Patent ID: 8257264

Claim:
An ultrasonic probe, comprising: a connector coupled to a position encoder of the probe; a needle clip received by connector, the needle clip comprising: a post receivable by the connector, the post comprising a cradle configured to receive a needle shaft; an arm having a finger rest at one end and a cover at the opposite end thereof; a flexible member having a first end connected to the arm and a second end, the second end secured to the post or abutting the probe, the flexible member elastically deformable between the first end and the second end thereof; wherein the cover is moveable from a first position adjacent the cradle to a second position covering the cradle by applying finger pressure to the finger rest and elastically deforming the flexible member, the cover returning from the second position to the first position by releasing the applied finger pressure, wherein when the cover is in the second position, the cover and cradle form a closed space configured for retaining a needle shaft in the cradle.