Needle Placement Device with Vacuum-Actuated Click Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for central line insertion lack rapid, frequent, and noticeable feedback for successful needle tip placement in blood vessels, leading to potential misplacement and increased risk of vein penetration errors.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with a vacuum chamber generating audio and haptic feedback through an abutment arm and surface interaction, providing more sensitive and quicker detection of needle tip placement, featuring a collapsible bellows and spring mechanism to enhance sensitivity and reduce air pockets, allowing for easier activation and reduced needle movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a traditional feedback mechanism is used, then the device structure is simple, but the feedback speed and noticeability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs mechanical vibration through the interaction between the abutment arm and the series of abutment members on the abutment surface. When the bellows expands due to vacuum, the abutment arm vibrates against the closely-spaced abutment members, generating audible clicking sounds and haptic feedback. This mechanical vibration system provides rapid, noticeable feedback without requiring complex electronic components, thus resolving the contradiction between feedback speed and device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If closely-arranged spaced abutment members are used, then the sensitivity and frequency of feedback increase, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment surface is segmented into multiple discrete abutment members arranged in series along the direction of abutment arm movement. This segmentation allows the arm to sequentially engage with each member, creating multiple distinct feedback events. The segmentation approach enables adequate feedback precision without requiring extremely tight tolerances on individual member spacing, as the cumulative effect of multiple engagements provides robust detection capability.
3Ease of operation
If a valve is added to control vacuum application, then the needle movement is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A valve is introduced as an intermediary component between the vacuum source and the bellows chamber. This valve acts as a control mediator that regulates vacuum application timing and magnitude, thereby stabilizing needle placement during the procedure. While the valve adds a component to the system, it enables precise control over vacuum activation, preventing unwanted needle movement and improving operational safety.
4Volume of moving object
If the abutment arm and abutment surface are located internal to the body, then the device compactness increases, but the accessibility for activation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment arm and abutment surface are nested internal to the device body, with the abutment members arranged in series along the longitudinal axis. This nested configuration minimizes the external footprint of the device while maintaining the functional feedback mechanism. The internal placement allows the components to be compactly integrated without compromising the vacuum chamber or bellows operation.
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 device provides rapid and frequent feedback, reducing the likelihood of needle misplacement and enhancing operator confidence in correct placement, thereby improving patient safety and procedural efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a body defining a vacuum chamber therein... means to generate at least one of an audio feedback and a haptic feedback to a user acted upon by a vacuum in the vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 2
featuring a collapsible bellows and spring mechanism to enhance sensitivity and reduce air pockets
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a medical device for use in aiding the successful placement of a needle tip in a blood vessel. The medical device comprises a body defining a vacuum chamber therein, a port for engagement of a hub of a needle, a fluid passageway through the port from the exterior of the body to the vacuum chamber in the interior of the body, and means to generate an audio/haptic feedback to a user acted upon by a vacuum in the vacuum chamber. The means to generate the audio/haptic feedback comprises an abutment arm and a complementary abutment surface engaged by the abutment arm. The abutment surface has ribs along its length, opposing the abutment arm. The vacuum in the vacuum chamber moves one of the abutment arm and the abutment surface relative to the other, thereby causing the abutment arm to releasably engage a rib to produce the audible/haptic feedback.