Safety shield for medical needles

A medical needle shield apparatus comprising:

• a needle hub having an outer needle cannula extending therefrom, an inner needle being disposed for slidable movement with the outer needle cannula;
• a shield being extensible from a retracted position to an extended position to enclose a distal end of the outer needle cannula, the shield defining a probe guide at a distal end thereof configured for receipt of a probe, the probe being configured for slidable movement with the outer needle cannula;
• a hub retention element formed with said shield and configured for releasable engagement with a shield retention element formed with the needle hub;
• the shield including a binding member disposed within the shield and defining binding surfaces that form an aperture configured for slidable receipt of the outer needle cannula between the retracted position and the extended position;
• the binding member including at least one drag inducing member such that the at least one drag inducing member engages the outer needle cannula during slidable receipt of the outer needle cannula to create a drag force with the outer needle cannula, the drag force and shield facilitate rotation of the binding member relative to a longitudinal axis of the outer needle cannula such that the binding surfaces engage the outer needle cannula to prevent slidable movement of the outer needle cannula in the extended position of the shield;
• and
• the binding member further including a needle communicating surface extending therefrom such that the needle communicating surface is engageable with the outer needle cannula to prevent rotation of the binding member.

A medical needle shield apparatus comprising:

• a needle hub;
• a needle disposed within the hub;
• at least one shield being extensible from a retracted position to an extended position to enclose a distal end of the needle;
• and
• a binding member which is distinct from said shield and is disposed within the shield;
• wherein said binding member comprises binding surfaces that define an aperture configured for slidable receipt of said needle between a retracted position and an extended position;
• wherein said binding member is rotatable relative to a longitudinal axis of said needle between a non-binding orientation whereby said needle is slidable relative to said binding member and a binding orientation whereby said binding surfaces engage said needle to prevent slidable movement of said needle in an extended position of said shield;
• and
• wherein the shield comprises at least one retention element configured to releasably retain the hub with the shield when the shield is in the retracted position.

A medical needle shield apparatus comprising:

• a needle hub;
• a needle disposed within the hub;
• at least one shield being extensible from a retracted position to an extended position to enclose a distal end of the needle;
• a binding member disposed within the shield;
• wherein said binding member comprises binding surfaces that form a round aperture configured for slidable receipt of said needle between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the needle remains in the round aperture while the shield is in the retracted position and the extended position;
• wherein said binding member is rotatable relative to a longitudinal axis of said needle between a non-binding orientation whereby said needle is slidable relative to said binding member and a binding orientation whereby said binding surfaces engage said needle to prevent slidable movement of said needle in an extended position of said shield;
• and
• wherein the hub comprises at least one retention element configured to releasably retain the shield with the hub when the shield is in the retracted position.