US5064411A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protective medical device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-06-22
•
Granted: 1991-11-12
•
Expires: 2010-06-22
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for protecting users of invasive instruments from inadvertent skin puncture by providing the user with an article of protective clothing and an invasive instrument both designed so that the instrument will become entangled with the clothing during contact, thereby preventing penetration of the skin.
Inventors
- 👤 Kilbourn Gordon, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:39
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/06066; A61B17/0493; A61B42/00; A61B42/10; A61B17/32; A61B17/3209; A61B17/3211; A61B17/34; A61B17/3417; A61B90/00; A61B90/08; A61B2090/0801; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/178; A61M5/31; A61M5/32; A61M5/3286
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for preventing cutting or puncturing of the skin during use of a sharpened invasive medical instrument, comprising the steps of: providing a user with a sharpened invasive medical instrument, providing said user with an article of protective clothing made of fibrous material, wherein said instrument has more than one adjacent point at the sharpened portion thereof and wherein said points are in a fixed relationship to each other, which points are exposed to the user during the use and which are separated by a valley; and entangling the points of said invasive instrument in said fibrous material upon contact between said instrument and said clothing, wherein the distance between said points and the depth of said valley are sufficiently small that during engagement of said instrument and said clothing, said points and the fibers of said material entangle and the depth of entangled fibers within said valley is equal to or greater than the depth of said valley such that, thereby preventing penetration of said points through said clothing into the skin of the user.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for preventing cutting or puncturing of the skin during use of a sharpened invasive medical instrument, comprising the steps of: providing a user with a sharpened invasive medical instrument, providing said user with an article of protective clothing made of fibrous material, wherein said instrument has more than one adjacent point at the sharpened portion thereof and wherein said points are in a fixed relationship to each other, which points are exposed to the user during the use and which are separated by a valley; and entangling the points of said invasive instrument in said fibrous material upon contact between said instrument and said clothing, wherein the distance between said points and the depth of said valley are sufficiently small that during engagement of said instrument and said clothing, said points and the fibers of said material entangle and the depth of entangled fibers within said valley is equal to or greater than the depth of said valley such that, thereby preventing penetration of said points through said clothing into the skin of the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said instrument is a scalpel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said scalpel has a serrated cutting edge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said serrated cutting edge consists of a plurality of serrations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said serrations are individually separated by a distance no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said distance is no greater than about 1 millimeter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 4, wherein said plurality of serrations causes said scalpel to have a plurality of adjacent points along the cutting edge, wherein the depth of the serration between said prongs is no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said depth is no greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said instrument is a suture needle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said instrument is a needle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said needle has a serrated tip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said serration causes said needle to have at least two adjacent prongs at said tip, wherein the depth of the serration between said prongs is no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said depth is no greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said needle is a hypodermic needle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said clothing is a glove.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said clothing comprises multiple layers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said clothing is knitted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said clothing is woven.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
134 words
A system for preventing skin-penetrating injury to a user of a sharpened invasive medical instrument, comprising in combination: an article of protective fibrous clothing; and a sharpened invasive medical instrument having at least two adjacent points in fixed relation to each other at the sharpened portion thereof, wherein said points are exposed to the user during use, and are separated from each other by a valley, wherein the distance between said points and the depth of said valley are sufficiently small that during engagement of said instrument and said clothing, said points entangle in the fibers of said clothing, and the depth of entangled fibers within the valley is equal to or greater than the depth of said valley, thereby preventing penetration of said instrument through said clothing into the skin of the user.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
134 words
A system for preventing skin-penetrating injury to a user of a sharpened invasive medical instrument, comprising in combination: an article of protective fibrous clothing; and a sharpened invasive medical instrument having at least two adjacent points in fixed relation to each other at the sharpened portion thereof, wherein said points are exposed to the user during use, and are separated from each other by a valley, wherein the distance between said points and the depth of said valley are sufficiently small that during engagement of said instrument and said clothing, said points entangle in the fibers of said clothing, and the depth of entangled fibers within the valley is equal to or greater than the depth of said valley, thereby preventing penetration of said instrument through said clothing into the skin of the user.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said instrument is a scalpel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said scalpel has a serrated cutting edge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 21, wherein said serrated cutting edge consists of a plurality of serrations.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 22, wherein said serrations are individually separated by distance no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 23, wherein said distance is no greater than about 1 millimeter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of serrations causes said scalpel to have a plurality of adjacent points along the cutting edge, wherein the depth of the serration between said points is no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 25, wherein said depth is no greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said needle is a suture needle.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said needle is a hypodermic needle.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 19, wherein the depth of said serration is not substantially greater than the thickness of said clothing, so that said points, when entangled in said fibrous material, do not penetrate the skin.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 27, wherein said depty is no greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 19, wherein the depth of said serration is no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said instrument is a needle.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 32, wherein said needle has a serrated tip.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 33, wherein said serration causes said needle to have at least two adjacent points at said tip, wherein the depth of the serration between said points is no greater than about 3 mm.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 34, wherein said depth is no greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said clothing is a glove.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said clothing comprises multiple layers.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
10 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said clothing is knitted.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
10 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said clothing is woven.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
60 words
A needle for invasive medical use having a sharpened distal end and a plurality of points at said distal end such that the points forming the invasive end of said needle are at a fixed distance in relation to each other and the space between each adjacent point forms a valley having a depth no greater than about 1 mm.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
60 words
A needle for invasive medical use having a sharpened distal end and a plurality of points at said distal end such that the points forming the invasive end of said needle are at a fixed distance in relation to each other and the space between each adjacent point forms a valley having a depth no greater than about 1 mm.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
12 words
The needle of claim 40, in the form of a hypodermic needle.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
12 words
The needle of claim 40, in the form of a suture needle.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
The needle of claim 40, wherein said points are adapted to penetrate nonfibrous material, but are adapted to become entangled in fibrous material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-11-11 | 1995-05-13 | 1995-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-11 | 1999-05-13 | 1999-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-11 | 2003-05-13 | 2003-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |