Angled Injection Safety Sleeve for Syringe

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing safety devices for syringes are limited in allowing angled injections, which increases the risk of needlestick injuries and are uncomfortable for patients, as they are designed for vertical use only and require improper manipulation to facilitate angled injections, compromising the safety function.

Innovation Solution

A safety device with a sleeve element that encloses the lancing means and syringe body, featuring a contact section with a partial area that can be angled between 20° and 70°, allowing injections at angles other than 90° while maintaining the safety function, and incorporating a collar element with guide projections to prevent misuse and ensure secure attachment to the syringe.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a rotationally symmetrical safety sleeve is used, then the safety function is ensured, but angled injections (deviating from 90°) become difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection angle capabilityVSAvoidsafety function
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The safety sleeve is designed with an asymmetric contact section featuring a planar contact surface oriented at a specific angle (e.g., 45°) relative to the syringe axis, replacing the traditional rotationally symmetric design. This asymmetric geometry enables angled injections while the spring-driven retraction mechanism and guide pin system maintain the safety function by ensuring proper needle coverage and controlled exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Ease of operation

If the safety sleeve is designed for vertical injection only, then the safety function is maintained, but patient comfort and applicability to thin body fat layers are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient comfortVSAvoidsafety function
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact section is designed with a planar surface oriented at a specific angle (e.g., 45°) relative to the syringe axis, changing the geometric parameter of the injection interface. This angular orientation allows the needle to approach the skin at an optimized angle for patients with thin body fat layers, improving comfort and applicability while the safety retraction mechanism ensures proper needle coverage is maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If a protruding needle is used to enable angled injections, then injection flexibility is improved, but the safety function is impaired and needlestick injury risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection angle flexibilityVSAvoidneedlestick injury risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The safety sleeve incorporates a spring-driven dynamic retraction mechanism that automatically retracts the needle after injection. Combined with the angled contact section, this allows the needle to be properly positioned for angled injections while ensuring it is automatically retracted to a safe position, eliminating the need for protruding needles and reducing needlestick injury risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If the safety sleeve presses sharply against the skin with its edge, then the safety function is maintained, but patient comfort is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety functionVSAvoidpatient comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The contact section is designed with a planar surface that distributes contact pressure over a larger area of the patient's skin, rather than concentrating force at a sharp edge. This localized quality change improves patient comfort by reducing pressure points while the safety function is maintained through the spring-driven retraction mechanism and guide pin system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3325053B1Safety device for a syringe
Publication Date: 2021.08.11 GERRESHEIMER REGENSBURGH GMBH
  • EP3325053B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3325053B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3325053B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a safety device, for avoiding needlestick injuries, for a syringe with a syringe body and with a puncturing means arranged at the distal end of the syringe body, said safety device comprising a sleeve element which extends along an axial direction (X) and at least partially encloses the puncturing means and the syringe body, wherein the sleeve element comprises, at its distal end, a contact portion which at least partially contacts the skin of a patient during use of the syringe and which delimits an opening surface. The safety device is characterized in that the opening surface has at least in part a sub-area that encloses an angle α with the axial direction (X), wherein the angle α is in a range of between 10° and 80°.