Patent ID: 8486016

Claim:
A hypodermic needle shielding assembly comprising: an adapter element having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end of said adapter element being configured for coupling to a syringe, and said distal end of said adapter element being configured for coupling to a hypodermic needle; a track element mounted on said adapter element; a guard element comprising a slider portion and a shield portion, said track element and said slider portion of said guard element being configured for slidable attachment to one another such that said guard element can be extended in a direction approximately parallel to the axis of said hypodermic needle from a retracted position in which the tip of said hypodermic needle is exposed, to a safety position in which the tip of said hypodermic needle is shielded by said shield portion of said guard element; and a lock element configured to be in a loaded position when said guard element is in said retracted position, and in an engaged position when said guard element is in said safety position, so as to prevent said guard element from sliding relative to said track element when said lock element is in said engaged position; wherein said hypodermic needle shielding assembly is configured to provide a visual feedback when said lock element is advanced from said loaded position to said engaged position, said visual feedback comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of: concealing a first color when said lock element is in said loaded position and revealing said first color when said lock element is in said engaged position; and revealing a second color when said lock element is in said loaded position and concealing said second color when said lock element is in said engaged position.