Needle member with off-set flash chamber and/or display member

Abstract

A needle assembly ( 10 ) for insertion or removal of fluids has a housing ( 20 ) that defines a flash chamber ( 64 ) that is radially offset from the longitudinal axis of the needle. An enhanced surface area display member ( 80 ) can be installed in an observable location in a needle housing ( 20 ) to facilitate observation of the fluid therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A needle member comprising: 
 a needle cannula having a needle axis; and    a housing on which the needle cannula is mounted, the housing being at least partially translucent and dimensioned and configured to define a translucent flash chamber offset from but substantially parallel to the needle axis and in fluid communication with the needle cannula.    
     
     
         2 . A needle member comprising: 
 a needle cannula having a needle axis; and    a housing, the needle cannula mounted on the housing, the housing dimensioned and configured to define an access port offset from but substantially parallel to the needle axis.    
     
     
         3 . A needle member comprising: 
 a needle cannula having a needle axis; and    a housing on which the needle cannula is mounted, the housing being at least partially translucent and dimensioned and configured to define a translucent flash chamber in fluid communication with the needle cannula; and    a display member disposed within the housing.    
     
     
         4 . The needle member of  claim 3 , wherein the display member is disposed within the flash chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The needle member of  claim 3 , wherein the display member comprises a plurality of slats.  
     
     
         6 . The needle member of  claim 3 , wherein the display member comprises a perforated tube disposed in the flash chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The needle member of  claim 1 ,  claim 2  or  claim 3 , in combination with: 
 a blunting member comprising an elongate probe that has a blunt tip, the probe being disposed within the needle cannula, the probe being dimensioned and configured to be accommodated within the needle cannula while leaving the needle cannula open to fluid flow therethrough, the blunting member being movable between a retracted position in which the blunt tip of the blunting member is disposed within the needle cannula and a deployed position in which the blunt tip protrudes outwardly of and thereby blunts the tip of the needle cannula.  
 
     
     
         8 . The needle member of  claim 7 , wherein the probe is hollow and is in fluid communication with the flash chamber.  
     
     
         9 . The needle member of  claim 7 , wherein the probe is solid.  
     
     
         10 . A needle member comprising: 
 a needle cannula having a needle axis;    a housing, the needle cannula mounted on the housing, the housing being at least partially translucent and dimensioned and configured to define a flash chamber substantially offset from but substantially parallel to the needle axis and in fluid communication with the needle cannula; and    a display member having an enhanced blood surface area disposed within the housing.