Needle guards and intravenous catheter apparatus comprising the needle guards

摘要

A needle guard may include a base portion having a hole adapted to accommodate a needle shaft of a needle such that the needle may extend through the hole and move relative to the needle guard from a ready position in which the needle tip is outside the needle guard to a protective position in which the needle tip is covered by the needle guard. Arms of the needle guard may extend distally from the base portion generally in an axial direction. The arms may comprise sections bent to define a passage for the needle in the needle guard. An intravenous catheter apparatus may include the needle guard in combination with a needle and a catheter tube attached to a catheter hub, the catheter hub having a chamber. The needle guard may be slidably arranged on the needle shaft and housed in the chamber of the catheter hub.

主权项

1. A needle guard for a needle having a needle tip and a needle shaft that defines an axial direction, the needle guard comprising:
a base portion defining a proximal end of the needle guard; a first arm; and a second arm,wherein:
the base portion has a hole defined therein, the hole having a hole dimension adapted to the needle shaft such that the needle is insertable through the hole and moveable relative to the needle guard from a ready position to a protective position, whereby:
in the ready position, the needle extends all the way through the needle guard and the needle tip of the needle is outside the needle guard; andin the protective position, the needle tip of the needle is covered by the needle guard and the needle tip does not protrude from the needle guard at a distal end of the needle guard opposite the proximal end of the needle guard; the first arm and the second arm each extend generally in the axial direction from a distal side of the base portion; the first arm and the second arm each comprise a main portion and a distal end portion; the main portion of the second arm comprises two outer arm sections and an inner arm section; the inner arm section of the main portion of the second arm is bent away from the first arm; the two outer arm sections of the main portion of the second arm both are bent toward the first arm; a passage for accommodating the needle is defined between the two outer arm sections; the passage is axially aligned with the hole in the base portion; and the arm sections are defined by two parallel cuts in the second arm that terminate at the base portion.