Patent ID: 8221352

Claim:
An apparatus for securing and protecting the tip of a needle, the apparatus comprising: a needle having a body portion and a diameter and a tip of the needle; a safety enclosure having an interior space, a first base, a pair of second bases, and a longitudinal axis, the needle being slidably disposed within said interior space of said safety enclosure; a base portion; a flexible member having a length, said base portion being flexibly connected to said safety enclosure by said flexible member; a flexible safety member having a face portion and rear portion, said flexible safety member being disposed substantially longitudinally within said interior space, said face portion being disposed substantially transversely within said interior space; said face portion including a safety feature sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle; said safety enclosure having two positions, a use position and a safe position; said use position in which the tip of the needle extends beyond the interior space of said safety enclosure and said face portion is prevented from transverse movement by the needle; said safe position in which said safety enclosure is moved such that the tip of the needle is brought into said interior space of said safety enclosure to a safe position where the tip of the needle is brought further into the interior space than said face portion of said flexible safety member, wherein said face portion is able to move transversely and to retain the tip of the needle, wherein the tip of the needle is received by the safety feature; wherein the safety feature comprises an orifice in said face portion of said flexible safety member that is sized and dimensioned to receive the tip of the needle; wherein said orifice of said safety feature has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the needle body; and wherein the flexible safety member is constructed of material that has sufficient strength to prevent the tip of the needle from further expanding said diameter of said orifice of said safety feature.