Safety needle and method of making same

A safety needle for insertion into a body of a patient comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular member made from a flexible polymeric material, said tubular member having a longitudinal axis, a substantially cylindrical wall, distal and proximal ends, said tubular member having through cuts in said wall on opposite sides thereof extending longitudinally and circumferentially from adjacent the distal end to adjacent the proximal end of the tubular member to form a pair of flexible arms, a needle having a needle axis and a needlepoint and being mounted in a needle hub with an end flange, the needle hub being mounted in the proximal end of the tubular member, and a substantially cylindrical needle cup having a longitudinal axis and a blocking end wall with a radially offset needle opening therein, the needle cup being mounted in the distal end of the tubular member with the needle and needle opening being radially offset from one another and the needle point confronting the blocking end wall to prevent needle sticks, only two ribs, one of said ribs disposed along the outer surface of a respective flexible arm and extending generally radially outwardly therefrom, the through cuts in one side of said wall comprising longitudinally and circumferentially extending cuts such that the wall portion between the cuts in said one side forms a lever attached to the tubular member at the distal end thereof, said lever having a free end;

• wherein said lever is adapted to be moved proximally and away from said needle to cause the flexible arms to bow outwardly from an at rest position to a cocked position and the needle axis to align with the needle opening in the blocking end wall, the proximal movement of said lever causing the needle to extend through the needle opening in the cocked position of the flexible arms, and including first interengaging means on said lever and said needle hub for latching the flexible arms in the cocked position and for automatically releasing the flexible arms from the cocked position;
• said safety needle further including second interengaging means on said lever and said needle hub for latching the flexible arms in the at rest position to thereby disable the safety needle from use.

A safety needle for insertion into a body of a patient comprising a substantially cylindrical tubular member made from a flexible polymeric material, said tubular member having a longitudinal axis, a substantially cylindrical wall, distal and proximal ends, said tubular member having through cuts in said wall on opposite sides thereof extending longitudinally and circumferentially from adjacent the distal end to adjacent the proximal end of the tubular member to form a pair of flexible arms, a needle having a needle axis and a needlepoint and being mounted in a needle hub with an end flange, the needle hub being mounted in the proximal end of the tubular member, and a substantially cylindrical needle cup having a longitudinal axis and a blocking end wall with a radially offset needle opening therein, the needle cup being mounted in the distal end of the tubular member with the needle and needle opening being radially offset from one another and the needle point confronting the blocking end wall to prevent needle sticks, only two ribs, one of said ribs disposed along the outer surface of a respective flexible arm and extending generally radially outwardly therefrom, the through cuts in one side of said wall comprising longitudinally and circumferentially extending cuts such that the wall portion between the cuts in said one side forms a lever attached to the tubular member at the distal end thereof, said lever having a free end;

• wherein said needle cup has an internal cavity with a substantially V-shaped internal wall as viewed in a cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle cup with the needle opening disposed at the bottom of said cross section.

A safety needle for insertion into a body of a patient comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle hub, a substantially cylindrical tubular member formed from an elastomeric material, said tubular member having a longitudinal axis, a substantially cylindrical wall, distal and proximal ends, said tubular member having through cuts in said wall on opposite sides thereof extending longitudinally and circumferentially from adjacent the distal end to adjacent the proximal end of the tubular member to form on one side a lever with a free end and on the other opposite side a cutout, said through cuts further forming a pair of flexible arms, each arm having a rib extending longitudinally thereof and generally radially therefrom, the needle hub being mounted in the proximal end of the tubular member, and a substantially cylindrical needle cup having a longitudinal axis and a blocking end wall with a radially offset needle opening therein, the needle cup being mounted in the distal end of the tubular member with the needle and needle opening being radially offset from one another and the needle point confronting the blocking end wall to prevent needle sticks, the needle opening being positioned on that side of the tubular member opposite the lever, said needle cup having a substantially V-shaped internal cavity as viewed in a cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle cup, the apex of such V-shaped internal cavity extending from the needle opening.

A safety needle for insertion into a body of a patient comprising a hypodermic needle having a needle axis and a needle point and being mounted in a needle hub, a substantially cylindrical tubular member formed from an elastomeric material, said tubular member having a longitudinal axis, a substantially cylindrical wall, distal and proximal ends, said tubular member having through cuts in said wall on opposite sides thereof extending longitudinally and circumferentially from adjacent the distal end to adjacent the proximal end of the tubular member to form on one side a lever with a free end and on the other opposite side a cutout, said through cuts further forming a pair of flexible arms, the needle hub being mounted in the proximal end of the tubular member, and a needle cup having a longitudinal axis and a blocking end wall with an offset needle opening therein, the needle cup being mounted in the distal end of the tubular member with the needle and needle opening being offset from one another and the needle point confronting the blocking end wall to prevent needle sticks, the needle opening being positioned on that side of the tubular member opposite the lever, said needle cup having a substantially V-shaped internal cavity as viewed in a cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle cup, the apex of such V-shaped internal cavity extending from the needle opening.