Elongated Instrument Safety Shields With Automatic Distal-Tip Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for protecting the distal tips of elongated medical instruments, such as needles and trocars, are inadequate in preventing inadvertent sticks that can lead to bloodborne infections, as the distal tips often remain exposed post-use.
Innovation Solution
A multi-member insertion assembly with a shield that automatically locks to the distal end of the obturator or trocar upon removal from the needle or cannula, inhibiting inadvertent contact by transitioning from an unlocked to a locked state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shield is provided to cover the distal tip of the elongated instrument, then safety is improved by preventing inadvertent sticks, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is divided into multiple functional segments: a distal tip cover portion, a body portion, and an arm assembly with resilient arms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while collectively providing comprehensive safety coverage for the distal tip.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is designed to be received over the elongated instrument in a nested configuration, where the shield's internal cavity accommodates the instrument shaft. The resilient arms are nested within the body portion and can deflect outward to engage with the instrument, providing automatic engagement without additional fastening mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the shield automatically locks to the distal end upon removal from the needle, then ease of operation is improved by reducing manual intervention, but device complexity increases due to the locking mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The shield incorporates a self-locking mechanism where resilient arms automatically deflect outward upon engagement with the elongated instrument and lock into place without requiring manual intervention. The arms self-adjust to engage with the instrument's distal end, providing automatic securing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient arms are designed with dynamic properties, allowing them to deflect elastically during engagement and locking. This dynamic behavior enables the arms to automatically adapt to the instrument's presence and secure the shield in place through elastic deformation rather than rigid mechanical linkages.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the shield covers the distal tip effectively, then protection against harmful factors is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional steps required for shield engagement and disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is pre-configured with resilient arms in a deflected state that are ready to automatically engage with the elongated instrument upon insertion. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for manual adjustment or additional engagement steps, as the locking action occurs automatically through the pre-loaded elastic energy in the resilient arms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system can include an elongated instrument that is positioned within a cannula portion of a cannula assembly. The system can include a shield that is coupled with both the elongated instrument and the cannula assembly when in an unlocked state. The shield can permit proximal movement of the elongated instrument relative thereto when in the unlocked state. The shield can automatically transition to a locked state to attach to a distal end of the elongated instrument to restrict access to a distal tip of the elongated instrument.