Needle Alignment for Wearable Biosensor Sensor Wire Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable biosensors with invasive sensor wires face challenges in inserting fragile sensor wires into the skin without damage, as they are prone to bending or breaking when attempting to puncture the skin directly.
Innovation Solution
A needle alignment system is provided within a housing that includes a needle guide and a C-shaped needle, allowing the needle to traverse a pathway aligned with the sensor wire, preventing direct contact and rotation, and facilitating the insertion of the sensor wire into the skin through a puncture made by the needle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sensor wire is used to puncture the skin directly, then the insertion process is simplified, but the sensor wire is prone to bending or breaking due to its fragile structure
Solution Approach 1:
A needle is introduced as an intermediary tool to perform the skin puncture, while the fragile sensor wire follows through the same pathway. The needle handle includes a guide structure that ensures the sensor wire remains aligned with the needle tract, preventing lateral forces that could cause bending or breaking. This mediator approach allows the fragile wire to benefit from the mechanical strength of the needle during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle creates the skin puncture pathway before the sensor wire is inserted. By establishing the tract in advance with a robust needle, the fragile sensor wire can then be gently guided through the pre-formed channel without needing to exert force against the skin, thereby preventing mechanical damage.
2Reliability
If a needle is used to puncture the skin first, then the sensor wire can be inserted safely, but achieving accurate alignment between the needle and sensor wire is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The needle handle serves multiple functions: it provides the mechanical force for skin puncture, acts as a guide structure for alignment, and maintains the trajectory for sensor wire insertion. The integrated guide structure within the handle ensures that both the needle and sensor wire share the same central axis, eliminating alignment difficulties.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure within the needle handle acts as an intermediary alignment mechanism. It physically constrains the sensor wire to follow the needle's central axis during insertion, ensuring precise alignment without requiring complex external alignment tools or procedures.
3Ease of operation
If the sensor wire extends through the housing, then it can be inserted into the skin, but the wire may rotate or contact the needle causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure within the needle handle serves as a protective intermediary that physically separates the needle and sensor wire while maintaining their alignment. It prevents the wire from rotating or contacting the needle by providing a constrained pathway, eliminating the harmful effects of direct wire-needle interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure creates a protective channel through which the flexible sensor wire passes. This channel acts as a protective sheath that prevents lateral displacement, rotation, and direct contact between the wire and needle, allowing smooth insertion without mechanical damage.
Data Source
AI summary
Various examples are described for needle alignment for wearable biosensors. One example device includes a housing comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the housing defining a cavity between the upper portion and the lower portion and configured to be worn on a wearer's skin, wherein: the upper portion defines a first opening extending through the upper portion to the cavity, and the lower portion defines a second opening extending through the lower portion to the cavity, the cavity establishing a substantially unobstructed pathway including the first opening and the second opening to enable an insertion needle to be inserted through the housing; and a needle guide extending into and along a portion of the pathway and aligned with a sensor wire to enable alignment between the insertion needle and the sensor wire.