Needle Buckling for Safety Feature Without Lumen Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating features on intravenous needles, such as crimping or adding external material, can reduce the needle's lumen, inhibit fluid flow, or increase production costs.
Innovation Solution
Applying a compressive force along the needle's longitudinal axis to cause buckling and outward expansion of the needle wall, creating a feature without decreasing the inner diameter and improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If crimping or adding external material is used to create a needle feature, then the needle feature can serve as a safety trigger, but the needle's lumen is reduced and fluid flow is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using the needle's own flexible tubular wall to form the feature through controlled buckling. The thin film (needle wall) is compressed axially to create an outward protrusion that maintains the hollow structure, allowing the feature to be formed without adding material that would block the lumen. The flexibility of the needle wall enables it to buckle outward while preserving the internal fluid passage.
2Reliability
If crimping or adding external material is used to create a needle feature, then the needle feature can serve as a safety trigger, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using the needle's own material and structure to create the safety feature. The feature is formed by compressing the needle itself, causing the tubular wall to buckle outward. This eliminates the need for separate materials (like metal bands) or complex multi-step manufacturing processes, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining the safety function.
3Reliability
If crimping or adding external material is used to create a needle feature, then the needle feature can serve as a safety trigger, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by combining the formation of the safety feature with the existing needle manufacturing process. The feature is created in a single step by applying axial compression to the needle, rather than requiring separate steps for adding material or crimping. This integration of the feature formation into the base manufacturing process improves manufacturing efficiency and reduces production time.
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 method allows for the creation of a needle feature that enhances safety without inhibiting fluid flow, is quicker to produce, and reduces manufacturing burdens, improving quality control and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
applying a compressive force between the distal portion and the proximal portion sufficient to affect an outward buckling of the tubular wall
Data Source
AI summary
A method of creating a feature on a needle. The method comprising the steps of providing a needle having a sharpened distal end for insertion into an insertion site on a subject, a proximal end, and a tubular wall defining an inner diameter and an outer diameter; gripping a distal portion of the needle about the outer diameter; gripping a proximal portion of the needle about an outer diameter; and applying a compressive force between the distal portion and the proximal portion sufficient to effect an outward buckling of the tubular wall, thereby increasing an outer diameter of the tubular wall between the distal portion and the proximal portion.