Medical Sharp Removal Using Induction Heating for Holder Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical sharp removal devices leave a portion of the needle in the holder, posing a risk of needle-stick injury and requiring the entire holder to be disposed of as medical waste, which cannot be recycled.
Innovation Solution
A device with a heating unit, a receiving unit, and a collet that uses induction heating to separate the medical sharp from its holder, allowing for complete removal and storage of the sharp while allowing the holder to be recycled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating is applied to separate the needle from the holder, then the needle can be removed, but the holder may be damaged or contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is positioned to apply heat locally only to the needle shaft where it contacts the holder, rather than heating the entire holder. This localized heating separates the needle from the holder while preserving the holder's integrity and preventing contamination of other components.
Solution Approach 2:
The device separates the needle into two parts: the sharp tip portion that is removed and the hub portion that remains in the holder. This segmentation allows the holder to retain the reusable hub while only the disposable needle tip is discarded, reducing waste and contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the needle is completely removed from the holder, then needle-stick injury risk is reduced, but the holder cannot be recycled
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into a removable sharp tip portion and a reusable hub portion that remains in the holder. This segmentation enables the holder to be reused or recycled while the dangerous sharp tip is completely removed and disposed of separately, resolving the contradiction between safety and recyclability.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful sharp tip portion is extracted and removed from the holder, leaving only the non-sharp hub portion. This extraction eliminates the needle-stick injury risk while preserving the holder for potential recycling or reuse.
3Reliability
If traditional sharps containers are used, then storage is provided, but removal of sharps is purposefully difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making removal difficult as in traditional containers, this device applies heating to facilitate easy removal of the needle tip. The inversion of the traditional approach transforms the removal process from deliberately difficult to easily controlled through thermal separation.
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 device safely and completely removes medical sharps from their holders, reducing the risk of needle-stick injuries and enabling recycling of the holders, while providing a safe and efficient method for disposal and storage of the sharps.
Implementation Method 1
A device with a heating unit, a receiving unit, and a collet that uses induction heating to separate the medical sharp from its holder
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for entirely removing a medical sharp from a holder to which it is connected, including a body (102), a heating unit (104) disposed in the body, a receiving unit (114) fixedly disposed in the body and configured to receive the holder, and a collet (122) movably disposed within the body and configured to receive the medical sharp. The apparatus also includes a first biasing member (130) disposed within the body, and a user interface (136) coupled to the collet and configured to displace the collet away from the receiving unit, actuate the first biasing member to increase a bias on the collet toward the receiving unit, and actuate the heating unit.