Angled Integrated Soft Cannula for Wearable Patch Pumps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable patch pumps for subcutaneous medication delivery are cumbersome and require complex external systems, lacking in comfort and ease of use, and often compromise the sterility of prescription or off-the-shelf drug cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A compact patch pump design featuring an elastic strip with a fixed and movable end, a release mechanism, and a non-linear needle path allowing a rigid needle to traverse a first plane while a cannula moves in a second plane, enabling self-administration of solutions without compromising sterility, with user-friendly features like flow control and visual indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional wearable patch pump design is used, then medication delivery function is achieved, but device complexity and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a sterile sealed cartridge containing medication and needle, a pump body with reservoir, and a cannula assembly. This segmentation allows the sterile components to be separately manufactured and sealed, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle is nested within the cartridge in a retracted position, and the cannula is nested within the needle path. This nesting arrangement compactly integrates multiple components into a single wearable unit, reducing device bulkiness while preserving all necessary functions.
2Ease of operation
If a needle is used for subcutaneous insertion, then medication delivery is enabled, but sterility of the drug cartridge is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is pre-loaded and sealed within the cartridge in a sterile environment. The cartridge is manufactured and sealed with the needle already in place, ensuring sterility is maintained until the moment of use. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to breach the sterile barrier during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle is extracted from the sterile field after use and disposed of separately, while the medication cartridge remains sealed and sterile for future use. This separation allows the needle to be removed without compromising the sterility of the drug reservoir.
3Ease of operation
If a compact patch pump design is used, then comfort and ease of use are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump body, reservoir, and control mechanisms are merged into a single integrated patch unit that adheres to the skin. This consolidation creates a compact, comfortable wearable device while managing internal complexity through modular design of the integrated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch pump utilizes flexible adhesive backing and thin-walled reservoirs to create a conformable, comfortable wearable device. These flexible components allow the pump to adapt to skin contours, improving comfort while containing the necessary mechanical systems within a thin profile.
4Reliability
If external systems are used for medication delivery, then functionality is achieved, but patient comfort decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The medication reservoir, pump mechanism, and delivery components are merged into a single self-contained wearable patch that eliminates the need for external infusion pumps, power supplies, and control systems. This integration maintains reliable medication delivery while dramatically improving patient comfort through portability and simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch pump is designed as a self-contained system that operates autonomously once applied to the skin, eliminating the need for external support systems. The device self-regulates medication flow and requires minimal user intervention, providing both reliable delivery and patient comfort.
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 design allows for a cost-effective, comfortable, and compact wearable patch pump that enables self-administration of medications, maintaining solution sterility and providing user-friendly operation, including visual feedback and wireless communication for dosing tracking.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic strip with a first fixed end and a second movable end, the elastic strip configured to be in at least one of a tense state and an elastic state
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A
AI summary
A device and method are disclosed for an elastic strip with a first fixed end and a second movable end, the elastic strip configured to be in at least one of a tense state and an elastic state. A release mechanism is configured to maintain the elastic strip in a tense state when the release mechanism is in a holding state, and configured to release the elastic strip when in a release state. A needle path with a first bend is provided. A rigid needle is configured to traverse a first portion of the needle path when the elastic strip is in the elastic state and a cannula is located in the needle path and configured to traverse a second portion of the needle path when the rigid needle traverses the first portion of the needle path.