Passive safety device for needle of IV infusion or blood collection set

Abstract

A passively shieldable needle assembly set is provided for use with a tube holder. The assembly includes a needle cannula, a hub mounted to the needle cannula and a tip guard slidably movable along the needle cannula. The tip guard can be slid into a distal position where the tip of the needle cannula is safely shielded. A collapsible guard drive is mounted to the hub and includes a pair of collapsible leaves extending from the hub to the tip guard. The leaves have a length that enable the tip guard to move into shielding engagement around the tip of the needle cannula, while preventing complete removal of the tip guard from the needle cannula. The leaves are resiliently deformable and can be collapsed onto themselves and onto the hub. The leaves can be retained in their collapsed condition by a packaging cover and subsequently by the grip of a medical practitioner. A mere release of the grip on the collapsed leaves enables the leaves to resiliently return toward an undeflected condition and propels the tip guard distally into shielding engagement around the tip of the needle cannula.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shieldable needle device comprising: 
 a needle cannula having opposed distal and proximal ends;    a hub mounted to the needle cannula;    a shield assembly comprising a guard drive, the guard drive having a stored energy, wherein upon release of the stored energy the guard drive moves a guard over the needle cannula; and    a packaging cover covering at least a portion of the needle cannula and removably secured on the needle device, wherein the packaging cover inhibits physical movement of the guard drive such that release of the stored energy is prevented.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging cover is removably secured over at least a portion of the guard drive.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the packaging cover is removably secured over only a portion of the guard drive.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the exposed portion of the guard drive can be gripped by a user.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein if the user grips the exposed portion of the guard drive, and subsequently removes the packaging cover, maintenance of the gripping by the user will inhibit physical movement of the guard drive such that release of the stored energy is prevented.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein release of the gripping after removal of the packaging cover will allow the guard drive to release the stored energy and thereby move the guard over the needle cannula.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the guard drive comprises at least one resiliently deflectable leaf.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the packaging cover retains the at least one resiliently deflectable leaf in a folded configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the guard drive comprises two resiliently deflectable leaves.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the packaging cover retains the two resiliently deflectable leaves in a folded configuration.