Catheter Assembly With Movable Support for Warp-Free Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheter assemblies are prone to warping during insertion due to lack of support, leading to potential retraction of the needle point and repeated puncturing.

Innovation Solution

A catheter assembly with a support member positioned opposite the catheter operation member to stabilize the catheter, allowing it to be interposed between the operation member and the support member, preventing warping and ensuring smooth insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the catheter is inserted deep into the patient's body and housed in a stacking manner inside the needle hub, then the catheter can be inserted into the body, but the catheter is not supported and easily warped when reaction force is received from the patient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter insertion depthVSAvoidcatheter stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is pre-positioned inside the needle hub at a first position that corresponds to a support position for the catheter. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the catheter is advanced, the support member is already in place to prevent warping and maintain the extending state of the catheter and inner needle during insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The support member acts as an intermediary element between the catheter and the needle hub. It provides mechanical support to the catheter during insertion, preventing warping caused by reaction forces from the patient's body, while not interfering with the final detachment of the catheter hub and operation member from the needle hub.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the support member is positioned to support the catheter inside the needle hub, then the catheter is prevented from warping, but the catheter hub and catheter operation member may be interfered with during advancement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter stabilityVSAvoiddetachment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is designed to be movable between a first position inside the needle hub (where it supports the catheter) and a second position outside the needle hub (where it does not interfere with detachment). This dynamic repositioning is achieved through the rotating member that rotates the support member from the first position to the second position, allowing both catheter support and easy detachment to be accomplished.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the catheter operation member is advanced to detach the catheter hub from the needle hub, then the catheter can be inserted, but the support member may interfere with the advancement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsertion efficiencyVSAvoidcomponent interaction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support member's position is dynamically changed from inside the needle hub to outside the needle hub through rotation. This dynamic repositioning eliminates interference with the advancement of the catheter operation member and detachment of the catheter hub, while maintaining the ability to support the catheter during the critical insertion phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3295986B1Catheter assembly
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 TERUMO KK
  • EP3295986B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3295986B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3295986B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A catheter assembly (10) includes: a hollow catheter (12); a catheter hub (14) adapted to fix and hold the catheter (12); an inner needle (16) inserted into the catheter (12); and a needle hub (18) adapted to fix and hold the inner needle (16), and a catheter operation member (20) capable of controlling movement of the catheter (12). Additionally, a support member (44) is provided at the needle hub (18) and the support member (44) includes a support main body portion (102) freely movable to a first position (P1) capable of contacting and supporting the catheter (12) and a second position (P2) that is a different position from the first position (P1) and not contacting the catheter (12).