Safety intravenous catheter assembly

1. A catheter assembly comprising:

a needle;

a catheter hub having an axial bore extending through said catheter hub and a notch extending outwardly in said axial bore;

a needle cover having a notch clip comprising a normal non-biased position with said notch clip being spaced-apart from said needle when said needle is disposed in said needle cover, and when said needle cover is completely removed from said catheter hub said notch clip is not in contact with said needle;

said notch clip positionable to engage said notch of said catheter hub and lock said catheter hub to said needle cover when said notch clip is inserted in said axial bore and a tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip, and positionable to disengage said notch when a tip of said needle is located prior to said distal portion of said notch clip to unlock said catheter hub from said needle cover;

said notch clip being maintainable adjacent said needle throughout a range of positions from being in contact with said needle to being generally spaced from said needle when said tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip, and maintainable adjacent said catheter hub throughout a range of positions from being in contact with said catheter hub to being generally spaced from said catheter hub when said tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip; and

wherein said notch clip and said needle are movable in at least one of frictionless and near friction less relationship relative to one another when said needle is inserted past a distal portion of said notch clip.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said notch clip comprises a resilient P-shaped member.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle cover is receivable within said catheter hub.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle cover comprises a finger rest.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an annular space disposed between said notch clip and said needle.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a stop assembly joined to the needle cover.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the stop assembly comprises a stop bar.

8. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the stop assembly comprises a ring- like stop and the needle has a stop notch located in the side of the needle which engages the ring-like stop.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of said needle and a pointed tip at one end.

10. A method for using a catheter assembly, the method comprising:

inserting a needle through a needle cover and past a notch clip disposed in a catheter hub having an axial bore extending through the catheter hub and a notch extending outwardly in the axial bore to lock the catheter hub to the needle cover, the notch clip comprising a normal non-biased position with the notch clip being spaced-apart from the needle when the needle is disposed in the needle cover, and when the needle cover is completely removed from the catheter hub the notch clip is not in contact with the needle;

selectively maintaining the notch clip adjacent the needle throughout a range of positions from being in contact with the needle to being generally spaced from the needle;

selectively maintaining the notch clip adjacent the catheter hub throughout a range of positions from being in contact with the catheter hub to being generally spaced from the catheter hub; and

moving the needle relative to the notch clip in at least one of a frictionless and near frictionless relationship.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising locking the needle in the needle cover upon the withdrawal of the needle past the notch clip.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of the needle and a pointed tip at one end.

13. A catheter assembly comprising:

a needle;

a catheter hub having an axial bore extending through the catheter hub;

a needle cover having a notch clip comprising a normal non-biased position with said notch clip begin spaced-apart from said needle when said needle is disposed in said needle cover, and when said needle cover is completely removed from said catheter hub said notch clip is not in contact with said needle; and

means for selectively maintaining a notch clip adjacent the needle throughout a range of positions from being in contact with the needle to being generally spaced from the needle and the notch clip adjacent the catheter hub throughout a range of positions from being in contact with the catheter hub to being generally spaced from the catheter hub to lock the catheter hub to the needle cover while being operable to move the needle relative to the notch clip in at least one of a friction less and near friction less relationship.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of said needle and a pointed tip at one end.

15. A catheter assembly comprising:

a needle;

a catheter hub having a second passageway extending therethrough and a notch therein;

a needle cover having a notch clip and a first passageway extending therethrough for receiving said needle, said notch clip comprising a resilient material offering resistance to said notch clip from obstructing said first passageway, at least a portion of an inner surface of said notch clip positioned away from said needle when said needle is disposed in said needle cover, and when said needle cover is completely removed from said catheter hub said notch clip is not in contact with said needle;

said notch clip positionable to engage said notch of said catheter hub and lock said catheter hub to said needle cover when said notch clip is inserted in said catheter hub and a tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip;

said notch clip positionable to disengage said notch when a tip of said needle is located prior to said distal portion of said notch clip to unlock said catheter hub from said needle cover; and

said notch clip and said needle being movable in at least one of a frictionless and near frictionless relationship relative to one another when said first end of said needle cover is inserted in said catheter hub and the tip of the needle is inserted at least adjacent to or above said notch clip.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said notch clip being maintainable adjacent said needle throughout a range of positions from being in contact with said needle to being generally spaced from said needle when said tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip.

17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said catheter hub and said notch clip are movable in at least one of a frictionless and near frictionless relationship relative to one another.

18. The assembly of claim 15 wherein a portion of said needle cover is receivable within said catheter hub.

19. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of said needle and a pointed tip at one end.

20. A method for using a catheter assembly, the method comprising:

providing a needle, a needle cover having a notch clip and a first passageway extending therethrough for receiving said needle, and a catheter hub having a second passageway extending therethrough and a notch therein, said notch clip comprising a resilient material offering resistance to said notch clip from obstructing said first passageway, and at least a portion of an inner surface of said notch clip positioned away from said needle when said needle is disposed in said needle cover, and when said needle cover is completely removed from said catheter hub said notch clip is not in contact with said needle, and wherein said notch clip engages said notch of said catheter hub to lock said catheter hub to said needle cover when said notch clip is inserted in said catheter hub and a tip of said needle is inserted at least adjacent or past a distal portion of said notch clip; and

moving the needle relative to the notch clip in at least one of a frictionless and near frictionless relationship.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising locking the needle in the needle cover upon withdrawing the needle past the notch clip.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of said needle and a pointed tip at one end.

23. A catheter assembly comprising:

a needle;

a needle cover having a first passageway extending therethrough for receiving said needle;

a catheter hub having a second passageway extending therethrough; and resilient means cooperating with said needle for locking said needle cover to said catheter hub and for offering resistance from obstruction of said first passageway, at least a portion of an inner surface of said resilient means positioned away from said needle when said needle is disposed in said needle cover, and when said needle cover is completely removed from said catheter hub said resilient means is not in contact with said needle, and wherein said needle and said resilient means are moveable in at least one of a frictionless and near frictionless relationship relative to one another when needle cover is locked to said catheter hub.

24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein said needle comprises a constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of said needle and a pointed tip at one end.