Patent attributes
A safety needle device is provided for protecting a user against needle-stick injuries. This needle device includes a needle housing having a distal housing opening. A needle is disposed within the needle housing and has a distal needle portion which extends away therefrom through the distal housing opening. An elongate sheath assembly surrounds the needle within the needle housing. A biasing member is engaged to the sheath assembly and is configured to apply a force thereupon towards the distal housing opening. The biasing member defines a centerline which is parallel to the needle's distal needle portion. An indexer is engaged to the biasing member and is operative to increase or decrease a spring force of the biasing member by rotating the indexer. A trigger member is engaged to the biasing member for retaining the sheath assembly within the needle housing against the force urging the sheath assembly towards the distal housing opening. The trigger member is sized and configured to release the biasing member. This allows the sheath assembly to transition towards and out of the distal housing opening via the force to thereby enclose the distal needle portion therewith.
