Patent ID: 7534229

Claim:
A needle protecting device for an injection device, said needle protecting device comprising: a plug-on sleeve; a covering sleeve comprising one or more axially extending channels and one or more proximally facing stopping surfaces formed in an inner surface of the covering sleeve; a needle protecting sleeve slidable relative to at least one of the plug-on sleeve and the covering sleeve, wherein the needle protecting sleeve comprises one or more elastic latches that radially protrude from an outer surface of the needle protecting sleeve, and wherein each said latch releasably engages one of the proximally facing stopping surfaces of the covering sleeve when the needle protecting sleeve is in a first position in which the needle is protected; a safety release slidable relative to said needle protecting sleeve, the safety release comprising a ring and one or more tongues projecting axially from the ring, wherein the one or more tongues are guided in the covering sleeve by said axially extending channels, wherein sliding of the one or more tongues proximally in the axially extending channels disengages the one or more latches of the needle protecting sleeve from the one or more proximally facing surfaces of the covering sleeve, thereby releasing the needle protection sleeve into a second position in which the injection device is operable; and a restoring element for returning the needle protecting sleeve to the first position; wherein said restoring element is a spring supported on a proximal end of said plug-on sleeve in relation to the needle protecting sleeve, said restoring element being tensed when said needle protecting sleeve is slid into the second position and advances said needle protecting sleeve out of the second position into the first position.