# US 10,368,790 B2 · Needle safety assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,368,790 B2 - Document ID: US10368790B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/431,433 - Filed: 2013-10-21 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-23 - Assignees: Poly Medicure Limited - Applicants: Poly Medicure Limited - Inventors: Rishi Baid - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368790B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/150641: {comprising means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from covering to uncovering position} - A61M 5/158: Needles {for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body} - A61M 5/3271: {with guiding tracks for controlled sliding of needle protective sleeve from needle exposing to needle covering position} - A61M 25/0631: {having means for fully covering the needle after its withdrawal, e.g. needle being withdrawn inside the handle or a cover being advanced over the needle} - A61M 25/0637: {Butterfly or winged devices, e.g. for facilitating handling or for attachment to the skin} - A61M 2005/1586: {Holding accessories for holding infusion needles on the body} - A61M 2005/3247: {Means to impede repositioning of protection sleeve from needle covering to needle uncovering position} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A needle safety assembly comprising a needle and a protective cover for the needle, wherein the needle is attached to a needle hub having wings on opposite sides which can be moved relative to the protective cover from a position of use where the tip of the needle is outside of the protective cover into a retracted position in which the needle is fully received in the protective cover. The protective cover is of generally tubular shape having two opposite axial slots extending from a distal end of the protective cover towards a tubular base portion of the protective cover. The slots are adapted to receive the wings when the needle hub moves into the protective cover. Also provided is a locking mechanism adapted to secure the needle hub inside the protective cover when the needle hub is retracted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A needle safety assembly comprising: a needle; a needle hub having wings extending outward on opposite sides of the needle hub and said needle hub having a locking projection extending from the needle hub; and a protective cover for the needle having a locking opening on a top of the protective cover with said opening including a locking tongue extending towards a proximal end of the protective cover and adapted to engage with the locking projection when the needle hub is in the retracted position, said protective cover also having a pair of opposing axial slots on opposite sides of the protective cover, said slots extending to an opening on an end of the protective cover, said slots being closed at another end of the needle cover, wherein the needle is attached to said needle hub which can be moved relative to the protective cover by sliding each one of said wings along perspective one of said axial slots from a position of use in which at least the tip of the needle is outside of the protective cover into a retracted position in which the needle is fully received in the protective cover and said locking projection of said needle hub engages with said locking opening of said protective cover to hold said needle hub within said protective cover, wherein the protective cover is of generally tubular shape such that said opposing axial slots each extend from the opening provided at a distal end of the protective cover towards a tubular base portion of the protective cover, wherein the slots are adapted to receive the wings through the opening and move along the slots when the needle hub moves into the protective cover, and wherein the protective cover can be completely removed from the needle hub by sliding the wings beyond the opening at the distal end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein a position of the locking projection on the needle hub is rotated by an angle of generally 90° about the needle axis with respect to the position of the wings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection is formed integrally with the needle hub and/or the locking opening is formed integrally with the protective cover. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection defines a surface facing the needle tip, wherein at least a portion of the surface extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the needle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection comprises a ramp-shaped protrusion protruding from the needle hub. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein locking projection has a generally nose-like or ramp-like shape, with its radial dimension increasing towards the tip of the needle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection is formed such that a radial dimension of the locking projection can be reduced against a restoring force. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection comprises a material having elastic properties. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking projection is arranged in the region of a proximal end of the needle hub. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking opening is provided on the tubular base portion of the protective cover. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking opening comprises an opening in the protective cover, which is adapted to receive the locking projection when the needle hub is in the retracted position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A needle safety assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the locking tongue extends towards the interior of the protective cover and defines a proximal surface which extends in a generally radial plane. ### Claim 13 A needle safety assembly comprising: a needle; a needle hub having wings extending outward on opposite sides of the needle hub and said needle hub having a ramp-shaped locking projection extending from the needle hub with one end of the projection being flush with a surface of the needle hub; and a protective cover for the needle having a locking opening on a top of the protective cover with said opening including a locking tongue extending towards a proximal end of the protective cover and adapted to engage with the locking projection when the needle hub is in the retracted position, said protective cover also having a pair of opposing axial slots on opposite sides of the protective cover, said slots extending to an opening on an end of the protective cover, said slots being closed at another end of the needle cover, wherein the needle is attached to said needle hub which can be moved relative to the protective cover by sliding each one of said wings along perspective one of said axial slots from a position of use in which at least the tip of the needle is outside of the protective cover into a retracted position in which the needle is fully received in the protective cover and said locking projection of said needle hub engages with said locking opening of said protective cover to hold said needle hub within said protective cover, wherein the protective cover is of generally tubular shape and such that said opposing axial slots each extend from the opening provided at a distal end of the protective cover towards a tubular base portion of the protective cover, wherein the slots are adapted to receive the wings through the opening and move along the slots when the needle hub moves into the protective cover, and wherein the protective cover can be completely removed from the needle hub by sliding the wings beyond the opening at the distal end, wherein the locking tongue extends towards the interior of the protective cover and defines a proximal surface which extends in a generally radial plane. ### Claim 14 A needle safety assembly comprising: a needle; a needle hub having wings extending outward on opposite sides of the needle hub and said needle hub having a ramp-shaped locking projection extending from the needle hub; and a protective cover for the needle having a locking opening on a top of the protective cover with said opening including a locking tongue extending towards a proximal end of the protective cover and adapted to engage with the locking projection when the needle hub is in the retracted position, said protective cover also having a pair of opposing axial slots on opposite sides of the protective cover, said slots extending to an opening on an end of the protective cover, said slots being closed at another end of the needle cover, wherein the needle is attached to said needle hub which can be moved relative to the protective cover by sliding each one of said wings along perspective one of said axial slots from a position of use in which at least the tip of the needle is outside of the protective cover into a retracted position in which the needle is fully received in the protective cover and said locking projection of said needle hub engages with said locking opening of said protective cover to hold said needle hub within said protective cover, wherein the protective cover is of generally tubular shape a such that said opposing axial slots each extend from the opening provided at a distal end of the protective cover towards a tubular base portion of the protective cover, wherein the slots are adapted to receive the wings through the opening and move along the slots when the needle hub moves into the protective cover, and wherein the protective cover can be completely removed from the needle hub by sliding the wings beyond the opening at the distal end.