Patent ID: 7803138

Claim:
A safety needle assembly comprising: a needle hub having opposed proximal and distal ends; a needle cannula projecting distally from said distal end of said needle hub; a safety shield hingedly connected to said needle hub by a first hinged connection for hinged movement form a first position where said needle cannula is exposed to a second position where said needle cannula is shielded; and an actuator having opposed proximal and distal ends, wherein said proximal end of said actuator is rotatably connected to said hub by a second hinged connection at a location proximal to said first hinged connection of said shield to said hub, wherein said distal end of said actuator is slidably attached to said safety shield, so as to slide in relation to said safety shield, wherein actuation of said actuator causes said safety shield to pivot and rotate along an arcuate path about said needle hub into said second position.