Medicament Vial Cap Adapter Needle Guide and Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medicament vial designs pose challenges in safely and efficiently transferring liquid medicament to a syringe, including risks of needlestick injuries and medicament residue on the vial stopper, especially in low-light environments.
Innovation Solution
A medicament vial cap adapter with a transverse wall portion, clamping members for secure attachment, a spike for piercing the stopper, a cone-shaped shield to guide the needle, and a light source for improved visibility, along with a secondary sealing member and vent passage to reduce residue and facilitate pressure equalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional vial design with a crimped closure and stopper is used, then the vial can be sealed and stored, but needlestick injuries occur and medicament residue remains on the stopper
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cap adapter as an intermediary device between the vial and syringe. The adapter includes a shield with a needle guide that channels the needle away from the user's hand, and a secondary seal that prevents medicament contact with the stopper. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by adding protective features while maintaining the basic vial closure function.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap adapter is segmented into distinct functional components: a shield element for protection, a needle guide for directionality, a secondary seal for contamination prevention, and a vent passage for pressure equalization. This segmentation allows each component to address specific harmful factors independently while working together to reduce overall risk.
2Illumination intensity
If the vial is used in low-light environments, then medicament can be accessed, but visibility is poor making precise needle insertion difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cone-shaped shield element acts as an optical intermediary by reflecting ambient light onto the needle insertion path. The conical geometry with its flared distal end creates a light-trapping effect that illuminates the stopper area, improving visibility without requiring external light sources or complex illumination systems.
3Productivity
If the needle pierces the stopper to access medicament, then medicament transfer is enabled, but medicament residue is deposited on the stopper surface
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary seal serves as an intermediary barrier between the medicament and the stopper exterior. It is positioned to contact the stopper surface and prevent medicament from migrating outward during needle withdrawal. This secondary sealing interface captures any medicament that might otherwise contaminate the stopper, allowing efficient transfer while eliminating residue deposition.
4Reliability
If the cap adapter includes protective features like shield and secondary seal, then safety is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple protective functions into a single integrated cap adapter assembly. The shield, needle guide, secondary seal, and vent passage are combined into one component that attaches to the vial cap. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps while providing comprehensive protection, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 cap adapter enhances user safety by reducing needlestick risks and medicament residue, while improving visibility in low-light conditions, ensuring efficient and residue-free transfer of medicament.
Implementation Method 1
A spike extends distally from the transverse wall portion and defines a second lumen passing through the transverse wall portion. The second lumen is spaced from and not in fluid communication with the first lumen. The spike includes a sharp distal tip that is configured to pierce a sealing stopper on the vial.
Implementation Method 2
A cone-shaped shield element extends proximally from a vertex defining an inlet port that communicates with the first lumen, the shield element flaring radially outwardly from the inlet port. The shield element is configured to guide a hypodermic needle toward the first lumen, thereby reducing the risk of needlestick to a user handling the vial.
Implementation Method 3
A light source cooperates with the cap adapter and is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the cap adapter to enhance the visibility of the vial in a low-light environment.
Data Source
AI summary
Cap adapters for a medicament vial configured to facilitate the transfer of liquid medicament from the vial and into a syringe. In one embodiment the cap adapter comprises a wall portion with a first lumen passing through it. A vial-engaging portion secures the cap adapter to the vial. A spike extends from the wall portion and defines a second lumen passing through the wall portion. A cone-shaped shield extends from the first lumen. The shield is configured to guide a hypodermic needle toward the first lumen to thereby reduce a risk of needlestick to a user handling the vial. In certain embodiments, a light source cooperates with the cap adapter to illuminate at least a portion of the cap adapter to reduce a risk of needlestick to a user handling the vial in a darkened environment. In certain embodiments, a secondary sealing member abuts a first face of the wall portion and seals an end of the first lumen. In certain embodiments, a locking sleeve resists or prevents removal of the cap adapter from the medicament vial.