Pliable Pen Needle Hub with Splines for Tactile Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users, particularly those with diabetes, face difficulties in attaching and detaching pen needles from injection devices due to reduced tactile abilities and impaired vision, and existing packaging solutions do not provide sufficient sterility barriers or ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A pliable outer cover with a heat-activated adhesive and a design featuring a hub portion with splines and a larger flange for increased surface area contact and tactile feedback, along with a transparent material for better visibility, facilitates easier attachment and detachment of pen needles while maintaining sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid outer shield is used to protect the pen needle, then protection and sterility are improved, but ease of operation and tactile feedback are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shield is segmented into a rigid outer shell for protection and a separate pliable inner component (hub or flange) for manipulation. This allows the rigid structure to maintain sterility and protection while the pliable segment provides tactile feedback and ease of handling for users with impaired tactile abilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the outer shield have different mechanical properties: the main body remains rigid for protection, while specific contact areas (hub, flange, or gripping portions) are made pliable to provide tactile feedback. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between rigid protection and flexible ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the outer cover material is made pliable to improve ease of operation, then tactile feedback is improved, but structural strength and sterility barrier are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover is divided into rigid and pliable segments, where the rigid portion maintains structural strength and sterility barrier, while the pliable portion (hub or flange) provides tactile feedback for manipulation. This segmentation allows both contradictory requirements to be satisfied in different regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer cover uses composite construction combining rigid material (for strength and sterility) and pliable material (for tactile feedback). This composite approach allows the single component to simultaneously provide both structural integrity and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the hub flange size is increased to provide greater surface area for tactile feedback, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and packaging space are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The enlarged hub flange serves multiple functions: it provides tactile feedback for manipulation, acts as a gripping surface, and serves as a structural connection point. This multi-functionality justifies the increased size by providing multiple benefits from a single design feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange is enlarged only in the specific region where tactile feedback is needed, while other portions of the device maintain compact dimensions. This localized enlargement minimizes the impact on overall device complexity and packaging space while providing the necessary tactile feedback surface area.
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 solution enhances user control and safety by providing greater tactile feedback, reducing the risk of accidental needlesticks, and improving the ease of use for users with impaired tactile abilities and vision, while also reducing manufacturing costs and environmental impact through efficient packaging design.
Implementation Method 1
a pliable outer cover with a heat-activated adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is disclosed for storing and dispensing a pen needle for an injection device, including a packaging assembly including a pliable outer cover, the outer cover having a hub portion, a needle portion disposed at a distal end of the hub portion, and a flange disposed at a proximal end of the hub portion, the hub portion having internally protruding splines or other structures for engaging a hub of a pen needle. The hub portion is sufficiently pliable for a user to press gripping portions of the hub portion so that corresponding internal portions of the hub portion between the splines contacts the pen needle hub to increase a surface area contact between the outer cover and a pen needle therein.