Spring-Driven Needle Insertion for Low-Pain Transcutaneous Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical infusion devices are complex to manufacture and use, and they cause discomfort and anxiety in patients, especially children, due to improper needle insertion speed and force, which can lead to tissue rupture and pain.
Innovation Solution
A simple, easy-to-use insertion device with a trigger-type actuator mechanism that controls the speed and force of needle insertion, using a carriage and spring mechanism to ensure proper placement with minimal discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a needle is slowly inserted into the tissue, then the patient can perceive and control the insertion process, but more rupture events occur in the tissue and pain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary actions by pre-loading the spring mechanism and positioning the needle assembly before actual insertion. The trigger mechanism is prepared in advance to release the stored energy at the precise moment of insertion, ensuring the needle is propelled at the optimal speed to minimize tissue rupture while maintaining patient control through the trigger activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion process is divided into distinct phases: a rapid insertion phase where the spring-driven mechanism propels the needle through the tissue at high speed to minimize rupture, followed by a controlled deceleration phase as the needle reaches the target depth. This periodic action pattern optimizes both speed and tissue damage reduction.
2Manufacturing precision
If existing automatic injection devices are used to control insertion speed, then needle placement precision improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and isolates the essential function of speed control from complex electronic or mechanical systems. By removing unnecessary components and retaining only the critical spring-loaded propulsion mechanism with a simple trigger release, the device achieves precise needle placement control while dramatically reducing structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism is pre-loaded and self-contained within the device structure, automatically providing the necessary propulsion force without requiring external power sources, complex control systems, or additional actuators. The trigger mechanism simply releases the pre-stored energy, making the system self-sufficient and structurally simple.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If manual needle insertion is performed by patients, then psychological comfort improves, but insertion speed control is poor and tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded mechanism acts as an intermediary between the patient's trigger activation and the needle insertion process. When the patient pulls the trigger, it releases the pre-loaded spring, which then provides the controlled high-speed propulsion needed to minimize tissue rupture. This intermediary mechanism translates simple patient action into optimized insertion dynamics.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the key parameter of insertion speed from a manually-controlled variable (prone to being too slow) to a controlled high-value parameter through the spring mechanism. The trigger activation transforms the insertion from a slow, patient-limited process to a rapid, optimized process that minimizes tissue damage while remaining under patient control.
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 facilitates quick and comfortable needle insertion with controlled force and speed, minimizing patient anxiety and ensuring proper needle placement, thus reducing tissue rupture and pain.
Implementation Method 1
the drive may comprise a spring
Data Source
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AI summary
An insertion device for transcutaneous placement of a medical needle through the skin of a patient includes a cylindrical housing with a shell with a distal opening and a proximal opening. A carriage is slidably received within the shell between a distal position and a retracted position. The carriage includes elements to secure a needle assembly.