NEEDLE RETRACTION SYSTEM

摘要

A retractable needle medical assembly (370) includes a barrel (372) and a plunger assembly (374) defining an internal passageway (460). A sleeve (386) is mounted to the barrel and extends into the internal passageway defined by the plunger assembly. An actuator member (450), in the form of an actuator tube, is mounted within the sleeve toward its rearward end, and includes a trigger (468) which can either be manually engaged by the user or engaged by the plunger when the plunger is in its full-forward position relative to the barrel. A hub (402) is received within the sleeve passage, and a spring (448) bears against the hub so as to urge the hub to a rearward, retracted position. The actuator tube engages the hub so as to maintain the hub in a forward position, and a needle assembly (24) consisting of a needle (726) and a head (428) is engaged with a hub by the user prior to operation of the assembly. Depression of the trigger results in movement of the actuator tube (452) to disengage the actuator tube from the hub, so as to allow the spring to propel the hub, and thereby the needle assembly, rearwardly to retract the needle into the sleeve passage and to prevent accidental contact therewith. The needle retraction system may be incorporated into a medical device such as a syringe, or into a system for collecting blood or other body fluids from a patient.