Switchable Puncture Needle Tip for Mixed Tissue Penetration

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing puncture needles face challenges in minimizing tissue damage during puncture, particularly when transitioning between hard and soft tissues, as sharp tips are effective for hard tissues but can harm soft tissues like adipose tissue.

Innovation Solution

A puncture needle design featuring an outer needle with a lumen, an inner needle that can switch between sharp and blunt states, and a lock mechanism to maintain the needle tip position, allowing for controlled tissue penetration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the needle tip is sharp, then puncture becomes easy and damage to surrounding tissue is reduced, but damage to peripheral blood vessels, nerves, and other soft tissues increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of punctureVSAvoiddamage to soft tissues

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The needle tip is made dynamically changeable through a switching mechanism that allows the inner needle to be displaced axially, transforming the tip from sharp to blunt configuration based on the tissue type being penetrated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The geometric parameters of the needle tip (sharpness/bluntness) are changed by displacing the inner needle relative to the outer needle, allowing the tip shape to be modified to match the requirements of different tissue types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the needle tip is blunt, then damage to peripheral blood vessels, nerves, and soft tissues is prevented, but puncture becomes difficult and requires more force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to soft tissuesVSAvoidpuncture force

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The needle tip is made dynamically changeable through a switching mechanism that allows the inner needle to be displaced axially, transforming the tip from sharp to blunt configuration based on the tissue type being penetrated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The geometric parameters of the needle tip (sharpness/bluntness) are changed by displacing the inner needle relative to the outer needle, allowing the tip shape to be modified to match the requirements of different tissue types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a fixed needle tip design is used, then the structure is simple, but the needle cannot adapt to different tissue types

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle structureVSAvoidadaptability to tissue types

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The needle tip is made dynamically changeable through a switching mechanism that allows the inner needle to be displaced axially, transforming the tip from sharp to blunt configuration based on the tissue type being penetrated

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The puncture needle is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating a switching mechanism that enables it to perform different puncture functions (sharp tip for hard tissue, blunt tip for soft tissue) with a single device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12508051B2Puncture needle

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 TERUMO KK

AI summary

A puncture needle includes: an outer needle including a lumen extending in an axial direction; an outer needle hub joined to a proximal end portion of the outer needle; an inner needle located in the lumen of the outer needle; a switching mechanism configured to switch between a first state in which a needle tip of the puncture needle is sharp and a second state in which the needle tip of the puncture needle is blunt by displacing the inner needle in the axial direction; and a lock mechanism that maintains a position of the inner needle.