Sheath for butterfly needles

Claim 2

A protective disposable sheath for hypodermic needles having butterfly-shaped side strips, said sheath comprising: (a) a continuous flat base plate; (b) two upper walls approximately horizontal to and terminating in spaced apart parallel edges near the base plate midsection said upper walls being positioned above said base plate at least near the midsection thereof to provide a recess for receipt of said needle side strips; (c) retaining means to permit said needle side strips to enter and not be withdrawn from said recess said sheath being dimensioned to cover said needle completely when said side strips are secured by said retaining means; (d) juxtaposed gripping surface means extending upwardly from each of said upper walls and defining a channel above said spaced apart parallel edges of said upper walls.

Claim 3

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes two hemispherical extensions one substantially positioned forward of one of said upper walls and the other of said hemispherical extensions positioned forward of the other of said upper walls.

Claim 4

The sheath of claim 1 wherein each of said two hemispherical extensions are bent up from the plane of said continuous flat base plate toward said upper walls.

Claim 5

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes two hemispherical extensions, and each of said upper walls includes a hemispherical extension; each of said hemispherical extensions from said upper walls is located over a hemispherical extension from said base plate.

Claim 6

The sheath of claim 1 wherein each of said two hemispherical extensions from said base plate are bent up from the plane of said continuous flat base plate toward said upper walls, and the two hemispherical extensions from said upper walls are bent up and away from the planes of said upper walls.

Claim 7

The sheath of claim 1 wherein there is interconnected between each gripping surface and the adjacent upper wall a supporting buttress means.

Claim 8

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said retaining means are spring clips attached to said upper walls.

Claim 9

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said retaining means are spring clips attached to said base plate.

Claim 10

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said retaining means are dimples attached to said upper walls.

Claim 11

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said retaining means are dimples attached to said base plate.

Claim 12

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is made of plastic.

Claim 13

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is made of embossed plastic sheeting.

Claim 14

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is made of stiffened paper.

Claim 15

The sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is made of embossed sheet metal.

Claim 16

A sheath for a needle attached at one end to a tube and having butterfly shaped side strips said sheath comprising a generally flat base member; top members extending from opposite sides of said base member toward the base member midsection said top members terminating in spaced apart parallel edges near said base member midsection defining a channel for the receipt of a tube attached to said needle and being spaced above said base plate at least in an area near said base plate midsection to provide a recess for receipt of said needle side strips.

Claim 17

A sheath for a needle attached at one end to a tube and having butterfly shaped side strips said sheath comprising a generally flat base member; top members extending from opposite sides of said base member toward the base member midsection said top members terminating in spaced apart parallel edges near said base member midsection defining a channel for the receipt of a tube attached to said needle and being spaced above said base plate at least in an area near said base plate midsection to provide a recess for receipt of said needle side strips.

Claim 18

A sheath as defined by claim 15 in which each of said top members bears an upwardly extending gripping means adjacent said channel.

Claim 19

A sheath as defined by claim 15 or 16 in which said base plate includes guide means to facilitate positioning said sheath to receive said needle upon withdrawal form a patient.

Claim 20

A sheath as defined by claims 15 or 16 including means in said recess for retaining needle side strips received therein.

Claim 21

A sheath as defined by claims 15 or 16 dimensioned to completely cover said needle when said needle side strips are secured by said retaining means.

Claim 22

A sheath for a needle attached at one end to a tube and having butterfly shaped strips comprising a generally flat base member; guide means extending from the proximal end of said base member to facilitate positioning of said sheath to receive said needle upon withdrawal from a patient; top members approximately horizontal to said base member and extending from opposing base member sides toward the base member center to define a channel for receipt of the tube attached to said needle and to provide a recess for receipt of said needle side strips, said recess including means for retaining needle side strips received therein, each of said top members having upwardly extending gripping means adjacent said channel, said sheath being so dimensioned to completely cover said needle when said needle side strips are secured by said retaining means.

Claim 23

A sheath for a needle attached at one end to a tube and having butterfly shaped strips comprising a generally flat base member; guide means extending from the proximal end of said base member to facilitate positioning of said sheath to receive said needle upon withdrawal from a patient; top members approximately horizontal to said base member and extending from opposing base member sides toward the base member center to define a channel for receipt of the tube attached to said needle and to provide a recess for receipt of said needle side strips, said recess including means for retaining needle side strips received therein, each of said top members having upwardly extending gripping means adjacent said channel, said sheath being so dimensioned to completely cover said needle when said needle side strips are secured by said retaining means.

Claim 24

A sheath as defined in claim 20 in which said guide means comprise two upwardly bent extensions of the proximal end of said base member one such extension on each side of said channel.

Claim 25

A sheath as defined by claim 20 in which the proximal end of each top member is generally U-shaped.

Claim 26

A sheath as defined by claims 15, 20, 21 or 22 formed from an embossed plastic sheet.