Interdigitated Pen Needle Storage Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medication pen needle storage solutions are bulky and inefficient, requiring separate chambers for new and used needles, which increases the device's volume and poses a risk of needle stick due to accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A pen needle storage container with an interdigitated configuration that alternately places cavities to maximize packing density, allowing new needles to be easily accessed and used, then securely locked in a second position to prevent reuse, reducing the device's size and minimizing needle stick risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate chambers are used to hold new and used pen needles, then the storage function is complete, but the device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the storage of new and used pen needles into a single chamber rather than using separate chambers. The single chamber accommodates both new needles (in first position) and used needles (in second position), thereby reducing device volume while maintaining complete storage functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the storage space within the single chamber by creating two distinct positions: a first position for new pen needles and a second position for used pen needles. This segmentation allows functional separation without requiring separate physical chambers, thus reducing overall device volume.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If used pen needles are placed in a separate disposal chamber, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates two distinct positions within a single chamber: a first position for new needles and a second position for used needles. This segmentation provides safety by separating used needles from new ones without requiring a separate disposal chamber, thus reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses positional arrangement within the same chamber space to achieve separation of new and used needles. By utilizing different positions (first position and second position) within the single chamber rather than separate spatial chambers, the design reduces complexity while maintaining safety.
3Ease of operation
If pen needles are easily accessible, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of needle stick increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments needle accessibility by creating a first position for new needles that is easily accessible for attachment to medication pens, and a second position for used needles that is less accessible. This segmentation allows easy operation for new needles while reducing needle stick risk for used needles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses positional arrangement within the chamber to differentiate accessibility. New needles in the first position are positioned for easy access, while used needles in the second position are positioned deeper or less accessibly, thus managing both ease of operation and safety without requiring separate chambers.
4Quantity of substance
If an interdigitated configuration is used, then packing density is maximized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an interdigitated configuration that alternately places first positions and second positions within the single chamber. This segmented arrangement maximizes packing density by efficiently utilizing space while maintaining a relatively simple single-chamber structure, thus balancing packing density and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A container (20) for storing pen needles (10) comprises a plurality of cavities (30), each cavity (30) having a closed end (32) and an open end (34), and a plurality of rings (40), each ring (40) including a plurality of arms (42) that is configured to retain the pen needle (10) in a first position and in a second position, wherein the open end (34) is flared outwardly, and the plurality of arms (42) are flared outwardly when the pen needle (10) is in the first position.