Needle Guard Body with CAM Leverage for RNS Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needle stick safety devices for prefilled syringes are difficult for healthcare workers and patients with limited manual dexterity to use, as they require excessive force to remove the Rigid Needle Shield (RNS) and can lead to needle stick injuries due to delayed shielding of the needle.
Innovation Solution
A device with a RNS Removal Tool featuring a larger surface area and CAM mechanisms for mechanical leverage, combined with a Needle Guard Body that automatically shields the needle upon injection completion, independent of syringe geometry, to facilitate easy RNS removal and immediate needle protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Rigid Needle Shield (RNS) is used to protect the needle, then needle protection is improved, but the device becomes difficult to remove and requires excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The RNS is divided into two separate components: the RNS itself and the RNS Removal Tool. This segmentation allows the RNS to remain protective during storage while providing a dedicated tool for easy removal when needed, resolving the contradiction between maintaining protection and enabling easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The RNS Removal Tool acts as an intermediary device that interfaces between the user and the RNS. It provides mechanical leverage and a larger surface area for application, enabling easy removal of the RNS without requiring excessive force from the user.
2Reliability
If the needle guard shields the needle immediately, then needle stick injury prevention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guard is pre-positioned in a retracted state within the device housing. Upon insertion into the patient, the needle guard automatically extends to shield the needle, performing the protective action at the appropriate moment without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guard is nested within the device housing structure, allowing it to be compact during storage and automatically deploy when needed. This nesting approach provides immediate shielding capability while maintaining a simple, compact device overall.
3Ease of operation
If the needle guard projects forward before injection, then patient anxiety reduction is improved, but the device length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guard is designed as a dynamic component that can change its position relative to the device housing. It remains retracted during storage to maintain compact dimensions, then automatically extends forward during injection to provide the protective shield and reduce patient anxiety.
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 reduces the force required for RNS removal and ensures contemporaneous needle shielding, enhancing user safety and reducing the risk of needle stick injuries, especially for patients with limited strength or dexterity.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring acting at its proximal end... biased in a distal direction by a compression spring
Implementation Method 2
RNS Removal Tool featuring a larger surface area and CAM mechanisms for mechanical leverage
Data Source
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AI summary
A device that is used in conjunction with a needle-based medication injection device (e.g. a prefilled syringe) that prevents needle stick injuries after the medication has been injected into a patient. The used needle is shielded by a cylindrical needle guard that surrounds and extends beyond the needle tip. In a preferred embodiment, before the needle is inserted into the patient, the needle guard projects forward to substantially hide visibility of the needle for safety and to reduce patient anxiety.