Recoil Reducing Needle Shield With Flexible Fulcrum Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Needle stick injuries occur due to recoil when removing needle shields from syringes, as the abrupt release of the shield leads to involuntary hand movement towards the uncovered needle, despite existing efforts to prevent this.
Innovation Solution
A recoil reducing needle shield design featuring an outer shell with an upper and lower portion connected by a flexible interface, allowing radially inward flexing of the upper portion to cause radially outward flexing of the lower portion, thereby reducing the initial pull-off force required for removal and minimizing recoil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a needle shield is designed with a secure attachment to the syringe, then the shield remains firmly in place during use, but a high initial pull-off force is required for removal which causes recoil and accidental needle stick injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The needle shield is divided into two main segments: an outer shell and an inner cover. The outer shell is further segmented into an upper portion and a lower portion connected by a flexible interface. This segmentation allows the shield to maintain secure attachment during use while enabling controlled deformation during removal to reduce pull-off force and prevent recoil.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible interface between the upper and lower portions of the outer shell provides dynamic flexibility. During removal, the upper portion can radially inwardly deform while the lower portion radially outwardly deforms, allowing the shield to adapt its structural rigidity. This dynamic behavior reduces the initial pull-off force spike that causes recoil, while maintaining secure attachment during normal use.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the needle shield uses a rigid structure, then it provides stable coverage and protection, but it requires excessive force to remove and causes abrupt release leading to recoil
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible interface enables the outer shell to transition from a rigid stable structure during use to a more compliant structure during removal. The upper portion's radial inward deformation and lower portion's radial outward deformation allow the shield to maintain stability when needed while becoming easier to remove when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible interface changes the structural parameters of the outer shell during removal. By allowing radial deformation of different portions in opposite directions, the interface modifies the shield's rigidity and flexibility parameters dynamically, enabling easy removal without compromising prior structural stability.
3Productivity
If the needle shield is designed to snap off cleanly from the syringe, then removal is quick and simple, but the abrupt release causes hand recoil toward the uncovered needle resulting in injury
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible interface provides a dynamic removal process rather than an abrupt snap-off. The upper portion deforms radially inward while the lower portion deforms radially outward, creating a controlled gradual separation that maintains user control and prevents the abrupt release that causes recoil and injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible interface acts as a cushioning mechanism during removal. By allowing controlled deformation of the upper and lower portions in opposite directions, it cushions the separation process, preventing the sudden energy release that causes hand recoil while still enabling quick removal.
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 effectively reduces the initial pull-off force needed to remove the needle shield, minimizing the risk of accidental needle stick injuries by preventing abrupt release and recoil.
Implementation Method 1
at least one flexible interface positioned therebetween and defining a fulcrum therebetween, such that radially inward flexing of the upper portion causes radially outward flexing of the lower portion about the at least one flexible interface
Implementation Method 2
radially outward flexing of the lower portion stretches the open proximal end of the inner cover, thereby reducing an initial pull-off force required to remove the needle shield from the drug container
Data Source
AI summary
A recoil reducing needle shield for covering a drug container with a needle includes an outer shell, including an upper portion, a lower portion, and at least one flexible interface positioned therebetween, defining a fulcrum. Radially inward flexing of the upper portion causes radially outward flexing of the lower portion about the flexible interface. An inner cover includes an open proximal end, a closed distal end, and a needle cavity defined therein for receiving a portion of the drug container including the needle. At least a portion of the inner cover is disposed within the outer shell. The open proximal end of the inner cover is coupled to the lower portion of the outer shell, such that radially outward flexing of the lower portion stretches the open proximal end of the inner cover, thereby reducing an initial pull-off force required to remove the needle shield from the drug container.