Needle Device and Blood Collection Set

Abstract

To provide a shieldable needle device and a blood collection set that are capable of achieving secure and effective shielding of a used tip, which are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.SOLUTION: In a shieldable needle device, a pair of wings 60 are transitionable between a first position and a second position, where the transition of the pair of wings 60 from the first position to the second position advances a tip guard 24 from a proximal position to a distal position; a longitudinal axis of a needle cannula 28 is offset from an opening 52 of the tip guard 24 thereby preventing the needle cannula 28 from being reinserted through the tip guard 24 after the pair of wings 60 are transitioned to the second position; and a locking member 72 engages with a locking edge so as to lock the pair of wings 60 in the second position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 665,108, entitled "Squeeze-Activated Blood Collection Set," filed May 1, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] 2. Background of the Invention FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present disclosure relates to a blood collection set for safe and convenient handling of needles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a shieldable needle device for blood collection with user-controlled shield activation. [Background technology]

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art A blood collection set or intravenous (IV) set typically has a needle cannula with a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween. The proximal end of the needle cannula is securely attached to a plastic hub with a central passageway that communicates with the lumen through the needle cannula. A thin, flexible thermoplastic tubing is connected to the hub and communicates with the lumen of the needle cannula. The end of the plastic tubing remote from the needle cannula may include a fastener for connecting the needle cannula to blood collection tubing or other container. The specific configuration of the fastener will depend on the characteristics of the container to which it will be connected.

[0004] To reduce the risk of needle stick injuries, it is important to protect the tip of a used needle. Due to concerns regarding infection and disease transmission, methods and devices for storing used disposable needles are of great importance and are greatly needed. For example, needle assemblies commonly use a safety shield that can be moved into shielded engagement with a used needle cannula without fear of a needle stick injury.

[0005] A portion of the needle shield, called a tip guard, includes a small rigid guard that can be extended along the length of the needle cannula to extend over the puncture tip of the needle for protection. Such conventional tip guards may include a form of tether to limit the movement of the tip guard along the length of the needle cannula. Furthermore, such conventional tip guards typically include a structure that locks onto the tip of a used needle cannula to prevent both accidental and intended re-exposure of the needle. This structure to prevent re-exposure may include a metal spring clip or a lateral wall integrally formed at one end of the tip guard. However, needle assemblies that include such tip guards typically include a bulky mechanism for positioning the tip guard, resulting in a complex structure that is expensive to manufacture and assemble. Additionally, operation of the tip guard may involve significant manipulation by the user to extend the tip guard into a shielded position. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] While conventional devices provide effective shielding for used needles, a need remains for a needle assembly for blood collection that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, and capable of achieving reliable and effective shielding of the used tip. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Summary of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a shieldable needle device, particularly useful for connection to a blood collection set. The needle device includes a needle cannula having a distal end and a hub having a locking member and supporting at least a portion of the needle cannula. A tip guard is axially movable along the needle cannula from a proximal position, where at least the distal end of the needle cannula extends through an opening formed in the tip guard, to a distal position, where the tip guard protectively surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula. A pair of wings extend laterally from opposite sides of the tip guard and are connected to the hub. A locking edge is associated with at least one of the pair of wings. The pair of wings are transitional between a first position and a second position, where transition of the pair of wings from the first position to the second position advances the tip guard from the proximal position to a shielding distal position. After the pair of wings transition to the second position, the longitudinal axis of the needle cannula is offset from the opening in the tip guard to prevent the needle cannula from being reinserted through the tip guard, and the locking member engages the locking edge to lock the pair of wings in the second position.

[0008] The tip guard biases the needle cannula such that at least a distal end of the needle cannula extends through the tip guard when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

[0009] At least one of the wing pairs includes a protrusion for contacting the needle cannula when the tip guard is in the distal position, the protrusion having a tapered or sloped portion for gradually applying a force to the needle cannula during transition of the wing pair from the first position to the second position.

[0010] A first projection may be provided on a first wing of the pair of wings at a first distance from the tip guard and a second projection may be provided on the other wing of the pair of wings at a second distance from the tip guard, the first distance being different from the second distance.

[0011] The wings may extend laterally in the first position and proximally in the second position.

[0012] Each of the pair of wings includes a locking edge associated therewith.

[0013] Each of the wings may be connected to the hub by a bendable arm extending laterally from opposite sides of the hub, at least one of the bendable arms being provided with the locking edge.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the bendable arms extend laterally from the hub when the tip guard is in the proximal position and are folded toward the longitudinal axis of the tip guard when the tip guard is in the distal position.

[0015] A pair of locking edges are provided, with each bendable arm having a said locking edge thereon.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the locking member may be a one-way barb.

[0017] The needle device is configured such that when the locking member engages a locking edge, the locking member is locked with at least one of the bendable arms at a location adjacent the pair of wings.

[0018] The bendable arms extend laterally from the hub when the tip guard is in the proximal position and are folded toward the longitudinal axis of the tip guard when the tip guard is in the distal position.

[0019] The tip guard can be releasably connected to the hub when the tip guard is in the proximal position, and the hub can frictionally fit within a recess formed in the tip guard when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

[0020] According to one configuration, the hub and tip guard can be connected via a frangible tab when the tip guard is in the proximal position, the frangible tab being capable of breaking when an inward force is applied against the pair of wings.

[0021] The needle device may further include a dorsal fin extending from the hub and a removable cover protectively enclosing the needle cannula when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

[0022] Each of the pair of wings may be provided with a gripping tip.

[0023] The device may further include flexible tubing extending from the proximal end of the hub, the flexible tubing including structure for engagement with a blood collection assembly.

[0024] The present disclosure also relates to a blood collection set having a shieldable needle device including a needle cannula having a distal end and a hub having a locking member and supporting at least a portion of the needle cannula, the needle device including a tip guard axially movable along the needle cannula from a proximal position where at least the distal end of the needle cannula extends through an opening in the tip guard to a distal position where the tip guard protectively surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula, the collection set including a pair of wings extending laterally from opposite sides of the tip guard and connected to the hub, and a locking edge associated with at least one of the pair of wings, the pair of wings being transitional between a first position and a second position, the transition of the pair of wings from the first position to the second position advancing the tip guard from the proximal position to the distal position. After the transition, the longitudinal axis of the needle cannula is offset from the opening in the tip guard to prevent the needle cannula from being reinserted through the tip guard and the locking member engages the locking edge to lock the pair of wings in a second position. The collection set further comprises a first end and a second end, the first end having a flexible tube connected to the proximal end of the hub, and a blood collection assembly secured to the second end of the flexible tube.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the blood collection assembly can include a tube holder and an integral non-patient cannula. The tube holder can be configured to receive an emptied specimen collection container therein.

[0026] The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure, and the manner in which they are accomplished, will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a blood collection set including a shieldable needle device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a bottom perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 1 with the cannula shield removed and the tip guard in a retracted proximal position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a bottom perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 3 illustrating, for purposes of illustration, deflection of the needle cannula to an offset position caused by contact between the needle cannula and the wing protrusions during transition of the tip guard from a retracted proximal position to an extended distal position in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] 4 is a perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 3 during transition of the tip guard from the retracted proximal position to the extended distal position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] 4 is a bottom perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 3 during transition of the tip guard from the retracted proximal position to the extended distal position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 4 is a perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 3 with the tip guard in an extended distal position in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 7 is a bottom perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 6 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 6 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with one of the wings / arms controlling movement of the tip guard removed to illustrate the interaction of one of the cannula deflection pads or protrusions to cause deflection of the cannula to an offset position relative to the tip guard opening when the tip guard is in the extended distal position. [Figure 9] 7 is a rear perspective view of the shieldable needle device of FIG. 6 illustrating a needle cannula in an offset position relative to an opening in the tip guard when the tip guard is in the extended distal position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. It will be understood that the examples described herein are illustrative of embodiments of the present disclosure, and that such examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0029] Description of the invention The following description is provided to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the described embodiments contemplated for practicing the invention, although various modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives will remain apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0030] For purposes of this description, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "longitudinal", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "lateral", "longitudinal" and derivatives thereof are intended to refer to the present invention in the orientation of the drawings. However, it is understood that the present invention is susceptible to alternative variations and sequences of steps unless otherwise noted. It is also understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting.

[0031] 1 and 2, which illustrate a blood collection set, generally designated 10, with a shieldable needle apparatus, generally designated 12, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The blood collection set 10 includes the needle apparatus 12, a longitudinal length of flexible plastic tubing 14 associated with a proximal device 20, a grip 22, a tip guard 24, a tip guard advancement system, generally designated 26, and a needle cannula 28 equipped with a cannula guard 30.

[0032] The tubing 14 has a first or distal end 16 associated with the needle device 12, a second or proximal end 18 associated with the proximal fitting 20, and a passageway extending between the ends. The tubing 14 may be conventional intravenous tubing used in conventional blood collection or infusion sets. According to one embodiment, the proximal fitting 20 may be integrally formed from a plastic material and has a proximal end 32, a distal end 34, and a passageway extending between the ends. A portion of the passageway adjacent the distal end 34 stretches tightly over the proximal end 18 of the tubing 14, such that the passageway through the tubing 14 communicates with the passageway through the proximal fitting 20. Adhesives, welding, etc. may be used to achieve a permanent connection between the tubing 14 and the proximal fitting 20. According to one configuration, the proximal end 32 of the fitting 20 forms a female luer connector that is matable with an appropriate male luer connector. The male luer connector may include a proximal needle cannula that may be in communication with an emptied tube. Alternatively, a male luer connector on the distal end of a prior art syringe may be directly connected to the proximal fitting 20 to inject a drug into a patient. In this case, a separate male luer cap may be provided to close the proximal end of the connector 20. Other fittings may be threadably engaged with the proximal fitting 20 for a particular intended application. Additionally, other configurations of the proximal fitting 20 may be used to achieve a particular purpose. According to one embodiment, the proximal fitting may include a connector and / or hub 36 associated therewith, where a non-patient cannula 37 is secured to the hub. The hub 36 may include threads 36a for attachment to a tube holder 38 configured to receive an emptied specimen collection container (not shown) therein. The non-patient cannula 37 may include a tip 37a and a flexible sleeve 39 may be provided to cover the non-patient cannula 37 and cannula tip 37a.

[0033] With continued reference to Figures 1 and 2, and further reference to Figures 3-4, the needle cannula 28 has a proximal end 40, a distal end 42, and a lumen extending therebetween. The distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28 is beveled to form a sharp tip. A hub 44 is provided to support at least a portion of the needle cannula 28. The needle hub 44 may be unitarily formed from a plastic material, such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylic, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or the like. In one configuration, the needle hub 44 may be formed from a transparent or translucent material to permit observation of blood or other fluids flowing through the needle hub 44.

[0034] The needle hub 44 has a proximal end 46, a distal end 48, and a passageway (not shown) extending between the ends. The portion of the passageway adjacent the proximal end 46 is sized to receive the distal end 16 of the tubing 14. According to one embodiment, the distal end 16 of the tubing 14 can be telescopically inserted into the passageway of the needle hub 44 and secured in place adjacent the proximal end 46 of the needle hub 44. The portion of the passageway adjacent the distal end 48 of the needle hub 44 is sized to slidably receive the proximal end 40 of the needle cannula 28. According to one configuration, the proximal end 40 of the needle cannula 28 can be permanently secured to the needle hub 44 by an epoxy or other known adhesive and / or mechanical fasteners. The cannula guard 30 is a rigid, cylindrical tube having a length that exceeds the extension of the needle cannula 28 from the needle hub 44. Cannula guard 30 is sized and configured to telescope over needle cannula 28 and frictionally retain over distal tip guard end 24 .

[0035] 1-4 and further referring to FIGS. 5, 5A, 5B and 6-9, removal of the cannula guard 30 allows the tip guard 24 to be moved axially along the needle cannula 28 from a proximal position adjacent the hub 44 such that at least the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28 extends through an opening 52 formed in the tip guard 24 to a distal position as shown in FIGS. 6-9, where the tip guard 24 protectively surrounds the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28. A pair of wings 60 extend laterally from opposite sides of the tip guard 24 and are connected to the hub 44 via bendable arms 62. The wing pair 60 is transitional between a first position and a second position, where transition of the wing pair 60 from the first position to the second position advances the tip guard 24 from the proximal position shown in FIGS. 1-5 to the distal position shown in FIGS. 6-8.

[0036] The wings 60 have tabs 64 with protrusions 66 extending therefrom that contact the needle cannula 28. The tabs 64 may be flat members extending perpendicularly from the wings 60. The protrusions 66 may extend perpendicularly from the tabs and may have a tapered or sloped portion 67 such that as the wings 60 and protrusions 66 move along the length of the needle cannula 28, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the protrusions 66 and tapered portion 67 apply a gradual force against the needle cannula 28 during progression of the tip guard along the needle cannula 28, offsetting the longitudinal axis of the needle cannula 28 from the opening 52 in the tip guard 24, as indicated by an "O". 8-9, this offset (O) of the needle cannula 28 to the offset position (OP) positions the distal end 42 of the needle cannula adjacent the inner surface 25 of the tip guard 24, as shown in FIG. 5, preventing the needle cannula 28 from being reinserted through the opening 52 in the tip guard 24 after the tip guard 24 has been transitioned to the distal position.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1-4, before and during use of the collection set 10, the tip guard 24 biases the needle cannula 28 such that at least the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28 extends through the tip guard 24 when the tip guard 24 is in the proximal position. Before use of the collection set 10, the medical worker removes the cannula guard 30 and then uses the blood collection set 10 in a substantially conventional manner by holding the grip 22, which may be in the form of a dorsal fin, and guiding the needle cannula 28 into the target blood vessel. The dorsal fin or grip 22 may have ridges thereon that provide friction to aid in gripping and manipulating the blood collection set 10. After the medical procedure is completed, the medical worker withdraws the needle cannula 28 from the vessel and applies a squeeze force "F" against the wings 60. Prior to application of a squeeze force "F", the wings are in a first position where they extend transversely to the longitudinal length "L" of the needle cannula 28. The squeeze force F applied to the wings 60 must be sufficient to overcome the retaining forces maintaining the tip guard 24 in a proximal position and transition the transversely extending wings 60 from the first position, shown in FIGS. 1-4, to the second position, shown in FIGS. 6-9, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. This causes the wings 60 to extend to a proximal position extending substantially parallel to and along the longitudinal length L of the needle cannula 28, as illustrated in FIG. 4, with the tip guard 24 shielding the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28. The wings 60 may be provided with gripping tips or pads 61. The gripping tips or pads 61 may also be provided with ridges 61a or other tactile enhancements to facilitate easier manipulation of the collection set 10.

[0038] As discussed above, and with continued reference to FIGS. 5B and 7, at least one of the pair of wings or both of the wings 60 are comprised of a tab 64 having at least one projection 66 extending therefrom with a tapered or angled portion 67 that contacts the needle cannula 28 and biases the needle cannula toward the offset position “OP” as shown in FIG. 5 when the tip guard 24 is in the distal position. The offset position transitions the needle cannula from alignment with the opening 52 to adjacent the inner surface 25 of the tip guard 24, as shown in FIGS. 7-9, and prevents the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28 from being reinserted through the opening 52 of the tip guard 24 once the tip guard 24 has transitioned from the proximal position to the distal position. According to one embodiment, a first projection 66a can be provided on the tab 64 of the first one 60a of the pair of wings 60 at a first distance D1 from the tip guard 24, and a second projection 66b can be provided on the tab 64 of the other one 60b of the pair of wings 60 at a second distance D2 from the tip guard 24. The first distance D1 can be different from the second distance D2. It is further contemplated that at least one of the first projection 66a and the second projection 66b can include a locking structure for locking onto a portion of the needle cannula.

[0039] Each of the wings 60 may be connected to the hub by a bendable arm 62. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each bendable arm 62 extends laterally from either side of the hub 44. It is understood that the wings 60, bendable arms 62, tabs 64, and protrusions 66 may be formed from any known material having sufficient strength to deflect the needle and maintain the tip guard 24 in the extended proximal position. At least one of the bendable arms 62 may be provided with a locking edge 70. According to one embodiment, a first locking edge 70a may be provided on a first bendable arm 62a and a second locking edge 70b may be provided on a second bendable arm 62b. According to one embodiment, the bendable arms 62 extend laterally from the hub 44 when the tip guard 24 is in the proximal position and are folded toward and along the longitudinal axis L of the needle cannula 28 when the tip guard 24 is in the distal position.

[0040] The hub 44 may further comprise a locking member 72 configured to engage each locking edge 70 to lock the pair of wings 60 in the second position. According to one embodiment, the locking member 72 may comprise a protrusion with a one-way barb for receipt within the locking edge 70. The needle device is configured such that when the locking member 72 engages the locking edge 70, the locking member 72 is locked to at least one of the bendable arms 62 in a position proximal to the pair of wings 60. According to one embodiment, the first bendable arm 62a may comprise a first locking edge 70a configured to engage a first locking member 72a and the second bendable arm 62b may comprise a second locking edge 70b configured to engage a second locking member 72b to lock the first and second wings 60a, 60b in the second position. The locking edges 70 on the wings 60 cooperate with locking members 72 located on the hub 44 itself, rather than on the wings 60, thereby increasing the strength of the entire blood collection set 10 when the tip guard 24 is extended, either by locking to the needle cannula 28 or by locking to each other.

[0041] Prior to use, the tip guard 24 can be releasably connected to the hub 44 when the tip guard 24 is in the proximal position. According to one embodiment, the hub 44 includes an extension 45 that can be frictionally mounted within a recess 76 formed in the tip guard 24 when the tip guard 24 is in the proximal position. According to one configuration, the wings 60 and the bendable arms 62 can be connected to one another via a frangible tab 78 when the tip guard 24 is in the proximal position. With reference to Figures 5A and 5B, application of a sufficient amount of inward force F on the pair of wings 60 can break the frangible tab 78, as shown by 78a and 78b in Figures 6-8, allowing the wings 60 and the bendable arms 62 to transition from an axially extended position to a proximally extended position, and the tip guard 24 can move from a retracted position to the extended position, with the tip guard 24 extending around the distal end 42 of the needle cannula 28. As wings 60 extend or transition, tapered portion 67 of projection 66 slides along needle cannula 28, forcing needle cannula 28 to an offset final biased position OP, shown in FIG. 5, relative to the initial longitudinal axis L. This offset final position OP is out of alignment with opening 52 of tip guard 24, and tapered portion 67 maintains the bias against needle cannula 28 such that distal end 42 of cannula 28 is adjacent inner surface 25 of tip guard 24, as shown in FIGS. 7-9, which prevents distal end 42 of needle cannula 28 from re-entering opening 52. This prevents tip guard 24 from sliding in the proximal direction and inadvertently exposing distal end 42 of needle cannula 28, thus reducing the occurrence of needle stick injuries.

[0042] Although the present disclosure has been described with specific configurations, the present disclosure can be further modified within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this application is intended to cover all variations, uses, and adaptations of the present disclosure using its general principles. Further, the present disclosure is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the disclosure pertains and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A shieldable needle device comprising: a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end; a hub having a locking member and supporting at least a portion of the needle cannula; a tip guard axially movable along the needle cannula from a proximal position, where at least the distal end of the needle cannula extends through an opening in the tip guard, to a distal position, where the tip guard protectively surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula; a pair of wings extending laterally from opposite sides of the tip guard and connected to the hub; and a locking edge associated with at least one of the pair of wings; the pair of wings are transitional between a first position and a second position; transition of the pair of wings from the first position to the second position advances the tip guard from a proximal position to a distal position; and a shieldable needle device, wherein after the pair of wings are transitioned to the second position, a longitudinal axis of the needle cannula is offset from the opening in the tip guard to prevent the needle cannula from being reinserted through the tip guard, and the locking member engages the locking edge to lock the pair of wings in the second position.

2. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 , wherein when said tip guard is in said proximal position, said tip guard biases said needle cannula such that at least a distal end of said needle cannula extends through said tip guard.

3. 2. The shieldable needle device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wing pairs includes a protrusion for contacting the needle cannula when the tip guard is in a distal position, the protrusion having a tapered or sloped portion for gradually applying a force to the needle cannula during transition of the wing pair from the first position to the second position.

4. 4. The shieldable needle device of claim 3, wherein a first projection is provided on a first wing of the pair of wings at a first distance from the tip guard and a second projection is provided on the other wing of the pair of wings at a second distance from the tip guard, the first distance being different from the second distance.

5. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 , wherein said wings extend laterally in said first position and proximally in said second position.

6. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 , wherein each of said pair of wings includes a locking edge associated therewith.

7. 2. The shieldable needle device of claim 1, wherein each of said wings is connected to said hub by a bendable arm, each bendable arm extending laterally from opposite sides of said hub, at least one of said bendable arms being provided with said locking edge.

8. 8. The shieldable needle device of claim 7, comprising a pair of locking edges, each bendable arm having a said locking edge thereon.

9. The shieldable needle device of claim 8 , wherein said locking member comprises a one-way barb.

10. The shieldable needle device of claim 8 , wherein when said locking member engages said locking edge, said locking member is locked to at least one of said bendable arms at a position adjacent said pair of wings.

11. 8. The shieldable needle device of claim 7, wherein the bendable arms extend laterally from the hub when the tip guard is in the proximal position and are folded toward the longitudinal axis of the tip guard when the tip guard is in the distal position.

12. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 , wherein the tip guard is releasably connected to the hub when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

13. The shieldable needle device of claim 12 , wherein the hub is frictionally fitted within a recess formed in the tip guard when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

14. The shieldable needle device of claim 12 , wherein the hub and tip guard are connected via a frangible tab when the tip guard is in the proximal position.

15. The shieldable needle device of claim 14 , wherein the frangible tab breaks when an inward force is applied against the pair of wings.

16. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 further comprising a dorsal fin extending from said hub.

17. The shieldable needle device of claim 1 , further comprising a removable cover that protectively surrounds said needle cannula when said tip guard is in said proximal position.

18. 2. The shieldable needle device of claim 1, wherein each of said pair of wings includes a grip tip.

19. 10. The shieldable needle device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube extending from said proximal end of said hub, said flexible tube comprising structure for engagement with a blood collection assembly.

20. 1. A blood collection set having a shieldable needle device, comprising: The shieldable needle device comprises: a needle cannula having a proximal end and a distal end; a hub having a locking member and supporting at least a portion of the needle cannula; a tip guard axially movable along the needle cannula from a proximal position, where at least the distal end of the needle cannula extends through an opening in the tip guard, to a distal position, where the tip guard protectively surrounds the distal end of the needle cannula; a pair of wings extending laterally from opposite sides of the tip guard and connected to the hub; and a locking edge associated with at least one of the pair of wings; the pair of wings are transitional between a first position and a second position; transition of the pair of wings from the first position to the second position advances the tip guard from a proximal position to a distal position; and after said transition, a longitudinal axis of said needle cannula is offset from the opening in said tip guard to prevent reinsertion of said needle cannula through said tip guard, and said locking member engages said locking edge to lock said pair of wings in a second position; The blood collection set further comprises: a flexible tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the proximal end of the hub; a blood collection assembly secured to the second end of the flexible tube.

21. 21. The blood collection set of claim 20, wherein the blood collection assembly includes a tube holder and an integral non-patient cannula.

22. 22. The blood collection set of claim 21, wherein the tube holder is configured to receive an emptied specimen collection container therein.

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