1. An antenna operative in a plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands, comprising:
a feed;
a first resonator conductively connected to the feed;
a second resonator substantially parallel to the first resonator;
a resonating meanderline having an axis substantially parallel to the first and the second resonators and comprising segments;
a counterpoise;
a ground return conductively connected to the counterpoise and to one or more segments of the meanderline; and
wherein coupling between one or more of the first resonator, the second resonator and the resonating meanderline causes the antenna to operate in the plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands.
2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first resonator, the second resonator, the resonating meanderline, the counterpoise and the ground return each comprises a conductive region disposed on a dielectric substrate.
3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first resonator comprises a conductive strip having a parallel spaced-apart orientation with the second resonator, also comprising a conductive strip.
4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the ground return comprises a linear element oriented parallel to the axis of the meanderline.
5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the coupling comprises one or both of magnetic coupling and capacitive coupling.
6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands comprise a double resonance high frequency band and a single resonance low frequency band.
7. The antenna of claim 6 wherein the high frequency band comprises a frequency band between about 1710 and 2000 MHz and the low frequency band comprises a frequency band between about 824 and 960 MHz.
8. The antenna of claim 1 further comprising a capacitor connected between the feed and a terminal end of the resonating meanderline.
9. The antenna of claim 1 further comprising a conductive region extending from a last segment of the meanderline.
10. The antenna of claim 9 wherein the conductive region is coplanar with the meanderline.
11. An antenna operative in a plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands, comprising:
a ground region;
a meanderline conductively connected to the ground region and resonant at a first frequency so as to produce a first low frequency operational bandwidth about the first frequency;
a first resonating element;
a second resonating element, the first and second radiating elements spaced apart from and lacking a conductive connection to the ground region; and
wherein an interaction of the first and the second resonating elements produces a resonance at a second and a third frequency, and wherein a second operational bandwidth about the second frequency overlaps a third operational bandwidth about the third frequency to produce a high frequency operational bandwidth.
12. The antenna of claim 11 wherein the meanderline conductively connected to the ground region comprises a plurality of meanderline segments conductively connected to the ground region.
13. The antenna of claim 11 further comprising a feed conductively connected to the first resonating element.
14. The antenna of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of capacitors each connected between two of the ground region, the meanderline, the first resonating element and the second resonating element.
15. The antenna of claim 11 wherein the antenna is formed on a substrate wherein the ground region is disposed in a region defined by first and second parallel edges of the substrate, the meanderline is disposed proximate the first edge and the first and the second resonating elements are disposed proximate the second edge.
16. The antenna of claim 11 wherein the antenna is disposed over a substrate comprising a ground plane conductively connected to the ground region.
17. The antenna of claim 11 disposed overlying a substrate further comprising a first and a second region, wherein the first region comprises a ground plane, and wherein the antenna overlies the second region.
18. The antenna of claim 17 wherein the substrate comprises a signal feed line and the antenna further comprises a feed terminal conductively connected to the signal feed line.
19. The antenna of claim 18 wherein the signal feed line defines an electrical open therein, and wherein at least one of a capacitor and an inductor bridge the electrical open.
20. The antenna of claim 17 spaced apart from the second region to define a gap therebetween.
21. The antenna of claim 20 wherein a dielectric material is disposed within the gap.
22. The antenna of claim 11 wherein the first resonating element comprises a first linear conductive strip and the second resonating element comprises a second linear conductive strip parallel to the first conductive strip.
23. The antenna of claim 11 further comprising a conductive region extending from a last segment of the meanderline.
24. The antenna of claim 23 wherein the conductive region is coplanar with the meanderline.
25. An antenna comprising:
a rectangular substrate defined by first and second spaced apart short edges connected by first and second spaced apart long edges,
a substantially rectangular counterpoise disposed proximate the first short edge;
first and second substantially parallel strips disposed substantially parallel to and proximate the first long edge;
a meanderline disposed proximate the second long edge and having an axis substantially parallel to the second long edge, and wherein the meanderline comprises a plurality of undulating segments of at least two different heights;
a feed conductively connected to the first strip; and
a capacitor connecting the feed to an end of the meanderline.
26. The antenna of claim 25 wherein at least two of the undulating segments are disposed proximate the second short edge such that the first and the second strips are disposed between the counterpoise and the at least two of the undulating segments.
27. The antenna of claim 25 further comprising a ground return conductor extending from the counterpoise along the second edge and conductively connected to one or more of the undulating segments of the meanderline.
28. A communications handset comprising
a substrate having electronic components mounted thereon and further comprising a ground region;
an antenna operative with the electronic components for radiating a signal or receiving a signal in a plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands, the antenna comprising:
a feed;
a first resonator conductively coupled to the feed;
a second resonator substantially parallel to the first resonator;
a resonating meanderline having an axis substantially parallel to the first and the second resonators and comprising segments;
a counterpoise disposed proximate a first end of the resonating meanderline and connected to the ground region;
a ground return conductively connected to the counterpoise, extending from the counterpoise and connected to one or more segments of the meanderline; and
wherein coupling between one or more of the first resonator, the second resonator and the resonating meanderline causes the antenna to operate in the plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands.
29. The communications handset of claim 28 further comprising structural components including a handset case, wherein certain of the structural components are connected to the ground region.
30. The communications handset of claim 28 wherein the coupling comprises one or both of magnetic coupling and capacitive coupling.
31. The antenna of claim 28 wherein the plurality of spaced-apart frequency bands comprise a double resonance high frequency band and a single resonance low frequency band.
32. The antenna of claim 31 wherein the high frequency band comprises a frequency band between about 1710 and 2000 MHz and the low frequency band comprises a frequency band between about 824 and 960 MHz.
33. The antenna of claim 28 further comprising a conductive region extending from a second end of the meanderline.
34. The antenna of claim 33 wherein the conductive region is coplanar with the meanderline.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A needle assembly comprising:
a housing having proximal and distal ends and a shield seat;
a cannula projecting distally from the housing, the cannula having a distal tip; and
a shield having an engagement, the shield having a pre-use position wherein the shield covers the distal tip of the cannula and the engagement is disengaged from the shield seat, and a use position wherein the engagement is engaged with the shield seat and the shield is adapted to move between a non-shielded position, in which the distal tip is exposed, and a shielded position, in which the distal tip is shielded by the shield.
2. The needle assembly of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a body that defines a longitudinal slot adapted to receive the cannula.
3. The needle assembly of claim 2, wherein the shield includes a needle catch adapted to engage the cannula when the shield is in the shielded position.
4. The needle assembly of claim 2, wherein the body of the shield engages the distal end of the housing when the shield is in the pre-use position.
5. The needle assembly of claim 1, wherein the shield is pivotable relative to the housing when the shield is in the use position.
6. The needle assembly of claim 5, wherein the engagement comprises a locking pin and the shield is pivotable about the locking pin in the use position.
7. The needle assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a non-patient cannula projecting from the housing; and
a non-patient shield for removably shielding the non-patient cannula, adapted to engage the proximal end of the housing.
8. The needle assembly of claim 1, wherein the shield seat comprises a projection that defines an opening to receive the engagement of the shield.
9. The needle assembly of claim 8, wherein the opening of the shield seat is tapered to lock the engagement to the shield seat after insertion of the engagement into the opening.
10. The needle assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement comprises a locking pin, and wherein the shield seat is substantially c-shaped about the locking pin.
11. A needle assembly comprising:
a housing having proximal and distal ends and a shield seat;
a cannula having an IV end projecting distally from the housing and a non-patient end projecting proximally from the housing; and
a shield secured to the housing and having a pre-use position wherein the shield covers the non-patient end of the cannula, and a use position wherein the shield is capable of covering the IV end of the cannula.
12. The needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the housing comprises a chamber wall extending between the proximal and distal ends for defining a chamber in the housing.
13. The needle assembly of claim 12, wherein the cannula defines an opening in fluid communication with the chamber.
14. The needle assembly of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a first portion and a second portion with the first portion secured to the second portion, and wherein the shield and the first portion of the housing are formed integrally.
15. The needle assembly of claim 14, wherein the shield is secured to the first portion of the housing via a living hinge, and wherein the shield is pivotable between a non-shielded position and a shielded position.
16. The needle assembly of claim 15, wherein the shield comprises a non-patient portion adapted to cover a portion of the non-patient end of the cannula and an IV portion adapted to cover a portion of the IV end of the cannula.
17. The needle assembly of claim 16, wherein the IV portion of the shield includes a needle catch adapted to engage the IV end of the cannula when the shield is in the use position.
18. The needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the shield comprises a non-patient portion adapted to cover a portion of the non-patient end of the cannula, and an IV portion adapted to cover a portion of the IV end of the cannula, and wherein the IV portion of the shield includes a needle catch adapted to engage the IV end of the cannula when the shield is in the use position.
19. The needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a projection, wherein the shield is secured to the housing about the projection with the shield being pivotable relative to the housing between the pre-use position and the use position.
20. The needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the cannula comprises two distinct cannulae.
21. The needle assembly of claim 11, wherein the shield is engaged with the shield seat in the use position and is capable of rotating from a non-shielded position, in which a tip of the IV end is exposed, to a shielded position, in which the tip of the IV end is shielded.
22. A needle assembly comprising:
a housing having proximal and distal ends;
a cannula having an IV end projecting distally from the housing and a non-patient end projecting proximally from the housing; and
an IV shield comprising a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls that define a space for receiving a portion of the IV end of the cannula, the IV shield pivotally secured to the housing and having a pre-use position, in which the IV shield covers a portion of the IV end of the cannula, and a use position, in which the IV shield is adapted to move between a non-shielded position and a shielded position,
wherein at least one of the sidewalls comprises a first projection adapted to temporarily engage the housing when the IV shield is in the pre-use position, and at least one of the sidewalls comprises a second projection adapted to permanently engage the housing when the IV shield is in the shielded position.
23. The needle assembly of claim 22, wherein the sidewalls are spaced via an end wall extending between the pair of sidewalls.
24. The needle assembly of claim 22, wherein the IV shield includes a needle catch adapted to engage the IV end of the cannula when the IV shield is in the shielded position.
25. The needle assembly of claim 22, wherein each of the sidewalls includes a pair of semi-spherical projections adapted to temporarily engage the housing when the IV shield is in the pre-use position.