Medical Needle Protector Assembly via Segmented Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical needles with protectors face assembly challenges due to interference between the hub and protector's lock units, requiring intricate molding dies and complex operations for insert molding.
Innovation Solution
The medical needle features a hub with a step-shaped end surface and a cylindrical protector with an elastically deformable protrusion piece and width-increased portion, allowing for easy assembly without insert molding, with the second lock unit preventing the hub from unlocking when the needle tube is stored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If insert molding is used to assemble hub and protector, then assembly is achieved, but molding die structure becomes intricate and operations become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the locking mechanism into separate modular components: a lock groove formed on the hub and a separate lock piece integrated with the protector. This segmentation allows each component to be molded independently using simple molds, then assembled together without requiring complex insert molding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock piece on the protector is designed to fit into the lock groove on the hub, creating a nested assembly structure. The lock piece includes engagement protrusions that fit into corresponding engagement grooves on the hub, allowing the smaller component to be nested within the larger one during assembly.
2Reliability
If lock units are added to prevent needle protrusion, then safety is improved, but assembly difficulty increases due to interference between lock units
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted from a complex integrated lock unit and separated into distinct simple elements: a lock groove on the hub and a separate lock piece on the protector. This extraction eliminates interference between lock units while maintaining the safety function through the engagement of these separate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism uses localized engagement features rather than comprehensive interlocking structures. The lock groove and lock piece create a focused local engagement point that provides sufficient safety function without the complexity of extensive lock unit interference zones.
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
Enables straightforward assembly of separately molded components and prevents erroneous needle protrusion, ensuring secure storage and preventing accidental punctures.
Implementation Method 1
a protrusion piece that is provided on a rear end side of the large cylindrical portion, extends to a rear end side of the protector, and is elastically deformable in a direction away from an axial line of the protector
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a medical needle with a protector that allows separately molded hub and protector to be easily assembled together. A medical needle with a protector (1) includes: a hub (3) that supports a needle tube (2); a protector (4) capable of storing the needle tube (2); a first lock unit (42a, 42b, 73) that locks the hub (3) to the protector (4) capable of unlocking in a first state; and a second lock unit (43, 75) that locks the hub (3) to the protector (4) incapable of a transition to the first state in a second state. The protector includes a large cylindrical portion (41), a protrusion piece (43), and a width-increased portion (42). The width-increased portion (42) is provided on the outer peripheral side of the protrusion piece (43) and has a minor axis and a major axis. The protrusion piece (43) is formed integrally with the large cylindrical portion (41) on the major axis side of the width-increased portion (42).