Protective Needle Clip Axial Expansion Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective needle clips for hypodermic needles lack an effective mechanism to securely shield the needle tip after use, leading to a need for improved designs that can reliably prevent accidental contact.
Innovation Solution
A protective clip with a curved force-generating section that includes a body with proximal and distal openings and a free end, where the free end is in contact with a ledge, allowing the body to axially expand and bias the arm radially outward to shield the needle tip, using a combination of material selection and geometric configuration to create a resilient gripping mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a prior art protective needle clip uses a resilient portion to block the needle tip, then the needle tip can be shielded, but the mechanism is complex and requires additional components such as springs or exterior resilient members
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the resilient function from a separate spring or exterior resilient member and integrates it directly into the body section of the clip itself. The body section is formed with a curved configuration that inherently provides the resilient biasing force, eliminating the need for additional resilient components while maintaining the needle tip shielding function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the structural body of the clip with the resilient biasing mechanism into a single integrated component. The curved body section serves dual purposes: providing the structural framework for needle reception and simultaneously generating the resilient force needed to bias the arm against the needle tip for secure shielding.
2Force
If the resilient portion is biased radially inwardly over the needle tip, then the needle tip is blocked, but the force generation mechanism requires complex activation and retention systems
Solution Approach 1:
The curved body section is designed to automatically generate and maintain the radial biasing force without requiring external activation mechanisms. As the arm moves radially outward to shield the needle tip, the curved body section self-adjusts to maintain continuous contact and biasing force, eliminating the need for complex activation or retention systems.
3Reliability
If material selection and geometric configuration are used to create a resilient gripping mechanism, then the spring force can be adjusted for reliable operation, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the material properties and geometric configuration of the body section to optimize the resilient gripping mechanism. By adjusting material selection and the curvature parameters of the body section, the spring force and gripping characteristics can be tuned to achieve reliable operation while managing manufacturing precision requirements.
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 clip effectively shields the needle tip by gripping the needle securely, preventing accidental contact and maintaining position during normal use, with adjustable stiffness and material choices enhancing the spring force for reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
the body section comprises an arch and a resilient force capable of axially expanding the body section
Implementation Method 2
the body section comprises an arch and a resilient force capable of axially expanding the body section
Data Source
AI summary
Protective needle clips of the type having an arm and a body section for blocking a needle tip of a needle and for securing onto the needle are discussed herein. The body section has a free end, a fixed end, is generally arcuate, and has a resilient force capable axially expanding the body section when the free end is fixed behind a ledge to create a bias in the body section. A pair of openings on the body section is adapted to received a hypodermic needle. When the tip of the needle moves proximal of a shielding section on the protective clip, the free end disengages from the ledge and causes the body section to axially expand. The expansion changes the orientation of the openings relative to the needle to permit the openings to engage the needle.