Pen Needle Adapter Scything Edge for Sterility Barrier Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The storage and disposal of unused and used pen needles in medication delivery pens are inefficient, with sterility barriers often impeding the connection and movement of needle assemblies due to pieces of the barrier bunching at the opening, leading to connection issues and hindering the safe handling and disposal process.
Innovation Solution
A pen needle adapter with a distal end featuring a through cut and scything edge or tooth to pierce and guide away the barrier material, ensuring smooth access and removal of needle assemblies from packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sterility barrier is used to seal needle assemblies in packaging, then sterility is maintained, but the barrier material bunches at the opening and impedes connection and movement of needle assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The scything edge removes the barrier material from the packaging opening by cutting and guiding it away, extracting the problematic barrier material that bunches up and impedes needle assembly operations
Solution Approach 2:
The scything edge acts as an intermediary element between the needle assembly and the barrier material, facilitating the separation and removal of the barrier material to prevent it from interfering with connection and movement operations
2Reliability
If barrier material is used to cover packaging openings, then sterility is protected, but pieces of the barrier impede connection between adapter and needle assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The scything edge extracts and removes pieces of barrier material from the packaging opening area, preventing them from interfering with the precise connection between the adapter and needle assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The scything edge converts the potentially harmful barrier material that could impede connection into a benefit by guiding it away cleanly, ensuring precise connection while maintaining the protective function of the barrier during storage
3Reliability
If barrier material bunches at the packaging opening, then sterility is maintained, but movement of needle assemblies is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The scything edge extracts and guides away the barrier material as the needle assembly is accessed, preventing it from bunching up and slowing down the movement and access operations
Solution Approach 2:
The scything edge performs preliminary action by cutting and guiding away the barrier material before it can bunch up and impede subsequent needle assembly movement, enabling faster and smoother access
Data Source
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AI summary
An injection pen, or an adapter for an injector pen, configured to connect at its distal end with a needle assembly, and having a tubular wall comprising a through cut from the distal end to pierce and capture barrier material covering needle assembly packaging containing a needle assembly in a cavity therein. The though cut has an opening with an edge that scythes the barrier material when the hub is pressed against the needle assembly packaging to access the needle assembly. The edge can have a tooth for piercing the barrier material. The opening can be dimensioned and shaped and angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the pen or adapter to facilitate capturing scythed barrier material and guiding it away from the needle assembly to ensure the pierced barrier material does not hinder connection of the needle assembly to the pen or adapter.