Medical Device Handle Overmolding to Eliminate Contamination Gaps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical device handles with over molded logos or insignia often experience separation between materials, creating gaps that can harbor dirt and microbes, posing sanitation issues in medical environments.

Innovation Solution

Fabricating handles with a core having raised indicia that are completely covered by a translucent light-transferring material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, to prevent separation and maintain visibility of the indicia without creating interfaces for dirt or microbial accumulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the over molded material surface is made substantially tangent to the logo or insignia surface, then the logo is visible on the handle, but separation occurs between the over molded material and the logo creating gaps that harbor dirt and microbes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of logoVSAvoidseparation and microbial contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds the logo or insignia within a recessed cavity in the core element, then fills this cavity with the overmolded material. This nesting approach ensures the overmolded material completely surrounds and seals the logo, eliminating exposed interfaces where separation and contamination could occur, while still allowing the logo to be visible through the translucent overmolded layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a translucent overmolded material that provides a permanent seal around the logo. This creates a single-use, non-disassemblable structure where the logo and overmolded material form an integrated unit that cannot be separated, effectively eliminating the need for maintenance or cleaning of interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the over molded material completely covers the logo or insignia, then separation is prevented, but the logo becomes invisible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation preventionVSAvoidvisibility of logo

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies using a translucent overmolded material that allows light to pass through, maintaining visual visibility of the embedded logo while providing complete coverage and sealing. The translucency property enables the logo to remain visible without creating exposed interfaces that could separate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Ease of manufacture

If the over molded material abuts the logo or insignia without sealing, then manufacturing is simpler, but interfaces are created that are prone to separation and contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemolding process simplicityVSAvoidinterface separation and contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The recessed cavity design guides the overmolded material to completely surround the logo during the molding process. The cavity walls provide natural registration and containment, ensuring the material flows around and seals the logo without requiring complex additional sealing steps or features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 effectively prevents separation between the over molded material and the logo or insignia, enhancing sanitation by eliminating crevices where microbes can accumulate, while maintaining visibility and durability through the use of a thermoplastic elastomer with a high softening point.

Implementation Method 1

molding a light-transferring material over the raised indicia of the core element wherein the light-transferring material completely covers the raised indicia, and wherein the raised indicia are visible through the light-transferring material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS8927083B2Handle and method of fabricating a handle for a medical device

Publication Date: 2015.01.06 MACK MOLDING CO

AI summary

A handle and a method of fabricating a handle, or another article of manufacture, that minimizes or avoids the likelihood of accumulating contamination before, during, or after use. The article includes a core element, for example, a plastic core element, having an outer surface and raised indicia, such as, letters or logos, extending beyond the outer surface; and a light-transferring material completely covering the raised indicia of the core element wherein the raised indicia are visible through the light-transferring material. The complete covering of the indicia avoids separation between the cover and the indicia. The cover material may be a translucent thermoplastic elastomer. Though particularly applicable to the medical device industry, aspects of the invention may be applied to a broad range of industries.