Safety needle assembly having telescoping shield

摘要

A safety needle assembly for an intravenous fitting which protects against inadvertent touch contact with a piercing element after use. The assembly includes a piercing element such as a sharpened needle cannula or a blunt ended cannula that is mounted within a carrier member. A protective shield component is provided which is axially slidable relative to the carrier member and configured to attach to an intravenous fitting. The protective shield and carrier member may feature a guide assembly for guiding the shield between a pre-use, injection position and a post-use, locked position wherein inadvertent touch contact with the distal end of the piercing element is avoided. A releasable locking assembly may also be incorporated to releasably retain the protective shield in its pre-use position so as to facilitate attachment of the safety needle assembly with the intravenous fitting.