Patent ID: 7001396

Claim:
An introducer assembly comprising: an outer sheath extending from an outer sheath proximal end to an outer sheath distal end, the outer sheath having an outer sheath passage therethrough; a dilator assembly including a dilator hub and a dilator sheath, the dilator sheath disposed within the outer sheath passage, the dilator sheath extending from a dilator sheath proximal end to a dilator sheath distal end, the dilator sheath proximal end movably disposed within the dilator hub; the dilator assembly including a needle disposed within the dilator sheath, the needle extending from a needle proximal end to a needle distal end, the needle proximal end coupled with the dilator hub; the dilator sheath having a first position and a second position relative to the dilator hub, in the first position the needle distal end extends out from the dilator sheath distal end, in the second position the dilator sheath is extended over the needle distal end; and the dilator sheath frictionally retained by the outer sheath until the dilator sheath is disposed in the second position.