Medicament Vial Cap Adapter with Needle Guide Shield
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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 fitting, 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 is used, then the structure is simple, but the risk of needlestick injury increases
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 receiving aperture that guides the needle tip through a controlled path, preventing accidental needlestick injuries while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The vial system is segmented into distinct functional components: the original vial, a separate cap adapter with shield, and a closure. This segmentation allows the shield function to be added without complicating the vial itself, as the adapter can be attached as a separate unit
2Loss of substance
If a traditional vial design is used, then the device is simple to operate, but medicament residue on the stopper surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap adapter acts as an intermediary barrier between the needle and the stopper surface. The shield structure guides the needle tip to enter through a defined aperture, preventing the needle from contacting and leaving residue on the outer surface of the stopper, while the closure maintains the seal
Solution Approach 2:
The cap adapter is pre-positioned on the vial before needle insertion. The shield and aperture are already in place to guide the needle, eliminating the need for complex manual positioning operations during the actual medicament transfer process
3Illumination intensity
If no additional components are added, then the device complexity is low, but visibility in low-light environments is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The cap adapter with its shield structure serves as an intermediary optical element. The shield can incorporate translucent or transparent portions that allow light to pass through, illuminating the needle insertion area and improving visibility without requiring separate lighting components
Solution Approach 2:
The shield or cap adapter components can be made from translucent or transparent materials that interact with ambient light, potentially incorporating color-coding or light-transmitting properties to enhance visibility in low-light conditions while maintaining a simple device structure
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.