Gravity-Driven Needle Retraction in Blood Collection Holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood collection systems face challenges in safely and efficiently retracting needles, often relying on complex mechanisms that are difficult to operate and may lead to contamination or accidental needle-stick injuries.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained blood collection device with a holder housing and a retainer mechanism that allows for simple and efficient retraction of the needle using gravity, ensuring the needle is safely contained within the device after use, utilizing a flexible band member or rotating ring structure to maintain and release the needle assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex retraction mechanisms are used to ensure needle safety, then needle protection is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The needle assembly performs its own retraction into the holder housing through gravity-driven movement after the retainer is activated, eliminating the need for external retraction mechanisms. The system uses the weight of the needle assembly itself to accomplish the safety function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical retraction systems (springs, motors, actuators) with a simple gravity-based passive retraction system. The needle assembly naturally moves back into the holder housing when the retainer is activated, substituting sophisticated mechanical systems with a fundamental physical principle.
2Ease of manufacture
If reusable needle holders are used to reduce costs, then manufacturing cost is improved, but contamination risk and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates the needle assembly and holder housing into a single disposable unit that is discarded together after use. This eliminates the need for cleaning and sterilization of reusable holders, ensuring complete elimination of contamination risk while maintaining cost-effectiveness through single-use disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the needle assembly and holder housing into an integrated unit where the needle is received within the holder housing. This merging ensures that the needle and holder are disposed of together, eliminating the contamination risk associated with separating reusable holders from disposable needles.
3Ease of operation
If simple retainer mechanisms are used to improve ease of operation, then ease of operation is improved, but needle containment reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer mechanism, when activated, allows the needle assembly to perform its own containment through gravity-driven retraction into the holder housing. The simple retainer activation enables the system to automatically ensure reliable needle containment without requiring complex locking or securing mechanisms.
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 solution provides a safe and convenient method for needle retraction, reducing the risk of contamination and accidental injuries, while simplifying the operation and manufacturing process, ensuring the needle is securely contained within the device.
Implementation Method 1
The retainer is adapted for activation so as to release the needle from this first position, thereby permitting the needle to move based on the force of gravity to a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle is contained within the interior chamber of the holder housing
Data Source
AI summary
A safety blood collection device including holder housing adapted to maintain a needle cannula with a puncture tip extending from a forward end thereof and to receive a sample collection tube through a rearward end thereof. A retainer coacts with the holder housing to maintain the needle in a first position with the puncture tip of the needle extending from the forward end of the holder housing. The retainer is adapted for activation so as to release the needle from this first position, thereby permitting the needle to move based on the force of gravity and the weight of the needle to a second position in which the puncture tip of the needle cannula is contained within the interior chamber of the holder housing. As such, upright placement of the holder housing upon activation of the retainer will permit the needle to drop within the holder housing, thereby containing the needle cannula therein as a self-contained assembly.