Patent ID: 7556617

Claim:
A needle assembly for use in a catheter implantation procedure into a patient by providing for fluid injection therethrough or insertion of a guide wire therethrough into a patient, comprising: a generally elongated body having: a proximal end and a distal end; a needle guard disposed at the distal end of the body in a needle guard plane; a first locking member disposed proximate to the distal end of the body; and a second locking member disposed at the proximal end of the body; and a slider assembly including: a slider being slidably disposed on the body; a needle having an elongated needle body, a tip disposed at a distal end of the elongated needle body and a cannulating portion extending through the elongated needle body, wherein the needle extends distally of the slider and through the needle guard, and wherein a proximal end of the needle is open to receive fluid injectable thereinto or to receive insertably thereinto a guide wire; a first locking tab releasably engageable with the first locking member; and a second locking portion lockably engageable with the second locking member; wherein the first locking tab is releasable from the first locking member to allow the slider to slide between a distal position relative to the body wherein the tip extends distally of the needle guard and a proximal position relative to the body wherein the tip is disposed within the needle guard plane and wherein, when the slider is disposed at the proximal position, the second locking portion engages the second locking member to preclude the slider from sliding distally relative to the body, wherein the first locking member comprises a fixed portion fixedly connected to the body and a free portion movable between a locked position wherein the first locking tab is engaged with the first locking member and an unlocked position wherein the first locking tab is disengaged from the first locking member, and wherein the free portion is biased toward the locked position.