Biosensor Retention Structure for Needle-Wire Coaxial Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable invasive biosensors, such as continuous glucose monitors, face challenges in maintaining the coaxial alignment between the sensor wire and the insertion needle due to potential misalignment during manufacturing, packaging, and transportation, which can lead to ineffective insertion and discomfort for the wearer.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a biosensor retention feature that encircles the insertion needle and is collapsible against the housing, ensuring coaxial alignment and retention of the sensor wire within the needle, thereby maintaining alignment during application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a needle is used to create a puncture wound for sensor wire insertion, then the sensor wire can be inserted through the skin, but the sensor wire may become misaligned with the needle during manufacturing, packaging, and transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor wire is nested within the hollow interior of the insertion needle, with the needle's inner diameter being larger than the sensor wire diameter. This nesting arrangement allows the sensor wire to be guided through the needle during insertion while maintaining coaxial alignment, preventing misalignment during manufacturing, packaging, and transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion needle is pre-positioned coaxially with the sensor wire before the actual skin insertion process. This preliminary alignment ensures that when the needle creates the puncture wound, the sensor wire is already positioned to follow the needle's path, eliminating the need for real-time alignment adjustments during insertion.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the sensor wire has a small diameter to minimize insertion trauma, then wearer comfort is improved, but the sensor wire becomes more prone to bending and breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow insertion needle acts as a protective cushioning structure for the thin sensor wire during the insertion process. The needle's hollow interior provides a guided pathway that prevents the fragile sensor wire from bending or breaking, allowing the use of thinner wires that cause less insertion trauma while maintaining adequate strength through the protected insertion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion needle serves as an intermediary tool between the operator and the sensor wire during insertion. It creates the puncture wound in the skin and simultaneously provides a protective tunnel through which the fragile sensor wire can pass safely, reducing both insertion trauma and the risk of wire damage.
3Productivity
If the needle is axially aligned with the sensor wire during insertion, then insertion efficiency is improved, but maintaining this alignment during manufacturing and transportation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor wire is nested within the hollow interior of the insertion needle, creating a mechanically stable configuration where the needle's rigid structure maintains coaxial alignment of the wire. This nested arrangement naturally preserves alignment during manufacturing, packaging, and transportation without requiring complex external fixtures or alignment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion needle and sensor wire are combined into a single integrated assembly where the needle serves dual functions: creating the puncture wound and maintaining wire alignment. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate alignment maintenance mechanisms, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring insertion efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of invasive biosensor alignment and retention features and methods are described. One example biosensor includes a housing comprising: a first surface defining a first opening, and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface defining a second opening, the first and second openings defining a substantially unobstructed pathway through the housing; a biosensor wire partially disposed within the housing and having an exterior portion extending through the first opening; a hollow insertion needle positioned within the pathway and extending through the first opening, the hollow insertion needle at least partially encircling the biosensor wire; and a biosensor retention feature collapsible against the first surface of the housing, the biosensor retention feature encircling and contacting the hollow insertion needle.