Intradermal needle

Abstract

An intradermal needle assembly that is attachable to a prefillable container intended for intradermally injecting substances into an animal includes a needle cannula supported by a hub portion. The hub portion is adapted to receive the prefillable container just prior to administering the intradermal injection. A limiter portion surrounds the needle cannula and extends away from the hub portion toward a forward tip of the needle cannula, and includes a skin engaging surface with the needle cannula having a fixed angle of orientation, preferably generally perpendicular, relative to the plane of the skin engaging surface. The skin engaging surface is received against the skin of an animal to administer an intradermal injection. The forward tip extends beyond the skin engaging surface a distance enabling penetration of the needle cannula into the dermis layer of the skin of the animal enabling injection of the substance into the dermis layer.

1 . An intradermal needle assembly for use with a prefillable container having a reservoir capable of storing a substance for injection into the skin of an animal comprising:
 a hub portion being attachable to the prefillable container;   a needle cannula supported by said hub portion and having a forward tip extending away from said hub portion; and   a limiter portion surrounding said needle cannula and including a generally flat skin engaging surface extending in a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said needle cannula and adapted to be received against the skin of the animal during administration of an intradermal injection, said limiter portion and said cannula being non-movable with respect to each other such that said needle forward tip extends beyond said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm wherein said limiter portion limits penetration of the needle into the dermis layer of skin of the animal so that the vaccine is injected into the dermis layer of the animal further including a sleeve circumscribing said limiter and being slidable for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an intradermal injection.   
   
   
       2 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said limiter includes at least one ramp allowing said limiter to be moved toward said forward tip and preventing said limiter from being moved away from said forward tip upon shielding said forward tip. 
   
   
       3 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 2 , further including a tip cap removably affixed to said skin engaging surface and having said forward tip received therein. 
   
   
       4 . An intradermal needle assembly for use with a prefillable container having a reservoir capable of storing a substance for injection into the skin of an animal comprising:
 a hub portion having a throat for receiving the prefillable container;   a needle cannula being supported by said hub portion and having a forward tip extending away from said hub portion;   a limiter portion surrounding said hub portion and said needle cannula and including a generally flat skin engaging surface extending in a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said needle cannula and being adapted to be received against the skin of an animal, said limiter portion and said needle cannula being non-movable with respect to each other such that said forward tip extends beyond said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3.0 mm wherein the limiter portion limits penetration of said needle cannula into the dermis layer of the skin of the animal thereby injecting the substance into the dermis layer of the animal wherein said skin engaging surface comprises a rigid polymer having an elastomeric central area with said needle cannula extending therethrough.   
   
   
       5 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 4 , further including a sleeve circumscribing said limiter and being slidable for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an intradermal injection. 
   
   
       6 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said limiter includes at least one ramp allowing said limiter to be moved toward said forward tip and preventing said limiter from being moved away from said forward tip upon shielding said forward tip. 
   
   
       7 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 6 , further including a tip cap removably affixed to said skin engaging surface and having said forward tip received therein. 
   
   
       8 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said limiter includes a needle plunger slidably received thereby and being oriented generally perpendicular to said axis of said needle cannula. 
   
   
       9 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said needle plunger is depressable thereby bending said needle cannula and retracting said needle cannula into said limiter for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an injection. 
   
   
       10 . An intradermal needle assembly attachable to a prefillable container having a reservoir adapted to contain a substance for use in intradermally injecting vaccines into the skin of an animal, comprising:
 a hub portion;   a needle cannula affixed to said hub portion and having a forward tip that is adapted to penetrate an the skin of an animal; and   a limiter surrounding said needle cannula and having a generally flat skin engaging surface extending in a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said needle cannula and being adapted to be placed against the skin of the animal during administration of an intradermal injection of the substance, said limiter and said needle cannula forward tip being non-movable with respect to each other such that said needle cannula forward tip extends away from said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3.0 mm and wherein said limiter limits penetration of said needle cannula forward tip into the dermis layer of the skin of an animal so that the substance is injected into the dermis layer of the skin further including a sleeve circumscribing said limiter and being slidable for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an intradermal injection.   
   
   
       11 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said limiter includes at least one ramp allowing said limiter to be moved toward said forward tip and preventing said limiter from being moved away from said forward tip upon shielding said forward tip. 
   
   
       12 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 11 , further including a tip cap removably affixed to said skin engaging surface and having said forward tip received therein. 
   
   
       13 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said limiter includes a needle plunger slidably received thereby and being oriented generally perpendicular to said axis of said needle cannula. 
   
   
       14 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said needle plunger is depressable thereby bending said needle cannula and retracting said needle cannula into said limiter for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an injection. 
   
   
       15 . An intradermal needle assembly for use with a prefillable container having a reservoir capable of storing a substance for injection into the skin of an animal comprising:
 a hub portion attachable to the prefillable container;   a needle cannula supported by said hub portion and having a forward tip extending away from said hub portion;   a limiter portion surrounding said needle cannula and including a generally flat skin engaging surface extending in a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said needle cannula and adapted to be received against the skin of the animal during administration of an intradermal injection, said needle forward tip extending beyond said skin engaging surface a distance ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm wherein said limiter portion limits penetration of the needle into the dermis layer of skin of the animal so that the vaccine is injected into the dermis layer of the animal; and   an enclosure means for concealing said needle cannula following injection.   
   
   
       16 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said enclosure means comprises said limiter being slideably disposed about said needle cannula and having at least a first position and a second position, said first position exposing said forward tip of said needle cannula and said second position concealing said forward tip of said needle cannula. 
   
   
       17 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said limiter defines at least one slot oriented generally parallel to said needle cannula and having a protuberance disposed on one side thereof. 
   
   
       18 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising a hub supporting said needle cannula and said hub including at least one locking finger and at least one stop, said at least one locking finger being cantilevered away from said forward tip and said at least one stop being cantilevered toward said forward tip. 
   
   
       19 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said at least one locking finger includes a tab received by said slot disposed in said limiter. 
   
   
       20 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein said tab is snappable over said protuberance for moving said limiter from said first position to said second position. 
   
   
       21 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 20  wherein said needle plunger is depressable thereby bending said needle cannula and retracting said needle cannula into said limiter for shielding said forward tip subsequent to administering an injection. 
   
   
       22 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said protuberance is disposed between said tab and said at least one stop when said limiter is located in said first position. 
   
   
       23 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said limiter includes a catch engaging said at least one stop when said limiter is in said second position thereby preventing said limiter from being moved into said first position from said second position. 
   
   
       24 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said limiter comprises a non-elastomeric polymer. 
   
   
       25 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said skin engaging surface comprises an elastomeric polymer being circumscribed by said non-elastomeric polymer. 
   
   
       26 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein said elastomeric polymer is pierced by said needle cannula when said limiter is mated to said hub portion. 
   
   
       27 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein said forward end includes a beveled tip ranging in length between approximately 0.8 mm and 1.0 mm. 
   
   
       28 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein said forward end includes a beveled tip having a length of approximately 0.9 mm in length. 
   
   
       29 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said enclosure means comprises a needle plunger inserted through said limiter and being depressable for bending said needle cannula thereby retracting said needle cannula into said limiter. 
   
   
       30 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said needle plunger is oriented generally perpendicular to said needle cannula. 
   
   
       31 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , including a cap attachable to said skin engaging surface for concealing said forward tip. 
   
   
       32 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein said cap comprises an elastomer and said forward tip is inserted into said elastomer thereby sealing said needle cannula and preventing said substance from leaking from said prefillable container through said cannula. 
   
   
       33 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said enclosure means comprises a tubular shield extendable from a retracted position to an extended position enclosing said needle cannula. 
   
   
       34 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said needle forward tip extends beyond said skin engaging surface about 1.0 to 2.0 mm. 
   
   
       35 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said needle forward tip extends beyond said skin engaging surface 1.5 mm±0.2 to 0.3 mm.