Cannula Capture Mechanism for Shielded Needle Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vascular access devices face challenges with accidental needle sticks and blood exposure during needle withdrawal due to the risk of blood splattering and the inability to securely shield the needle tip after removal from the catheter.
Innovation Solution
A cannula capture mechanism that includes an inner housing with extendable arms and an outer housing with a compressible portion, allowing the needle to be retracted into a shielded position, where the inner housing arms are biased together by the outer housing to securely seal the needle tip, preventing its exit and ensuring it remains trapped within the mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the needle is withdrawn from the catheter assembly, then the needle can be removed from the patient, but the needle tip becomes exposed and vulnerable to accidental sticks and blood exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is nested within the inner housing after withdrawal from the catheter. The inner housing acts as a container that receives and secures the needle tip, preventing exposure. The outer housing then encloses the inner housing, creating a nested structure that fully shields the needle throughout the withdrawal and disposal process.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner housing serves as an intermediary device between the needle and the external environment. It provides a protective barrier that prevents direct contact with the needle tip, eliminating the hazard of accidental sticks and blood exposure while allowing safe needle removal from the catheter assembly.
2Ease of operation
If the inner housing arms are splayed outward to allow needle insertion, then the needle can be properly positioned, but the needle tip remains accessible and unsafe
Solution Approach 1:
The inner housing arms are designed to be dynamic rather than static. They splay outward during needle insertion to facilitate proper positioning, then automatically return to a closed position that shields the needle tip. This dynamic behavior allows the structure to adapt to different operational phases while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient outer housing is pre-configured to bias the inner housing arms together in a closed position. This preliminary action ensures that once the needle is positioned, the arms naturally return to the shielded closed state, preventing needle tip exposure without requiring additional manual intervention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outer housing is compressed to allow arm movement, then the inner housing can operate freely, but the overall structure occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The outer housing incorporates a compressible portion that can deform to accommodate the movement of inner housing arms. This flexible design allows the structure to adapt its internal volume dynamically, providing space for arm movement when needed while maintaining a compact overall form factor when the arms are retracted.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cannula capture mechanism effectively prevents accidental needle sticks and blood exposure by securely locking the needle in a shielded position, reducing the risk of injury and contamination.
Implementation Method 1
the outer housing may include a compressible portion that is compressed when the outer housing is in the compressed state and decompressed when the outer housing is in the decompressed state
Data Source
AI summary
A cannula capture mechanism is described herein. The capture mechanism may include an inner housing, outer housing, and a cannula. The outer housing may be configured to move between a compressed and a decompressed state. An outer surface of the inner housing may include one or more interlock components. When the cannula is exposed from a distal end of the inner housing, the one or more interlock components may interact with one or more interlock surfaces formed in another surface of the catheter device. When the cannula is retracted proximally within the inner housing, the inner housing may contract radially inward causing the one or more interlock components to be separated from the one or more interlock surfaces and the outer housing to move to the decompressed state and extend distally over a distal portion of the inner housing.