Patent ID: 8226617

Claim:
A safety shield apparatus comprising: a safety shield including a distal segment having a distal end and a proximal end, a proximal segment having a distal end and a proximal end, and a retention member, the proximal end of the distal segment being pivotally connected to the distal end of the proximal segment and the retention member being pivotally secured to the proximal end of the proximal segment, the retention member being dimensioned to be frictionally engaged directly about a nose of a medical needle device to secure the safety shield to the medical needle device, wherein when the safety shield is in a fully retracted position a tip of the nose of the medical needle device extends distally through and beyond the distal segment of the safety shield in such a manner that a cowl at a tip of the distal segment of the safety shield is positioned over the nose of the medical needle device without contacting the needle; wherein the retention member includes an opening dimensioned to be non-rotationally and slidably received about a nose of a medical needle device such that the distal segment and the proximal segment of the safety shield are manually movable in a slidable manner across a surface of a the needle, from the fully retracted position to an advanced position, to shield the needle supported on the medical needle device; and a retention collar having a configuration for securing the retention member directly to the nose of the medical needle device via an interference fit.