Huber Needle Assembly Tip Block and Cable Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Huber needle assemblies pose risks to medical practitioners due to the need for two hands to withdraw the needle, leading to potential needle sticks and exposure to blood-borne pathogens or hazardous drugs, as the force required can cause the needle to rebound and stick the user.
Innovation Solution
A Huber needle assembly with a tip block mechanism and safety or restraint mechanism that securely retains the needle within an impenetrable enclosure, using a cable to restrain movement and a spring-activated ball to block the needle tip, preventing accidental exposure during withdrawal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional Huber needle assembly is used, then the needle can be inserted into the implanted port, but the needle may rebound and stick the user during withdrawal due to the force required to extract from the self-sealing septum
Solution Approach 1:
The needle assembly is divided into separate functional components: a needle hub, a needle shield, and a retractable needle mechanism. This segmentation allows the needle to be isolated from the user during withdrawal, preventing direct contact with the needle tip and eliminating the risk of needle sticks while maintaining the ability to access the implanted port.
Solution Approach 2:
A needle shield acts as an intermediary barrier between the needle tip and the user. The shield is positioned to cover the needle tip during insertion and remains in place during withdrawal, serving as a protective mediator that prevents direct exposure to the needle while allowing the needle to perform its function of accessing the port.
2Ease of operation
If two hands are used to withdraw the needle, then the needle can be extracted from the implanted port, but the user is exposed to hazardous drugs and blood-borne pathogens
Solution Approach 1:
The needle assembly is designed to be self-contained with the needle tip retraction mechanism integrated into the hub. The spring-loaded retraction system automatically pulls the needle tip into the hub upon withdrawal from the port, eliminating the need for manual two-handed operation and allowing safe single-handed use while preventing exposure to hazardous materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle tip retraction mechanism is pre-loaded with a spring that is compressed during insertion. When the needle is withdrawn from the port, the pre-compressed spring automatically activates to retract the needle tip into the hub before the user completes the withdrawal motion, preventing exposure to hazardous drugs and pathogens before contact occurs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the needle is made retractable into the base, then the needle tip can be blocked, but the device complexity increases with tip block mechanism and cable restraint
Solution Approach 1:
The tip block mechanism is merged with the base structure, and the cable restraint is integrated into the housing. These components work together as a unified safety system where the cable connects the base to the housing, and the tip block is positioned within the base to automatically engage with the needle tip upon retraction, simplifying the overall design while maintaining safety functionality.
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 minimizes the risk of needle sticks and exposure to blood-borne pathogens by securely blocking the needle tip and restraining movement, ensuring safe handling and disposal of used needles.
Implementation Method 1
The base comprises a tip block mechanism configured to block the tip of the Huber needle when the tip of the Huber needle is retracted into the base
Implementation Method 2
The cable is configured to restrain movement of the housing relative to the base
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A Huber needle assembly. The Huber needle assembly includes a housing, a Huber needle having a bent tip, a base through which the Huber needle is slidably disposed, a tip block mechanism, and a safety or restraint mechanism. The tip block mechanism includes a needle block slidably disposed within the base and urged by a spring to block the tip of the Huber needle when the tip of the Huber needle is retracted into the base. In one exemplary embodiment, the safety or restraint mechanism includes a cable having a first end anchored within the housing and a second end anchored within the base. The cable restrains movement of the housing relative to the base. In another exemplary embodiment, the safety or restraint mechanism includes a collar disposed within the base. The collar is configured to prevent passage of the bent tip of the Huber needle.