Patent ID: 11957850
Assignee: B. BRAUN MELSUNGEN AG
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 24:
25. A method of assembling a needle assembly comprising:
providing a catheter hub with a catheter tube having an open distal end and a proximal end attached to the catheter hub by a bushing, said catheter hub comprising a hub body having an interior surface defining an interior cavity and a proximal opening;
positioning a valve comprising an outer perimeter and a wall having three slits defining three flaps in the interior cavity and proximal of the bushing;
positioning a valve opener inside the interior cavity of the catheter hub to slidably push open the valve when actuated by a male medical implement, said valve comprising a nose section having an activation end and a continuous perimeter section having a bore passing therethrough, two plunger elements each having two lengthwise edges extending proximally of the nose section, and two stabilizer elements; wherein each stabilizer element connects to the two plunger elements so that the two stabilizer elements and the two plunger elements define a stabilizing ring having a continuous surface and the stabilizing ring being spaced from the continuous perimeter section of the nose section by two through passages, which include a first through passage and a second through passage;
placing a needle guard comprising a proximal wall and two resilient arms in a holding space between the two stabilizer elements, wherein each resilient arm comprises an elbow and the needle guard has two resilient arms and two elbows, which include a first elbow and a second elbow;
placing a needle, which is attached to a needle hub, through the catheter hub, the valve, and the catheter tube so that a tip of the needle extends out the open distal end of the catheter tube in a ready to use position; and
wherein the first elbow is located in the first through passage and the second elbow is located in the second through passage in the ready to use position.