Guard for right angle infusion needle

A guard for a right angle winged infusion needle includes an elongated trough-like body which receives and protects the needle and an end socket extension which receives and holds a finger pad bonded to the wing at one end of the needle and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the needle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a unitary, simplified and inexpensive 
guard for a winged right angle infusion needle of the general character 
disclosed in the above-referenced prior patent application. 
The guard in the prior patent application included an elongated trough-like 
body to receive and protect the infusion needle, and an integral somewhat 
resilient clip extension at one end of the trough-like body adapted to 
grip the center hub portion of the infusion needle wing attachment. The 
clip extension projects beyond the open side of the trough body portion of 
the guard in the prior application. 
The present application discloses a guard for a right angle winged infusion 
needle of the type having a finger pad connected with the somewhat 
flexible wing. The arrangement is such that the user of the needle can 
apply pressure on the finger pad with the index finger while holding the 
ends of the flexible wing between the thumb and middle finger, as when 
inserting the needle into body tissue or into an implantable venous access 
device. This arrangement also provides for a low profile device that is 
easy to insert and mechanically stable when taped in position. 
The guard, according to the present invention, is even more simplified than 
the guard in the prior application inasmuch as a socket extension for 
receiving and holding the needle finger pad is flush with the open side of 
the trough-like body of the guard, and no parts of the guard project 
laterally thereof. This simplified guard structure is advantageous in the 
manufacturing and packaging of the product. 
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to 
those skilled in the art during the course of the following detailed 
description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like 
parts, a right angle infusion needle 10 includes a needle shank 11 
requiring protection and a right angle extension 12 at one end of the 
shank 11 received through the hub portion 13 of a somewhat flexible wing 
attachment 14. A suitable flexible infusion tube 15, FIG. 1, is connected 
with and extends from the hub portion 13, which may be equipped with a 
nipple 16, FIG. 5, over which one end of the tube 15 may be telescoped. 
The infusion needle 10 also includes a finger pad 17 having a rear upper 
flange 18 and laterally spaced lower side fingers 19. The lower face of 
the flange 18 is preferably equipped with a pair of spaced ribs 20. The 
portion of the finger pad 17 which projects forwardly of the flange 18 and 
fingers 19 is generally rectangular, hollow and open on its lower side to 
accommodate the needle extension 12, as best shown in FIG. 5. 
In the manufacturing process for the infusion needle, the wing 14 is 
inserted between the flange 18 and fingers 19 which grippingly engage the 
wing. The hub portion 13 of the wing is received between the fingers 19, 
and the front edge 21 of the wing 14 abuts a front wall 22 between flange 
18 and fingers 19. Preferably, the wing 14 is bonded in assembled 
relationship with the finger pad 17. 
A guard 23 for the right angle infusion needle comprises the main subject 
matter of the present invention. The guard 23 is unitary and adapted to be 
molded from plastics material. It could, however, be fabricated from a 
different material. 
The guard or protector 23 comprises an elongated rectangular trough-like 
body 24 open along one side. The trough-like body 24 includes one end wall 
25, two spaced side walls 26, and one longitudinal wall 27, all integrally 
connected. The trough-like body 24 of the guard 23 is sized to receive 
therein and protect the shank 11 of the right angle infusion needle, as 
shown in FIG. 2. 
The trough-like body portion 24 is open at its end away from the end wall 
25, and is provided at this end with a laterally enlarged rectangular 
socket extension 28 or head, adapted to receive therein the portion of the 
finger pad 17 which extends beyond the flange 18 and wall 22, FIG. 2. 
Preferably, the finger pad 17 has a snug fit within the socket extension 
28 so that the infusion needle 10 will remain assembled with the guard 23 
until forcibly removed. 
The socket opening 29 of the socket extension 28 is rectangular and matches 
the shape of the portion of the finger pad 17 which it receives. The 
socket opening 29 communicates with the interior of the elongated 
trough-like body 24, FIG. 3. A pair of shoulders 30 project outwardly 
laterally from the side wall 26 of the body 24 equidistantly, FIG. 3. The 
open side of the socket extension 28 lies in a common plane with the open 
side of the trough-like body 24, whereby no part of the guard projects 
outwardly of its open side. The construction of the guard 23 is simplified 
and the guard is very easy to store and package. The major axes of the 
trough-like body portion 24 and socket extension 28 are disposed at right 
angles. 
It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and 
described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that 
various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be 
resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope 
of the subjoined claims.