Self-Centering Pen Needle Guide for Accurate Insertion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Safety pen needles face challenges in confirming needle exposure and activation, particularly in patients with high BMI or soft skin, leading to issues like premature activation, angled insertion, bruising, and inconsistent medication deposition due to skin dimpling.
Innovation Solution
A device with a housing and tapered hole that self-centers the needle, provides a flat mounting surface for skin contact, and ensures perpendicular insertion, minimizing excessive force and bruising, while aiding in consistent medication delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a safety pen needle shield is used to protect the needle, then needle safety is improved, but the ability to confirm needle exposure and injection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded indicators on the needle shield and housing to communicate needle exposure status and injection progress. Different colors indicate different states (e.g., exposed vs. retracted needle, injection completion), allowing healthcare professionals to easily confirm injection status without removing the protective shield.
2Ease of operation
If skin dimpling occurs during injection on high BMI patients, then needle insertion is easier, but injection force consistency and accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stabilizing platform or base that acts as an intermediary between the injection device and the patient's skin. This platform distributes the injection force over a larger area, preventing skin dimpling while maintaining consistent needle insertion depth and angle, thereby ensuring accurate medication delivery.
3Measurement precision
If excessive pressure is applied to flatten soft skin, then needle insertion accuracy is improved, but skin bruising and premature safety activation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a preliminary skin stabilization mechanism that prepares the injection site before needle penetration. This may include a flattening plate or support structure that is positioned on the skin surface beforehand, creating a stable platform that eliminates the need for excessive pressing force during the actual injection, thereby preventing bruising and premature safety mechanism activation.
4Speed
If angled needle insertion occurs due to skin dimpling, then insertion speed is improved, but medication deposition accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a guide structure or alignment mechanism that acts as an intermediary to maintain proper needle orientation during insertion. This guide ensures the needle enters the skin at the correct angle and depth, preventing angled insertion that would result from skin dimpling, while still allowing for quick and efficient administration.
Data Source
AI summary
A device (25) is provided to aid in needle insertion of an injector, such as a safety pen needle (10). The device (25) includes a housing (30) having a mounting surface (38) configured to contact a skin surface (78), and a hole (46) configured to receive the injector (10), wherein the hole (46) is configured allow the injector (10) to bottom out on the hole (46) to aid in the needle insertion. An LED (70) may also be provided to illuminate the housing (30) for use in low light conditions.