to hearing from you, I hope that you have a wonderful day.

Regards,

Lars Lafferty