Flexible needle guard for breaking syringe needles

Claim 2

A needle assembly comprising: a cannula having a sharpened end, a needle hub on the other end of said cannula, and a plastic needle guard fitted over said cannula and over said needle hub, said needle guard including a portion of reduced wall thickness adjacent the needle hub and between the hub and cannula pointed end so that the needle guard and sharpened cannula may be flexed back and forth at said section of reduced thickness to break the cannula adjacent the needle hub, said section having sufficient toughness and flexibility and being of a thickness to allow deflection of the needle guard through an angle of at least approximately 30* so as to break the cannula at said section of reduced thickness while maintaining the integrity of the needle guard with the needle guard in position over the cannula while the cannula is being broken and after the cannula is broken.

Claim 3

A needle assembly as in claim 1, wherein the wall thickness of the needle guard increases gradually from the portion of reduced thickness adjacent the needle hub engaging portion to the closed end thereof.

Claim 4

A needle assembly as in claim 2, wherein the portion of reduced wall thickness includes a straight land portion adjacent said needle hub engaging portion.

Claim 5

A needle assembly as in claim 3, wherein the straight land portion is approximately 0.062 inches long.

Claim 6

A needle assembly as in claim 4, wherein the wall thickness of said needle guard at said straight land portion is approximately 0.010 inches.

Claim 7

A needle guard adapted to be fitted over and enclose a needle comprising: a generally tubular body having a closed end an open end, said open end defining a needle hub engaging portion adapted to be fitted over the hub of a needle confined within said needle guard, said needle guard including a portion of reduced wall thickness between said needle hub engaging portion and said closed end so that said needle guard may be flexed back and forth at said portion to break a needle which is encased in said needle guard, said section having sufficient toughness and flexibility and being of a thickness to allow deflection of said needle guard through an angle of at least approximately 30* so as to break the cannula at said section of reduced thickness while maintaining the integrity of the needle guard with the needle guard in position over the needle while the needle is being broken and after the needle is broken.

Claim 8

A needle guard adapted to be fitted over and enclose a needle comprising: a generally tubular body having a closed end an open end, said open end defining a needle hub engaging portion adapted to be fitted over the hub of a needle confined within said needle guard, said needle guard including a portion of reduced wall thickness between said needle hub engaging portion and said closed end so that said needle guard may be flexed back and forth at said portion to break a needle which is encased in said needle guard, said section having sufficient toughness and flexibility and being of a thickness to allow deflection of said needle guard through an angle of at least approximately 30* so as to break the cannula at said section of reduced thickness while maintaining the integrity of the needle guard with the needle guard in position over the needle while the needle is being broken and after the needle is broken.

Claim 9

A needle guard as in claim 6, wherein said portion of reduced wall thickness includes a straight land portion extending from said needle hub engaging portion toward said closed end.

Claim 10

A needle guard as in claim 7, wherein the wall of said needle guard gradually increases in thickness from said portion of reduced wall thickness to said closed end.

Claim 11

A needle guard as in claim 8, wherein a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs are disposed on the outer surface of said needle guard.

Claim 12

A needle guard as in claim 9, wherein said straight land portion extends from said hub engaging portion toward said closed end a distance of approximately 0.062 inches.

Claim 13

A needle guard as in claim 10, wherein the wall thickness of said needle guard at said straight land portion is on the order of 0.010 inches.

Claim 14

A needle guard as in claim 6, wherein said needle guard is made of polypropylene or other suitable flexible material.

Claim 15

A needle guard as in claim 6, wherein said portion of reduced wall thickness includes a V-shaped groove extending circumferentially about said guard.