Patent ID: 6235006
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A needle guard for use with a medical needle assembly in which a needle extends forwardly and axially from a hub to a point and a flexible tube extends rearwardly and axially from the hub, wherein:the guard has an axially extending elongate tubular body having a front end and a rear end, said body being adapted to accommodate the hub and needle of the needle assembly in a shielded position therein,said front end of the body has a front aperture through which the needle and hub of the needle assembly can be axially and rearwardly withdrawn to bring the hub and needle into the shielded position within the body,a chamber is provided within the rear end of the body to accommodate the hub of the needle assembly when the hub and the needle are in the shielded position within the body,a rear aperture is formed in the chamber through which the tube of the needle assembly can extend so that the hub of the needle assembly can be withdrawn into the chamber from the front end of the body by the tube of the needle assembly,a first sidewall of the body extends forwardly from said chamber to said front aperture, said first sidewall having a front end that at least partially defines the front aperture,a second sidewall of the body extends forwardly in opposed spaced relation to said first side wall from said chamber to said front aperture, and second sidewall also having a front end that at least partially defines said front aperture,said front end of the first sidewall and said front end of the second sidewall are adapted to be brought together and retained together to close the front aperture so as to enclosed a needle and hub in the shielded position within the body, andthe first sidewall and the second sidewall cooperate to shield the portion of the needle to the rear of the front aperture from possible side contact with a user's fingers during withdrawal of the hub and needle into the shielded position within the body of the guard.