IV catheter introducer

An IV catheter introducer comprising in coaxial alignment a housing having a needle assembly seated therein with a body section and a needle projecting forwardly from the housing, a plunger assembly having a plunger tube slidably insertable into the housing, an IV catheter assembly having a flexible catheter attached to a rearwardly facing tubular hub, an elastomeric grommet disposed between and contacting a forward end of the housing and a rear end of the hub, and a removable cover disposed over part of the needle and catheter prior to use of the IV catheter introducer;

• wherein the elastomeric grommet comprises a forwardly facing projection having an outside surface that frictionally engages an inside wall near the rear end of the hub, a rearwardly facing recess that receives and frictionally engages a forwardly extending tip of the body section, a thin elastomeric web disposed inside the elastomeric grommet forwardly of the rearwardly facing recess, and an upwardly extending tab identifying a top side of the catheter introducer that corresponds to a beveled side of the needle.