Auto-injector Flexible Container Roller Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auto-injector devices are not simple and reliable in use and are costly to manufacture, and they often require complex mechanisms for injecting drugs with minimal user input.
Innovation Solution
An auto-injector apparatus featuring a flexible container with a needle and a roller mechanism that expels the medicant upon relative movement, utilizing a main drive spring to extend the needle and a roller to deliver the drug, providing a compact, cost-effective, and user-friendly injection process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If glass based syringes or cartridges are used as primary packaging, then the drug delivery function is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional glass syringes or cartridges with a flexible container that contains the medicant. This flexible container is simpler to manufacture and reduces device complexity while maintaining the drug delivery function. The flexible container can be directly engaged by a roller mechanism to expel the medicant, eliminating the need for complex piston or plunger mechanisms required by glass syringes.
2Extent of automation
If complex mechanisms are used for auto-injection, then needle insertion and drug delivery are automated, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a unified mechanism. The roller serves dual purposes: it engages the flexible container to expel the medicant and works in conjunction with the main drive spring to automate both needle insertion and drug delivery. This merging of functions reduces overall device complexity compared to using separate mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform the injection process with minimal user input. The main drive spring automatically extends the needle, and the roller automatically engages the flexible container to expel the medicant once the needle is in position. This self-service capability achieves automation while keeping the mechanism relatively simple.
3Ease of manufacture
If a roller mechanism is used to expel medicant, then the device becomes more compact and economical, but the mechanism requires precise engagement with the flexible container
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible container is designed with specific geometric parameters that facilitate roller engagement. The container's shape and surface characteristics are optimized to ensure proper engagement with the roller, allowing for cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining sufficient engagement precision. The flexibility of the container material also compensates for minor variations in engagement precision.
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 apparatus simplifies the drug injection process by minimizing user input, ensuring needle sterility until use, and allowing for flexible fill volumes, while being compact and economical in production.
Implementation Method 1
a main drive spring operably associated with the needle to extend the needle from a first needle position wherein the needle is completely received in the housing to the second needle position wherein the needle protrudes form the housing
Implementation Method 2
a roller positioned to engage the flexible container and expel the medicant from the container upon relative movement in a displacement direction between the roller and the container
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2A~2G
Figure 3~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an auto-injector apparatus (10), comprising: a flexible container (108) containing a liquid medicant; a needle (144)communicated with the container; a housing (102), the container being received in the housing; a pump (210) disposed in the housing and positioned to engage the flexible container and expel the medicant from the container through the needle upon relative movement between the pump and the container; and a main drive spring (226) operably associated with the needle to extend the needle from a first needle position wherein the needle is completely received in the housing to a second needle position wherein the needle protrudes from the housing. The pump comprises a roller.