Syringe Flat Indicia and Lateral Needle Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical syringes face challenges in applying readable dosage markings on small volumes due to limited surface area and the need for rotational printing, which can lead to medical errors, and existing needle safety mechanisms are complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
A syringe design featuring a barrel with laterally offset needle retraction cavity and outwardly facing, substantially flat indicia display surfaces for easy application of markings, combined with a needle safety device that includes a circumferentially extending tip shield activated by a handle, eliminating the need for a retraction mechanism and transverse sliding motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional rotational printing is used on small syringes, then dosage markings can be applied, but the limited surface area and rotational process reduce readability and increase medical errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from rotational printing on a curved cylindrical surface to flat indicia display surfaces that extend along the barrel. This dimensional change from curved to flat surfaces allows markings to be applied linearly rather than rotationally, improving readability while accommodating limited surface area on small syringes.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrel is divided into distinct flat indicia display surfaces that can be separately marked. This segmentation allows dosage markings to be applied to specific flat zones rather than requiring rotation around the entire cylinder, enhancing readability and reducing errors on small syringe volumes.
2Reliability
If complex needle retraction mechanisms are implemented, then needle safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex internal retraction mechanism entirely and replaces it with a simple external shield that covers the needle after use. This extraction of the problematic mechanism maintains needle safety functionality while dramatically reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is designed as a simple, disposable component that covers the needle after use and is discarded with the syringe. This approach provides effective needle safety without requiring complex reusable mechanisms, aligning with the disposable nature of single-use syringes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If longer needles are used, then the range of medical procedures is expanded, but the syringe overall length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle retraction cavity is positioned laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the syringe barrel. This lateral offset arrangement allows the cavity to extend along the barrel without increasing the syringe's overall length, enabling accommodation of longer needles while maintaining a compact form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle retraction cavity is nested within the barrel structure, with the cavity extending laterally offset from the main longitudinal axis. This nesting allows the cavity to house longer needles without protruding beyond the syringe's external dimensions, maintaining a compact overall length.
Data Source
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AI summary
A syringe for medical use having a barrel with a longitudinally extending tubular fluid chamber and at least one longitudinally extending, outwardly facing, substantially flat indicia display surface disposed proximally to the fluid chamber, a plunger slidably inserted into the fluid chamber, a needle projecting forwardly from the barrel in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; and a fixed length needle safety device having an activation handle slidably engaging the barrel and a forwardly projecting needle tip shield encircling the needle that moves forwardly to cover a tip end of the needle when the activation handle is moved forwardly following use of the syringe.