Non-Axial Return Spring for Safety Needle

Abstract

A needle safety device is provided having a housing, a needle assembly movably mounted within the housing and a spring for biasing the needle assembly within the housing. The needle assembly is movable along a first axis and the spring is movable along the second axis different from the first. There is also provided a lens for enhancing visualization of the flow of fluid through the needle safety device. There is further provided a safety sheath for covering a needle of the needle assembly and restraining the needle assembly against movement due to the bias of the spring.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A needle safety device comprising:
 a housing;   a needle assembly including a needle, the needle assembly being movably mounted within the housing and movable from an extended position in which the needle extends from the housing to a retracted position in which the needle is positioned within the housing; and   a sheath configured for removable attachment to the needle, the sheath being configured to prevent movement of the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position when attached to the needle.   
     
     
         27 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the sheath is configured to frictionally engage the needle to prevent movement of the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position. 
     
     
         28 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the sheath includes a ribbed outer surface for gripping by a user. 
     
     
         29 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the sheath extends distally to cover a tip of the needle when the sheath is attached to the needle and the needle assembly is in the extended position. 
     
     
         30 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising a spring supported by the housing and configured to bias the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position. 
     
     
         31 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the sheath is configured to frictionally engage the needle with a force greater than a biasing force of the spring, such that when the sheath is attached to the needle, the sheath prevents the needle assembly from moving to the retracted position due to the biasing force of the spring. 
     
     
         32 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 30 , further comprising a release mechanism configured to prevent movement of the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position due to the bias of the spring until activation of the release mechanism by a user. 
     
     
         33 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 32 , wherein the sheath is configured to prevent movement of the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position upon inadvertent activation of the release mechanism. 
     
     
         34 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , wherein:
 the housing defines an upper chamber and a lower chamber;   the needle assembly includes a needle hub, the needle being supported on and extending distally from the needle hub, the needle hub being movably positioned within the lower chamber of the housing along a first axis; and further comprising   a spring positioned in the upper chamber of the housing and connected to the needle hub about a second axis spaced from the first axis.   
     
     
         35 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 26 , further comprising a lens positioned on the housing adjacent the needle assembly to enhance visualization of a flow of fluid through the needle hub, the hub being movably mounted relative to the lens. 
     
     
         36 . A needle safety device comprising:
 a housing defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber;   a needle assembly including a needle hub and a needle supported on and extending distally from the needle hub, the needle hub being movably positioned within the lower chamber of the housing along a first axis from an extended position in which the needle extends from the housing to a retracted position in which the needle is positioned within the housing;   a spring positioned in the upper chamber of the housing and connected to the needle hub about a second axis spaced from the first axis, the spring being configured to bias the needle hub from the extended position to the retracted position; and   a sheath configured for removable attachment to the needle, the sheath being configured to prevent movement of the needle assembly from the extended position to the retracted position due to the bias of the spring when the sheath is attached to the needle.   
     
     
         37 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the sheath is configured to frictionally engage the needle to prevent movement of the needle from the extended position to the retracted position. 
     
     
         38 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the sheath is configured to frictionally engage the needle with a force greater than a biasing force of the spring, such that when the sheath is attached to the needle, the sheath prevents the needle from moving to the retracted position due to the biasing force of the spring. 
     
     
         39 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the sheath includes a ribbed outer surface for gripping by a user. 
     
     
         40 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the sheath extends distally to cover a tip of the needle when the sheath is attached to the needle and the needle is in the extended position. 
     
     
         41 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , further comprising a release mechanism configured to prevent movement of the needle hub from the extended position to the retracted position due to the bias of the spring until activation of the release mechanism by a user. 
     
     
         42 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 41 , wherein the sheath is configured to prevent movement of the needle hub from the extended position to the retracted position upon inadvertent activation of the release mechanism. 
     
     
         43 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 42 , wherein the release mechanism comprises a finger removably received in an opening defined by the housing, the finger being movable between a blocking position in which the finger extends into the opening to engage the hub to prevent movement of the hub from the extended position to the retracted position and a release position in which the finger does not extend into the opening and to engage the hub and the hub is free to move from the extended position to the retracted position due to the bias of the spring. 
     
     
         44 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 43 , wherein the sheath is configured to prevent movement of the needle from the extended position to the retracted position when the finger is in the release position by frictionally engaging the needle to retain the needle in the extended position against the bias of the spring. 
     
     
         45 . The needle safety device as recited in  claim 36 , further comprising a lens positioned on the housing adjacent the needle assembly to enhance visualization of a flow of fluid through the needle hub, the hub being movably mounted relative to the lens.