The several embodiments include a hypodermic needle with a hollow member positioned over a portion of the needle, thus covering that portion of the needle. Prior to and during use, the hollow member is held away from the piercing end of the needle to allow it to be used in the normal manner. After the needle has become contaminated, a simple action by the user places the hollow member in a position covering the piercing end of the needle, and the hollow member is supported in this position against rearward pressure. The hollow member is similarly kept from sliding off the end of the needle.
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/219,611 filed Mar. 28, 1994 now abandoned which is a divisional of Ser. No. 07/773,989 filed Oct. 9, 1991 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,039 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/332,081 filed May 11, 1989 now abandoned.
An automatically shieldable blood collection set is provided. The blood collection set includes a needle assembly having a hub with spaced apart inner and outer tubes. A needle cannula is fixedly attached to the inner tube. A safety shield is telescoped for movement into the space between the inner and outer tubes of the hub. The safety shield can be moved from a proximal position where the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the needle cannula is safely shielded. A spring is provided between the shield and the hub to propel the shield distally relative to the hub and into surrounding relationship with the needle cannula. A retainer is provided for releasably holding the shield in a proximal ready-to-use condition relative to the hub and the needle cannula. The retainer may be provided on a fin that extends transversely from the outer tube of the hub. An actuator releases the retainer and enables the shield to be propelled by the spring. The actuator may define portions of the wing spaced from the retainer. A lock may be provided for preventing inadvertent re-exposure of the needle cannula.
A catheter-advancement actuated needle retraction system is disclosed herein. The invention includes a generally hollow barrel that houses a needle hub, which can include a flashback chamber. A needle is affixed to the distal end of the needle hub and is aligned to extend through an opening in the distal end of the barrel. The needle extends through a catheter hub and catheter affixed to the catheter hub. A spring is disposed in the barrel lumen to cooperate with the needle hub to urge the needle hub toward the proximal end of the barrel. A latch actuator is releasably engaged with the catheter hub.
Disclosed are methods and means for facilitating injection which enable a correct penetration depth of the needle. These improvements are obtainable by using a needle covering device comprising an axially displaceable first tubular sleeve (30) arranged around the front part of said injection apparatus which at its foremost part surrounds the needle (11) over its entire length, and while overcoming a spring force, is axially displaceable rearwards to expose a predetermined length of the needle, said device further comprises a stationary outer tubular sleeve (40) releasably attached to the injection apparatus and fitted around the front part of said injection apparatus and an inner adjustable tubular stopping sleeve (20) which is axially displaceable between at least two predetermined positions while performing a sliding, helical motion around said front part of said injection apparatus when setting the distance between the foremost part of said stopping sleeve and a stopping flange (31) arranged on the inside of the axially displaceable first sleeve.
A needle assembly includes a needle and a hub mounted to each other. The hub includes a sidewall spaced outwardly from the needle cannula and extending to a distal position between the opposed ends of the needle cannula. A housing integral with the hub defines a sidewall to partially confine a safety shield. The safety shield is slidably disposed about the needle cannula and releasably retained in a proximal position and can be moved to a distal position where the safety shield completely surrounds that portion of the needle hub projecting distally from the hub. The needle assembly includes a spring for propelling the safety shield to the distal position and a latch for releasing the safety shield from the proximal position. The latch may be passively activated by normal usage of the medical implement to which the needle assembly is mounted or alternately activated manually.
A blood collection assembly includes a needle cannula with an intravenous end and a non-patient end. The cannula is mounted to a needle holder so that the non-patient end projects into the holder. A safety shield is telescoped over the needle cannula and is movable from a proximal position where the intravenous end of the cannula is exposed to a distal position where the intravenous end of the cannula is shielded. The safety shield is configured to be passively actuated and propelled into the distal position in response to insertion of a blood collection tube into the holder. However, a slide back actuator extends from the safety shield to permit the shield to be retracted into a proximal position during use and before the safety shield is locked in the distal position.
