Medical Suture Needle Curved Grooves Reduce Tip Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical suture needles with sharp pointed ends are prone to bending and cracking due to high processing rates and thin central cross-sectional thickness, which compromises their strength and insertion properties.
Innovation Solution
A medical suture needle design featuring a cutting-edge portion with a tapered shape, including one bottom part, two slopes, and curved grooves that decrease in thickness towards the sharp pointed end, reducing the risk of cracking and bending by distributing force more evenly and maintaining sharp angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cutting-edge portion has a sharp pointed end with high processing rate, then insertion property is improved, but the tip portion becomes prone to bending and cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different groove configurations at different locations along the slopes. The first curved groove is positioned closer to the cutting edge with specific dimensions, while the second curved groove is positioned closer to the top part with different dimensions. This local differentiation allows the cutting edge to remain sharp for good insertion property while the broader groove distribution enhances overall structural strength and reduces bending risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces curved grooves with predetermined dimensions that extend along the slopes. These curved features distribute stress more evenly compared to straight grooves, reducing stress concentration points that would lead to cracking. The curvature radius is specifically controlled to balance sharpness and strength.
2Shape
If the thickness of the cutting-edge portion decreases from body portion to sharp pointed end, then sharpness is improved, but strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the curved grooves at specific locations along the slopes rather than uniformly distributing them. The first curved groove is located to preserve sharpness near the cutting edge, while the second curved groove is positioned to provide strength reinforcement in the mid-section. This localized groove placement allows the thickness to decrease toward the tip for sharpness while maintaining adequate strength through strategic reinforcement zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structural design by combining the tapered cutting-edge portion with strategically placed curved grooves. This composite approach integrates the sharp tapered geometry with reinforcing curved features, achieving both sharpness and strength in different regions of the same component.
3Reliability
If curved grooves are added to maintain strength, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a balanced groove configuration with exactly two curved grooves per slope - not too few to provide insufficient reinforcement, not too many to create excessive complexity. Each groove has predetermined dimensions that are optimized to provide adequate strength without over-engineering the design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the curvature radius and position parameters of the grooves within specific ranges. By optimizing these parameters, the grooves provide maximum strength benefit with minimum added complexity. The predetermined dimensions ensure consistent performance while simplifying manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a medical suture needle configured so as to reduce the risk of bending and cracks occurring in a tip part in which a point is formed. The medical suture needle includes a cutting blade section (10) and a body section (20) that is continuous with the cutting blade section. The cutting blade section comprises one bottom surface (11) and two inclined surfaces (12) and includes a point (13) at which the one bottom surface and the two inclined surfaces meet, a cutting blade (14) formed so as to be continuous from the point and such that the bottom surface and the inclined surfaces meet, and a ridge (15) formed so as to be continuous from the point and such that the two inclined surfaces meet. The thickness of the cutting blade section decreases from the body section toward the point. The two inclined surfaces include grooves (18) that have a curved surface shape, that each have a preset size, and that are formed along the ridge starting from the position of the cutting blade so as to be separated from the point by a predetermined distance. The lower edges (18c) of the grooves separate from the cutting blade toward the ridge side as the grooves approach the body section side in the end sections of said grooves on the body section side.