Safety Blood Collection Assembly With Indicator

Abstract

A needle assembly is disclosed. The needle assembly includes a housing having a flash chamber, and having a distal end and a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container. The assembly includes a cannula having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining a cannula interior. The patient end of the cannula projects at least partially from the distal end of the housing, and the cannula interior is in fluid communication with the flash chamber. The assembly further includes a shield restrainably engaged with a portion of the housing and axially transitionable over the patient cannula from a retracted position in which the patient end is exposed, to an extended position in which the patient end is shielded by at least a portion of the shield, wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible in the retracted position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A needle assembly, comprising:
 a holder having a distal end and a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container;   a hub associated with the holder, the hub including a flash chamber;   a cannula supported by the hub, the cannula having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining cannula interior, the patient end of the cannula projecting at least partially from the distal end of the housing, the cannula interior in fluid communication with the flash chamber; and   a shield having a first depending arm and a second depending arm and an end connected to a portion of the holder by at least one pivot, wherein the shield is pivotally transitionable from a first position to a second position with respect to the holder, wherein the shield is disposed over the patient end in the second position, and wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible when the shield is in the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hub is integrally formed with the needle holder. 
     
     
         3 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hub comprises a front hub portion and a rear hub portion with the flash chamber defined therebetween, and wherein the flash chamber includes a top surface which is free from obstructions on the flash chamber and is visible when the shield is in the first position, and wherein the shield is disposed over the patient end of the cannula and the locking structure engages at least one ledge located on the front hub portion when the shield is in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second depending arm is substantially parallel with the first depending arm and wherein the first and second depending arms are connected together. 
     
     
         5 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot includes a protrusion integrally formed with the end of the safety shield and a corresponding recess is defined in the distal end of the needle holder. 
     
     
         6 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot includes a recess defined in the end of the safety shield and a corresponding recess is defined within the distal end of the needle holder. 
     
     
         7 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end of the safety shield is connected to the needle holder by a pair of pivots. 
     
     
         8 . The needle assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the two pair of pivots comprise a first pivot disposed on a first side of the distal end of the needle holder and a second pivot disposed on a second side of the distal end of the needle holder, wherein the first and second sides of the needle holder are substantially opposite each other. 
     
     
         9 . The needle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the first depending arm and the second depending arm includes a locking structure associated therewith. 
     
     
         10 . The needle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the locking structures are configured to engage corresponding ledges located at a distal end of the hub and distal to the flash chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The needle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the locking structures comprise at least two inwardly angled restraints, each restraint including a sloped surface and a restraining surface, and the hub comprises at least two corresponding ledges, wherein each restraining surface contacts the corresponding ledge when the shield is in the second position. 
     
     
         12 . A needle assembly comprising:
 a holder having a distal end and a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container;   a hub associated with the holder;   a cannula supported by the hub, the cannula having a patient end, a non-patient end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining cannula interior, the patient end of the cannula projecting at least partially from the distal end of the housing and the non-patient end extending into the holder; and   a pierceable or puncturable shield disposed over the proximal end of the holder, wherein the shield provides a sterile environment within the interior of the holder.   
     
     
         13 . The needle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the shield remains attached to the proximal end of the holder after use of the needle assembly, providing a tamper indication and/or use indication of the needle assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The needle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the shield is formed from at least one of paper, polymeric material, and metal film. 
     
     
         15 . The needle assembly of  claim 12 , including a separate, removable liner affixed to an outer surface of the shield. 
     
     
         16 . The needle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the hub includes a flash chamber and the needle assembly further includes a needle shield restrainably engaged with a portion of the assembly and transitionable over the patient end of the cannula from a retracted position in which the patient end is exposed, to an extended position in which the patient end is shielded by at least a portion of the needle shield, and wherein at least a portion of the flash chamber is visible when the needle shield is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         17 . A needle assembly comprising:
 a housing comprising a base portion having a distal end, a proximal end engageable with a specimen collection container, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end;   a hub engageable with the distal end of the housing, the hub having a body portion, a first portion, and a second portion, the first portion of the hub extending in a substantially radial orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hub;   at least a first opening extending through the sidewall of the base portion of the housing, said first opening configured for receiving at least a portion of the first portion of the hub such that upon insertion of the hub into the housing, the first portion of the hub at least partially extends through the first opening.   
     
     
         18 . The needle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the sidewall includes a second opening oppositely disposed from the first opening, and wherein the second portion of the hub extends in a substantially radial orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hub such that upon insertion of the hub into the housing, the first portion of the hub at least partially extends through the first opening and the second portion of the hub at least partially extends through the second opening. 
     
     
         19 . The needle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the hub are deflectable against an interior wall of the base portion during insertion of the hub into the base portion. 
     
     
         20 . The needle assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the sidewall includes a release member opening configured for receiving a release member located on the hub.