Syringe Adapter Needle Alignment Intradermal Injection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current devices for intradermal injections are difficult to use, unreliable, and painful due to variations in skin thickness and needle placement, leading to inefficient and inconsistent delivery of substances to the dermal layer, limiting the widespread use of the intradermal delivery route.

Innovation Solution

An adapter device for a syringe that includes a C-shaped body with support elements to align and stabilize the needle cannula at a precise angle and depth, allowing for efficient and reproducible intradermal injections by supporting the needle cannula intermediate its base and tip, facilitating one-handed use and improved placement depth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a standard needle and syringe are used for intradermal injection, then the device is simple and easy to obtain, but the needle placement precision and injection reliability are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

An adapter device is introduced as an intermediary component between the syringe and the skin surface. The adapter includes a support element that positions the needle cannula at the correct angle and depth, mediating the interaction between the simple syringe and the complex requirement for precise intradermal injection. This allows standard syringes to achieve reliable intradermal delivery without requiring specialized expensive equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter device performs preliminary positioning and alignment of the needle cannula before the actual injection occurs. The support element pre-establishes the correct insertion angle and depth, and the flange provides preliminary skin contact and stabilization. This preliminary action ensures that when the injection is delivered, the needle is already correctly positioned for reliable intradermal delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the needle insertion angle and depth are not precisely controlled, then the operation is simple and quick, but the injection accuracy and success rate are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneedle placement precisionVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter device creates an equipotential condition by providing a fixed reference plane (the flange) that contacts the skin surface at a standardized position. The support element is positioned at a predetermined angle relative to this flange, establishing a consistent potential reference for needle insertion. This eliminates the variability in insertion angle and depth that would otherwise require complex user skill and judgment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter device performs the complex task of angle and depth control automatically through its mechanical structure, without requiring the user to manually measure or calculate the correct insertion parameters. The support element's fixed geometry self-enforces the correct needle orientation, and the flange self-aligns with the skin surface, making precise injection accessible to users without specialized training.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the needle cannula is not properly aligned with the skin surface, then the injection process is fast, but the compound delivery efficiency is poor due to jet effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompound delivery efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter device applies preliminary anti-action by preventing the harmful jet effect before it can occur. The support element pre-positions the needle at the correct shallow angle (10-15 degrees), and the flange pre-stabilizes the injection site, counteracting the tendency for the needle to penetrate too deeply or at too steep an angle. This preliminary counter-measure eliminates the jet effect that would otherwise cause compound loss and reduce delivery efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP2373365B1Alignment of a needle in an intradermal injection device
Publication Date: 2014.04.23 SID TECH LLC
  • EP2373365B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2373365B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2373365B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An adapter device (100, 200) for use in combination with a syringe (20) to form an assembly (10) for delivering an intradermal injection. The adapter device comprises a body (110, 210) which is connectable to the syringe. A second primary skin contacting surface (232) is positioned at a distal end (126, 226) of the body. At least one support element (140, 150, 240) is connected to the body. With the assembly in an assembled condition, the at least one support element supports a needle cannula (24) connected to the syringe. The needle cannula is supported by the at least one support element intermediate a base (26) and a tip (28) of the needle cannula. At least a terminal portion of the needle cannula extends axially in a direction substantially parallel to at least a planar portion of the second primary skin contacting surface.