SAFETY NEEDLE

摘要

A safety needle (20) for use with a syringe includes a casing (30) in which a needle (28) for injections or blood drawing is mounted. A sleeve (22) is slidably mounted within the casing (30) and is biased by a spring (42) into a partially extended position, exposing only the sharp tip (26) of the needle. As the needle (28) is inserted into a patient, the sleeve (22) retracts with respect to the casing. When the needle is removed, the sleeve (22) returns to a fully extended position and by operation of a locking mechanism locks into place. The locking mechanism includes a plurality of fingers (62). Two of these fingers at diametrically opposite positions are formed with projections (64). These projections travel along a track system (66), integrally formed in the inner wall (56) of the casing (30), as the sleeve (22) moves from the initial partially extended position to the retracted position and then back to the locked position in which manual contact with the used needle (28) and reuse is prevented.