Magnetic Latch Safety Needle Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety medical devices that secure needle tips often face issues with size, speed of action, and shelf-life due to mechanical energy storage, which can be slow and prone to relaxation, and require larger housing components.
Innovation Solution
The use of magnetic latches and binding components that rotate due to magnetic forces to secure the needle tip within a safety housing, eliminating the need for frictional arms and allowing for smaller, faster-acting, and longer-lasting needle protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical energy storage components (springs) are used to bind the needle tip, then the needle can be secured in place, but the device becomes slower in acting and has limited shelf life due to spring relaxation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical energy storage components (springs) with a magnetic field-based binding mechanism. The magnetic binding component uses magnetic attraction forces to secure the needle tip, eliminating the need for mechanical springs that relax over time. This substitution enables faster binding action and extends shelf life while maintaining reliable needle tip securing.
2Reliability
If mechanical energy storage components are used to bind the needle tip, then the needle can be secured, but the housing components become relatively large and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic binding component replaces bulky mechanical springs and associated housing structures with a compact magnetic field generation system. The magnetic component can be made of magnetically permeable material and generates binding forces through magnetic fields, allowing for a significantly reduced housing volume while maintaining effective needle tip securing.
3Reliability
If frictional-based binding is used, then the needle can be held in position, but the device lacks the speed and reliability of magnetic binding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes frictional-based mechanical binding with magnetic field-based binding. The magnetic binding component interacts with the cannula through magnetic attraction, providing immediate and reliable needle tip containment without the time delay associated with friction-based mechanisms. The magnetic force acts instantaneously to secure the needle tip upon retraction.
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
This solution enables faster and more reliable needle tip securing, reduces the size of safety device housings, and extends the shelf-life by utilizing magnetic forces, ensuring secure needle containment without mechanical relaxation issues.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic latch that is operative against the cannula to secure the distal end of the cannula within the housing and a binding component, which rotates due to a magnetic force
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Safety needle assemblies and methods of making and using the same are provided. Safety needle assemblies are provided, comprising: a cannula (8) comprising a proximal end (30) and a distal end (32),• a hub (6) disposed on the proximal end of the cannula; a housing (4) partially surrounding a portion of the cannula, the housing comprising a distal end; and a magnetic latch (12) that is operative to secure the distal end of the cannula within the housing. A magnetic latch comprises a first magnetic material that is located on or within the binding component (2) and a second magnetic material that can interact with the first material. As the needle tip is retracted into the safety housing and the tip clears an end sense system of the binding component, the attracting or repelling force of the magnetic latch causes the binding component to rotate and secure the needle tip within the housing.