Patent ID: 8303543

Claim:
A catheter insertion apparatus, comprising: a catheter comprising a catheter tube having a catheter tube forward end and a catheter tube rearward end and an annular catheter mounting structure at said catheter tube rearward end comprising a mounting structure interior, said catheter mounting structure containing a resilient membrane barrier extending across the mounting structure interior with a self-closing membrane opening, wherein said membrane opening is opened for passing a catheter insertion needle; a catheter insertion catheter insertion structure having a catheter insertion needle with a needle rearward end and with a needle forward end for removably fitting forwardly through said catheter such that said needle forward end protrudes forwardly from said catheter tube forward end to pierce patient skin and enter a patient vein together with said catheter tube forward end; and such that said catheter insertion needle can be rearwardly withdrawn from said catheter following catheter insertion into a patient vein, said self-closing membrane opening resiliently closing as said needle exits said membrane opening and thereby preventing patient blood from flowing rearwardly out of said catheter; a needle retraction assembly comprising a spring abutment structure connected to and contained within said housing; wherein said annular catheter engaging structure is connected adjacent to said housing opening; wherein said catheter insertion structure additionally comprises: a needle containment housing comprising a tubular housing side wall and a housing rearward end with a housing rear wall sealingly joined to said housing side wall and a housing forward end with a housing opening; and a needle cocking structure and an annular catheter engaging structure connected to said needle containment housing forward end for releasibly engaging said catheter mounting structure, wherein said needle cocking structure is mounted to said needle rearward end, and said retraction assembly comprises a needle refraction spring and having a spring rearward end for bearing against said needle cocking structure and having a spring forward end for bearing against said spring abutment structure.