Protector and storage needle assembly

A protector displaceable between a first position in which said protector can move relatively along a longitudinal direction of a needle body having a sharp needle tip at a tip end and a second position in which the relative movement of said protector along the longitudinal direction of said needle body is prohibited in a state where said protector covers the needle tip of said needle body, said protector being formed by deforming a plate-like body constructed of a metallic material, comprising:

• a protector main body which has:
• a first area in which a first hole through which said needle body can penetrate is formed;
• a second area formed on a needle root side thereof in which a second hole through which said needle body can penetrate is formed;
• and a third area connecting respective end portions of said first area and said second area with each other, said first area , said second area and said third area of said main body portion having a substantially C shape as a whole;
• urging means for urging said first area so that an angle formed between said first area and said third area in a connection portion between said first area and said third area becomes smaller to thereby make an inclination angle of said first area relative to said needle body become smaller;
• and
• a needle-body abutting portion constructed of a resin material, which is provided further on the needle tip side than said first area to abut said needle body in said first position to prevent the inclination angle of said first area relative to said needle body from changing,
• in said first position, said needle body penetrates through said first hole and said second hole;
• and
• when said protector is moved in a tip end direction from said first position relative to said needle body and said needle-body abutting portion passes said needle tip to be separated apart from said needle body, the angle formed between said first area and said third area becomes smaller due to said urging means to cause said protector to be deformed into said second position such that the inclination angle of said first area relative to said needle body becomes smaller than the inclination angle in said first position, so that a frictional force is generated or increased between an inner surface of said hole and a surface of said needle body to thereby prohibit the relative movement of said protector along the longitudinal direction of said needle body.