Locking safety needle assembly

Claim 2

A safety needle assembly for secure connection of a piercing element to an intravenous fitting, comprising: a protective shield defining a base portion, the shield disposed around said piercing element and including a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a sufficient distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said intravenous fitting therein; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably engaging the intravenous fitting within the shield, said latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, means for releasably engaging a portion of the shield spaced a distance from said pivotable end, and means for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in said shield, said means for releasably locking spaced a second distance from said pivotable end.

Claim 3

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for releasably locking a portion of the intravenous fitting comprises at least one flange member for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of said intravenous fitting from said protective shield,

Claim 4

The safety needle assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least one flange member is selectively engageable against a lip portion of said intravenous fitting to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the fitting from said protective shield.

Claim 5

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the sheath defines a passage for accommodating said means for releasably locking a portion of the intravenous fitting.

Claim 6

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said passage comprises an opening formed in the sheath.

Claim 7

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for releasably engaging the protective shield comprises at least one resilient finger member adapted to be biasingly disposed around at least a portion of the shield.

Claim 8

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said finger member is configured to stably maintain said latch in an open position against said shield.

Claim 9

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said finger member comprises a ramping portion for facilitating biasing engagement of said finger member with said at least a portion of the shield.

Claim 10

The safety needle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the pivot arm is pivotably connected to said protective shield via a living hinge.

Claim 11

The safety needle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said latch is pivotable about an axis parallel to a plane aligned with a plane defined by the passage at the distal end of the sheath.

Claim 12

The safety needle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said latch is pivotable about an axis substantially orthogonal to a plane aligned with a plane defined by the passage at the distal end of the sheath.

Claim 13

A safety needle assembly for secure mounting to an injection site of an intravenous set, the injection site including an injection portion, an outlet portion, comprising: a cannula assembly including a needle hub for mounting to a fluid delivery vehicle and a piercing element projecting distally from the hub; a protective shield defining a base portion mounted onto the needle hub, said shield defining a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive the injection portion of said injection site; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably locking the injection site within the shield, the latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, at least one shield locking member spaced at least a distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the latch with a portion of the shield, and at least one member spaced a second distance from said pivot for releasably engaging said injection portion.

Claim 14

A safety needle assembly for secure mounting to an injection site of an intravenous set, the injection site including an injection portion, an outlet portion, comprising: a cannula assembly including a needle hub for mounting to a fluid delivery vehicle and a piercing element projecting distally from the hub; a protective shield defining a base portion mounted onto the needle hub, said shield defining a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive the injection portion of said injection site; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably locking the injection site within the shield, the latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, at least one shield locking member spaced at least a distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the latch with a portion of the shield, and at least one member spaced a second distance from said pivot for releasably engaging said injection portion.

Claim 15

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said piercing element is a sharp needle cannula.

Claim 16

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said piercing element is a blunt cannula.

Claim 17

The safety needle assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said injection site comprises a straight site.

Claim 18

The safety needle assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said injection site comprises a Y-site.

Claim 19

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said shield locking member is configured to maintain said latch in a stable open position against said shield and to retain said latch in a stable closed position when engaged with said shield.

Claim 20

The safety needle assembly of claim 17, wherein an audible or tactile indication is produced when said latch is engaged with said shield.

Claim 21

The safety needle assembly according to claim 12, wherein said shield locking member comprises a resilient finger element defining a radius less than a radius defined by said at least a portion of the sheath, wherein said finger element is resiliently biased about said at least a portion of the sheath as said latch is engaged by a user.

Claim 22

The safety needle assembly according to claim 19, wherein said finger element further comprises a ramping portion for urging said finger element about said sheath as said latch is engaged by a user.

Claim 23

The safety needle assembly according to claim 12, wherein said member for releasably engaging the injection portion includes a flange member for blocking inadvertent withdrawal of the injection portion from the shield.

Claim 24

The safety needle assembly of claim 21, wherein said injection portion of the injection site includes a lip portion formed wider than the injection portion, said flange member blocking withdrawal of the lip portion to capture the lip portion within the sheath.

Claim 25

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said sheath defines a passageway, said at least one member for releasably engaging said injection portion passing through said passageway.

Claim 26

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said latch arm is pivotably affixed to said shield via a living hinge.

Claim 27

The safety needle assembly of claim 12, wherein said at least one member for releasably engaging the shield provides an audible indication of locking engagement with said shield.

Claim 28

A safety needle assembly for secure mounting to a straight-site of an intravenous fitting, the straight-site including an injection portion and an outlet portion, comprising: a cannula assembly including a needle hub for mounting to a fluid delivery vehicle and a needle cannula projecting distally from the hub; a protective shield defining a base portion mounted onto the needle hub, said shield defining a generally cylindrical sheath portion projecting from and about the base a distance to at least partially envelop the needle cannula, said sheath having a distal end defining a passage within the shield dimensioned to receive the injection portion of said straight site; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably locking the straight site within the shield, the latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, said latch further comprising at least one finger member spaced a distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the latch with a portion of the shield and at least one site engaging member spaced a second distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the straight site within the shield, said site engaging member including a flange portion disposed through a passageway defined by said sheath for lockingly engaging a lip portion of the straight site so as to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the straight site from the shield.

Claim 29

A safety needle assembly for secure mounting to a straight-site of an intravenous fitting, the straight-site including an injection portion and an outlet portion, comprising: a cannula assembly including a needle hub for mounting to a fluid delivery vehicle and a needle cannula projecting distally from the hub; a protective shield defining a base portion mounted onto the needle hub, said shield defining a generally cylindrical sheath portion projecting from and about the base a distance to at least partially envelop the needle cannula, said sheath having a distal end defining a passage within the shield dimensioned to receive the injection portion of said straight site; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably locking the straight site within the shield, the latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, said latch further comprising at least one finger member spaced a distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the latch with a portion of the shield and at least one site engaging member spaced a second distance from the pivot for releasably engaging the straight site within the shield, said site engaging member including a flange portion disposed through a passageway defined by said sheath for lockingly engaging a lip portion of the straight site so as to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the straight site from the shield.

Claim 30

A safety needle assembly for secure connection of a piercing element to an intravenous fitting, comprising: a protective shield defining a base portion, the shield disposed around said piercing element and including a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a sufficient distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said intravenous fitting therein; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably engaging the intravenous fitting within the shield, said latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield and at least one multifunctional member for releasably engaging a portion of the shield and for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in the shield, said member spaced a distance from said pivotable end.

Claim 31

A safety needle assembly for secure connection of a piercing element to an intravenous fitting, comprising: a protective shield defining a base portion, the shield disposed around said piercing element and including a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a sufficient distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said intravenous fitting therein; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably engaging the intravenous fitting within the shield, said latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield and at least one multifunctional member for releasably engaging a portion of the shield and for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in the shield, said member spaced a distance from said pivotable end.

Claim 32

The safety needle assembly of claim 27, wherein said multifunctional member comprises: a first portion for releasably engaging a portion of said shield; and a second portion for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in the shield.

Claim 33

A safety needle assembly for connection to an intravenous fitting, comprising: a piercing element securable to said intravenous fitting; a protective shield defining a base portion, the shield for disposition around said piercing element and including a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a sufficient distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said intravenous fitting therein; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably engaging the intravenous fitting within the shield, said latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, means for releasably engaging a portion of the shield spaced a distance from said pivotable end, and means for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in said shield, said means for releasably locking spaced a second distance from said pivotable end.

Claim 34

A safety needle assembly for connection to an intravenous fitting, comprising: a piercing element securable to said intravenous fitting; a protective shield defining a base portion, the shield for disposition around said piercing element and including a sheath portion projecting from and about the base a sufficient distance to at least partially envelop the piercing element, the sheath having a distal end defining a passage dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said intravenous fitting therein; and a latch pivotable about said protective shield for releasably engaging the intravenous fitting within the shield, said latch comprising a pivot arm having an end pivotably connected to the protective shield, means for releasably engaging a portion of the shield spaced a distance from said pivotable end, and means for releasably locking a portion of said intravenous fitting in said shield, said means for releasably locking spaced a second distance from said pivotable end.

Claim 35

The safety needle assembly of claim 29, wherein said piercing element is a pointed needle cannula.

Claim 36

The safety needle assembly of claim 29, wherein said piercing element is a blunt cannula.