Drug Infusion Device and Drug Infusion Method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drug injector and a drug injection method, and more specifically, to a peristaltic drug injector with a novel structure that maximizes portability while allowing a user to replace a drug tube very conveniently and hygienically, a pumping block for a drug injector, and a drug injection method. The present invention comprises a housing, a driving unit including a motor and a gear train provided within the housing, a control unit for controlling the operation of the motor, a receiving unit formed on one side of the housing and including a raceway formed on an inner wall, and a pump module detachably coupled to the receiving unit, wherein the pump module comprises a rotor having a roller assembly that rotates by a motor and includes a plurality of rollers and a roller block that fixes the rollers and is movably installed, and an operating unit pivotally operated by a user, wherein the operating unit includes a lever handle detachably coupled to the rotor, and the pump module comprises an actuator block driven by the pivot movement of the lever handle and the roller block radially inward toward the center of the rotor. The present invention provides a liquid injector characterized by including a pressurizing elastic member, wherein the actuator block includes a cam surface that pushes the roller block radially outward against the elastic force of the elastic member when the operating part is operated to the first position, wherein a liquid tube is positioned in the receiving part such that it is located between the raceway and the roller of the roller assembly, and wherein, as the operating part is pivotally operated, the plurality of roller assemblies are configured to move radially in the roller assembly between a first position in which the plurality of roller assemblies compress the liquid tube and a second position in which contact with the liquid tube is released so that the pump module can be detached from the receiving part.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drug injector and a drug injection method, and more specifically, to a peristaltic drug injector with a new structure that maximizes portability while allowing the user to replace the drug tube very easily and hygienically, a pumping block for the drug injector, and a drug injection method. Background Technology

[0002] The present invention relates to a medicinal fluid injector, wherein the term "medicinal fluid" encompasses not only therapeutic drugs in liquid form such as anticancer agents, insulin, antibiotics, and analgesics, but also general fluids including electrolytes and nutrients. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable peristaltic medicinal fluid injector of a novel structure that allows a user to replace the fluid path through which the medicinal fluid flows very simply and hygienically.

[0003] In the course of patient treatment, the continuous infusion of specific medications at an accurate flow rate over a set period is a critical medical procedure that determines the success of the treatment and patient safety. For example, in anticancer therapy, an overdose can cause severe toxicity, while an underdose makes it difficult to expect therapeutic effects. Furthermore, procedures such as insulin infusion for diabetic patients or patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for pain management after surgery require precise, real-time flow rate control based on the patient's condition.

[0004] The most commonly used method for such precision infusion has been the gravity infusion device. This method involves hanging a container of liquid medication on a stand positioned higher than the patient and injecting the medication using the gravitational pressure generated by its potential energy. While gravity devices have the advantages of a simple structure and not requiring a power source, they severely restrict patient mobility because they rely on a bulky stand. Consequently, patients were required to remain strapped to a bed or wheelchair during treatment, which significantly reduced their quality of life.

[0005] To overcome these limitations, a portable drug injector was developed that actively pumps medication by mechanically compressing a tube using an electronic motor. In particular, peristaltic pumps, which transport medication by sequentially compressing a flexible tube with rotating rollers, have established themselves as a core technology for next-generation drug injectors because they enable precise flow rate control unaffected by the external environment. These electronic pumps eliminate the need for a stand, allowing patients to carry the device and freely carry out their daily lives, thereby significantly improving the quality of life for patients.

[0006] However, despite the advantage of portability, conventional portable peristaltic drug infusion devices faced new problems stemming from their structural complexity. The most significant issue was that the process of replacing and installing the drug tube was extremely difficult and cumbersome. Users had to precisely wrap a highly elastic silicone tube around several small rollers, a task that required considerable skill and physical strength. In particular, it was difficult for patients or caregivers who were not medical professionals to perform this task directly, and there was a serious safety risk that if the tube was installed incorrectly, the drug could be injected inaccurately or the pump could malfunction.

[0007] In addition, the rotor and roller assembly, which are the core drive components of the pump, were fixed as a single unit inside the pump housing, making them highly vulnerable to hygiene and maintenance issues. In the event of liquid leakage or the influx of external contaminants, it was virtually impossible to completely clean and sterilize the crevices of the complex mechanical structure, resulting in a constant risk of cross-infection. Furthermore, if the rollers or related parts wore out or broke due to long-term use, the user could not repair them directly and had to send the entire device to a professional service center, which had a fatal disadvantage of interrupting the continuity of treatment. Prior art documents related to the aforementioned background technology include Korean Registered Patent No. 10-2395167. The problem to be solved

[0008] The first objective of the present invention is to provide a drug injector, a pumping block for the drug injector, and a method for drug injection that does not rely on gravity and thus eliminates the need for a stand, thereby allowing the user to move freely and lead a daily life even during continuous drug administration such as anticancer treatment, pain management, and insulin injection.

[0009] The second objective of the present invention is to provide a drug injector, a pumping block for a drug injector, and a drug injection method that maximize ease of use and fundamentally eliminate the risk of misinstallation by enabling a patient or guardian who is not a medical professional to intuitively and quickly replace the entire fluid path in just a few seconds without special skills or effort.

[0010] The third objective of the present invention is to ensure the reliability and safety of treatment by providing a structure in which the drug solution tube is always precisely compressed at the optimal position, thereby enabling the accurate injection of drugs, such as anticancer agents, where even minute flow rate errors are not permitted, at the set value.

[0011] The fourth objective of the present invention is to provide an economical drug injector, a pumping block for a drug injector, and a drug injection method that ensures hygienic use and minimizes equipment maintenance costs and treatment downtime by simply replacing only the core pumping unit at a low cost instead of repairing or discarding the entire expensive equipment when the drug contact part is consumed or contaminated.

[0012] The fifth objective of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable field drug injector, a pumping block for the drug injector, and a drug injection method that, based on the above advantages, can increase the survival rate of injured persons by allowing non-medical personnel to immediately operate the equipment with minimal training, even in extreme emergency situations such as disaster sites or combat zones where professional medical personnel and facilities are scarce. means of solving the problem

[0013] As a means of solving the aforementioned problem, the present invention is,

[0014] Housing,

[0015] A drive unit including a motor and a gear train provided within the above housing,

[0016] A control unit that controls the operation of the above motor,

[0017] A receiving portion formed on one side of the above housing and including a raceway formed on the inner wall,

[0018] It includes a pump module detachably coupled to the above-mentioned receiving portion, and

[0019] The pump module comprises a rotor having a roller assembly that rotates by a motor and includes a plurality of rollers and a roller block that fixes the rollers and is movably installed, and an operating part that pivots by a user.

[0020] In the above receiving portion, a liquid medicine tube is positioned between the raceway and the roller of the roller assembly, and

[0021] The present invention provides a drug injector characterized in that the plurality of roller assemblies are configured to move radially as the above-described operating part pivots between a first position in which the drug tube is compressed and a second position in which contact with the drug tube is released.

[0022] The above roller is,

[0023] A first roller having a groove formed therein for supporting the above-mentioned liquid tube, and

[0024] It is preferable to include a second roller having a flat outer surface without grooves that compresses the above-mentioned liquid tube to transport the liquid.

[0025] The roller assembly includes two first rollers and two second rollers, and

[0026] It is preferable that the first roller and the second roller are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals with respect to the center of the rotor.

[0027] The above operating part includes a lever handle that is detachably coupled to the rotor, and

[0028] The pump module further includes an actuator block driven by the pivot movement of the lever handle and an elastic member that presses the roller block radially inward toward the center of the rotor.

[0029] It is preferable that the actuator block comprises a cam surface that pushes the roller block radially outward against the elastic force of the elastic member when the operating part is operated to the first position.

[0030] The front portion of the above housing includes a status display unit that displays at least one of the liquid supply speed, battery remaining amount information, and liquid flow alarm; and

[0031] It is preferable to further provide an operating unit electrically connected to the above control unit.

[0032] The above control unit preferably includes at least one of a manual injection button, an equipment setting button, an auto-priming button, a power button, and a confirmation button.

[0033] It is preferable to further include a bubble detection sensor that detects bubbles within the above-mentioned liquid tube.

[0034] The above elastic member is preferably a leaf spring.

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[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since an electronic peristaltic pump method is adopted and a gravity-based stand is not required at all, the patient can easily carry the device and move freely while receiving medication, allowing them to lead a daily life, thereby minimizing the inconvenience of the treatment process and having an excellent effect of dramatically improving the patient's quality of life.

[0054] In addition, the present invention provides a unique structure in which the entire core pumping component, including the drug solution tube, is integrated into a single independent 'pump module,' and the tube is automatically compressed and released through a simple operation of the module's 'operating part.' As a result, anyone, even those who are not medical professionals, can quickly and completely replace the entire pumping path in just a few seconds. This not only maximizes user convenience but also has the effect of dramatically improving the safety of drug administration by fundamentally preventing human error that may occur during the complex installation process.

[0055] Furthermore, the modular structure of the present invention ensures that the drug tube is always compressed with uniform pressure at the designed optimal position. This guarantees precise, error-free injection exactly at the set value when administering high-risk drugs, such as anticancer agents and narcotic analgesics, where even minute flow rate errors are unacceptable, thereby providing the effect of elevating the reliability and safety of treatment to the highest level.

[0056] In addition, even if core drive components such as rollers are worn out or contaminated by leakage of the liquid, only the pump module needs to be replaced at a low cost without the need to repair or discard the entire expensive equipment. This has a very economical and practical effect of significantly reducing equipment maintenance costs and minimizing downtime to ensure the continuity of treatment.

[0057] In particular, the intuitive and rapid pump module replacement and operation method of the present invention plays a decisive role in extreme environments, such as disaster sites or combat zones, where professional medical personnel and facilities are absolutely scarce. Even emergency personnel or non-medical staff with minimal training can immediately operate the equipment to secure the "golden time" necessary to save a patient's life. Furthermore, thanks to perfect portability that eliminates the need for a stand, medication can be continuously administered without any gaps in treatment, even during patient evacuation. This has a significant effect in maximizing the reliability and operability of the equipment in extreme field environments, thereby greatly contributing to increasing the survival rate of the injured. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0058] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drug solution injector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the housing shown in Figure 1 in an open state. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating an example of a status display unit and an operating unit included in the housing shown in FIG. 1. Figure 4 is a drawing illustrating the state in which the roller block of the pump module is in the second position. FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating the state in which the roller block of the pump module is in the first position. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a driving means. Figure 7 is a drawing illustrating the state in which the driving means and the pump unit are combined. Figures 8 and 9 are drawings to explain the relationship between the movement of the roller block and the elastic member. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for injecting a drug solution according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0059] In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention.

[0060] In this case, parts unrelated to the description are omitted in the drawings to clearly explain the present invention. Furthermore, throughout this specification, when a part is described as being "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where they are "directly connected," but also cases where they are "electrically or mechanically connected" with other elements interposed between them. Throughout this specification, when a component is described as being located on another component, this is not limited to cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also includes cases where another component exists between the two components. Throughout this specification, when a part is described as "including" a component, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, it does not exclude other components but may include additional components. Throughout this specification, terms such as "approximately" and "substantially" used to mean at or near the stated value when inherent manufacturing and material tolerances are presented for the stated meaning. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, terms related to direction, position, and order are based solely on the drawings unless otherwise noted, and their meanings are not limited to other embodiments.

[0061] First, one embodiment of a drug solution injector, which is the first form of the present invention, will be described.

[0062] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid injector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the housing shown in FIG. 1 in an open state, FIG. 3 is a drawing showing an example of a status display unit and an operating unit included in the housing shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining the state in which the roller assembly of the pump module is in a second position, FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the state in which the roller assembly of the pump module is in a first position, FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a driving means, and FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the state in which the driving means and the pump unit are combined.

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, a drug solution injector according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device that allows a drug solution moved from a drug solution bag (101) through a drug solution tube (100) to be injected into the human body along a needle (102) (see FIG. 3), and mainly comprises a housing (10), a motor (20), a control unit (not shown), and a pump module (40).

[0064] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing (10) is a main body that forms the overall exterior of the liquid injector (1) and is a structure that protects various electronic components and mechanical devices housed inside from external shock or contamination. To maximize portability, which is the objective of the present invention, the housing (10) may be formed in a roughly rectangular shape and a compact size about the size of a palm so that a user can easily grip and carry it with one hand. In addition, to ensure sufficient strength while being lightweight, the housing (10) may be manufactured by injection molding from a lightweight synthetic resin material such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or PC (Polycarbonate), but is not limited thereto.

[0065] Inside the housing (10), a space is safely provided for accommodating a motor (21) that provides power for pumping the liquid medicine and a control unit (not shown) that controls the overall operation of the device.

[0066] One side of the housing (10) is provided with a hinge (13) so that it can be folded, and on the other side, a liquid tube inlet (14) and a liquid tube outlet (15) are provided respectively, but the outlets of the liquid tube inlet (14) and the liquid tube outlet (15) are not limited to the position or shape shown in the drawing.

[0067] Components are arranged on the front of the housing (10) to allow the user to visually check the operating status of the device and directly operate the device.

[0068] Specifically, a status display unit (11) is provided on the upper front of the housing (10). The status display unit (11) can be implemented, for example, as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) panel and is electrically connected to a control unit (not shown) to clearly display various operational information related to the injection of the medicine to the user. For example, key information such as the currently set injection rate (ml / hr) of the medicine, the total injection amount (ml), the remaining injection time, the remaining battery level, and the current time can be displayed in numbers or characters on the status display unit (11). In addition, an animation of a falling water droplet can be displayed so that the user can intuitively recognize that the medicine is being injected normally, or a warning icon or notification message can be displayed to indicate the status when specific situations occur, such as the detection of air bubbles in the tube, completion of injection, or low battery.

[0069] An operating unit (12) for the user to directly control the device is positioned at the bottom of the status display unit (11). The operating unit (12) may include a plurality of physical buttons, and each button transmits a specific command signal to a control unit (not shown). For example, the operating unit (12) may include a power button to turn the device on and off, a start / stop button to start or pause the injection of the liquid medicine, a manual injection button to manually transfer a small amount of liquid medicine in emergency situations or when replacing a tube, a setting button and directional keys to change various settings such as injection speed or time, and a confirmation / cancel button to confirm the user's selection or return to the previous step. Through this, the user can easily set and control the injection of the liquid medicine under desired conditions while looking at the status display unit (11).

[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a receiving portion (30) is formed on one side of the housing (10) (e.g., the front side of the device) to which a pump module (40), to be described later, is detachably coupled. The receiving portion provides a space into which the rotor (41) of the pump module (40) is inserted.

[0071] A fixed arch-shaped raceway (31) is formed on the inner wall of the housing (30). A raceway refers to a path through which something moves in a mechanical structure. The raceway (31) plays an important role in firmly supporting the opposite side of the liquid tube (100) when the rollers (431, 432) of the pump module (40) compress the liquid tube (100), thereby enabling effective pumping action.

[0072] The above drive unit (20) is configured to include a motor (21) and a gear train (22) as shown in FIG. 6, and the gear train (22) includes a first gear (221) which is a reduction gear and a second gear (22) for rotating the rotor (41).

[0073] Figure 7 shows the combined state of the drive unit (20) and the pump module (40).

[0074] The above control unit (not shown) is not explicitly shown in the drawing, but is securely mounted on a main circuit board (PCB; Printed Circuit Board) inside the housing (10).

[0075] The control unit (not shown) can essentially be implemented as one or more microcontrollers (MCUs) or processors and serves as the brain that organically controls all functions of the device. To this end, the control unit (not shown) includes, internally, a computing unit (CPU), ROM or flash memory where program code is stored, and RAM for temporary storage of data. The firmware or software stored in the control unit (not shown) contains algorithms that interpret user commands, precisely control each hardware component, and execute safety protocols.

[0076] The control unit (not shown) serves as the first gateway mediating communication between the user and the device. When the user presses a specific button on the control unit (12) on the front of the housing (10), such as the 'increase injection speed' button or the 'start / stop' button, the electrical circuit connected to the button closes, generating a unique electrical signal. The control unit (not shown) receives this electrical signal as an input signal and immediately interprets what command this signal corresponds to through the built-in firmware. For example, if the user sets the liquid injection speed to '100 ml / hr' using the directional keys and the confirmation button, the control unit (not shown) stores this numerical value in internal memory. Then, when the user presses the 'start' button, the control unit (not shown) prepares to generate a specific control signal to drive the motor (21) based on the stored value of '100 ml / hr'. In this way, the control unit (not shown) plays the role of determining the next operation of the device by detecting and interpreting all inputs from the control unit (12) in real time.

[0077] One of the most critical roles of the control unit (not shown) is to control the rotational speed of the motor (21) with extreme precision. In order to convert the liquid injection speed (e.g., ml / hr) set by the user into a physical pumping motion, the control unit (not shown) calculates the exact rotational speed (RPM) of the motor (21) required to achieve the target injection amount by taking into account the kinematic characteristics of the rotor (41) and roller (43), and the diameter of the liquid tube.

[0078] The control unit (not shown) also performs the role of visually outputting all current status information of the device to the status display unit (11) so that the user can clearly recognize it. The control unit (not shown) converts data such as the current injection speed, total injection amount, remaining time, and remaining battery level stored in the internal memory into digital signals in a format that the status display unit (11) can understand and transmits them.

[0079] For example, the control unit (not shown) combines numeric data '100.0' and string data 'ml / hr' and issues a command to display them at specific coordinates of the status display unit (11). Additionally, it controls the display to play a water droplet animation indicating that the liquid medicine is being injected normally, or to display the level of fullness of the battery icon differently depending on the remaining battery level. When a warning situation occurs, such as 'injection complete', 'tube blockage', or the detection of bubbles in the liquid medicine by the bubble detection sensor (50) described later, the control unit (not shown) immediately displays a warning message and icon corresponding to the situation on the status display unit (11) and simultaneously provides complex feedback to the user, such as activating a warning sound generating device (buzzer).

[0080] Meanwhile, the control unit (30) may include an artificial intelligence (AI)-based control function that goes beyond simply operating mechanically according to values ​​set by the user, and actively determines and executes a drug injection protocol optimized for the individual condition of the patient. This is intended to implement personalized precision medicine that maximizes treatment effects and minimizes side effects.

[0081] To this end, the memory of the control unit (30) may be loaded with a neural network algorithm that has been pre-trained by machine learning. This neural network algorithm is pre-trained using a dataset that includes a large amount of clinical data, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics models, and existing successful treatment cases.

[0082] When in use, medical staff or users can input various conditions such as basic patient information, physical information such as gender, age, weight, and height, the type of medication administered, the patient's underlying disease, and current physical condition (e.g., pain index, blood sugar level, etc.) through the control unit (12). This information may also be automatically received through wired or wireless communication with an external device (e.g., hospital information system (HIS), electronic medical record (EMR), or personal wearable sensor).

[0083] Based on input multidimensional patient data, the learned neural network algorithm infers and determines the safest and most effective drug fluid infusion rate and total infusion amount, or the flow rate change pattern (profile) over time for the patient. Once the optimal infusion protocol is determined, the control unit (30) precisely controls the rotational speed of the motor (40) in real time according to this protocol, as described above. Through this, it is possible to provide customized treatment optimized for each patient while minimizing intervention by medical staff, thereby providing an innovative effect that elevates the quality of treatment to the next level.

[0084] In conclusion, the control unit (not shown) is a central control center of the liquid injector (1) that receives user intent from the operating unit (12), interprets it to precisely drive the motor (21), and provides real-time feedback of all processes and results to the user through the status display unit (11). Through this, the liquid injector of the present invention can ensure safe, accurate, and user-friendly operation.

[0085] The pump module (40) is an independent unit that can be easily attached to or detached from the receiving portion (30) of the housing (10) as shown in FIG. 3. This configuration is designed to make the replacement, cleaning, and maintenance of the liquid medicine tube significantly easier, and is one of the greatest features of the present invention.

[0086] The above pump module (40) is configured to include a rotor (41) and an operating part (42) as shown in FIG. 5.

[0087] The rotor (41) is a driving body that receives power from the motor (21) and rotates together with the second gear train (222), and is configured in a cylindrical shape. An internal space is formed in the rotor (41), and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of rollers (43) are provided in the internal space, and a roller block (44) is installed to fix the rollers (43) and move them.

[0088] FIGS. 4 and 5 are illustrated with part of the rotor (41) (upper plate) removed to explain the position of the roller (43) and the roller block (44).

[0089] Specifically, the roller block (44) is a block-shaped structure that rotatably supports the roller (43). This roller block (44) is not simply fixed on the rotating body of the rotor (41), but is installed to be movable by a predetermined distance in the radial direction of the rotor (41). This movable structure enables the roller (43) to perform the action of compressing or releasing the liquid medicine tube according to the operation of the operating part (42) to be described later.

[0090] The roller (43) is supported by a roller block (44) and is capable of rotation. When the rotor (41) rotates, it rolls along the surface of the liquid tube and serves to transport the liquid. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of rollers (43) may include a first roller (431) and a second roller (432) having different shapes. The first roller (431) has a groove formed on its outer surface corresponding to the diameter of the liquid tube, and performs a guide function to stably position the liquid tube so that it does not deviate to the left or right during pumping. On the other hand, the second roller (432) has a flat or gently curved outer surface without a groove, and performs a practical pumping function by effectively pressing the liquid tube to completely occlude the internal passage and push out the liquid.

[0091] The above operating unit (42) is a manual operating device for a user to move the roller block (44) of the pump module (40) to compress or release the liquid tube. This operating unit (42) implements sophisticated mechanical interlocking by including a lever handle (421) that is detachably installed so that the user can operate it directly, an actuator block (422) that is linked to the movement of the lever handle (421), and an elastic member (423) that provides elastic force to the roller block (44).

[0092] The lever handle (421) is exposed on the upper part of the pump module (40) and is formed so that the user can easily grasp it and pivot it. In particular, the lever handle (421) may have a structure that is completely detachable from the rotor (41), thereby further enhancing convenience during cleaning or storage.

[0093] The actuator block (422) is an intermediate medium connected to the lower part of the lever handle (421) and driven together according to its pivot movement. On the side of the actuator block (422), a cam surface (424) in the shape of an inclined or curved surface that contacts the roller block (44) is formed.

[0094] The above elastic member (423) is an elastic body, such as a leaf spring, for example, and is positioned between the roller block (44) and the rotor (41) to apply an elastic force that normally pushes the roller block (44) toward the center of the rotor (41), that is, radially inward.

[0095] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining the state in which the roller block (44) is in the first position, and FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining the state in which the roller block (44) is in the second position.

[0096] The operating principle of the pump module (40) through the interaction of these components is as follows.

[0097] When the user replaces the liquid medicine tube or mounts the pump module (40) to the housing (10), the lever handle (421) is placed in the second position (release position). In this state, the actuator block (422) does not push the roller block (44), so all roller blocks (44) and rollers (43) remain in a state moved toward the center of the rotor (41) by the restoring force of the elastic member (423) as shown in FIG. 8. Thus, sufficient space is secured between the liquid medicine tube and the rollers (43), allowing for free insertion and removal of the tube.

[0098] To start pumping the liquid medicine for movement, when the user pivots the lever handle (421) to the first position (combined position), the actuator block (422) connected to the lever handle (421) is actuated. At this time, the cam surface (424) of the actuator block (422) pushes the inner surface of the roller block (44) toward the outer circumference of the rotor (41). This force moves the roller block (44) and the roller (43) radially outward while elastically deforming the elastic member (423) as shown in FIG. 9. The roller (43) moved outward strongly presses the liquid medicine tube (100) placed in the receiving section against the raceway (31) of the housing (10) to complete the pumping readiness state.

[0099] When pumping is complete and it is necessary to separate the pumping module (40) from the receiving portion (30) to remove the fluid tube (100), conversely, if the lever handle (421) is operated back to the second position, the pressure by the cam is released, and the roller block (44) immediately returns inward by the force of the elastic member (423) to release the compression of the tube.

[0100] Thus, the pump module (40) of the present invention provides a unique mechanical structure that can clearly and reliably perform the compression and release operations of the roller with only a simple pivot operation of the lever handle.

[0101] FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings for explaining the relationship between the elastic member (431) and the roller block (44), and are illustrated as simply as possible by including only the components necessary for the explanation, and the elastic member (431), which is a plate spring, is also briefly illustrated only in the form of elastic deformation.

[0102] The bubble detection sensor (50) detects bubbles in the fluid. The main purpose of the bubble detection sensor (50) is to monitor in real time whether air bubbles harmful to the human body are mixed in the flow of the medicine, thereby fundamentally preventing fatal medical accidents (air embolism) in which bubbles enter the patient's blood vessels.

[0103] The most commonly used optical sensors detect bubbles by utilizing changes in light refraction and reflection characteristics. This sensor basically includes a pair of light emitters and light receivers facing each other with a liquid tube in between.

[0104] The light-emitting part is mainly composed of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) that emit invisible infrared (IR) light. It serves to continuously irradiate light of a constant intensity toward the liquid tube. The light-receiving part is composed of a photodiode or phototransistor that detects the light emitted from the light-emitting part. It generates an electrical signal (voltage or current) proportional to the intensity of the received light and transmits it to the control unit (30).

[0105] When there are no bubbles in the liquid tube, that is, when the liquid tube is filled with a clear liquid, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit passes through the liquid and the tube wall and travels in a nearly straight line according to a constant refractive index, reaching the light-receiving unit on the opposite side. At this time, the light-receiving unit detects light of sufficient and stable intensity and sends a corresponding 'HIGH' level electrical signal to the control unit (30). The control unit (30) recognizes this stable HIGH signal as a 'normal state'.

[0106] If air bubbles are mixed in with the flow of the liquid and pass through the sensor section, the rounded surface of the bubbles acts like an irregular lens because the liquid and the gas have significantly different refractive indices. The light emitted from the light-emitting part is severely refracted, scattered, or total internally reflected at the surface of the bubbles, causing most of the light to scatter in the wrong direction. As a result, the amount of light reaching the light-receiving part decreases rapidly or hardly reaches it at all. At this time, the light-receiving part detects that the intensity of the light has decreased rapidly and sends a corresponding 'low' level electrical signal to the control unit (30).

[0107] The control unit (30) monitors the signal received from the bubble detection sensor in real time, and if it detects that a stable HIGH signal rapidly drops to a LOW state below a preset threshold, it immediately recognizes this as an emergency situation called 'bubble generation'. Then, the following safety measures can be executed sequentially or simultaneously.

[0108] 1) Immediate cessation of pumping: First, the control unit (30) immediately stops the operation of the motor (40) to stop the flow of the liquid medicine. This is the most important measure to prevent bubbles from moving further toward the patient.

[0109] 2) Audiovisual warning: At the same time, the control unit (30) displays a clear visual warning message or icon, such as 'bubble detected' or 'tube check', on the status display unit (11). In addition, an auditory alarm, such as a 'beep' sound, is generated through a built-in buzzer so that the user or nearby medical staff can immediately recognize the situation.

[0110] A bubble detection sensor (50) utilizing ultrasound may be used. This method utilizes the difference in sound transmission characteristics and consists of an ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver. Ultrasound passes through liquids well but is mostly reflected when it encounters gases. When the liquid medicine flows normally, the ultrasound from the transmitter is transmitted well to the receiver, but when bubbles pass through, the ultrasound is reflected and the received signal weakens rapidly. The control unit (30) determines this rapid attenuation of the signal as 'bubble generation' and executes the same safety measures as described above.

[0111] The second embodiment of the present invention is a pumping block, and since it has been sufficiently explained in the description of the drug solution injector above, further explanation will be omitted.

[0112] Hereinafter, a method for injecting a liquid drug according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. As shown in FIG. 10, the method for injecting a liquid drug according to the present invention consists of a placement step (S1), an insertion step (S2), a pressurization step, and a pumping step.

[0113] The first step of the drug injection method according to the present embodiment is a placement step (S1). In this step, the user prepares a container containing the drug (e.g., a drug pack (101)) and a flexible drug tube with both ends connected to a needle (102) to be connected to the patient. Then, the drug tube is placed in a receiving portion (30) provided in the housing (10), which is the main body of the drug injector (1). It is preferable to use a medical silicone tube with good elasticity for the drug tube placed in the receiving portion.

[0114] The user places a portion of the liquid medicine tube by lightly pressing it along the shape of the receiving portion (30). At this time, one outer surface of the liquid medicine tube naturally comes into contact with the raceway (310), which is a hard and smooth curved surface formed on the inner wall of the receiving portion. This step is a process of pre-setting the exact path for the liquid medicine to flow through, and is intended to prepare the liquid medicine tube in the correct position for pumping without applying any mechanical pressure to the liquid medicine tube.

[0115] Next, an insertion step (S2) is performed. The user inserts a pump module (40), which is configured to include a roller (43) that pushes the liquid medicine directly, into a receiving portion in which the liquid medicine tube is placed.

[0116] At this stage, the lever handle (421) of the pump module (40) is in the second position. In the second position, the roller block (44) inside the pump module (40) maintains a state in which it is fully contracted toward the center of the rotor (41), that is, radially inward, by the force of the elastic member (423). With the rollers (43) positioned inward in this way, the pump module (40) can be smoothly inserted into the receiving portion (30). The user pushes the pump module (40) all the way in to mount it without any resistance, and at this time, the rotor (41) inside the pump module (40) is mechanically and accurately coupled with the motor (40) power transmission shaft inside the housing (10).

[0117] Once the pump module (40) is installed, a pressurization step (S3), which is a preparation process for pumping the liquid medicine, follows. The user rotates the lever handle (421) of the pump module (40) to pivot to the first position.

[0118] This simple lever operation causes the following sophisticated mechanical interlocking inside the pump module (40). The pivot movement of the lever handle (421) rotates the internal actuator block (422), and the cam surface (424) formed on the actuator block pushes the roller block (44). This force elastically deforms the elastic member (423) that was pulling the roller block (44) inward, thereby moving all the rollers (43) simultaneously outward in the radial direction.

[0119] The rollers (43) moved outward strongly press the liquid medicine tube positioned in the placement step (S1) toward the raceway (31). As a result, the liquid medicine tube (100) is tightly fitted between the rollers (43) and the fixed raceway (31) on the opposite side, forming a compressed state in which its internal passage is completely closed. This completes all mechanical preparations for liquid medicine injection.

[0120] Finally, a pumping step (S4) in which the actual liquid injection takes place is performed. The user sets the desired liquid injection speed, injection amount, etc. through the control unit (12) and inputs a start command. The control unit (30) precisely drives the motor (40) according to this command to rotate the rotor (41).

[0121] As the rotor (41) rotates, the rollers (43), which are compressing the liquid medicine tube, roll along the surface of the liquid medicine tube (100) and revolve together. In particular, the second roller (432), which has a flat outer surface without grooves, continuously pushes the liquid medicine trapped inside the tube toward the exit direction, much like squeezing toothpaste. At the same time, the first roller (431), which has grooves, acts as a guide to stably support the tube so that it does not deviate from its path even during pumping. Through this peristaltic motion, the liquid medicine is accurately and stably injected into the patient according to the set flow rate.

[0122] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this is merely one exemplary embodiment for explaining the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the specific details or drawings of the above embodiments.

[0123] The true scope of technical protection of the present invention shall be determined by the technical concept of the claims set forth below. A person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will readily understand that a wide variety of substitutions, modifications, and alterations are possible from the contents described in this specification without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0124] For example, the overall appearance of the housing (10), described as having a rectangular shape in this embodiment, can be changed to an ergonomic streamlined shape or other polygonal shape as long as portability is not compromised. Additionally, the specific shape, length, and material of the lever handle (421) constituting the operating part (42) can also be modified into various other forms that implement the core operating principle of the present invention, provided that the user can easily pivot the lever handle and reliably transmit driving force. Likewise, although the elastic member (423) that presses the roller block (44) inward is exemplified as a leaf spring, it is also within the scope of the present invention to replace it with other types of elastic members, such as coil springs or torsion springs, that can provide the same inertial restoring function.

[0125] Therefore, all equivalent embodiments and variations based on the technical concept of the present invention, even if not explicitly disclosed in this specification, should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the rights of the present invention as described in the claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0126] 10 : Housing 20 : Drive unit 30 : Receiving section 40 : Pump module

Claims

Claim 1 A housing; a driving unit including a motor and a gear train provided within the housing; a control unit for controlling the operation of the motor; a receiving unit formed on one side of the housing and including a raceway formed on an inner wall; and a pump module detachably coupled to the receiving unit, wherein the pump module comprises a rotor having a roller assembly that rotates by a motor and includes a plurality of rollers and a roller block that fixes the rollers and is movably installed, and an operating unit pivotally operated by a user, wherein the operating unit includes a lever handle detachably coupled to the rotor, and the pump module includes an actuator block driven by the pivot movement of the lever handle and an elastic member that presses the roller block radially inward toward the center of the rotor, wherein the actuator block includes a cam surface that pushes the roller block radially outward against the elastic force of the elastic member when the operating unit is operated to a first position, and wherein a liquid medicine tube is positioned between the raceway and the roller of the roller assembly in the receiving unit. A drug injector characterized by being arranged and configured to move radially along the roller assembly between a first position in which the plurality of roller assemblies compress the drug tube as the operating part is pivotally operated and a second position in which contact with the drug tube is released so that the pump module can be detached from the receiving part. Claim 2 A drug injector according to claim 1, characterized in that the roller comprises a first roller having a groove formed therein for supporting the drug tube, and a second roller having a flat outer surface without a groove that compresses the drug tube to convey the drug. Claim 3 A liquid injector according to claim 1, wherein the roller assembly comprises two first rollers and two second rollers, and the first rollers and the second rollers are alternately arranged at equal angular intervals with respect to the center of the rotor. Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A drug injector according to claim 1, characterized in that the front portion of the housing further comprises a status display unit that displays at least one of the drug supply speed, battery remaining amount information, and drug flow alarm, and an operating unit that is electrically connected to the control unit. Claim 6 A drug solution injector according to claim 5, wherein the above-mentioned operating unit comprises at least one of a manual injection button, an equipment setting button, an auto-priming button, a power button, and a confirmation button. Claim 7 A drug injector according to claim 1, further comprising a bubble detection sensor for detecting bubbles within the drug tube. Claim 8 A liquid injector according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic member is a plate spring. Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete

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