Patent ID: 7186239

Claim:
A catheter assembly comprising: a needle hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior cavity; a needle attached to the distal end of the needle hub comprising a needle tip and a needle axis; a catheter hub comprising a proximal end, a distal end an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior cavity; a catheter tube comprising a lumen attached to the distal end of the catheter hub; a protective clip comprising a resilient arm and a proximal wall comprising an opening sized to accommodate the needle, the opening comprising a perimeter comprising a first perimeter portion and a second perimeter portion; a ready to use position in which the catheter hub is removeably engaged to a nose section of the distal end of the needle hub and the needle projected into the lumen of the catheter tube and defining a holding space bounded by the interior cavity of the catheter hub and a portion of the nose section of the needle hub; the protective clip being positioned in the holding space with a portion associated with the resilient arm of the protective clip contacting an engagement surface on the interior cavity of the catheter hub; a retracted position in which the catheter hub is disengaged from the nose section of the needle hub, the portion associated with the resilient arm of the protective clip no longer contacting the engagement surface on the interior cavity of the catheter hub, and the proximal wall of the protective clip positioned at an angle to the axis of the needle such that the needle contacts the first perimeter portion and the second perimeter portion of the perimeter to fix relative movement between the needle and the tip protector.