Patent ID: 7060055

Claim:
A needle assembly, comprising: a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end with a puncture tip; a hub comprising an elongated tubular body having an outer surface, a proximal end, a distal end and a passageway extending through said hub, said distal end of said hub supporting said needle cannula, said hub further comprising a first tab extending outwardly from said proximal end of said tubular body; and a hollow outer shield comprising a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, a passageway extending from said proximal end to said distal end, and a second tab extending outwardly from said housing, said outer shield co-axially surrounding said distal end of said tubular body of said hub and including an inner surface in cooperating engagement with said outer surface of said tubular body of said hub, said outer shield movable between a retracted position in which said first tab extending from said tubular body is exposed from said proximal end of said outer shield and said puncture tip of said needle cannula is exposed from said distal end of said shield, and an extended position in which said outer shield covers said puncture tip of said needle cannula, wherein said first tab and said second tab are configured such that opposing forces applied against said first tab and said second tab cause said outer shield to move toward said distal end of said needle cannula from said retracted position to said extended position, such that said outer shield is locked in said extended position to prevent reexposure of said puncture tip of said needle cannula.