Passive safety shield system for injection devices

A combination of a protective system and a syringe (120) having a tubular barrel (122) having a distal end and a needle cannula (128) extending therefrom, and an open proximal end (124) having a skirt (126) defined around, including the syringe a set plunger (130, 132), said protection system (20) comprising: a generally tubular body (22) having an end wall and a proximal end open (30) for receiving the syringe; a shield (24) generally tubular supported telescopically by said body and movable relative thereto from a first retracted position in which the needle cannula (128) is exposed, to an extended position where the needle cannula is enclosed by said shield ; a spring (28) supported on said body (22) and biasing said shield (24) toward said extended position; a member (26) supported by said body (22) for axial movement with respect thereto, wherein said member is a member positionable locking releasably in a locking position when said shield (24) is locked releasably in said first retracted position; first retainer elements (40; 232) are defined about said open proximal end (30) of said body (22) to retain said locking member (26) in said locking position to prevent inadvertent release of said shield from said first retracted position prior to retention of the syringe in said body; second retainer elements (40; 248) are defined about said open proximal end of said body for retaining the syringe in said body, wherein said locking member is selectively movable axially with respect to said body by the plunger assembly from a first position (fig. 19A), wherein said locking member (26) allows said shield (24) remains in said first retracted position to a second position (fig. 19D), wherein said locking member (26) retains said shield in a second retracted position in which said locking member (26) maintains said shield (24) in said second retracted position until release by a user of the plunger assembly (130, 132).