Single use, safety blood collecting device

Claim 1

A blood collection device comprising: an outer sleeve and an inner needle carrier for receiving a double-pointed needle; said outer sleeve including a longitudinally extending slot having first and second locations; said inner needle carrier being mounted within said outer sleeve for axial movement between the first location, at which said needle is adapted to project from said outer sleeve in an exposed position for drawing blood, and the second location, at which said needle is adapted to be fully disposed within said outer sleeve in a retracted position after use; said inner needle carrier including an actuator, movable radially and longitudinally relative to the outer sleeve, passing through the slot; detent means, at the first location, cooperatively defined by the actuator and the slot in the outer sleeve, for releasably holding said inner needle carrier at the first location for use of the needle; locking means, at the second location, cooperatively defined by the actuator and the outer sleeve, for non-releasably locking said inner needle carrier at said second location after the use of the needle; and the actuator and the slot configured so the actuator is in first and second radial positions relative to the sleeve when the inner needle carrier is in the first and second locations.