Needle cover

Abstract

A single-use cover assembly that obscures a substantial majority or an entirety of an injection needle from view before, during, and after an injection procedure. The cover assembly includes a housing and a needle sleeve that retracts and extends by sliding axially within the housing. The needle sleeve carries a locking collar that moves from a first position to a second position once the needle sleeve is fully retracted. In the first position the locking collar allows retraction of the needle sleeve from a fully extended position. In the second position, a portion of the locking collar covers a tip of the needle, thereby preventing retraction of the needle sleeve from the fully extended position.

1 . A single-use cover, comprising:
 a first member generally encompassing to a needle and configured to couple to a medical device configured to perform an injection procedure;   a second member configured to move axially and rotationally with respect to the first member between a first position and a second position initially without substantial impediment, the second member comprising a channel extending along at least some of the axial length of the second member and configured to receive the needle such that the first position obscures a distal tip of the needle from view;   a plurality of projections positioned at a distal end of the second member and configured to inhibit the sensation of pain;   a biasing member configured to bias the second member toward the first position; and   wherein movement of the second member from the second position to the first position automatically engages the least one locking member to thereby inhibit the second member from returning to the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein first member further comprises a radially inwardly extending shoulder and the second member further comprises a radially outwardly extending flange configured contact the shoulder. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 2 , wherein movement of the second member from the second position to the first position seats the flange against the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the second member is configured to move from a third position to the first position without engaging the at least one locking member, wherein the third position is between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 4 , wherein the third position exposes the distal tip of the needle a sufficient distance to pierce a septum on a vial. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 4 , further comprising a cap configured to inhibit the second member from engaging the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein in the second position a distal end of the second member is about even with a distal end of the first member. 
     
     
         8 . A single-use protective cover, comprising:
 a housing generally surrounding a needle and configured to connect to a syringe;   a sleeve configured to move in a first stage with respect to the housing between an extended position and a retracted position substantially without impediment, the sleeve comprising a needle aperture and a needle channel extending axially along the sleeve and configured to receive the needle such that a distal tip of the needle is covered by the sleeve in the extended position and is exposed in the retracted position;   a biasing member configured to bias the sleeve toward the extended position;   wherein a distal end of the sleeve is substantially flush with a distal end of the housing when the sleeve is in the retracted position; and   wherein at least one locking member engages the sleeve in a second stage as the sleeve moves from the retracted position to the extended position and the engagement obstructs the sleeve from moving to the retracted position to thereby inhibit reuse of the protective cover.   
     
     
         9 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the extended position of the sleeve substantially obscures the needle from view. 
     
     
         10 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein movement of the sleeve automatically engages the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         11 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the cover need not require more than one hand to operate. 
     
     
         12 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the distal end of the sleeve further comprises a plurality of projections configured to engage a patient's pressure-receptor nerves to thereby inhibit the sensation of pain. 
     
     
         13 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the housing further comprises a radially inwardly extending shoulder and the sleeve further comprises a radially outwardly extending flange configured to seat against the shoulder. 
     
     
         14 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the flange contacts the at least one locking member and the biasing member is configured to be biased by the flange and the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein movement of the sleeve radially displaces the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         16 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is configured to move from a partly retracted position to the extended position without engaging the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         17 . The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein the partly retracted position of the sleeve exposes the distal tip of the needle a distance sufficient to pierce a septum on a vial. 
     
     
         18 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , further comprising a cap configured to limit the retraction of the sleeve to the partly retracted position to thereby inhibit unintentional engagement of the at least one locking member. 
     
     
         19 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the needle cover is configured to withdraw fluid from a vial without engaging the at least one locking member.