Patent ID: 9522255
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: A61M

Claim Text:
1. A catheter instrument comprising: a needle comprising a hollow needle shaft and a needle tip; a needle carrying unit configured to hold the needle therein; a catheter unit having a proximal end and a distal end defining an axis therebetween, the catheter unit comprising: a catheter hub, the catheter hub having an interface surface, and a catheter, the needle carrying unit adapted to be removably mounted within a proximal end of the catheter hub, with the needle slidable along the axis, to be projected in a distal direction and retracted in a proximal direction; a needle tip shielding device having a round body adapted to be removably mounted within the catheter hub, the needle tip shielding device including: a stop member on the needle shaft and configured to prevent the needle tip shielding device from distal movement relative to the needle when the needle is retracted in the proximal direction; wherein when the needle is projected into the catheter in the distal direction, the self-biased resilient needle tip shielding arm is pushed in a first direction away from the axis by the needle; and wherein when the needle is retracted in the proximal direction, the self-biased resilient needle tip shielding arm, under the force of its own self-bias and resiliency, moves in the proximal direction, the at least a portion of the needle tip shielding arm made of the first polymeric material shielding the needle tip from subsequent projection in the distal direction, wherein the interface surface of the needle tip shielding device is made at least partly of the first polymeric material and the interface surface of the catheter hub is made at least partly of a second polymeric material, the second polymeric material being different from the first polymeric material; and wherein when the needle is fully retracted in the proximal direction to a fully retracted position, the first polymeric material of the interface surface of the needle tip shielding device, and the second polymeric material of the interface surface of the catheter hub, are configured to facilitate removal of at least the needle tip shielding device from the catheter hub.