Visually Coded Syringe Needle Hub for Insulin Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable syringes lack clear visual differentiation of needle gauge, length, and insulin concentration after assembly, leading to potential misuse and incorrect dosages, especially in insulin therapy where different concentrations are required for varying user needs.
Innovation Solution
A molded cylindrical syringe barrel with visual markings and a molded needle hub featuring a circumferentially extending flange with a visually coded mark, such as color, to identify syringe characteristics like needle gauge, length, or insulin concentration, ensuring easy identification even with a needle safety shield in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional molded needle hubs are used without separate marking after assembly, then manufacturing is simplified, but it becomes difficult to ascertain the properties of the needle
Solution Approach 1:
The visual identification mark is applied to the needle hub during the molding process itself, rather than adding markings after assembly. This preliminary action during manufacturing maintains production simplicity while ensuring the identification information is present on the final assembled product.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification mark is integrated into the needle hub structure during molding, combining the functional component (needle hub) with the identification feature (visual mark) into a single manufactured part, eliminating the need for separate marking operations.
2Measurement precision
If syringes are marked with visual indicators of volume on the barrel, then users can withdraw and inject the correct volume of medication, but it remains possible for users to inadvertently use an incorrect syringe and inject an incorrect insulin dosage
Solution Approach 1:
Different colors are assigned to different insulin concentrations (e.g., green for U-100, yellow for U-500). This color-coding system provides an immediate visual distinction that prevents users from selecting the wrong syringe type, complementing the volume markings already present on the barrel.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification mark is placed specifically on the needle hub flange, a localized position that is distinct from the volume markings on the barrel. This local placement creates multiple visual cues in different locations, making it harder for users to overlook the syringe type identification.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a needle safety shield is placed over the needle, then needle safety is improved, but the visual identification of syringe characteristics becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The identification mark is positioned on the flange of the needle hub, which extends radially beyond the barrel surface. This radial extension places the mark in a different spatial dimension that remains visible from the side even when a safety shield covers the needle area, allowing users to identify syringe characteristics without removing the shield.
Data Source
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AI summary
A medication delivery device (100) included molded cylindrical barrel (106) having visual marks (112) on the surface of the barrel in the axial direction, a plunger (108) seals the distal opening of the cylindrical barrel, a molded needle hub (104) disposed in the proximal opening of the cylindrical barrel for sealing the needle hub to the barrel. A needle (102) is disposed in the needle hub for communicating liquids by operation of the plunger in the axial direction. The circumferential surface on the flange of the needle hub comprises a colored mark (118, 146) that corresponds to a characteristic of the medication delivery device or its contents.