Patent ID: 7976498
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A needle assembly comprising: mounting structure; a needle mounted on the mounting structure and extending outwardly therefrom, the needle having a longitudinal axis, a sharp end and a central axial passageway; a safety shield associated with the needle and comprising a tubular housing having an open end, the tubular housing being adapted for movement relative to the needle between a stowed position in which the tubular housing is spaced from the sharp end of the needle and a deployed position in which the tubular housing covers the sharp end, and a locking mechanism adapted to releasably lock the tubular housing in position covering the sharp end of the needle; and a reset member selectively operatively engageable with the locking mechanism of the safety shield for releasing the locking mechanism to permit the tubular housing to be moved away from the sharp end of the needle; the safety shield further comprising a resilient membrane substantially covering the open end of the tubular housing, the membrane comprising a thin sheet of resilient material extending in a plane across the tubular housing, the membrane being resiliently deformable upon engagement with the reset member to permit the reset member to move into operative engagement with the locking mechanism for releasing the locking mechanism; wherein the membrane is generally annular and has a central opening generally in alignment with the central axial passageway of the needle, the central opening having a diameter less than a diameter of the reset member, the membrane being adapted to stretch to enlarge the central opening upon engagement with the reset member for passage of the reset member into the tubular housing to engage the locking mechanism.