US Patent 6869415 Safety device for blood collection

A safety device for protecting the needle of a blood collector includes a guard member that automatically covers the needle, after a blood collection procedure has been completed. Prior to the procedure, the guard member is restrained on the device in a proximal position to expose the needle, and to thereby facilitate the insertion of the needle into a vein of a patient. When a blood collection vial is engaged with the device, the guard member is released to move distally over the needle. Thus, after a procedure, and as the needle is being withdrawn from the patient, the guard member covers the needle to protect against subsequent inadvertent “sticks”.