Needle Guard Slot Geometry for Precise Wing Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needle guards allow for misalignment and exposure of needles due to imprecise use, posing a risk of accidental punctures, especially when the needle is not fully sheathed or when users pull the tubing at an angle.
Innovation Solution
The needle guard features narrow, parallel slots that positively engage the needle wings, increased lateral rigidity through high-density polyethylene (HDPE) construction, a lower jaw that extends beyond the upper jaw for stabilization, and a resilient latch with tactile feedback to ensure secure retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the slots in the needle guard are made large to facilitate easy capture of needle wings, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of misalignment and accidental puncture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slot geometry is designed with different characteristics at different locations: the opening is wide to facilitate easy capture of needle wings, while the interior portion is narrow to maintain precise alignment. This local variation in slot dimensions resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and alignment reliability.
2Reliability
If the needle guard structure is made rigid to prevent misalignment, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guard incorporates flexible elements that allow dynamic adjustment during insertion. The structure can flex to accommodate the needle during the insertion process, then maintains rigid alignment once the needle is captured, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the slots are made narrow to prevent sideways passage of needle components, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation worsens due to difficulty in capturing needle wings
Solution Approach 1:
The slot is segmented into distinct functional zones: an opening portion that is wide for easy capture, and an interior portion that is narrow for preventing sideways passage. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
4Ease of manufacture
If the needle guard is designed with simple structure for ease of manufacture, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to ensure precise alignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guard may utilize composite construction or integrated molding techniques that combine structural rigidity with precise geometric features. This allows complex slot geometries with high precision to be manufactured while maintaining ease of production through appropriate material selection and manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a needle guard includes providing a mold having a portion defining a volume, the volume being a hollow cylinder with non-uniform walls with a pair of slots therein, the slots being open at one end and closed at the other end, the pair of slots having a major portion of constant width. The walls are thicker at the other end than at the one end. The method includes filling the volume with polymer and releasing a molded part from said mold and cooling a molded part resulting from the filling and releasing such that temperature that the widths of the pair of slots is non-uniform after cooling. The needle guard has upper and lower jaws defining a channel and coming together at a hinge. A winged needle can be inserted between the jaws, with the wings of the winged needle passing through slots between the jaws.