Mechanical Auto-Injector Reset Assembly for Reusable Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic injection pens are disposable, leading to resource waste and high manufacturing costs due to complex structures.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical automatic injection pen with a simplified design comprising a first and second assembly, allowing for reusable operation by enabling the push rod to return to its initial position after use, facilitating easy replacement of the needle assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If disposable injection needles are used to achieve automatic injection, then the injection function is realized, but resource waste and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The injection pen is divided into disposable needle assembly and reusable body assembly, allowing only the needle to be discarded while the main body is reused. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling automatic injection function while reducing resource waste through reuse of the pen body.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the needle assembly to be discarded after use while recovering and reusing the pen body. The reset mechanism enables the push rod to return to its initial position, making the pen body ready for the next injection cycle, thus reducing resource waste while maintaining automatic injection capability.
2Ease of operation
If complex structural design is used to achieve automatic injection, then the injection function is realized, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod is designed to automatically reset to its initial position after injection through the reset mechanism, eliminating the need for manual intervention. This self-service feature simplifies the overall structure by removing complex control systems while maintaining automatic injection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex control mechanisms are extracted and replaced with a simple reset mechanism that uses elastic potential energy storage and release. This extraction of complexity reduces manufacturing costs while preserving the automatic injection function through mechanical simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If disposable design is used, then injection operation is simplified, but repeated use is not possible leading to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The design enables recovery and reuse of the pen body after each injection. The reset mechanism restores the push rod to its initial position, and the lockable feature prevents unintended activation during storage, allowing multiple injection cycles from a single pen body while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The push rod transitions between locked and unlocked states dynamically, enabling both easy operation during injection and stable storage between uses. This dynamic state change allows the device to function as a reusable system while maintaining the simplicity of disposable operation.
4Reliability
If lockable push rod design is used, then accidental activation is prevented, but injection initiation requires additional mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The reset mechanism acts as an intermediary that simultaneously provides the unlocking function and simplifies the initiation process. By storing elastic potential energy during the reset stroke, it automatically provides the force needed to overcome the lock and initiate injection, reducing the complexity of the activation mechanism while maintaining safety.
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 reduces waste and lowers costs by enabling repeated use, while simplifying the structure and assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
the pulling assembly is returned to the position before it is moved by the external force through the first elastic assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical automatic injection pen includes a first assembly and a second assembly. The first assembly includes a first pipe, a pulling assembly, a push rod, a locking assembly, a first elastic assembly, and a second elastic assembly. The second assembly includes a second pipe and an actuating assembly. The locking assembly is actuated by the actuating assembly to release the locked state of the push rod, the push rod moves along the axis toward the needle assembly through the second elastic assembly to push the medicine to perform the injection operation. After the injection operation is completed, the pulling assembly can move along the axis in a direction away from the second pipe by an external force, thereby gradually driving the push rod to return to the position before the injection operation. Accordingly, the push rod can be returned to the original position by operation of the pulling assembly.