Needlecup Specimen Cap With Needle Lid System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional specimen collection methods risk contaminating samples and exposing technicians to biological hazards during transfer, and they often lead to mislabeling and damage due to inadequate protection of vulnerable areas in specimen cups.
Innovation Solution
A novel specimen cap system with a needle lid and optional specimen cup design that allows sample transfer without exposing handlers to the specimen, using a lower cover with a needle holder and assembly to draw samples into a collection tube via vacuum, ensuring containment and preventing spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional transfer methods (pouring, pipetting, funneling) are used to move specimens from collection containers to test tubes, then the specimen can be transferred and analyzed, but the technician is exposed to biological hazards and the specimen risks contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transfer device with a needle and syringe system that acts as an intermediary between the specimen container and the collection tube. The needle pierces through the container closure to access the specimen internally, allowing transfer without direct exposure. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for technicians to directly handle or pour the specimen, thus preventing biological hazard exposure while maintaining specimen integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer device is segmented into distinct functional components: a needle for piercing, a syringe for aspiration and transfer, and a collection tube for receiving the specimen. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function in isolation, with the needle accessing the specimen through the closure without compromising the overall containment system, thereby protecting both the technician and the specimen.
2Productivity
If conventional transfer methods are used, then the specimen can be moved to analysis containers, but mislabeling and contamination risks increase with each transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The device is pre-assembled with the needle attached to the syringe before use. The needle is designed to pierce through the container closure in a predetermined manner, and the syringe is pre-positioned to receive the specimen. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for multiple handling steps and reduces the opportunity for mislabeling or contamination that would occur during manual transfer operations.
3Ease of operation
If the cup's open end and cap interior surfaces are left exposed, then the collection process is simple and quick, but these surfaces are vulnerable to hand and body contact that can contaminate the specimen or cause injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane or thin film closure that seals the container opening. This flexible barrier allows the needle to pierce through easily during transfer while preventing direct contact between the specimen and external surfaces. The thin film maintains its integrity during normal handling but can be penetrated by the needle, thus protecting against contamination and injury risks while preserving collection simplicity.
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
This solution enables safer handling of specimens by preventing exposure to biological hazards and reducing the risk of contamination and mislabeling during transfer, while maintaining the integrity of the sample.
Implementation Method 1
The needle assembly extends downward enough into the specimen cup to reach beneath the sample's surface. Thus, suction on the needle assembly will draw samples out of the specimen cup. The collection tube supplies the vacuum in versions configured for use with an evacuated collection tube.
Implementation Method 2
suction on the needle assembly will draw samples out of the specimen cup
Data Source
AI summary
A specimen cap. The specimen cap allows material to be transferred out of a specimen cup without exposing the user (clinician, lab tech, phlebotomist) to the sample. The cap employs a double cap system with a secondary cap providing access to a needle holder that holds a needle assembly. The needle assembly has an upward extending needle, with an optional needle cover, and a downward extending draw or sample tube extending downward to reach the sample contained in the specimen cup.