Catheter Tip Shield Covering for Blood Leakage Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Intravascular catheter assemblies face challenges in minimizing blood leakage and splash during and after needle withdrawal, which increases the risk of accidental needle sticks and exposure to contaminated blood, despite the use of needle shields.

Innovation Solution

A catheter assembly with a tip shield featuring a resilient clip compartment that includes a covering to block the opening, such as a film or high viscosity fluid, to prevent blood leakage and splash, and a tether mechanism to secure the needle tip within the shield, ensuring safe handling and minimizing exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a needle shield is used to protect clinicians from accidental needle sticks, then safety is improved, but blood leakage and splash from the resilient clip compartment may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidblood leakage and splash

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The needle shield is divided into separate functional components: a resilient clip compartment for housing the needle, a blood collection chamber for containing blood, and a closure element to seal the compartment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively while preventing blood leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A closure element acts as an intermediary component between the resilient clip compartment and the external environment. This closure element seals the compartment to prevent blood leakage and splash, while still allowing the shield to perform its protective function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the resilient clip compartment is made accessible for manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of blood exposure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanipulation accessibilityVSAvoidblood exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The closure element is designed to be engaged or activated in advance before the resilient clip compartment becomes accessible. This preliminary action ensures that the compartment is already sealed when manipulation occurs, preventing blood exposure while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The closure element is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to be easily engaged and disengaged during normal operation. This dynamic design enables the closure to remain secure during manipulation while still allowing controlled access when needed, balancing ease of operation with blood exposure prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2019702B1Catheter assembly with tip shield closure

Publication Date: 2020.07.01 BECTON DICKINSON & CO

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AI summary

A tip shield (20) of a catheter assembly (10) has a resilient clip compartment (38), which may become blood-filled during use of the catheter assembly. The resilient clip (40) inside the compartment is released upon withdrawal of the needle (12) of the catheter assembly to disengage the catheter hub (14) from the tip shield. The resilient clip also prevents re-exposure of the needle after being withdrawn into the tip shield. The blood-filled compartment may potentially leak or splash through an opening (36) from the compartment when the resilient clip is released. A covering (62) blocks the opening from the tip shield to minimize the risk of blood exposure. In addition, the covering minimizes the risk of premature release of the resilient clip and re-exposure of the needle.