Abstract: A needleless luer access connector is disclosed having a septum disposed in a housing. The septum has a proximal portion with a cross section, a medial portion with a cross section smaller than the cross section of the proximal portion, and a distal portion. A longitudinal slit extends through the septum from the proximal portion to the distal portion. The septum and housing are designed so that septum will not be rotated or removed from the housing when the connector is accessed by a male luer taper. In addition, the septum and housing are designed to bias the slit at the distal portion closed and so a male luer connector does not have to extend completely through the distal portion to open the slit at the distal portion. Finally, the septum and housing are designed to minimize the amount of dead space in the connector when accessed with a male luer taper.

Abstract: A catheter assembly is disclosed having wings extending from the catheter adapter wherein each of the wings includes a stiffening member located therein. Each of the stiffening members may also define a means for maintaining the position of the stiffening members during the molding process to ensure that the stiffening member is properly located in the wing.

Abstract: A catheter assembly is disclosed having wings extending from the catheter adapter wherein each of the wings includes a stiffening member located therein. Each of the stiffening members may also define a means for maintaining the position of the stiffening members during the molding process to ensure that the stiffening member is properly located in the wing.

Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly with needle shield is provided wherein the needle includes an enlarged diameter portion and a distally facing shoulder. The needle shield includes a means for engaging the distally facing shoulder to prevent unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a small diameter opening adjacent to its proximal portion to limit proximal movement of the needle out of the needle shield.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a radially extending wing. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle may have at least one notch therein. The needle hub defines a radially extending fin thereon. When the introducer needle is inserted through the catheter such that the distal tip of the needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter, the fin on the needle hub extends beyond the distal end of the wing on the catheter hub. This arrangement allows the distal tip of the needle to be retracted into the catheter with a simple proximal motion by the healthcare worker.

Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly with a compact needle shield is provide. The introducer needle includes an enlarged diameter portion. The needle shield is disposed inside the catheter hub. The needle shield includes a transverse barrier to prevent unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a small diameter proximal opening to limit proximal movement of the needle out of the needle shield.

Abstract: A needle retraction mechanism includes a hollow handle defining a cavity, a needle hub assembly movably disposed in the handle, a biasing mechanism to move the needle hub assembly from an extended position to a retracted position and a latch to hold needle hub assembly in the extended position against the bias of the biasing mechanism. The needle hub assembly includes a flexible stopper at its proximal end that creates an air tight seal with the inner wall of the handle. This allows a vacuum to be created between the proximal end of the handle and the flexible stopper when the needle hub is moved from the retracted position to the extended position. The configuration of the flexible stopper allows it to change the amount of frictional force created between the inner wall of the handle and the flexible stopper when the device is at different elevations.

Abstract: An eccentric rotary high pressure seal is disclosed herein. This seal includes a valve body and a spring located in a housing. The spring biases the valve body to rotate. The valve body defines a longitudinally extending passage having dimensions sufficient to allow an introducer needle to pass there through. This passage is offset from the axis of the valve body. The valve body is located in a housing that will allow the valve body to rotate therein. The housing defines two longitudinally aligned openings that are offset from the axis of the housing. These two longitudinally aligned openings are oriented such that the passage in the valve body can be aligned with the openings located in the housing. In this manner, an introducer needle can extend into the housing and hold the valve body against the bias of the spring. Once the introducer needle is removed from the housing, the valve body is no longer held in place against the force of the spring.

Abstract: A needle retraction mechanism includes a hollow handle defining a cavity, a tab associated with the handle, a needle hub assembly movably disposed in the handle, a biasing mechanism to move the needle hub assembly from an extended position to a retracted position and an arm to hold needle hub assembly in the extended position against the bias of the biasing mechanism. The tab and arm are configured such that downward movement of the tab engages the arm to allow the needle hub to move to the proximal end of the handle. In addition, the tab and arm are configured so that at least a portion of the downward movement of the tab is translated into a proximally directed axial movement of the needle hub This facilitates movement of the needle hub and overcomes any static friction between the needle hub and the inner wall of the handle tending to hold the needle hub in the extended position.

Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly with needle shield is provided wherein the needle includes an enlarged diameter portion and a distally facing shoulder. The needle shield includes a means for engaging the distally facing shoulder to prevent unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a small diameter opening adjacent to its proximal portion to limit proximal movement of the needle out of the needle shield.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a radially extending wing. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle may have at least one notch therein. The needle hub defines a radially extending fin thereon. When the introducer needle is inserted through the catheter such that the distal tip of the needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter, the fin on the needle hub extends beyond the distal end of the wing on the catheter hub. This arrangement allows the distal tip of the needle to be retracted into the catheter with a simple proximal motion by the healthcare worker.

Abstract: Disclosed is a yoke latch for coupling a needle puller and a catheter adaptor of a vascular access device. The yoke latch generally comprises a push bar, at least one prong attached to the push bar, and at least one locking tab attached to the prong. The yoke latch is generally horseshoe-shaped and straddles the needle puller. When the needle puller and catheter are joined, the locking tab of the yoke latch engage the catheter adaptor preventing its movement relative to the needle puller. A clinician, therefore, can grip the vascular access device by the catheter adaptor, or any part thereof, for better control without having the catheter prematurely uncouple from the needle puller during catheter insertion. The yoke latch also permits one hand yoke latch disengagement and needle puller removal.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a pair of spaced apart squeeze grips radially extending from the catheter hub. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle hub has a circumferentially extending bump formed adjacent to its distal end. The needle and needle hub fit within a slide assembly comprising a tubular portion with a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and a radially extending fin extending from the outer surface of the tubular portion of the slide assembly. The bump of the needle hub mates in the groove of the slide assembly to allow rotation of the needle hub with respect to the slide assembly. However, the bump and the groove are dimensioned to prevent relative axial movement between the needle hub and the slide assembly. The fin on the slide assembly extends forward so as to be positioned between and extend beyond the pair of squeeze grips on the catheter hub.

Abstract: The assembly of this invention comprises an elastic plug that is retained in a medical device, such as a catheter. A needle having a distal portion and a proximal portion resides in the elastic plug. The proximal portion has a different cross-section than the distal portion. In one embodiment, the cross-section of the proximal portion is smaller than the distal portion. Upon removal of the needle from the catheter and the elastic plug, the space in the elastic plug that had been occupied by the proximal portion of the needle is closed to effectively achieve the sealing function of the plug. The needle may include one or more notches in fluid communication with the needle lumen. One notch is preferably located at the juncture between the proximal portion and the distal portion of the needle to facilitate the blood flow between the needle and the catheter for better visualization of blood flashback by the clinician.

Abstract: A needle assembly is provided with a needle securely mounted to a needle hub. A shield assembly includes a plurality of telescoped tubes concentrically surrounding the needle. One of the telescoped tubes is securely connected to the needle hub. The other tubes in the assembly may be slid away from the needle hub. The tubes have combined lengths to enable complete shielding of the needle when the tubes are telescopingly extended. The distal-most tube, when the tubes are telescopingly extended, includes a tip guard which resiliently moves over the distal tip of the needle as the shield assembly is fully extended. The distal-most tube, when the tubes are telescopingly extended, of the shield assembly frictionally engages a catheter adapter to prevent withdrawal of the needle from the shield assembly until the tubes are fully telescopingly extended. As full shielding of the needle is reached, the shielded needle is separated from the catheter adapter.

Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly is provided wherein the catheter includes a side port and a plug located in the catheter hub, the needle is notched and is securely mounted to a shield housing with a plurality of telescoped tubes concentrically surrounding the needle. One of the telescoped tubes is securely connected to the shield housing. The other tubes in the assembly may be slid with respect to one another and distally away from the shield housing. The tubes have combined lengths to enable complete shielding of the needle when the tubes are telescopingly extended. The tubes include interlocking mechanisms to prevent separation of the tubes and to prevent collapse of the tubes once they have been fully extended. The distal-most tube, when the tubes are telescopingly extended, engages a catheter hub to prevent withdrawal of the needle from the shield assembly until the tubes are fully telescopingly extended. After the needle is fully shielded, the shielded needle is separated from the catheter hub.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a radially extending wing. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle may have at least one notch therein. The needle hub defines a radially extending fin thereon. When the introducer needle is inserted through the catheter such that the distal tip of the needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter, the fin on the needle hub extends beyond the distal end of the wing on the catheter hub. This arrangement allows the distal tip of the needle to be retracted into the catheter with a simple proximal motion by the healthcare worker.

Abstract: The catheter includes a catheter hub at its proximal end having a pair of spaced apart squeeze grips radially extending from the catheter hub. The needle is connected at its proximal end to a needle hub. The needle hub has a circumferentially extending bump formed adjacent to its distal end. The needle and needle hub fit within a slide assembly comprising a tubular portion with a circumferentially extending groove formed therein and a radially extending fin extending from the outer surface of the tubular portion of the slide assembly. The bump of the needle hub mates in the groove of the slide assembly to allow rotation of the needle hub with respect to the slide assembly. However, the bump and the groove are dimensioned to prevent relative axial movement between the needle hub and the slide assembly. The fin on the slide assembly extends forward so as to be positioned between and extend beyond the pair of squeeze grips on the catheter hub.

Abstract: A needle point guard assembly includes inner and outer housings disposed in nested relationship to one another to permit relative rotation therebetween. The proximal end walls of the inner and outer housings have apertures each of which is dimensioned to slidably receive a needle. The apertures are disposed in the housings such that they are registered in one rotational orientation of the housings relative to one another to define a first opening that allows a needle to pass therethrough. The needle point guard assembly further includes a spring for rotatably driving the housings relative to one another and a trigger for selectively holding the inner housing with respect to the outer housing in a rotational orientation where the apertures define the first opening. The trigger moves out of interfering relationship between the inner housing and the outer housing when the sharp distal tip of the needle is withdrawn into the needle point guard assembly.

Abstract: A needle point guard having a movable collet to lock the needle in place in the shielded position is provided. The needle point guard of this invention includes a housing, a collet, a rotary ram, a threaded cam fixed to the rotary ram, a spring disposed between the rotary ram and the housing and a trigger catch to hold the threaded cam in place against the force of the spring. The spring is wound when the needle is in the unshielded position. When the needle is withdrawn into the needle point guard, the trigger catch pivots to allow the spring to rotate the threaded cam. This rotation is translated into axial motion by the treads on the threaded cam and threads formed on the inside of the housing. This axial motion forces an annular flange on the collet to bite down on the needle, to thus hold the needle in place in the shielded position.