Patent ID: 7201740

Claim:
A shielding needle assembly, comprising: a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end with a puncture tip; a hub supporting the needle cannula, the hub including at least one release member; a safety shield movably associated with the hub from a retracted position disposed generally coaxially within the hub to an extended position shielding the puncture tip of the needle cannula; and a drive member associated with the hub and adapted to move the safety shield from the retracted to the extended positions, wherein application of radial pressure to the at least one release member causes the at least one release member to engage the safety shield and maintain the safety shield in the retracted position, and wherein at least partial release of the radial pressure allows the drive member to disengage the at least one release member from the safety shield and move the safety shield from the retracted position to the extended position.