Safety Syringe with Elastic Cap and Segmented Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional syringes face issues with needle-stick injuries due to improper capping, potential reuse, and incomplete filtration of foreign matters, leading to safety concerns and fluid wastage.
Innovation Solution
A safety syringe design featuring a safety cap that automatically covers the needle using an elastic mechanism, a double filter for complete fluid filtration, and a modular structure with a protrusion on the piston to prevent reuse by engaging with the syringe luer, ensuring the needle is securely capped and foreign matters are filtered out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional capping apparatus is used to cover the needle, then needle-stick injuries are prevented, but the needle may protrude again causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The safety cap is designed to dynamically adapt its position based on piston movement. When the piston moves forward during injection, the safety cap automatically retracts to allow needle extension. After injection, when the piston returns, the safety cap automatically advances to cover and protect the needle, eliminating the need for manual recapping and ensuring continuous protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety cap mechanism incorporates feedback through its connection to the piston rod. The cap's position is automatically controlled by the piston's position, creating a closed-loop system where the cap responds to piston movement. This ensures the needle is exposed only when needed for injection and automatically protected when the piston returns to its initial position.
2Reliability
If the syringe is designed for single use to prevent infection, then patient safety is improved, but fluid remains in the syringe causing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe is designed as a disposable single-use device with a focus on complete fluid utilization. The barrel is specifically designed to allow the piston to reach the very end, extracting virtually all fluid from the barrel. This eliminates fluid waste while maintaining the safety benefits of single-use disposal, as the syringe is discarded after complete fluid delivery rather than being refilled or reused.
3Loss of substance
If the piston is pushed to the end to extract all fluid, then fluid waste is reduced, but a gap forms between the filter body and piston allowing foreign matters to pass
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration system is segmented into multiple components: a filter body with filtering elements, a piston with an integrated filter portion, and a structured arrangement where the piston's filter portion works in conjunction with the filter body. This segmentation allows the piston to push fluid through the filtering elements while maintaining proper filtration geometry even when the piston reaches its forward limit, preventing gaps that would allow unfiltered fluid to pass.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston is pre-configured with a filter portion that engages with the filter body before fluid injection begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the filtration pathway is established and maintained throughout the entire injection process, including when the piston reaches its forward limit. The structured design prevents gap formation by maintaining the filtration interface throughout the full range of piston motion.
4Reliability
If a safety cap mechanism is added to prevent needle exposure, then needle-stick injuries are prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety cap mechanism is merged with the existing piston and needle assembly. The cap is connected to the piston rod and moves in coordination with piston motion, combining the safety function with the injection mechanism rather than adding a completely separate system. This integration reduces overall complexity while maintaining effective needle protection throughout the injection cycle.
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 effectively prevents needle-stick injuries, reduces fluid wastage, and ensures complete filtration of harmful substances, while allowing for modular assembly to meet customer needs.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body arranged between the needle holder and the switch part and configured to provide operating power to move the switch part
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a safety syringe capable of preventing needle-stick injuries, filtering foreign matters in a fluid, and preventing reuse thereof. The safety syringe includes: a safety needle part provided with a safety cap, the safety cap being configured to pop out by an elastic force of an elastic body connected thereto when the safety cap is unlatched and to be fixed while surrounding a needle tip; a filter part being configured such that a first end thereof is coupled with the safety needle part, and filtering fluid introduced or discharged through the needle; and a main body part being configured such that a first end thereof is coupled with the filter part, and having a barrel with a piston mounted therein, the piston being provided at a fore end thereof with an insertion part pushing out the fluid by being inserted into a luer of the syringe.