SHIELDED NEEDLE ASSEMBLY

摘要

A shielded needle assembly has an elongate needle that defines an axis having a pointed distal end, a proximal end and a passageway therethrough. The assembly also has a hub that is mountable on a fluid handling device with an axial opening therethrough to recei ve the needle with the distal end projecting outwardly therefrom so that the fluid handing dev ice is in fluid communication with the passageway. The hub has an annular weakened area therein that defines a needle portion and a fluid handling device attachment portion. The ass embly further includes an elongate shield with a proximal end, a distal end and a sidewall tha t defines a cavity. The shield has a slot extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The shield is attached to the needle attachment portion of the hub with a hinge that provides for pivotal movement of the shield between an open position where the pointed distal end of the needle is exposed for use and a closed position where at least the pointed distal end of t he needle is disposed within the cavity through the slot and is substantially protected from inadvertent exposure. In the assembly of the invention, the needle portion and the fluid han dling device attachment portion of the hub are frangibly detachable from each other at the an nular weakened area by a force applied to the assembly transverse to the axis and dist al to the annular weakened area.