Position guide for a needle guard

A device for protecting a syringe needle after the syringe has been used on a patient, said device comprising:

• an elongated needle guard defining an axis, said guard formed with an aperture for receiving the needle therethrough;
• a base member affixable to the syringe;
• a means for biasing said needle guard along said axis in a distal direction from said base member;
• and
• a means for interconnecting said needle guard with said base member to initially hold said needle guard in a first axial position relative to said base member in response to said biasing means, and for sequentially directing said guard into a second axial position relative to said base member without relative rotation between said needle guard and said base member and thereafter directing said needle guard into a needle-protecting third position relative to said base member in response to a selectively applied axial force against said needle guard in opposition to said biasing means.

A device for protecting the needle of a syringe, said device comprising:

• a hollow cylindrical needle guard defining an axis and formed with a plug extending radially therefrom;
• a base member disposed on said needle guard for reciprocal axial movement relative thereto, said base member formed with a locking cutout, a linear track substantially aligned with said axis and a deflectable arm positioned in said linear track and aligned to allow said plug to travel within said linear track from an initial location in said linear track and past said arm during proximal movement of said needle guard relative to the needle without relative rotation therebetween and to direct said plug during distal advancement of said needle guard relative to the needle into said locking cutout to lock said needle guard in a position to cover and protect the needle;
• and
• a biasing means disposed between said needle guard and said base member to urge said needle guard and said base member in opposite axial directions.