Medical Needle Shield Anti-Rotation Member

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical needle safety shields fail to effectively prevent accidental exposure to the needle tip, particularly due to rotation issues that can cause the safety housing to twist off after locking, compromising protection against needle sticks.

Innovation Solution

A medical needle shield apparatus featuring an anti-rotation component that integrally extends from the safety housing, preventing rotation and ensuring the safety housing remains securely locked over the needle tip, combined with a binding component that locks into place to prevent accidental movement, thereby enhancing protection against needle sticks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the safety housing is designed to lock over the needle tip, then protection against needle sticks is improved, but the safety housing may rotate and twist off, compromising protection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against needle sticksVSAvoidrotation resistance of safety housing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by providing the anti-rotation member with a non-circular cross-section that includes a flat portion. This asymmetric geometry prevents rotational movement of the safety housing relative to the needle shaft, as the flat portion cannot rotate within the corresponding recess without disengaging. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable protection while preventing rotation-induced instability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-rotation member is pre-positioned on the needle shaft before the safety housing is activated. When the safety housing moves over the needle tip, the anti-rotation member is already in place to prevent rotation. This preliminary positioning ensures that as soon as the locking mechanism engages, rotation is simultaneously prevented, maintaining both protection reliability and rotational stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the safety housing is made movable to allow needle insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but accidental movement may expose the needle tip, reducing safety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle insertion capabilityVSAvoidprotection against accidental exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by designing the safety housing as a movable component that can transition between retracted and advanced positions. The binding member provides a dynamic locking mechanism that engages when the safety housing is advanced over the needle tip and disengages when retracted. This allows easy needle insertion while maintaining reliable protection through the dynamic locking action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The binding member provides feedback by mechanically indicating when the safety housing is properly locked over the needle tip. When the safety housing advances, the binding member engages with a corresponding feature on the needle shaft, providing tactile and visual confirmation that the protective position is achieved. This feedback mechanism ensures that the movable design does not compromise reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8206355B2Medical needle safety shield apparatus with an anti-rotation member

Publication Date: 2012.06.26 SPECIALIZED HEALTH PRODUCTS INC

AI summary

A medical needle shield apparatus having an anti-rotation component prevents the medical needle from rotating relative to a safety shield.