Pen Needle Hub Ribs for Controlled Tightening and Safe Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pen needles lack effective mechanisms to prevent over-tightening onto medication delivery pens and ensure safe disposal, leading to potential user errors and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
The pen needle design incorporates haptic feedback mechanisms, such as longitudinally extending ribs on the needle hub and outer cover, to prevent over-tightening and includes a removable inner shield and tamper-evident end cap for safe disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hub is threaded tightly onto the delivery pen, then secure attachment is achieved, but over-tightening can damage the needle hub or delivery pen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates haptic feedback mechanisms including tactile ridges and audible click indicators that provide real-time feedback to the user during the threading process. When the hub reaches the optimal tightening position, the ridges engage with corresponding features on the delivery pen, creating a tactile sensation and audible click that signals the user to stop threading, thereby preventing over-tightening while ensuring secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle hub includes a threaded portion with controlled engagement features that inherently limit the maximum tightening force that can be applied. The structural design of the threads and engagement surfaces provides built-in protection against excessive force, cushioning the system from damage before it can occur.
2Ease of operation
If the hub is made easy to remove from the delivery pen, then safe disposal is facilitated, but the connection may become loose during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric threading where the engagement mechanism allows easy removal in one direction (counter-clockwise) while requiring significant torque to tighten (clockwise). The threaded portion and engagement features are designed with asymmetric geometry that facilitates unilateral ease of operation, enabling simple removal for disposal while maintaining secure connection during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism transitions from a static tight-lock state during use to a dynamically easy-to-release state for disposal. The threading design incorporates features that maintain high friction and stability during attachment and use, but allow controlled release when removal is initiated, adapting the connection characteristics based on the operational phase.
3Measurement precision
If haptic feedback features are added to the hub, then user awareness of proper installation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback features are integrated directly into the molded structure of the needle hub and delivery pen interface, utilizing flexible ridges and thin-walled engagement features that provide tactile and audible feedback without requiring separate complex mechanisms. The feedback is generated through the deformation and engagement of these flexible structural elements during threading.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanisms are merged with the functional threading structure itself rather than being separate components. The ridges, clicks, and tactile features are integrated into the hub and delivery pen interface design, combining the attachment function with the feedback function in a unified structure, thereby minimizing additional complexity.
4Strength
If the needle hub has threaded engagement features, then secure attachment to the delivery pen is achieved, but the threading process may slip or cross-thread
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile ridges and audible click indicators provide continuous feedback during the threading process, guiding the user through proper alignment and engagement. The feedback mechanism detects and signals when the threads are correctly aligned and when full engagement is achieved, preventing cross-threading and slipping by keeping the user informed of the threading status throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub and delivery pen features pre-aligned threading guides and self-centering geometric features that automatically align the threads before engagement begins. This preliminary alignment action prevents cross-threading by ensuring the threads are properly oriented before the user applies tightening force.
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
The design provides tactile and audible feedback during attachment and detachment, ensuring proper installation and safe handling, while the inner shield and end cap enhance user safety and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
The protrusions slide over one another when tightening the hub on the delivery pen to provide a tactile and/or audible sensation to the user
Data Source
AI summary
A pen needle (10) includes a hub (12) supporting a needle (30), an inner shield (14) enclosing the distal end of the needle, and an outer cover (16). The outer surface of the hub can include ribs (66) that cooperate with ribs (72) on the inner surface of the outer cover to assist in attaching the pen needle to a delivery device while preventing over torqueing or over tightening. In one embodiment, the inner shield (14) has a dimension to attach to the distal end of the hub (12) after use to enclose the proximal, non-patent end of the needle. In another embodiment, the outer cover (16) includes a closure member that can be removed during use and re-attached after use to cover the proximal end of the needle.