Disposable Pen Needle With Abbreviated Non-Patient End

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pen needles with uniform gauge struggle to reliably pierce thick septums due to needle buckling and may cause needle stick injuries, and are difficult and costly to manufacture when designed with thicker non-injection ends for improved piercing.

Innovation Solution

Disposable pen needles with an abbreviated non-injection end and reusable interfaces that pierce the septum, allowing for drug flow while minimizing the risk of needle stick injuries and simplifying manufacturing by using a hub with internal or external threads and a mounting boss for secure attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If thinner needles (greater than 28 gauge) are used for patient comfort, then patient comfort is improved, but the needle may not reliably pierce the thick septum due to needle buckling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient comfortVSAvoidseptum piercing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is designed with different gauge sections: a thinner distal end (greater than 28 gauge) for patient comfort and a thicker proximal end (24-26 gauge) for reliable septum piercing. This local variation in needle diameter allows each end to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If needles with thicker non-injection ends are used to improve septum piercing, then septum piercing reliability is improved, but manufacturing becomes difficult and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseptum piercing reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is divided into distinct sections with different diameters along its length. The proximal portion has a larger diameter for septum piercing while the distal portion has a smaller diameter for patient comfort. This segmented design allows standard manufacturing processes to create each section independently, avoiding the need for complex dual-gauge needle manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If standard pen needles are used, then assembly is simple, but there is a risk of needle stick injury at the non-patient end during assembly and disposal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidneedle stick injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The non-injection end of the needle is designed with a larger diameter than the injection end, making it blunt and unsuitable for piercing. This local difference in geometry maintains assembly simplicity while eliminating the hazard of accidental needle stick injuries during handling and disposal, as the thick proximal end cannot penetrate skin or septums.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10918807B2Disposable pen needle with abbreviated non-patient end, and reusable pen interface

Publication Date: 2021.02.16 EMBECTA CORP

AI summary

A medicament delivery system is disclosed including disposable pen needles (10, 60, 120) each having a stainless steel needle or cannula (12, 62, 122) with a concealed or a very short non-injection end (28, 78, 128) that is not intended to pierce the septum (8) of the drug storage compartment (6) of a medication pen (2), thus reducing the risk of needle stick injuries. Several types of non-metallic interfaces (30, 80, 100) serve as intermediaries between the pen needles (10, 60, 120) and a medication pen (2) and perform the septum-piercing function. These improve the flow of medicament to the needle or cannula (12, 62, 122) due to the larger lumen of the plastic interface (30, 80, 100) that directly feeds medicament to the needle or cannula (12, 62, 122), allowing for even smaller gauge needles for improved patient comfort.