Spring-Loaded Vial Holder for Single-Handed Medication Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medical professionals face challenges such as needlestick injuries, contamination risks, and difficulty in handling multiple vials of varying sizes and shapes during medication administration, which can compromise their safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A medication holding device featuring a spring-loaded clamp with pivotable clamp halves and a mount system that accommodates different vial sizes and shapes, allowing a single professional to securely hold vials and access them safely with a syringe, reducing the need for two-handed operation and minimizing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a medical professional holds the vial in one hand and draws medication with the other hand, then the operation can be performed with a single person, but the risk of needlestick injuries and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary mounting mechanism that holds the vial securely, acting as a mediator between the vial and the medical professional's hand. This allows the professional to operate with one hand while the mounting device assumes the holding function, thereby reducing needlestick risks while maintaining single-handed operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device segments the medication administration task into distinct functional components: a mounting device for secure vial holding, a gripping mechanism for stable positioning, and a releasing mechanism for controlled access. This segmentation allows the medical professional to interact safely with each component separately, reducing overall risk.
2Productivity
If multiple vials are handled simultaneously, then multiple medications can be administered, but the difficulty of handling and keeping track of vials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device is designed with universal compatibility to accommodate multiple vials of different sizes and types simultaneously. The structure provides multiple mounting positions and adjustable gripping mechanisms that can securely hold various vial configurations, enabling efficient management of multiple medications without increasing operational complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If devices for holding vials are designed for specific sizes and shapes, then the holding stability is improved, but the adaptability to varying vial sizes and shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping mechanism incorporates dynamic elements including spring-loaded components and movable gripping surfaces that can adapt to different vial dimensions. The spring mechanism provides constant pressure to maintain stable holding, while the movable components adjust their position to accommodate varying vial sizes and shapes, achieving both stability and adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes parameter changes in the spring compression and gripping force to accommodate different vial specifications. By adjusting the spring compression parameter, the device can adapt to various vial sizes while maintaining optimal holding stability through controlled force application.
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 enables safer and more efficient medication administration by stabilizing vials, reducing the risk of needlestick injuries and contamination, and allowing a single professional to manage multiple vials without the need for additional assistance.
Implementation Method 1
the clamp comprising a spring, a pair of clamp halves, and a tab extending from a first one of the clamp halves, the spring biasing the clamp halves towards one another
Data Source
AI summary
Example aspects of a medication holding device and a method for using a medication holding device are disclosed. The medication holding device can comprise a mount and a grip coupled to the mount, the grip defining a channel, the grip movable between an open position and a closed position, the channel defining a first width in the closed position, the channel defining a second width in the open position that is greater than the first width.