Patent ID: 7727190

Claim:
A needle stick protection device, comprising: a housing shaped and dimensioned for positioning about a syringe with an attached needle, the housing includes a first housing member telescopically coupled to a second housing member; the first housing member including an open first end shaped and dimensioned for receiving the syringe and attached needle and an open second end, the first housing member including a first longitudinally extending slot; the second housing member including an open first end and a substantially closed second end, the second end including an aperture shaped and dimensioned to permit the passage of a needle therethrough, the second housing member including a first detent extending through the first slot; a locking member associated with the first slot of the first housing member for selectively engaging the first detent to control positioning of the second housing member relative to the first housing member; the locking member includes a first lateral retaining recess formed within the first slot for seating of the first detent when the second housing member is in its forward most position, the first lateral retaining recess being circumferentially located along a side of the first slot, and the locking member further includes a first spring biased lock arm composed of a cantilevered beam, which includes a first side that is adjacent to the first lateral retaining recess, wherein the spring biased lock arm circumferentially forces the first detent within the first lateral retaining recess when the second housing member is in its forward most position fully extended relative to the first housing member so that the needle is fully covered by the second housing member; wherein the needle may be selectively covered and uncovered by selective alignment of the first detent with the slot in a manner permitting controlled motion of the first housing member relative to the second housing member; and the locking member further includes a lateral locking recess formed along the slot and adjacent a second side of the spring biased lock arm opposite the first side of the spring biased lock arm, wherein the needle is permanently covered when the detent is positioned within the lateral locking recess, wherein the spring biased lock arm includes a living binge portion adjacent its free end creating a flexible tip at the free end of the spring biased lock arm which permits flexion of the tip about the living hinge portion in a manner allowing the detent to move from the first side of the spring biased lock arm to the second side of the spring biased lock arm.