Autoinjector Conductive Track Sensing for Dose and Needle Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autoinjectors lack effective mechanisms to ensure complete delivery of the medicament dose and proper needle insertion, leading to potential underdosing or improper administration.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of continuous conductive tracks that are cut during the dispensing and retraction/extension movements of the plunger rod and needle guard, generating electrical state changes detectable by a sensing assembly, which tracks the movements and ensures complete dose delivery and proper needle insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional autoinjectors are used without sensing mechanisms, then the device structure remains simple, but there is no verification of complete dose delivery or proper needle insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing mechanisms with electrical conductivity-based detection. Continuous conductive tracks are interrupted by mechanical movements (plunger rod dispensing, needle guard retraction/extension), generating electrical state changes that are detected by the sensing assembly. This substitution of mechanical sensing with electrical detection achieves reliable movement verification while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces continuous conductive tracks as intermediary elements between the mechanical components (plunger rod, needle guard) and the sensing assembly. These tracks translate mechanical movements into electrical state changes (continuous/interrupted conductivity), which the sensing assembly can detect. This intermediary mechanism enables reliable verification of dose delivery and needle insertion without requiring direct complex mechanical sensing.
2Measurement precision
If conductive tracks are interrupted to detect movements, then movement tracking precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional conductive track components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the conductive tracks with existing structural components of the autoinjector. The continuous conductive tracks are integrated into the plunger rod and needle guard assemblies, combining the structural functions with the sensing function. This merging approach enables movement detection through conductivity interruption while minimizing additional components and maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous conductive tracks serve multiple functions: they provide electrical connectivity for the sensing assembly and simultaneously act as sensing elements whose interruption detects mechanical movements. This multi-functionality allows a single component to serve both structural and detection purposes, achieving precise movement tracking without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If the plunger rod dispensing movement is tracked, then complete dose delivery is ensured, but the device requires additional sensing components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical position sensing with electrical conductivity detection. A continuous conductive track is interrupted by the plunger rod's dispensing movement, creating a detectable electrical state change. This substitution achieves reliable verification of complete dose delivery while keeping the sensing assembly relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing assembly provides feedback by detecting the electrical state change (continuous/interrupted conductivity) caused by the plunger rod's movement. This feedback mechanism confirms whether the full dispensing movement has occurred, ensuring complete dose delivery. The feedback is achieved through a simple conductivity detection system rather than complex mechanical sensing.
4Reliability
If needle guard retraction and extension movements are sensed, then proper needle insertion is verified, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces continuous conductive tracks associated with the needle guard as intermediary elements. These tracks are interrupted during needle guard retraction and extension movements, translating mechanical movements into electrical state changes. The sensing assembly detects these changes to verify proper needle insertion, achieving reliable verification without requiring complex direct mechanical sensing of the needle guard movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical sensing of needle guard movements with electrical conductivity-based detection. The interruption of continuous conductive tracks during retraction/extension movements provides detectable electrical state changes that indicate proper needle insertion. This substitution achieves reliable verification while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
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
Ensures accurate delivery of the full medicament dose and verifies sufficient needle insertion, enhancing the reliability and efficacy of autoinjector use.
Implementation Method 1
one or more continuous conductive tracks can be configured to be cut during the dispensing movement, which in turn generates an electrical state change that can be sensed by a sensing assembly
Implementation Method 2
a first sensor (e.g., a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip, an NFC coil, or an NFC tag) configured to detect the one or more electrical signals. Such electrical signals can be transmitted from the device to an external device (e.g., a mobile device, smartphone, or tablet) through a wireless communication protocol (e.g., near field communication or others described herein)
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods include an autoinjector including a housing; a connectivity region configured to be accessed at a region of the housing; a needle arranged at a distal end of the housing; a container disposed within the housing and configured to contain medicament; and a plunger slidably disposed within the container. A plunger rod is configured to push the plunger through the container to dispense the medicament through the needle when the container contains medicament. The needle guard is configured to retract when an insertion force is applied to the needle and to extend when the insertion force is removed. A mechanism is configured so that a dispensing movement of the plunger rod, a retraction movement of the needle guard, and/or an extension movement of the needle guard generates an electrical state change. A first sensor is configured to detect the electrical state change.