Pen Needle Outer Cover with Segmented Wells for Safe Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pen needle assemblies require manual handling, increasing the risk of accidental needle sticks during attachment, removal, and disposal, as they often necessitate the use of both hands and can be difficult to manage without exposing the cannula.
Innovation Solution
A pen needle assembly with an outer cover featuring a first well to retain the needle hub and a second well for the inner shield, allowing for a friction or interference fit to separate the shield without manual handling, reducing the risk of needle exposure and enabling one-handed operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual handling of the needle hub and inner shield is required, then the device can be operated with basic components, but the risk of accidental needle sticks increases and safety decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover is segmented into multiple functional wells: a first well for receiving and retaining the needle hub, a second well for receiving the inner shield, and a third well for receiving the used needle hub after separation. This segmentation allows each component to be handled independently in its own designated space, reducing accidental exposure while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The outer cover acts as an intermediary device that mediates between the user and the sharp cannula. By providing enclosed wells for all components and a defined separation process, the outer cover intermediates the hazardous interaction between manual handling and the exposed needle, significantly reducing accident risk
2Ease of operation
If the inner shield is removed by pulling the needle hub, then the shield can be separated without handling it directly, but the outer cover structure must be more complex with multiple wells
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover is divided into distinct functional zones: a first well for the needle hub assembly, a second well specifically sized for the inner shield, and a third well for post-separation storage. This segmentation enables the simple pulling motion to effectively separate components without direct shield handling, justifying the increased structural complexity through improved safety and ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The inner shield is extracted from the needle hub assembly through a defined pulling motion on the hub. The second well in the outer cover is specifically designed to receive and retain the extracted shield, allowing complete separation without the user needing to grasp or handle the sharp shield directly
3Reliability
If the used needle hub is re-enclosed in the outer cover, then the cannula is protected from exposure, but the outer cover must accommodate multiple states of the needle hub
Solution Approach 1:
The outer cover provides a third well specifically designed to receive the used needle hub after separation from the delivery device. This segmentation allows the hub to be re-enclosed in a dedicated space, protecting the cannula while the cover's modular well structure accommodates the hub in different states (unused, separated, and used)
Solution Approach 2:
The outer cover serves multiple functions through its multi-well configuration: it stores the needle hub before use, receives the inner shield during separation, and re-encloses the used hub after use. This multi-functionality justifies the increased structural complexity by providing comprehensive protection and workflow integration
Data Source
AI summary
A needle hub assembly for coupling to a pen needle delivery device includes an outer cover having a first well receiving the needle hub and inner shield covering a cannula of the needle hub. A second well is spaced from the first well and receives the inner shield. In use, the pen delivery device is coupled to the connecting end of the needle hub to withdraw the needle hub and inner shield from the first well. The inner shield is inserted into the second well where the inner shield is gripped so that the inner shield can be separated from the needle hub without the user handling the outer cover or the inner shield. After use, the needle hub is inserted into the first well and the pen needle delivery device is separated from the needle hub. The needle hub is retained within the first well where the outer cover containing the used needle hub and inner shield can be discarded as a single unit.