Catheter and introducer needle assembly with needle shield
First Claim
1. A catheter and introducer needle assembly, comprising:
- a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;
a catheter hub in fluid communication with the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end connected to the proximal end of the catheter;
an extension tube attached to the catheter hub and in fluid communication with the catheter hub;
an introducer needle removably disposed in the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end, the introducer needle including a main portion and an enlarged diameter portion;
a needle shield selectively engaged to the catheter hub and slidingly mounted to the introducer needle for movement from a first position to a second position at the distal end of the introducer needle, the needle shield including;
a housing having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a cavity, wherein the needle is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity;
a wall formed in the housing;
at least one tab disposed within the cavity and disposed adjacent to the wall and proximal to the wall; and
means for preventing unwanted distal movement of the needle shield off the distal end of the introducer needle;
wherein, when the needle shield is moved from the first position to the second position, the tab flexes proximally to permit passage of the enlarged diameter portion of the introducer needle; and
wherein, when the needle shield is in the second position, the tab is prevented from flexing distally by the wall.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter and introducer needle assembly with a needle shield is provided. The needle shield includes a means for preventing unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a means for connecting the needle shield to the catheter hub until the sharp distal tip of the introducer needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. Thus, when the distal end of the introducer needle extends from the distal portion of the needle shield, the needle shield is connected to the catheter hub and when the sharp distal end of the introducer needle is withdrawn into the needle shield, the needle shield is disconnected from the catheter hub. At that point, the sharp needle tip is secured within the needle shield.
230 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A catheter and introducer needle assembly, comprising:
-
a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end; a catheter hub in fluid communication with the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end connected to the proximal end of the catheter; an extension tube attached to the catheter hub and in fluid communication with the catheter hub; an introducer needle removably disposed in the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end, the introducer needle including a main portion and an enlarged diameter portion; a needle shield selectively engaged to the catheter hub and slidingly mounted to the introducer needle for movement from a first position to a second position at the distal end of the introducer needle, the needle shield including; a housing having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a cavity, wherein the needle is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity; a wall formed in the housing; at least one tab disposed within the cavity and disposed adjacent to the wall and proximal to the wall; and means for preventing unwanted distal movement of the needle shield off the distal end of the introducer needle;
wherein, when the needle shield is moved from the first position to the second position, the tab flexes proximally to permit passage of the enlarged diameter portion of the introducer needle; and
wherein, when the needle shield is in the second position, the tab is prevented from flexing distally by the wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A catheter and introducer needle assembly, comprising:
-
a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end; a catheter hub in fluid communication with the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end connected to the proximal end of the catheter; an introducer needle removably disposed in the catheter and having a proximal end and a distal end, the introducer needle including a main portion and a discontinuous portion disposed near the distal end; a needle shield selectively engaged to the catheter hub and slidingly mounted to the introducer needle for movement from a first position to a second position at the distal end of the introducer needle, the needle shield including; a housing having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an axis extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, and a cavity, wherein the needle is slidingly disposed, at least in part, within the cavity; a medial wall formed in the housing and being disposed perpendicular to the axis of the housing; flexible tabs disposed adjacent to and in contact with a proximal side of the medial wall;
wherein, when the needle shield is in the first position, the introducer needle is disposed between the tabs, and the tabs are adapted to permit passage of the main portion of the introducer needle;
wherein, when the needle shield is moved from the first position to the second position, the tabs permit passage of the discontinuous portion of the introducer needle; and
wherein, when the needle shield is in the second position, the tabs engage the discontinuous portion of the needle introducer needle to prevent relative movement between the needle shield and the introducer needle in at least one direction;further comprising a resilient clip that is adapted to flex between a biased position and an unbiased position in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the housing wherein, in the biased position, the clip engages the catheter hub and, in the unbiased condition, the clip disengages the catheter hub and wherein, when the needle shield is in the first position, the clip is held to one side of the introducer needle so it is flexed into the biased position and, when the needle shield is in the second position, the clip flexes to the unbiased position out of engagement with the catheter hub.
-
-
11. A needle shielding assembly comprising:
-
a needle having a proximal end, a distal end, an axis, a main portion, a discontinuous portion and a sharp tip at the distal end; and a needle shield slidingly mounted to the introducer needle for movement from a first position to a second position covering the sharp tip of the introducer needle, the needle shield including; a housing having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a cavity, wherein the needle is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity; a wall formed in the housing; at least one flexible tab disposed adjacent to the wall and proximal to the wall; and means for preventing unwanted distal movement of the needle shield off the sharp tip of the needle when the shield is in the second position; wherein, when the needle shield is moved from the first position to the second position, the tab permits passage of the discontinuous portion of the needle; and
wherein, when the needle shield is in the second position, the tab restrains the discontinuous portion and is prevented from flexing distally by the wall.- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification