Safety needle assemblies and related methods

Abstract

A safety needle assembly having a first hub attached to a flexible tube and a second hub attached to a needle projecting through the flexible tube. A needle guard is positioned in an interior cavity of the first hub. The needle guard has a proximal wall having an opening and two arms each with an end and wherein the two ends spaced from and biased toward the needle in a ready position. In a particular example, a support is located inside the cavity of the first hub and wherein the two ends of the two arms on the needle guard rest on the support in the ready position.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A safety catheter assembly comprising:
 a catheter hub comprising an interior cavity;   a valve and a valve opener having a head sized and shaped for pushing into the valve to open one or more slits of the valve, said valve and said valve opener being located in the interior cavity of the catheter hub;   a catheter tube attached to the catheter hub;   a needle hub;   a needle attached to the needle hub and projecting through the catheter tube and having a needle tip extending out of a distal end of the catheter tube in a ready to use position;   a needle guard positioned in an interior space of a third hub located proximally of the catheter hub;   wherein the needle guard comprises a proximal wall having an opening and two arms;   wherein the needle guard comprises two ends, one on each of the two arms;   wherein a support is formed in an interior space of the third hub and fixed in the interior space thereof; and   wherein the support comprises surfaces that space the two ends of the two arms of the needle guard from the needle in the ready to use position, and the two ends otherwise contact the needle if not for the support, so as to reduce drag between the needle and the needle guard when the needle retracts from the catheter tube and the catheter hub following vascular access.   
     
     
         20 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein each of the two ends has a curved lip. 
     
     
         21 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the support is ring shaped and the support is coaxially disposed with the catheter tube. 
     
     
         22 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the support is located at a distal end of the third hub. 
     
     
         23 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the third hub has a proximal wall with a proximal opening. 
     
     
         24 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the third hub comprises a distal wall and at least one arm extending from the distal wall and engaging the catheter hub to retain the third hub in the ready to use position. 
     
     
         25 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the third hub further comprises a second arm and wherein the at least one arm and the second arm engage a holding portion in the interior cavity of the catheter hub. 
     
     
         26 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the two arms of the needle guard cross each other forming a cross-section and the support is spaced from the cross-section. 
     
     
         27 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the needle comprises a change in profile located proximal of the needle tip; and   wherein the change in profile abuts against the proximal wall of the needle guard before the needle guard separates from the support.   
     
     
         28 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the third hub comprises a distal wall and an opening formed through the distal wall of the third hub, the support is centered around the opening of the distal wall of the third hub, and the needle passes through the support and the opening of the distal wall of the third hub. 
     
     
         29 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the support is spaced from the needle. 
     
     
         30 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the valve opener comprises at least one leg. 
     
     
         31 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the support has a body with a ring shape, has a body with a bore, is formed from two or more ribs, or has multiple sides. 
     
     
         32 . A safety catheter assembly comprising:
 a catheter hub comprising an interior cavity;   a valve having one or more slits and a valve opener having a head sized and shaped for opening the valve, said valve and said valve opener being located in the interior cavity of the catheter hub;   a catheter tube attached to the catheter hub;   a needle hub;   a needle attached to the needle hub and projecting through the catheter tube in a ready to use position, said needle having a needle tip and a shaft;   a needle guard positioned in an interior space of a third hub located proximally of the catheter hub;   wherein the needle guard comprises a proximal wall having a perimeter defining an opening, two arms, and two ends, one on each of the two arms;   wherein a support interacts with the needle guard to bias the two ends of the two arms of the needle guard away from the needle in the ready to use position, and the two ends otherwise contact the needle if not for the support, so as to reduce drag between the needle and the needle guard when the needle retracts from the catheter tube and the catheter hub following vascular access; and   wherein the support is fixed in the interior space of the third hub, and wherein the support is spaced from the proximal opening of the proximal wall of the needle guard and spaced from the needle in the ready to use position and in a protective position, the needle tip being blocked from inadvertent needlestick in the protective position.   
     
     
         33 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the two arms of the needle guard are separated from the support when in the protective position. 
     
     
         34 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the support is fixed to the third hub at a distal end of the third hub. 
     
     
         35 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the support has a body with a ring shape, is a body with a bore, is formed from two or more ribs, or has multiple sides. 
     
     
         36 . The safety catheter assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the third hub has a proximal wall with a proximal opening.