Patent ID: 6855130

Claim:
A passively shieldable needle device comprising: a tube holder having a proximal end, a distal end and a tubular sidewall extending between said ends, said proximal end of said tube holder being open to define a tube receptacle, said distal end of said needle tube holder including a distal end wall with a mounting aperture extending therethrough and into said tube receptacle; a hub having a proximal end, a distal end and a passage extending between said ends, portions of said hub substantially adjacent said proximal end being mountable to said mounting aperture of said tube holder; a needle cannula having opposite proximal and distal ends, portions of said needle cannula between said proximal and distal ends being secured in said passage of said hub such that said proximal end of said needle cannula projects proximally from said hub and into said tube receptacle of said tube holder and such that said distal end of said needle cannula projects distally beyond said hub; a tip guard slidably movable along said needle cannula from a proximal position substantially adjacent said hub to a distal position where said tip guard protectively shields said distal end of said needle cannula; and a collapsible guard drive for propelling said tip guard into said distal position, said collapsible guard drive comprising a pair of resilient deformable leaves, each said leaf having a proximal end connected to said hub and a distal end connected to said tip guard, said leaves being foldable and collapsible onto said hub for retaining said tip guard in said proximal position, said leaves further being resiliently movable toward a non-collapsed condition for propelling said tip guard to said distal position on said needle cannula, each leaf, in said collapsed condition, having a distal fold and a proximal fold grips extending proximally from said leaves and being adjacent said tube holder when said leaves are in said collapsed condition.