Needle Guard Assembly with Resilient Arm for Catheter Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter assemblies lack effective control over the infusion and withdrawal of fluids to and from patients, and there is a need for improved safety measures to prevent needle stick injuries during needle withdrawal.
Innovation Solution
A catheter assembly with a needle guard assembly that includes a housing with a needle trap and a resilient arm, which moves from a ready position to a protected position to block the needle tip, and a coupling arm that releases from the catheter hub once the needle is fully retracted, combined with a valve assembly for controlled fluid flow and a flexible extension tube for reduced phlebitis risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the needle is made sharp and extendable for easy vein access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety against needle stick injuries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is nested within the catheter hub, with the catheter hub forming a protective enclosure around the needle shaft. The needle can extend through the catheter hub for vein access, but is then retracted into the hub for protection, creating a nested structure that allows both sharp needle functionality and safety during withdrawal.
Solution Approach 2:
A protective cover or shield acts as an intermediary between the sharp needle tip and the external environment after needle withdrawal. This intermediary element blocks the sharp needle tip from causing stick injuries while allowing the needle to remain functional during the insertion phase.
2Ease of operation
If a valve is added to control fluid flow, then the control over infusion and withdrawal is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism is designed to automatically respond to fluid pressure differentials, opening to allow infusion when pressure is applied and closing to prevent backflow when pressure releases. This self-regulating mechanism provides fluid flow control without requiring complex external control systems or additional actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is integrated directly into the catheter hub structure, merging the fluid control function with the existing hub components. This integration avoids adding separate valve assemblies and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining effective fluid flow control for both infusion and withdrawal operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the needle is withdrawn completely from the catheter hub, then the safety against needle stick injuries is improved, but the ease of operation for vein access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to extend through the catheter hub when needed for vein access and then retract into the hub for protection. This dynamic movement enables the needle to be sharp and accessible during insertion, then safely hidden during withdrawal, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and safety.
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 provides enhanced control over fluid flow, reduces the risk of needle stick injuries, and minimizes phlebitis by ensuring the needle is safely guarded and the catheter assembly allows for efficient infusion and withdrawal procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient arm biasing the needle trap into the protected position, the resilient arm bearing against an inner wall of the housing to urge the needle trap into the protected position
Data Source
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AI summary
A needle guard assembly (120) for a catheter assembly, the needle guard assembly comprising: a housing (122) for receiving a needle (30) extending therethrough and having a distal end and a proximal end and a lengthwise axis between the distal and proximal ends, the housing being connectable at the distal end of the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub (4); a needle guard (140) disposed within the housing, the needle guard comprising: a needle trap (142) moveable between a ready position, in which the needle trap is held to one side of a needle shaft of a needle extending through the housing, and a protected position, in which the needle trap blocks a sharpened needle tip (36) of a needle within the housing, said needle trap comprising a first end and a second end: a resilient arm (150) biasing the needle trap into the protected position, the resilient arm bearing against an inner wall of the housing to urge the needle trap into the protected position; and a coupling arm (160) for coupling the housing to a proximal end of a catheter hub in the ready position; wherein the needle trap and the resilient arm are folded together to one side of a needle shaft in the ready position; wherein the resilient arm is rotated in a first direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing and the needle trap is rotated in a second direction relative to the lengthwise axis of the housing when the needle trap moves from the ready position to the protected position, the second direction being opposite the first direction; and a lateral or side member (144) extends proximally from the needle trap, wherein the lateral or side member is configured to prevent the needle from moving laterally out of the needle trap; and wherein the coupling arm is attached to the second end of the needle trap along a line extending generally perpendicularly to the lengthwise axis of the housing.