US Patent 7717888 Safety needle with collapsible sheath

The Huber needle is drawn into a protective cap and sheath arrangement after use for disposal purposes. The cap is tethered to a housing in which the needle is mounted by the sheath. The sheath is made of a film material that has a high tensile strength and a low percent of elongation, such as polyester. The sheath is initially mounted about the needle in a collapsed accordion-like condition between the cap and housing. When the cap is moved along the needle, the sheath is played out over the needle. The cap houses a spring clip to snap over a bore through which the needle is retracted to prevent re-emergence of the needle. The flexible nature of the sheath allows the sheath to pass about the two legs of the Huber needle.