Safety catheter

1. A safety catheter for use with a patient which comprises:

an elongated handle defining an axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the handle is formed with an internal chamber and has a plurality of resilient fingers extending parallel to the axis in a distal direction from the handle;

a luer assembly for establishing a site for fluid access into the vasculature of the patient;

a shuttle assembly, wherein the shuttle assembly is mounted for axial movement on the handle from a first location to a second location, with the luer assembly fitted onto the handle to urge the fingers thereof against the shuttle assembly to hold the shuttle assembly at the first location; and

an actuator mounted on the handle for movement between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the actuator is formed with a base member having a plurality of rails extending distally therefrom and having a pair of opposed living hinges positioned outwardly therefrom, wherein during a forced movement of the actuator from its proximal position to its distal position, the base member holds the fingers of the handle against the shuttle assembly and the living hinges are compressed to bias the actuator for a return back toward its proximal position, and the rails push on the luer assembly to separate the luer assembly from the shuttle assembly, and wherein upon removal of the force from the actuator, the living hinges bias the actuator back to its proximal position to remove the base member from the fingers and to release the fingers of the handle from the shuttle assembly to separate the handle and the shuttle assembly from the luer assembly for retracting the shuttle assembly to its second location inside the chamber.

2. A safety catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein the base member is annular shaped and is centered on the axis to override the resilient fingers of the handle when the actuator is moved from its proximal position to its distal position.

3. A safety catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein each living hinge is substantially “Y” shaped with a pair of splayed arms, and wherein the bias of the living hinge is created when the arms are forced toward each other by structure on the handle during a movement of the actuator toward its distal position.

4. A safety catheter as recited in claim 3 wherein each living hinge is positioned at a radial distance from the axis, and each living hinge has a first arm and a second arm, and wherein the actuator further comprises:

a first arcuate band interconnecting the respective first ends of each living hinge; and

a second arcuate band interconnecting the respective second ends of each living hinge, wherein the first and second arcuate bands move from the radial distance and toward the axis during a movement of the actuator toward its distal position for engagement with respective stops on the handle to prevent further movement of the actuator in a distal direction.

5. A safety catheter as recited in claim 1 further comprising a pad mounted on the base member for moving the actuator from its proximal position to its distal position.

6. An actuator for separating a luer assembly from a shuttle assembly while maintaining a stationary engagement of the shuttle assembly with a handle, and for subsequently retracting the shuttle assembly into a hollow chamber of the handle, the actuator comprising:

a base member mounted on the handle for linear movement along a longitudinal axis of the handle between a proximal position and a distal position;

a pair of opposed rails aligned substantially parallel to each other and extending distally from the base member in an axial direction, wherein, as the actuator is moved from its proximal position to its distal position, the rails urge against the luer assembly to disengage the luer assembly from the shuttle assembly while the base member holds the handle on the shuttle assembly; and

a pair of opposed living hinges mounted on the base member and positioned at a radial distance therefrom, wherein the living hinges interact with the handle and are compressed during a distal movement of the actuator to bias the actuator for a return back into its proximal position, and wherein a return of the actuator to its proximal position releases the engagement of the handle with the shuttle assembly for a retraction of the shuttle assembly into the chamber of the handle.

7. An actuator as recited in claim 6 wherein the base member is annular shaped and is centered on the axis to override the resilient fingers of the handle when the actuator is moved from its proximal position to its distal position.

8. An actuator as recited in claim 6 wherein each living hinge is substantially “Y” shaped with a pair of splayed arms, and wherein the bias of the living hinge is created when the arms are forced toward each other by structure on the handle during a movement of the actuator toward its distal position, and further wherein each living hinge is positioned at a radial distance from the axis, and each living hinge has a first arm and a second arm, and wherein the actuator further comprises:

a first arcuate band interconnecting the respective first ends of each living hinge; and

a second arcuate band interconnecting the respective second ends of each living hinge, wherein the first and second arcuate bands move from the radial distance and toward the axis during a movement of the actuator toward its distal position for engagement with respective stops on the handle to prevent further movement of the actuator in a distal direction.

9. An actuator as recited in claim 6 further comprising a pad mounted on the base member for moving the actuator from its proximal position to its distal position.