Auto-injector Skin Sensor Array for Reliable Drug Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Auto-injectors for drug delivery face challenges in ensuring consistent skin contact during injection, particularly for patients with compromised manual dexterity, leading to potential incomplete or inaccurate drug administration due to movement or tilting of the device.

Innovation Solution

An auto-injector with a skin sensor arrangement featuring an array of capacitance proximity sensors around the needle delivery aperture, which differentiates between adequate and inadequate skin contact by sending individual sensing signals to a control unit for interpreting skin contact states and triggering appropriate actions, such as emergency stops or alerts, to ensure safe and complete injection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual operation of auto-injector is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but skin contact consistency deteriorates for patients with compromised manual dexterity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual operationVSAvoidskin contact consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an electrically powered drive system that uses a motor to advance the syringe and deliver the injection. This substitution eliminates the need for patients to manually manipulate the device, thereby maintaining ease of operation while ensuring consistent skin contact and reliable drug delivery even for patients with compromised manual dexterity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If skin sensor array is added to monitor skin contact, then injection safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection safetyVSAvoidsensor array configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates an array of skin sensors that continuously monitor skin contact status during injection and provide real-time feedback to the control system. The control system processes sensor signals to determine skin contact state and automatically adjusts the injection process or triggers alerts, thereby improving injection safety through closed-loop control despite the increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If electrically powered drive system is implemented, then ease of operation for patients with compromised dexterity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation for patients with compromised dexterityVSAvoidelectrical drive system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrically powered drive system serves multiple functions: it advances the syringe to the skin, maintains consistent contact pressure during injection, and can be integrated with control systems for automated operation. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by consolidating multiple operational requirements into a single integrated system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Manufacturing precision

If real-time monitoring of skin contact state is implemented, then drug delivery accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug delivery accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption of sensor system

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic sampling of skin contact status by the sensor array rather than continuous monitoring at maximum resolution. The control system evaluates sensor signals at critical phases of the injection process (initial contact, injection delivery, completion) and adjusts monitoring frequency based on injection phase, thereby maintaining drug delivery accuracy while reducing overall energy consumption of the sensor system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 skin sensor array effectively monitors and maintains adequate skin contact, preventing drug leakage and ensuring accurate delivery by adjusting the injection process in real-time, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of the auto-injector for patients with limited dexterity.

Implementation Method 1

An auto-injector with a skin sensor arrangement featuring an array of capacitance proximity sensors around the needle delivery aperture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS10639424B2Auto-injector and drive unit therefor

Publication Date: 2020.05.05 UCB BIOPHARMA SPRL

AI summary

Provided is a drive unit for an auto-injector having a drive unit housing arranged for docking receipt of a syringe or of a cassette unit comprising a syringe movable from a rest position, in which a needle tip of the syringe is within the drive unit housing to a use position, in which the needle tip protrudes from a needle delivery aperture; and a drive arrangement including one or more electrically powered sources of axial drive; a first drive transfer element for advancing the syringe to said use position; and a second drive transfer element for moving a plunger into the barrel of the syringe to eject liquid contents thereof. The drive unit housing is provided with a skin sensor arrangement having an array of plural skin sensor electrodes located about the needle delivery aperture.