Device for protecting a syringe needle

A device for protecting a syringe (2) needle (7), comprising a needle-protecting cap (8) made of a flexible material and a protective end-piece (5) made of a rigid material adapted to cover the needle-protecting cap (8) and equipped with internal means (12) for gripping the said needle protecting cap which are capable of entraining the latter upon the removal of the said protective end-piece, wherein the internal gripping means provided in the protective end-piece (5) comprise at least one longitudinal claw (12) secured to the side wall of the protective end-piece (5) via a flexible transverse intermediate hinge (13) forming an articulation longitudinally delimiting:

• a downstream longitudinal section (16) having a free end in the form of a point (19) capable of sticking into the needle-protecting cap (8), and arranged so as to come into contact with the said needle-protecting cap upon the introduction of the latter into the protective endpiece (5) and to bring about the tilting of the claw (12), the said downstream longitudinal section having a rear endface (18) for abutting against the side wall of the said protective end-piece, adapted to limit the said tilting,
• an upstream longitudinal section (17) equipped with a rear end-face (20) for abutting against the side wall of the protective end-piece (5), adapted to limit the opposite tilting of each claw (12) upon the removal of the said protective end-piece.