Needle Removal Device with Rotating Gripper Hubs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for removing needles from syringes pose a risk of accidental puncture and injury, as they often require manual handling and recapping, which can lead to contamination and stabbing accidents.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotation mechanism featuring two gripper hubs driven by separate units, allowing for safe and controlled rotation of the needle relative to the syringe, ensuring the needle is always pointed away from the user, and incorporating a biasing element and torque sensing module for secure grip and controlled operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual handling and recapping of needles is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the risk of accidental puncture and injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated needle removal device as an intermediary between the user and the needle. The device includes a gripper mechanism that securely holds the needle, a rotation mechanism with controlled angular movement to twist the needle off the syringe, and a positioning system that maintains the needle tip oriented away from the user throughout the process. This intermediary system eliminates direct manual handling of the needle, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplicity and safety.
2Reliability
If automated rotation mechanism with multiple gripper hubs is used, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where the first and second gripper hubs are concentrically arranged around a common axis of rotation. The gripper units are mounted on these hubs in a nested configuration, with the gripping sections positioned to engage the needle from different radial positions. This nesting approach allows multiple functional components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall device footprint and managing complexity through hierarchical organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation mechanism is segmented into two independently controllable gripper hubs, each capable of rotational movement. The first gripper hub rotates to position the needle, while the second gripper hub performs the twisting motion to remove the needle from the syringe. This segmentation allows each hub to be optimized for its specific function and enables independent control, managing the overall system complexity through functional decomposition.
3Reliability
If controlled rotation with precise angular positioning is implemented, then the safety is improved by keeping needle tip away from user, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a controller that automatically manages the rotation and positioning sequence. The controller programs the first gripper hub to rotate to a predetermined angle that positions the needle tip away from the user, then activates the second gripper hub to perform the twisting motion. This self-service automation eliminates the need for the operator to manually coordinate complex rotational movements, thereby maintaining safety through precise angular positioning while preserving ease of operation through automated control.
Data Source
AI summary
Stabbing accidents are prone to occur to people handling needles, for example when recapping a needle or when trying to remove a needle from a syringe. A device is provided for safe and automatic removal of a needle from a syringe aimed to prevent stabbing accidents. The device is arranged to grab hold of and rotate the needle of a syringe. The needle, after being rotate off the syringe is discarded into the device by releasing the grip on the needle. The device rotates two rotating gears relative to each other to move grippers towards the needle, and rotates the two gears together to rotate the needle relative to the syringe which may be held by the user.