Automatic Shutter Device for Drug Delivery Sterility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery systems, particularly spray devices, face challenges in maintaining sterility and preventing contamination and clogging due to residual fluid at the administration port, which can lead to health risks and device malfunction.
Innovation Solution
An automatic shutter device with a rotative pump and motor system that synchronizes the movement of a shutter with the fluid distribution, ensuring tight sealing and reliable opening/closing without user interference, featuring a movement conversion element to coordinate the shutter's positions with the motor's rotation, allowing for efficient fluid management and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a manual shutter is used to close the administration port, then the device structure is simple, but the patient may not close the shutter properly between administrations leading to contamination and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter system operates automatically without requiring patient intervention. The motor-driven mechanism opens and closes the shutter based on fluid pressure changes during administration cycles, eliminating the need for manual operation and ensuring consistent sealing to prevent contamination and clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical shutter operation is replaced with an automated motor-driven system. The motor converts rotational motion to linear movement of the shutter through a movement conversion element, providing reliable automatic opening and closing without patient intervention.
2Reliability
If an automatic shutter is used to ensure proper sealing, then sterility and contamination prevention are improved, but the device complexity increases due to coupling with the delivery system
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter mechanism is integrated with the existing motor and pump system. The movement conversion element couples the motor's rotational output directly to the shutter's linear motion requirement, sharing the motor's power train and control infrastructure to minimize additional complexity while achieving automatic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor serves dual functions: driving the pump for fluid delivery and driving the shutter for sealing. The movement conversion element enables the same motor to perform both functions by converting rotational motion to linear motion for the shutter, reducing the need for separate actuation systems.
3Reliability
If the shutter forms the end of the fluid flow portion to ensure sealing, then contamination is prevented, but the free flow of fluid is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter transitions from a static end-piece to a dynamic component that moves between open and closed positions. During fluid administration, the shutter is retracted to allow unrestricted flow; between administrations, it advances to seal the port, dynamically adapting to operational requirements to maintain both flow rate and sealing effectiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~2
Figure 3a
AI summary
Automatic shutter device comprising a fluid distribution opening (16), a pump comprising a pump cavity, the pump being activable according to a rotative mode of operation, said rotative mode of operation comprising at least a suction phase and a discharge phase, a motor (22) aimed at activating the pump, the motor (22) comprising at least one rotative element (26) connected to the pump, a shutter (24) aimed at closing the fluid distribution opening (16), a movement conversion element (32) connected to the rotative element (26) and cooperating with the shutter (24). The shutter (24) displays two positions: a shutting position in which the fluid distribution opening (16) is shut by the shutter (24), and an open position in which the fluid distribution opening (16) is free. The shutter (24) is moved from one position to another by means of the movement conversion element (32).