Angled Needle Body for Drug Delivery Usability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drug delivery devices face challenges in usability and controllability, particularly for users with limited manual dexterity, due to complex geometries and visibility of the needle, which can cause discomfort and anxiety.

Innovation Solution

A needle assembly with a hollow needle body featuring an inclined flow direction from inlet to outlet, integrated with a rotatable needle hub and housing parts that allow for easy alignment and concealment of the needle, facilitating controlled fluid administration without requiring intricate user manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the needle body uses a straight flow direction from inlet to outlet, then the device structure is simple, but the usability and controllability for users with limited manual dexterity is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusability and controllabilityVSAvoidneedle body geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle body incorporates a curved flow path with a bend angle between 45° and 135° (preferably 90°) between the inlet and outlet sections. This curvature allows the fluid to be redirected at an angle while maintaining a compact device geometry, improving usability and controllability without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The outlet section of the needle is oriented at an angle relative to the inlet section, effectively using spatial orientation to redirect fluid flow. This dimensional change in flow direction allows the device to be aligned with the skin surface while the fluid exits perpendicular to the surface, improving both usability and injection control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the needle is visible to the user during administration, then the user can see the injection process, but this causes discomfort and anxiety particularly for needle-phobic patients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser anxiety and discomfortVSAvoidvisibility of needle

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is extracted from view by using the housing structure to shield it during the administration process. The housing contains the needle within its structure, removing the visual element that causes anxiety while maintaining the functional integrity of the injection system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle is nested within the housing structure, which provides both mechanical support and visual shielding. The housing acts as a container that holds the needle in a concealed position during administration, reducing user anxiety while maintaining operational functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3102264B1Needle for administering a fluid

Publication Date: 2020.04.01 SANOFI SA(FR)

Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A~2B

AI summary

A needle (3) for administering a fluid is presented. The needle (3) comprises a hollow needle body (4) to guide the fluid. The needle body (4) is furthermore formed such that an inlet section (20) of the needle body (4) defines a first flow direction for the fluid and an outlet section (21) of the needle body (4) defines a second flow direction for the fluid, wherein the first flow direction is inclined with respect to the second flow direction.