Abstract: A safety needle device is provided for protecting a user against needle-stick injuries. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A biasing member is engaged to the sheath assembly and is configured to apply a force thereupon towards the distal housing opening. The biasing member defines a centerline which is parallel to the needle's distal needle portion. An indexer is engaged to the biasing member and is operative to increase or decrease a spring force of the biasing member by rotating the indexer. A trigger member is engaged to the biasing member for retaining the sheath assembly within the needle housing against the force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 21, 2007
Date of Patent:
November 25, 2008
Assignee:
MPS Acacia
Inventors:
Michael T. Fleury, Fergie F. Ferguson, Dongchul D. Hyun