Patent ID: 7927314

Claim:
A needle protective device comprising: a needle having a shaft and a sharpened end; a needle guard slidably mounted on the needle, the needle guard having a proximal end and a distal end, the needle guard containing a moveable needle trap that is continually biased toward the needle, the needle trap automatically entrapping the sharpened distal end of the needle when the distal and of the needle guard moves distal of the sharpened distal end of the needle; a feature on the needle shaft engageable with the needle guard to limit the forward movement of the needle guard along the needle; and a resilient member, the resilient member having a substantial portion thereof located and maintained upon a portion of the needle guard in an annular fashion and wherein the substantial portion of the resilient member applies the continual biasing force radially and directly on the needle trap, thereby maintaining the bias towards the needle, whereby the biased needle trap is displaceable between a first position wherein the needle trap is biased toward the needle in an open position with the distal end of the needle exposed and a second position wherein the needle trap is biased in a closed position and entrapping the distal end of the needle.