Patent ID: 7648480

Claim:
A safety needle assembly comprising: a cannula holding member possessing a distal end portion comprising a hub; a cannula fixed to the hub and possessing a beveled distal end projecting beyond the distal end portion; the hub comprising a plurality of outwardly directed fins extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the hub; a sheath possessing a generally U-shaped cross-section and an interior bounded by a back wall and a pair of oppositely positioned side walls, the sheath also comprising an opening positioned opposite the back wall, the opening extending along at least a portion of a longitudinal extent of the sheath, the sheath also comprising at least one cantilevered fin engaging member connected to the back wall and extending from the back wall of the sheath in the interior in a direction toward the opening, the at least one fin engaging member being spaced from both side walls of the sheath and possessing a distal end portion; an annular collar separate from the cannula holding member and mounted on the cannula holding member; and the sheath being pivotably connected to the collar to pivot in a closing direction toward the cannula so that during pivoting of the sheath in the closing direction the cannula passes through the opening in the sheath and is positioned in the interior of the sheath so as to be covered by the sheath, with the distal end portion of the at least one fin engaging member automatically engaging at least one of the fins on the hub when the cannula is positioned within the interior of the sheath to lock the sheath relative to the hub to prevent the sheath from being pivoted away from the cannula.